4.24.21 Bridgeport Speedway Results
Bridgeport, NJ – Joe Toth raced to his first feature win in the Foley Cat Modifieds at the Bridgeport Motorsports Park in just his third Modified start of the season. Steve Kemery raced to his second win of the season in the South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Sportsman feature. Mike Hughes has been close on several occasions but finally won for the first time in the Sunbelt Rental Street Stocks. Ethan Bill opened up the DA’s Auto Body & Repair Rookie season with a win. Mike Bednar raced Billy Pauch to the finish line to claim the victory in the USAC All Pro SpeedSTR feature.
Neal Williams led the Foley Cat Modified Feature for the first ten laps before Toth made the pass for the lead on lap eleven. Toth immediately pulled away from the field as the race for second heated up behind the leader. Tim Buckwalter won the race for second by halfway with another Modified rookie, Jim Gallagher, Jr. racing in third.
Ryan Godown raced up to third on lap nineteen and immediately started to race Buckwalter for second. With Toth out in front, Buckwalter and Godown set a torrid pace as the battled for the runner-up spot. The pressure intensified as the laps counted down.
Toth took the white flag several car lengths ahead of the battle for second. The leader was in turn three, coming for the checkered flag when the caution waved for the disable No. 31 of Tommy Beamer.
For the second week in a row, the Modifieds raced for twenty-nine consecutive green flag laps only to have a caution on the final lap, setting up a green to checkered one lap shoot-out – certainly not what Toth was looking for.
Toth had a good restart as he took the green with Buckwalter dropping to the bottom of the track to try to challenge for the lead. He pulled alongside of Toth in the corners but Toth pulled away as he exited turn two. Buckwalter lost just enough momentum in his challenge to allow Godown to take over second.
Toth got sideways in turn four as he dropped to the bottom of the track. He was good and lucky in that he was able to collect the car and continue on and lucky because of the skill of the drivers behind him who were able to avoid hitting the No. 9. “I thought somebody was either going to hit me and straighten me out or there was going to be a big wreck,” Toth stated. Fortunately, he was able to gather it back in and race to the waiting checkered flag. For the second week in a row, Godown grabbed second on the last lap restart. “We needed a caution,” Godown stated. “Even a green, white checkered would have been enough!.” Buckwalter finished third followed by Matt Stangle and Billy Pauch. Mike Franz, Jim Gallagher, Yankowski, Ryan Krachun and Billy Osmun III rounded out the top ten.
Steve Kemery and Travis Hill had a wheel to wheel battle, racing side by side for several laps with Kemery finally pulling into the lead. It was the second win of the season at Bridgeport for the defending champion.
Howie Finch finished third behind Kemery and Hill. Steve Davis finished fourth with early race leader, Ryan Higgs taking fifth. Sammy Martz, Jr. finished sixth over Tom Sherby, Matt Elery, Wayne Weaver and Aaron Weaver.
With the help of former track champion, TJ Henry, Mike Hughes drove to his first win in the Sunbelt Rental Street Stocks. Hughes credited Henry with helping him to become so competitive. Hughes has been in the thick of the battle every week this season.
Hughes took the win over Jeramy Doerr, Jeff Dirkes, Nick Sandone III and Ken Moren.
Ethan Bill completed a pass for the lead at the race’s midway point to become the first winner in the DA’s Auto Body & Repair Rookies. Mike Creamer was the early race leader and went on to finish second over Zack Cox, Ethan Young and Shane Kassekert.
Mike Bednar picked up the win in the USAC All Pro SpeedSTR feature event after battling with Billy Pauch and Alex Yankowski. It was Bednar’s first Bridgeport victory. Yankowski was sidelined when the engine blew in the Rita’s Italian Ice No. 56.
Bednar led Pauch to the checkered followed by Tom Mayberry, Tim Iulg and Jason Musser. Jeff Hartman, Jay Hartman, Nick Pecko, Justin Thompson and Nick Havens rounded out the top ten.
FOLEY CAT BIG BLOCK MODIFIEDS (30 laps) –
1. Joe Toth, 2. Ryan Godown, 3. Tim Buckwalter, 4. Matt Stangle, 5. Billy Pauch, Sr., 6. Mike Franz, 7. Jim Gallagher, Jr., 8. Alex Yankowski, 9. Ryan Krachun, 10. Billy Osmun, III, 11. Joseph Watson, 12. Neal Williams, 13. Sam Martz, Sr., 14. Brett Ballard, 15. Billy Lasko, 16. Ron Roberts, 17. Troy Ale, 18. David Crossman, 19. Tommy Beamer, 20. Tom Maccherone, 21. Matt Peck, 22. Tom Moore, Jr., 23. Tommy Errico, Jr., 24. Dominick Buffalino, 25. Kenny Hildebrant, DNS – Clay Butler
SOUTH JERSEY OVERHEAD DOORS 602 SPORTSMAN (25 laps) –
1. Steve Kemery, 2. Travis Hill, 3. Howie Finch, 4. Steve Davis, 5. Ryan Higgs, 6. Sammy Martz, Jr., 7. Tom Sherby, 8. Matt Elery, 9. Wayne Weaver, 10. Aaron Weaver, 11. David Jenkins, 12. Jimmy Dallett, 13. Brad Cicio, 14. Billy Chester, 15. Ethan Bill, 16. Pete Serra, 17. Scott Hulmes, 18. Mike Creamer, 19. Zack Cox, 20. Erik Mattson, 21. John Scarpati, 22. Shane Kassekert, 23. Ryan Stangle, 24. Joseph Brown, DNS – Bryce Higgs, Howard Huepful, Ethan Young
D.A.’S AUTO BODY & REPAIR (7 laps) –
1. Ethan Bill, 2. Mike Creamer, 3. Zack Cox, 4. Ethan Young, 5. Shane Kassekert, 6. Courtney Pickens, DNS – Bryce Higgs
SUNBELT RENTALS STREET STOCKS (15 laps) –
1. Mike Hughes, 2. Jeramy Doerr, 3. Jeff Dirkes, 4. Nick Sandone, III, 5. Ken Moren, 6. Tom Wills, Jr.
USAC ALL PRO SPEEDSTRS (20 laps) –
1. Mike Bednar, 2. Billy Pauch, Sr., 3. Tom Mayberry, 4. Tim Iulg, 5. Jason Musser, 6. Jeff Hartman, 7. Jay Hartman, 8. Nick Pecko, 9. Justin Thompson, 10. Nick Havens, 11. Dustin Morris, 12. Alex Yankowski, 13. Jeff Kot, 14. Tim Buckwalter, DNS – T.J. Mayberry