HODNETT & RAHMER SPLIT BIG SHOW 410 SPRINT WINS SUNDAY AT BRIDGEPORT

SPEEDWAY

DARREN McCAUGHEY TAKES MODIFIED WIN AS PRATT & OSMUN TOP SPORTSMAN

FIELD

BRIDGEPORT, NJ OCTOBER 6, 2,002 . . . . . . . . A huge

crowd filled the Bridgeport Speedway grandstands as one-hundred and

thirty-nine race cars used all the pit area for the COMDIAL Telephone

Communications BIG SHOW Series last Sunday at the Bridgeport Speedway.

The event was co-promoted by track owner Bill Lincoln and racing publicist

Bob Miller. Greg Hodnett of Memphis, TN won the opening 30 lap 410

sprint feature that paid $4,000 to win. In the second sprint main, Fred

Rahmer held off a late race charge from Lance Dewease to claim the victory

in the 25 lap feature that paid $3,500 to the winner. The 30 lap Modified

feature saw Darren McCaughey take the win as Richie Pratt Jr. and Willie

Osmun were the winners in the two sportsman feature.

Nine laps were already completed in the make-up 410 COMDIAL Sprint feature

and Greg Hodnett restarted the event on the pole. Lance Dewease and Sean

Michael ran second and third in chase of Hodnett but never really did make a

bid for the lead, that is until lap twenty-three. Dewease caught Hodnett

going into turn three and took the lead. Charging off of turn four,

Hodnett regained the top spot and went on to claim the victory.

Following Hodnett and Dewease to the checker flag was Curt Michael, Rick

Lafferty and Lenny Thompson.

Twenty-eight sprint cars turned out for second program with heat race

victories going to Bob Bennett, Fred Rahmer and Curt Michael. In the

twenty-five lap feature, Fred Rahmer took the lead at the drop of the green

flag. Bob Beidleman was driving an outstanding race, running in second

through lap eleven. Curt Michael moved into the runner-up spot and Lance

Dewease followed in third.

At the halfway point, Rahmer remained the race leader followed by Curt

Michael, Lance Dewease, Bob Beidleman and Bob Bennett. Dewease was on his

charge and moved into second on lap twenty. With a burst of speed,

Dewease was quickly cutting into the lead held by Rahmer. Greg Hodnett was

also on the move and running in third.

Dewease pulled to within five car lengths of the Rahmer but just ran short

of time. Fred Rahmer dashed under the checker flag to take the win with

Lance Dewease second, Greg Hodnett third, Curt Michael fourth and Bob

Bennett fifth. Greg Hodnett was the big money winner of the day earning

$5,300, Fred Rahmer collected $4,550 and Lance Dewease earned $4,000.

During the running of the second sprint feature, Lenny Thompson hit the

backstretch wall with great impact and was taken to the hospital for a

check-up. Thompson was talking and communicating with the medics and

family.

In the thirty lap Big Block Modified feature, Darren McCaughey led the

entire distance. In the closing laps, Duane Howard made a late race bid.

On the final lap, Howard and McCaughey made contact coming down to the

checker with McCaughey holding on for the win. Howard finished second with

Jamie Mills third, Doug Hoffman fourth and Billy Pauch fifth. Making up

the top ten in the modified feature was Wade Hendrickson, Kevin Hirthler,

Craig Von Dohren, Rick Laubach and Rick Shaffer. A field of forty-six

modifieds took part in the program with heat race victories going to Wade

Hendrickson, Doug Hoffman, Jamie Mills and Keith Hoffman. The two modified

consolations were won by Dave Stonebraker and Ray Swinehart.

The 20 lap make-up sportsman feature was a thirller. Richie Pratt Jr.

started the feature in the twenty-fifth spot and took the lead on lap

fourteen. Once in command, Pratt was not to be challenged as he went on to

claim the win. Andy Burkhart finished second followed by Judd Mills, Mark

Forte and Bob Sarkisian.

Sixty-five sportsman stock cars were then called to the speedway to compete

in qualifying races with victories going to Andy Burkhart, Mike Hughes, Ron

Roberts and Richie Pratt. The sportsman consolation events were won by Tim

Britt and Rich Stintson Jr.

In the second sportsman feature, Willie Osmun was the star of the show to

take the victory. As Osmun mastered the lead, Bridgeport Sportsman

Champion Bob Sarkisian was on a charge from the twenty-fifth starting

position. Sarkisian charged through the pack and managed an outstanding

third place finish behind Willie Osmun and Richie Pratt. Making up the top

five were Judd Mills, and Rich Stintson Jr.

30 LAP SPRINT FEATURE FINISH: Greg Hodnett, Lance Dewease, Curt Michael,

Rick Lafferty, Lenny Thompson, Jason Hagenbuch, Dave Hahn, Fred Rahmer, Gary

Thayer, Cahppy Knaack, John Salvatore, Matt Beasley, Sean Michael, Brook

Weibley, Billy Pauch, Dave Ely, Cris Eash, Mark Smith, Shawn Keen, Mike

Erdley, Pete Green, Brian Buckwalter, Shane Smith, Todd Gracey, Al

DeAngelis.

25 LAP SPRINT FEATURE FINISH: Fred Rahmer, Lance Dewease, Greg Hodnett, Curt

Michael, Bob Bennett, Sean Michael, Kramer Williamson, Rick Lafferty, Bob

Beidleman, Chappy Knaack, Kevin Frey, Jason Hagenbuch, Jeff Foote, Mike

Kostic, Dave Hahn, John Salvatore, Gary Thayer, Matt Beasley, J.R. Berry,

Al DeAngelis, Lenny Thompson, Greg Lotosky.

30 LAP MODIFIED FEATURE FINISH: Darren McCaughey, Duane Howard, Jamie Mills,

Doug Hoffman, Billy Pauch, Wade Hendrickson, Kevin Hirthler, Craig

VonDohren, Rick Laubach, Rick Shaffer, Rich Polenz, Mike Iles, Mark Forte,

MeMe DeSantis, Kyle Strickler, Ray Swinehart, Keith Hoffman, Ricky

Elliott, Scott Irwin, Dave Stonebraker, Jimmy Horton, Bucky Kell, Robert

Dutton, Joe Deffutowski..

20 LAP SPORTSMAN FEATURE: Willie Osmun, Richie Pratt Jr., Bob Sarkisian,

Judd Mills, Rich Stintson, Andy Burkhart, Ron Roberts, Matt Papez, Bill

Briggs, Duane Howard, Bob Lineman Jr., Paul Marra Sr., Mike Hughes, Tom

Umberhauer, Jim Britt, Rob Pierce, Jason Dippell, Bob Balasm, Bob

Johnson, Art Leidl, Mike Toti, Blaine Sadler Jr., Bill Harris, G.R.

Smith, Doug Leidl, Mike Reuter.