NY INVADER TIM FULLER BATTLES TO $3000 BRIDGEPORT MODIFIED WIN

BRIDGEPORT, NJ – Watertown, NY’s Tim Fuller made the long tow to Bridgeport Speedway worthwhile, winning the thirty lap big block modified feature and pocketing the $3000 first place prize money. Fuller was hooked up in a torrid battle with 2002 modified champ Duane Howard, as the two swapped first and second spots numerous times, with the outcome of the race not decided until the front straightaway as the two came down for the checkered flag. In other action that was part of the big four-division show, second-generation sprint driver Dave Brown won the twenty-lap Jasper Sprint A-Main, while Richie Pratt picked up where he left off last season, winning the Sportsman feature. The last event of the day saw the debut of the Outlaw Stocks as part of the regular racing program, with 2002 champion Pat Hires picking up the win.

Duane Howard pulled the Big Spring Car Wash #126 into the lead to start the modified feature from his outside front row starting spot. Tim Fuller was wasting no time heading for the front, with the B & F #M1 in the runner up position by the third lap from his fifth place start. While Howard was holding on to a comfortable lead, all eyes in the crowd were on Billy Pauch, who had the #114 flying, using the outside groove to climb up to seventh place from fifteenth stating place. Right after halfway, Pauch and MeMe DeSantis tangled out of turn two, forcing Pauch to retire from the event. By lap twenty-four, Howard’s lead had evaporated to just a car length over Fuller, as the two blew through lapped traffic. Fuller tried to use the bottom groove numerous times, but Howard had the momentum of running the high side to hold off the invading charger. As exciting as all this was, the best was yet to come, as the two came down to get the one to go signal from Starter Dennis Weir Fuller actually had the lead by just inches, but Howard had the lead again as they charged into turn one. Fuller held his ground, and when Howard tapped the wall on the backstretch, Fuller jumped back into the lead. Howard had one last chance and closed back in as they exited turn four, but Fuller held on for his first win at New Jersey’s fastest dirt track. Jimmy Horton came home third in the J & J #27, with Dave Stonebraker having his best finish with a fourth, and Jamie Mills completing the top five.

As exciting as the modified feature was, the sportsman feature was just as exciting, with last lap heroics again part of the story. The starting front row of Bill Klingmeyer and Sam Wescott tore off from the field pulling out to a good lead, while Klingmeyer was never able to get more than a car length or two ahead of Wescott. As assistant Starter Mike Knappenberger gave the field the halfway sign, Wescott pulled ahead of Klingmeyer, after running side by side for more than a lap. With just five to go, Richie Pratt Jr. had the RSK Construction #34 in second place, and a caution period on lap sixteen eliminated the lead Wescott had built up. On the restart, the two were running inches apart, and stayed that way until coming down for the checkered flag, the two rubbed wheels with Pratt getting the win by just .16 of a second over Wescott. The two friends celebrated together in victory lane as they praised each other about the show they had put on. 2002 champ Bob Sarkisian finished in third, with Klingmeyer and Willie Osmun filling the top five.

The opening race of the new season for the South Jersey Sprint Car Club saw Dave Brown rebound from a dismal 2002 season to take the win in the twenty lap A-Main. Brown started the race in third place, and had the lead as the pack exited turn four of the first lap. Polesitter Warren Durbin spun in turn four of lap two, and by lap seven had fought back into tenth place only to spin again in turn two a lap later as he tried to make up lost ground to the leaders. Matt Beasley was putting on quite a show in the early going, running the extreme high groove, pulling into fourth place on the fifth lap, taking third from John Wyers on lap nine. With five to go, Beasley was losing the handle on the track, dropping from the event a lap later. Ron Karnbach was working to try to catch Brown for the lead, and the last laps saw these two run nose to tail, with Brown holding on for the win in front of Karnbach. Wyers, 2001 champ Jeff Foote, and Chip Brown completed the top five.

The Outlaw Stocks made their first appearance as part of the regular racing program, and 2002 champion Pat Hires was not to be denied the win, as he charged from his fourth starting spot to lead the first lap. At halfway, Curtis Nichols had worked his way to third place, after starting the event in fifteenth place. With five to go, Hires still had the lead, with Ken Watson and Nichols in tow right behind. Nichols made a move to get around Watson on the next lap, but couldn’t get around Hires after cutting down on the leader. At the finish, Hires had his first win of the new season, with Nichols right on his tail. Watson held on to third, while Brian Ludwig and John Haegele finished the top five.

BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY RESULTS – SUNDAY MARCH 23, 2003

SPORTSMAN

Heat 1 – Harris, Klingmeyer, Lineman Jr, Kormann, Pratt, Roberts

Heat 2 – Cogdill, Osmun, Sarkisian, Burkhart, Godown, Buffalino

Heat 3 – Wescott, Pursell, Collins, Lineman Sr, Lindale, Lilick

Consi 1 – Travagline, Acolia, Harrison, Miller

Consi 2 – Britt, Briggs, Horton, McClelland

SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 20 LAPS

RICHIE PRATT, Sam Wescott, Bob Sarkisian, Bill Klingmeyer, Willie Osmun, Andy Burkhart, Brian Godown, Steve Lindale, Billy Harris, Ron Roberts, Bob Lilick, Bob Lineman Jr, Jeff Acolia, John McClelland, John Pursell, Kevin Collins, Eric Kormann, Bob Travagline, Bill Horton, Jim Britt, Dom Buffalino, Bill Briggs, Steve Harrison, Bob Lineman Sr, Tom Miller, Dan Cogdill

MODIFIEDS

Heat 1 – DeSantis, Forte, Stonebraker, Mills, Kerr, Ale

Heat 2 – K.Hoffman, Fuller, Horton, Stickler, Infante, Elliott

Heat 3 – Howard, Laubach, Hirthler, Durand, Pauch, Illes

Consi 1 – Dekutoski, Hendrickson, Swinehart, Irwin, Adams, Bottcher

MODIFIED FEATURE – 30 LAPS

TIM FULLER, Duane Howard, Jimmy Horton, Dave Stonebraker, Jamie Mills, Ryan Kerr, Carmine Infante, MeMe DeSantis, Keith Hoffman, Wade Hendrickson, Kevin Hirthler, Troy Ale, Ray Swinehart, Stephan Durand, Steve Bottcher, Ricky Elliott, Joe Dekutoski, Mike Illes, Rick Laubach, Mark Forte, Dave Adams, Ryan Strickler, Billy Pauch, Scott Irwin

JASPER WINGED SPRINTS

Heat 1 – Wyers, Karnbach, Foote, Beasley, Fleetwood, Smith

Heat 2 – D.Brown, Durbin, C.Brown, Donaghy, Howe, Piersig

JASPER WINGED SPRINTS – A MAIN – 20 LAPS

DAVE BROWN, Ron Karnbach, John Wyers, Jeff Foote, Chip Brown, Steve Schmidt, Mike Piersig, Steve Fleetwood, Bob Adams, J.J. Grasso, Al DeAngelis, Warren Durbin, Mares Stellfox, Joe Butts Jr, Jeff Davis, Brook Bowman, Joe Howe, Matt Beasley, Layne Foulk, Mike Donaghy, Shane Smith DNS- Hank Trum, Bob Rasmussen, Jeff Mueller

OUTLAW STOCKS

Heat 1 – P.Hires, Jaeger, Gould, Franchetti, Taylor, Alley

Heat 2 – J.Haegele, Watson, Erdbrink, Ludwig, Trumbetti, Tunas

OUTLAW STOCK FEATURE – 20 LAPS

PAT HIRES, Curtis Nichols, Ken Watson, Brian Ludwig, John Haegele, Steve Taylor, Joe Trumbetti, Jim Erdbrink, Rich Franchetti, Jim Honaker, Brian McConnell, Tony Tunas, Mark Robinson, Mike Hires, Rick Knell, Tracy Rocap, Paul Hartman, Ed Jaeger, Jeff Dirkes, Dave Gould, Rick Haegele, Ron Dirkes, John Read, Tom Alley, John Gallo, Gary Klimeczak

DNS- Chris Prychka