LAUBACH, SEIDEL, PRATT, JR., AND KARNBACH VICTORIOUS ON JASPER NIGHT AT BRIDGEPORT
Bridgeport, NJ (9/27/03) – Rick Laubach wheeled the Keith Roussey owned TEO chassis Big Block Modified to his first victory of the season Saturday night at Bridgeport Speedway on Jasper Engines and Transmission Night. Allentown, PA veteran Brian Seidel captured the exciting 25-lap feature for the traveling warriors of the United Racing Club. Point leader Richie Pratt, Jr. took win number nine overall on the year in the headliner for the Sportsman cars. Ron Karnbach made the best of Jasper Night by grabbing his second win in the Jasper Sprint Car division.
Milford, DE Jamie Mills took command of the Big Block Modified feature from his third starting position at the start of the Jasper Night 25-lap feature. Just as the first lap was completed Green Lane Service Center car of Kevin Hirthler got turned around on the front straight slowing the Mighty Modifieds. On lap two, Mills was strongly out front as rookie modified driver from Blue Anchor, NJ Mark Forte moved into the chase position. From that point Mills built up a healthy lead and soon Forte felt some pressure his way by Quakertown, PA Rick Laubach who was up from the ninth slot at the start. Laubach waged a dog fight with Forte as the two would be swapping lanes running side by side for the second position. By lap seven, Laubach found the high road to his liking and got around a persistent Forte. Two laps later another caution flag ate away at the lead built up by Mills over Laubach and bunched up the field for a restart. On this restart Laubach powered his way past the Delaware racer Mills into the lead. By lap ten, all eyes were focusing on another car on a mission as Jimmy Horton in the J&J Shops car was on the move taking a solid third as was gaining on the second place Mills. Suddenly on lap 12, Horton’s charge came to an end as he shut down on the home straight. This misfortune for the current point leader lit a spark under second place point man Doug Hoffman who now inherited third and knew he could cut into the point lead of Horton. One lap later the Lincoln Auto Body sponsored Hoffman would get by Mills a chase after leader Laubach. At lap 20 out front it was still the Auger Manufacturing Teo of Laubach leading a close running Hoffman and Mills battling Wade Hendrickson in the Rio Brothers car. The final five laps would see Hoffman try everything in his arsenal to try to run down the steady running Laubach. As the double checked flags waved by started Dennis Weir for Laubach with Hoffman just behind, Jamie Mills caught the inside tire in turn four while in third and headed for the outside wall then slid across the track right in front of the field charging to the finish. The skill of the drivers allowed no other contact with the limping car. Behind the first two of Laubach and Hoffman were Wade Hendrickson, Duane Howard and Ryan Kerr. Mills limped home for sixth with Ricky Elliot, Mark Forte, Mike Franz and Steve Bottcher in tenth. The heat races were taken by Mark Forte, Jamie Mills and Doug Hoffman. Winning the consolation was Troy Ale.
The Jasper Night Sportsman feature would see Gibbstown, NJ Billy Harris jump out to the lead as started Mike Knappenberger gave the 26 cars the green flag. Harris quickly felt some pressure from Vineland, NJ Bob Gibbons and Prospect Park, PA Dennis Price. The trio continued at the front dicing back and forth as defending point champ of Woolrich Township, NJ Bob Sarkisian was making progress toward the front. At the crossed flags mark it was still a steady Harris leading Gibbons, Price, John Townsend and now Sarkisian made his way to fifth. On lap twelve things began to shuffle as Townsend moved to second and Sarkisian got fourth. On the next circuit, Sarkisian motored to third and now point leader of Richie Pratt, Jr. made his presence know as he moved into fourth. On lap fourteen, Sarkisian in his Superior Scaffolding sponsored Dirt Wheels chassis car powered from third to the lead. As the five laps to go sign were displayed, Pratt, Jr. in his Dave Klair owned Palace chassis moved into second and immediately put pressure upon the leader Sarkisian. The final circuits were beginning to set up a battle royal as the two leaders were dicing and mixing it up to see that who had the better line each lap. Then as the two to go was about to be displayed Pratt, Jr. made a sweeping move in turn four and drag raced Sarkisian down the front for the lead in what would turn out to be the winning move as the caution flag waved as the leaders entered turn one. The final restart for the last two laps seen the Union Auto Glass sponsored Pratt, Jr. grab win number nine on the year at the speedway. Sarkisian finished a close second with Rich Stinson, Jr. a solid third and the ever exciting John Townsend for his best finish of the year in fourth. Dennis Price had another solid run in fifth. Finishing sixth was John Purcell with Sammy Wescott, Jr. seventh, Kevin Collins in for eighth, with Ron Roberts and Billy Harris home for ninth and tenth. The heats wins were taken by Billy Harris, John Townsend and Rob Wyant with Jim Dalliett taking the last chance race.
In the Jasper Sprint car feature it was rookie Layne Foulk leading the 26 starters in the Jasper Night event. As the Pitman, NJ resident Foulk led he was dogged early by Columbus, NJ fellow rookie Bob Rasmussen and second generation driver Dave Brown who resides in Pilesgrove, NJ. As the top three of Foulk, Rasmussen and Brown would maneuver around the spacious speedway during the first ten laps; the top ten was seeing battles galore as Ron Karnbach and Mares Stellfox were entering the top five. As lap twelve hit the record books, the Vincetown, NJ Karnbach moved his Dengler Demolition sponsored J&J chassis car into third and was looking for more. Another car on the move was the 2001 point champ Jeff Foote as he cracked the top five on lap 18. As the leader were about to overcome lap traffic, Rasmussen would experience a heartbreak as his car began to slow and would bring out the yellow ending his fine run. With two laps to go the field was again let loose and Karnbach and company ganged up on Foulk and muscled there was past the race long leader. Joining Karnbach on the charge was a swift move by the lady racer Mares Stellfox as she and Jeff Foote were all over the leader as a last lap dash a dog-fight compiled. At the end of the fight it was Karnbach powering his Jasper Sprint to his second victory of the year. Stellfox had to settle for a close second with Foote right on her tail for third. J.J. Grasso managed a solid fourth with Dave Brown completing the top five. The next five were Steve Schmidt, Layne Foulk, Jeff Davis, Tim Iulg and Steve Fleetwood. The three heats were taken by Mares Stellfox, Bob Rasmussen and the “Lone Ranger” Bob Adams.
Next Saturday October 4th the Thornton Gulf Twin Twenties for the Big Block awarding Double points in each feature. The Sportsman will also run for Double points as the Champions with be crowned in these divisions. Joining the action will be the ever exciting and entertaining Outlaw Stocks. Pit Gates open at 2:30PM with the Grandstands at 4:30PM. The first heat will hit the speedway at five O’clock.
Reserved Seat tickets at $30 each are available for the Sunday October 5, 2003 return of the O’Reilly World of Outlaws. In addition, the speedway will also have a limited amount of Advanced General Admission tickets at $28 each on sale that will allow holder an early entrance to the grandstand area on race day. The speedway office will be manned from 10AM till 6:00PM DAILY for in person ticket purchases. Call 856-467-4408. You can also mail in check or money orders stating seating preference along with address and a telephone number to Bridgeport Speedway P.O. Box 308, Essington, PA 19029. For further information please keep a close watch on the Bridgeport Speedway website at www.bridgeportspeedway.com
Bridgeport Speedway is New Jersey’s fastest ¼ mile and 5/8th mile clay speedway’s and located on Floodgate Road off of exit 14 of Interstate 295 minutes from PA and DE bridges. Information is available on the official website at www.bridgeportspeedway.com or by calling the speedway office at 856-467-4407 or 856-467-4408.
Modifieds
Heat 1 – Forte, Horton, Truppi, Kerr, Iles, Mullins
Heat 2 – Mills, Elliott, Hendrickson, Laubach, VonDohren, Adams
Heat 3 – Hoffman, Howard, Dekutowski, Strickler, Hirthler, Franz
Consi – Ale, Swinehart, Bottcher, Durand, Chester, Stonebraker
Feature 25 Laps – RICK LAUBACH, Doug Hoffman, Wade Hendrickson, Duane Howard, Ryan Kerr, Jamie Mills, Ricky Elliott, Mark Forte, Mike Franz, Steve Bottcher, Stephan Durand, Craig Mullins, Kevin Hirthler, Ray Swinehart, Dave Stonebraker, Dave Adams, Troy Ale, Jimmy Chester, Kyle Strickler, Mike Iles, Craig VonDohren, Jimmy Horton, Joe Dekutowski, Brian Truppi DNQ – Derron Rust, Ryan Beltz, Scott Smith, Dave Daniels, Butch Glisson, Shawn Merkel, Don Fanslau, Mark VanVorst, Scott Irwin
Sportsman
Heat 1 – Harris, Purcell, Kormann, Pratt, Jr., Hirthler, Klingmeyer
Heat 2 – Townsend, Wescott, Jr., Stinson, Jr., Horton, Lindale, Briggs
Heat 3 – Wyant, Sarkisian, Gibbons, Price, Burkhart, Collins
Consi – Dalliett, Britt, Amunsen, Hunt, Chester, Roberts, Lineman, Sr., Warner
Feature 20 Laps – RICHIE PRATT, JR., Bob Sarkisian, Rich Stinson, Jr., John Townsend, Dennis Price, John Purcell, Sammy Wescott, Jr., Kevin Collins, Ron Roberts, Billy Harris, Andy Burkhart, Bill Klingmeyer, Bob Gibbons, Steve Lindale, Rob Wyant, Jim Dalliett, Bruce Hirthler, Dave Hunt, Billy Jo Chester, Jack Amunsen, Jim Britt, Bob Lineman, Sr., Bill Briggs, Steve Warner, Eric Kormann, Jay Horton DNQ – Troy Kay, Bob Lineman, Jr., Steve Lozorak, Court Ottinger, Joe DeMaris, Tom Cremer, Drew Ricco, Dan Cogdill, Steve Harrison
Jasper Sprint Cars
Heat 1 – Stellfox, Karnbach, Foulk, Foote, D. Smith, Beasley
Heat 2 – Bowman, Fleetwood, D. Brown, Grasso, DeAngelis, Brenfleck
Heat 3 – Adams, Davis, Rose, Iulg, Schmidt, Barnett, Jr.
Feature 20 Laps – RON KARNBACH, Mares Stellfox, Jeff Foote, J.J. Grasso, Dave Brown, Steve Schmidt, Layne Foulk, Jeff Davis, Tim Iulg, Bob Adams, Steve Fleetwood, John Wyers, Al DeAngelis, Matt Beasley, Chip Brown, Donnie Smith, Warren Durbin, Jon Brenfleck, Torrey Rose, Mike Piersig, Brooke Bowman, Doug Smith, Steve Strubble, John Barnett, Jr., Bob Rasmussen, Jeff Mueller DNS – Jack Curtis
URC Sprints 25 Laps Top Five - BRIAN SEIDEL, Chris Coyle, Jon Eldreth, Doug Emery, Trevor Lewis