RICKY ELLIOTT ROCKETS TO 1ST WIN OF SEASON; TREVOR LEWIS TAKES URC OPENER

Bridgeport, NJ – Debuting a brand new car in just their second modified race together as a team, Ricky “the Rocket” Elliott and Bill Hewlitt combined to take the victory in the twenty-five lap modified feature race Saturday night at New Jersey’s fastest dirt track, the big five-eighth mile Bridgeport Speedway. Seaford, DE’s Elliott, who started the race in the seventh position, drove the Hewlitt owned #901 past Bridgeport modified rookie Kyle Strickler on the nineteenth lap, to take the lead and pick up his first win of the 2003 season. The victory ended a long winless drought for Elliott, whose last win was in July of 2001. The 56th season opener for the United Racing Club sprint cars saw Trevor Lewis wheel the Palladino #99 to the win, taking the lead on the fourth lap, and never looking back in his maiden voyage as the chauffer of this top rated ride. Second generation driver Willie Osmun picked up the win in the twenty lap sportsman feature, in a highly entertaining race that was slowed by just two caution periods. The victory was Osmun’s second career win at the South Jersey oval. Over one hundred-ten racers jammed the pits on a night that saw promoter Bill Lincoln and his track crew work hard all night to keep the racing surface in top condition, after heavy rains flooded the track on the day before.

The start of the big block modified feature saw 2000 Champ Wade Hendrickson lose a wheel over turn one, bringing out the yellow and causing a complete restart of the event. On the restart, Newfield, NJ’s Jimmy Chester charged out to the lead from his fourth starting spot, but on the next circuit, rookie sensation Kyle Strickler shot down low in turn two to take over the front spot. While Chester never let Strickler get more than a few car lengths away, Ricky Elliott was moving forward in his new ride, the Hewlitt #901, and closing in on the leaders. On lap ten, Strickler jumped the groove in turns three and four, drifting up high towards the fence and letting Chester charge down low to lead lap eleven. Strickler showed veteran poise and determination, battling right back to blast into the lead in turn two to regain the lead spot. A caution period on lap eighteen for the #117 of Kevin Hirthler, who stopped in turn two, tightened up the field. Elliott, who had worked past Chester for second place just one lap earlier, set his sights on Strickler and the lead, and made the past down low in turn one, only to see the move negated by a tangle on the front stretch that brought the field back for a complete restart. This time, Elliott had to work harder to get by Strickler, as the two ran almost the complete lap side by side, before Elliott wrestled away the lead as the two came down the front straight to complete lap nineteen. Another Delaware driver, 1995 modified champion Jamie Mills, who started the feature in tenth place, got past Strickler on the next lap to pull into the runner up spot, but was never able to mount a serious challenge for Elliott, who was on his way to the win. At the checkered flag, 2002 modified champ Duane Howard had the Big Spring Car Wash #126 right behind Mills for a third place finish, while Strickler fought off front suspension problems to hold on to fourth place, with Mike Illes bringing home his #711 fifth. Heat races were won by Rick Laubach, Don Barone, and Chester, while Brian Truppi took the consolation event.

Polesitter Robert Wyant Jr. led the twenty-six car sportsman starting field to the post, with the Meissner Chevrolet #707 charging out to the early lead, while Laurel, DE’s Kevin Collins rim-riding the fence to blast into the runner up spot from fourth place in just three-quarters of a lap. Collins was in pursuit of Wyant and the lead, staying right on the leader’s tail until lap four, when he made his move for the lead on the back straight, with Joe Masiado using the same line right behind Collins to take over second place from Wyant. Collins’ lead was shot lived though, as he retired from the race just one-half lap later, with Masiado inheriting the lead. After Collins was towed from the track, Willie Osmun pulled past Masiado for the lead on the restart, with 2002 Sportsman champ Bob Sarkisian steering the Superior Scaffolding #47 into second place on the next circuit. At the halfway mark, Osmun and Sarkisian were running nose to tail, with Osmun staying up high, while Sarkisian was trying to stay down low to use the shortest way around the big speedway. With five to go, Osmun still only had a one car length lead over Sarkisian, but with just two to go, Osmun was able to put some ground between himself and the defending champion and take home the win. Masiado held on to third, with Sam Wescott and King of Prussia, PA’s Bob Lilick filling out the top five. Heat races were taken by Andy Burkhart, Osmun, and Collins, with Jim Britt winning the consolation event.

BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY RESULTS – SATURDAY APRIL 12, 2003

MODIFIEDS

Heat 1 – Laubach, Horton, Franz, Bottcher, K.Hirthler, Kerr

Heat 2 – Barone, Strickler, Mills, Howard, Hoffman, Hendrickson

Heat 3 – J.Chester, Elliott, Illes, Infante, Forte, Dixon

Consi – Truppi, Ale, Dekutoski, Adams, Durand, Stonebraker

MODIFIED FEATURE – 25 LAPS

RICKY ELLIOTT, Jamie Mills, Duane Howard, Kyle Strickler, Mike Illes, Doug Hoffman, Steve Bottcher, Troy Ale, Ryan Kerr, Carmine Infante, Dave Adams, Jimmy Horton, Rick Laubach, Joe Dekutoski, Wade Hendrickson, Stephan Durand, John Dixon, Dave Stonebraker, Jimmy Chester, Don Barone, Kevin Hirthler, Mike Franz, Mark Forte, Brian Truppi

SPORTSMAN

Heat 1 – Burkhart, Sarkisian, Masiado, Cogdill, Pursell, Travegline

Heat 2 – Osmun, Lileck, Wyant, Wescott, Harris, Lineman Sr

Heat 3 – Collins, Lindale, Klingmeyer, Pratt, Kline, Horton

Consi – Britt, Roberts, B.Chester, Kormann, Harrison, Miller, B.Hirthler, Lineman Jr

SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 20 LAPS

WILLIE OSMUN, Bob Sarkisian, Joe Masiado, Sam Wescott, Bob Lilick, Richie Pratt Jr, Dan Cogdill, Bob Travegline, Bill Klingmeyer, John Pursell, Bob Lineman Sr, Steve Lindale, Jim Britt, Jay Horton, Bruce Hirthler, Billy Chester, Billy Harris, Robert Wyant Jr, Ron Roberts, Bob Lineman Jr, Eric Kormann, Steve Harrison, Tom Miller, Andy Burkhart, Larry Kline, Kevin Collins

UNITED RACING CLUB SPRINTS

Heat 1 – McGough, Bates, Hehnley, Brittingham, Clauss

Heat 2 – Parlett, Haggenbottom, Stitzel, Emery, Gerber

Heat 3 – Hendrickson, Coyle, Gollub, Brian, Coverdale

Heat 4 – Lewis, Eldreth, Michael, Welsh, Pursell

C Main – Thayer, Suprick, Whary, Hogue

B Main – Massey, Green, Ely, Seidel

UNITED RACING CLUB SPRINT A- MAIN 25 LAPS

TREVOR LEWIS, Curt Michael, Chris Coyle, Mike Haggenbottom, Jon Eldtreth, Dave McGough, Kevin Welsh, Bill Brian Jr, Dave Ely