HOFFMAN AND ALE FAST AT BRIDGEPORT; LEWIS TOPS URC
Bridgeport, NJ (7/12/03) – Doug Hoffman out of Allentown, PA powered to his third victory of 2003 Saturday night at Bridgeport Speedway in the first feature of the evening as he took the win in the Big Block Modified feature held over from the rainout of June 14th. Elmer, NJ driver Troy Ale won his first Big Block feature of his career in the regularly schedule 25-lap feature in an impressive run. Upper Black Eddy, PA ace Trevor Lewis won the exciting United Racing Club Sprint car feature over West Lawn, PA driver Dave Ely and Ephrata, PA veteran Bill Brian. Mullica Hill, NJ second year Sportsman driver Jim Britt won his first ever feature.
In the Mother Nature delayed Big Block Modified feature from June 14th, Hooter’s Restaurant sponsored Dave Adams pulled out to the lead at the start over C. Irwin and Sons TEO of Scott Irwin. On lap two, last week’s winner Mike Iles in his Active Environmental Services car powered into second and began to apply some heavy pressure upon Adams. Iles on lap seven motored by Adams to the lead as 1995 Modified point champion Jamie Mills came into the fray as he also got past a fading Adams and charged at Iles. On lap 12 Adams solid run came to an end as he suffered terminal mechanical failure as he coasted to stop on the front straight. As the Medford, NJ driver Iles was powering his way around the spacious 5/8th mile clay the fan favorite Doug Hoffman in his Dieter Schmidt number 5 began an assault on leader Iles. The two drivers had the fans on the edge of there seat as the battled side-by side, high and low as the laps continued to click by. Then on lap 22 Hoffman made a bonsai move down low in turn one and with some paint rubbing came out with the lead going down the back. As Iles tried to regroup, Bridgeport Speedway all time leading feature winner Jimmy Horton in his J&J Shop car also got by Iles for second and charged after Hoffman. One lap later Iles run came to an end as he lost the handle in turn two bringing out the final caution flag of the event. When the two lap charge to the finish resumed, Hoffman pulled out to the lead and went on to his third win of the season over a close finishing Horton. Wade Hendrickson crossed the line third with Ricky Elliot and Kevin Hirthler fourth and fifth. The rest of the top ten were Jimmy Chester from the consi, Brian Kressley, Danny Heiber, Scott Irwin and Steve Bottcher.
Stockton, NJ driver Ryan Kerr in his Ryan’s Texaco car took the lead as Chief Starter Dennis Weir wave the green flag to start the regularly scheduled 25-lap feature for the mighty Modifieds over Eastern Door Company sponsored Troy Ale. Kerr who has had an up and down season thus far would show his up side as he would lead Ale for the first eight laps of the fast paced feature event. Ale would find the needed horsepower on the ninth lap and make the move to the lead past a steady running Kerr. Newfield, NJ steady driver Jimmy Chester would find his way into third from 2002 Bridgeport Speedway’s Most Improved Driver Carmine Infante and begin to pressure toward the front. Chester would find the needed power on lap 14 to get by Kerr and start to reel in the large lead that Ale built up at the front. When lap traffic came into play, a more cautious Ale, would begin to feel some pressure building from a more aggressive Chester through the heavy lap traffic as he was closing quickly as the middle portion of the race was being completed. Finally as the five to go signal was given, Chester was right on the back bumper of Ale as he had eliminated the large advantage that had been built up and pressure for the lead. The final five laps would see a battle royal for the lead as Chester threw out every move in his book at Ale with so very high flying outside attempt to grab the top spot. Ale, who had one career sportsman win way back in 1995 would not budge to the heavy pressure from Chester to win his first ever Big Block Feature. Chester came up a half a car length short for second in the very entertaining event. Earlier in the evening feature winner Doug Hoffman was third followed by a charging Rick Laubach in his Auger Manufacturing TEO with Consi winner Ricky Elliot fifth. Ryan Kerr held on for sixth and point leader Jimmy Horton seventh. Carmine Infante, Wade Hendrickson and Danny Heiber completed the top ten. The exciting heats were won by Wade Hendrickson, Jimmy Horton and Jimmy Chester. Ricky Elliot took the consi in a back up car as he scratched his qualified primary car that he qualified in a heat race with.
On an evening that would find some very exciting and excellent racing the Sportsman drivers were not going to let anyone down. John Scheidler took the early lead from his outside pole starting position to lead the first three laps of the 20-lap feature for the sportsman cars. On lap four Riegelsville, PA steady driver John Purcell would take over the top spot from Scheidler. At this point, Purcell would hold a slight lead over sixth starting Jim Britt in his Speed Palace car. As lap eight was placed into the books, Britt would find the mustard to grab the top spot from Purcell and pull out to a slight lead. At starter Mike Knappenberger’s halfway sign, Britt was leading Purcell, Bill Klingmeyer, Andy Burkhart and 2002 champ Bob Sarkisian. As the second half of this fast paced smooth event unfolded, Britt would continue to hold the number one spot with Klingmeyer now moving into second on lap twelve. The final laps found Britt running flawless to the finish as the former Late Model Stock driver would find victory lane for the first time in a sportsman car. The win for Britt marked the second week in a row for a first time winner in the very competitive division. Klingmeyer would cross the finish line in second with last week’s heartbreak driver Andy Burkhart in third. Bob Sarkisian would finish the night in fourth and John Purcell held on for a steady fifth. Sammy Wescott, Jr., Ron Roberts, Bill Briggs, Rob Pierce and Kevin Collins rounded out the top ten. Jim Britt, Rob Wyant and Bill Klingmeyer took the heat wins with Steve Lindale taking the 10-lap consi.
Bridgeport Bits: 2002 Modified Champion Duane Howard still feeling the ill effects from last weeks violent crash was just able to take the green in the make up feature and was unable to run in the regularly scheduled program. Jasper Sprint driver Mares Stellfox was attempting her first start in the URC Sprint Cars only to have her try stopped as she took a vicious end over end flip in turn three flipping right over the third turn wall. She was uninjured in this scary mishap. As become almost the norm this season the nights activities were slow by a rain shower during the B-Main for the URC Sprint cars. This shower was heavy enough to send the sprint cars to the pits but luckily stopped in short order to allow the balance of the program to be run and completed by 11:00PM.
Modified
June 14th Consolation – Forte, Bottcher, Chester, Kressley, Heiber, Barone
Heat 1 – Hendrickson, Iles, Durand, Laubach, Stinson, Jr., Irwin
Heat 2 – Horton, Kerr, Hoffman, Infante, Hirthler, Elliott
Heat 3 – Chester, Botcher, Ale, Heiber, Dekutowski, Taylor, Jr.
Consi – Elliott, Kressley, Barone, Franz, Strickler, Glisson, Schwiebinz
June 14th Make Up Feature 25 Laps – DOUG HOFFMAN, Jimmy Horton, Wade Hendrickson, Ricky Elliott, Kevin Hithler, Jimmy Chester, Brian Kressley, Danny Heiber, Scott Irwin, Steve Bottcher, Mike Iles, Rick Laubach, Don Barone, Kyle Strickler, Rich Stinson, Jr., Jamie Mills, Ryan Kerr, Dave Adams, Joe Dekutowski, Mike Franz, Brian Truppi, Troy Ale, Mark Forte, Duane Howard
Feature 25 Laps – TROY ALE, Jimmy Chester, Doug Hoffman, Rick Laubach, Ricky Elliott, Ryan Kerr, Jimmy Horton, Carmine Infante, Wade Hendrickson, Danny Heiber, Mike Iles, Steve Bottcher, Kevin Hirthler, Brian Kressley, Kyle Strickler, Don Barone, Joe Dekutowski, Stephan Durand, Scott Irwin, Rich Stinson, Jr., Bud Schwiebinz, Lee Taylor, Jr., Butch Glisson, Mike Franz DNQ – Bud Hayes, Ed Firth, Don Fanslau, Mark Forte, Brian Truppi, Dave Adams, Jamie Mills, Duane Howard
United Racing Club Sprint Cars Top Five – TREVOR LEWIS, Dave Ely, Bill Brian, Kramer Williamson, Danny Massey
Sportsman
Heat 1 – Britt, Burkhart, Scheidler, Wescott, Jr., Cogdill, Roberts
Heat 2 – Wyant, Stepenchuk, Purcell, Collins, Sarkisian, Hirthler
Heat 3 – Klingmeyer, Schultz, Pratt, Jr., Townsend, Harris, Korman
Consi – Lindale, Briggs, Price, Pierce, Chester, Harrison, Horton, Lineman, Sr.
Feature 20 Laps – JIM BRITT, Bill Klingmeyer, Andy Burkhart, Bob Sarkisian, John Purcell, Sammy Wescott, Jr., Ron Roberts, Bill Briggs, Rob Pierce, Kevin Collins, Eric Korman, Billy Jo Chester, Dennis Price, John Scheidler, Bruce Hirthler, Bob Lineman, Sr., Steve Harrison, Jay Horton, Billy Harris, Doug Stepenchuk, Dan Cogdill, Kevin Shultz, Rob Wyant, John Townsend, Steve Lindale, Richie Pratt, Jr. DNQ – Bob Lineman, Jr., Dave Hunt, Jack Amunsen, Randy Tucker, Drew Ricco, Bob Cook, Curtis Matherley, Jeff Acolia, Steve Lozorak, Bob Rambone, Scott Butler, Joe Masiado
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.