DUANE HOWARD, SAM WESCOTT, & SEAN MICHAEL GRAB GRAND OPENING CHECKERS
Bridgeport, NJ, Saturday 4-10-04…..A new age in dirt track racing began today in New Jersey, as the New Bridgeport Speedway, headed by Jay James and Promoter Dave Adams, opened with great racing and a large crowd on hand to see the renovations and transformation of the facility into what will be a showcase for dirt track racing. The action on New Jersey’s Fastest Dirt Track saw 2002 Champion Duane Howard win the first race of the year for the Big Block Modifieds with Sam Wescott taking the Bridgeport Sportsman feature. The season opener for the traveling United Racing Club winged sprint cars was won by Sean Michael, back in the Palladino #99 for the 2004 season. The opening day ceremonies were highlighted by the honoring of the top five in points from the 2003 season, with a Hummer H2 stretch limousine bringing the drivers to the front straightaway, for the presentation of trophies in front of the large crowd.
It took three complete restarts to get the Big Block Modified feature going, as opening night anxiousness plagued the speedway. Newfield, NJ’s Jimmy Chester grabbed the early lead, jumping out from his pole position starting spot, with modified rookie Dom Buffalino finishing lap one in second place. Buffalino, driving the Lincoln Auto Body #5, fell off the pace on the backstretch of lap 2, giving the runner up spot to veteran Steve Bottcher in the Harrell Trucking #35. Buffalino drifted back to 6th place, while the top five of Chester, Bottcher, Kyle Strickler, Duane Howard, and Mike Illes continued to freight train around the big 5/8th mile oval. By lap 4, Howard, who started in thirteenth place, was still on the move, pulling into 4th and pressuring Stickler for the 3rd spot. On lap 14, Bottcher got his chance at the lead, as Chester slipped high in turns 3 and 4, giving the second-generation driver the bottom groove and the lead for lap 15. The high-speed action was putting the right rear tires to the test, with Illes and Chester retiring to the pits with right rear flats. On the restart, Howard was right on the rear bumper of Bottcher, who suffered a right rear flat of his own 4 laps later. Howard, piloting the Hyneman owned Big Spring Car Wash #126, cruised the rest of the way for his 1st win of the 2004 season, with Strickler, who had faded back to 6th place in the middle part of the race, rebounding to fight back for the runner up spot. Buffalino, in his first Big Block Modified ride at Bridgeport, came home in third, with 2001 Champion Doug Hoffman and Kevin Hirthler filling out the top five. In victory lane, Howard said, “The track conditions were tough today, but we were on the inside when it counted on restarts- you really had to be careful, but that’s normal for a daytime surface. When I saw Steve’s tire go, I knew I had to take it easy on mine.” Brian Truppi, Howard, and Hirthler all picked up heat wins, sponsored by Bitner Performance, Neilds Steering, and Mason Racing Electronics, with Quakertown, PA’s Rick Laubach taking the consolation race.
The start of the Bridgeport Sportsman feature saw the small block racers get hold of the track a little better than the high-powered Big Block Modifieds, running through the first portion of their main event without incident. John Kelly, driving the former Sarkisian-owned #47, sprinted out to a quick lead on lap one, with Sam Wescott pressuring for the lead as the two came down the front straight on the second go-round. Diving low in turn one, Wescott got under Kelly to grab the lead as the two exited turn two onto the backstretch. Wescott controlled the lead, with Kelly hanging on to second until lap 9, when Drew Ricco got past to take over the runner-up spot. The first caution of the event flew on lap 11 for Bob Lilick, who spun his #76 in turn 4, tightening up the field. On the restart, Wescott again controlled the front, with Eric Kormann slipping past Ricco for 2nd place. For the next few laps, Kormann stayed right on Wescott’s rear bumper, until the yellow came out again on lap 15. On the 18th lap, Kormann got a good run out of turn 2, closing in on the leader. The two racers touched bumpers on the backstretch, with Kormann losing the handle for a split second, allowing Rich Stinson Jr. to charge past for the runner-up spot. Coming under Starter Dennis Weir’s white flag signaling one to go, Stinson stayed right on Wescott, but Wescott was not to be denied his opening day win in 2004, holding off Stinson, with Kormann, Ricco, and 2003 Bridgeport Sportsman Champion Richie Pratt Jr. filling out the top five. Wescott, who led the 2003 season opener until the last lap, said after his 8th career Bridgeport Sportsman victory was official, “I let one go opening day last year, I wasn’t going to let that happen again! Last year it was my good friend Richie Pratt, this year my other good buddy Eric (Kormann) was on me. I made sure with lapped traffic that I couldn’t let any body by.” Wescott showed his excitement with his opening night victory by doing a roof dance with the checkered flag in the Winner’s Circle. Mike Hughes, Pratt, and Dennis Price got heat wins, with veteran Ron Roberts taking the consolation race.
The final event of the big night of racing was the United Racing Club 25-lap A Main, with second generation driver Danny Massey controlling the lead for the first half of the race. With just eight laps left in the race, Sean Michael made his move on the backstretch, powering past Massey for the lead. At the finish, Michael made his return to the Palladino owned #99 a successful one, getting the season opener for the nationally recognized 360 sprint club. Massey held off veteran Brian Seidel at the end for second place, with Kevin Welsh and Tim Hogue completing the top five.
NOTES: The Big Block Modified feature was the first feature of the night, the 710th feature event held at the track…Over 120 racers filled the pits of the big 5/8th mile speedway…Charlotte, NC Modified winner Ricky Elliott was slated to start the Big Block feature in 9th place, but had to start at the rear of the field after needing to bring out his backup Marine-owned #85 for the main event…Joe Zuczek had his best ever URC finish negated after he failed to report to the URC scale directly after the end of the feature. Zuczek was in 4th place at the finish…Bridgeport fan Robin Bishop, of Pittsgrove, NJ, went home happy, winning the $760 50-50 jackpot…A special Checkered Flag was used in the URC Victory Lane for Sean Michael, commemorating his 100th win with the traveling club…This coming Saturday will again see the Big Block Modifieds and Bridgeport Sportsman in action, this time joined by the South Jersey Sprint Car Club for their season opener. The Modifieds will battle in a 25 lap main event, with the Sportsman and SJSCC Jasper Sprints both competing in 20 lap features. Pit gates open at 1PM, with front gates opening one hour later at 2 and warm-ups at 3PM. First heat race will take the track promptly at 4PM…Friday night April 16th at 7PM is the season opener for the four-division racing action on the Bridgeport � Mile Speedway, joined by the Outlaw Stocks on the 5/8th mile…Bridgeport Speedway information may be obtained by calling 856-467-4407 or by logging onto www.bridgeportspeedway.net
BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY RESULTS – SATURDAY APRIL 10, 2004
MODIFIEDS
Heat 1 – Truppi, Franz, Ale, Bottcher, Irwin, Sarkisian
Heat 2 – Howard, Kerr, Strickler, Buffalino, J.Chester, Hoffman
Heat 3 – K.Hirthler, Elliott, Illes, Barone, Hendrickson, Infante
Consi – Laubach, Mills, Hager, Bitner, Dekutoski, Rose
MODIFIED FEATURE – 25 LAPS
DUANE HOWARD, Kyle Strickler, Dom Buffalino, Doug Hoffman, Kevin Hirthler, Gary Hager, Rick Laubach, Jamie Mills, Carmine Infante, Mike Illes, Steve Bottcher, Mark Bitner, Joe Dekutoski, Jimmy Chester, Ryan Kerr, Don Barone, Brian Truppi, Doug Rose, Mike Franz, Bob Sarkisian, Scott Irwin, Troy Ale, Wade Hendrickson, Ricky Elliott
BRIDGEPORT SPORTSMAN
Heat 1 – Hughes, Cogdill, Christ, Kormann, Ricco, B.Hirthler
Heat 2 – Pratt, Ratoskey, Stinson, B.Chester, Kelly, Klingmeyer
Heat 3 – Price, Pursell, Stepanchuk, Wescott, Lilick, Carman
Consi – Roberts, K.Collins, Lozorak, M.Schweibinz, Litwin, Cook, Lindale, P.Collins
BRIDGEPORT SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 20 LAPS
SAM WESCOTT, Rich Stinson, Eric Kormann, Drew Ricco, Rich Pratt, Dennis Price, Dan Cogdill, Bill Klingmeyer, Ron Roberts, Mike Hughes, John Kelly, Doug Stepanchuk, Bob Lilick, Paul Collins, Steve Lozorak, Sean Carman, Christopher Christ, Mark Schweibinz, Steve Lindale, Chris Litwin, Kevin Collins, Bob Cook, Bruce Hirthler, John Pursell, Billy Chester
UNITED RACING CLUB SPRINTS A-MAIN – 25 LAPS
Sean Michael, Danny Massey, Brian Seidel, Kevin Welsh, Tim Hogue, Mike Haggenbottom, Scott Pursell, Bill Brian Jr., Brian Brittingham, Pete Green, Jim Wyers, Josh Weller, Curt Michael, Randy West, Ed Aiken, Dave McGough, Chris Coyle, Doug Emery, Ashley Parlett, Cliff Brian, Gary Gollub, Dave Ely, JJ Grasso, Joe Zuczek. DNQ- -Trevor Lewis, Justin Collett, Matt Gerber, Junior Martin, Dave Gable, Jon Eldreth, Kramer Williamson, Wade Hendrickson, Mike Kostic, Mares Stellfox, Jason Clauss, Travis Quinn