DOUG HOFFMAN ENDS TWO MONTH WINLESS STREAK & GRABS THIRD MODIFIED WIN OF THE YEAR

Bridgeport, NJ – Allentown, PA’s Doug Hoffman ended a two-month winless streak at South Jersey’s Bridgeport Speedway, winning the twenty-five lap big block modified feature on Saturday night. The victory was Hoffman’s third of the season and seventy-second of his career in modified action on New Jersey’s fastest dirt track. The United Racing Club Sprints were also on the card for Saturday night, and although Chris Coyle had the large crowd on hand on the edge of their seats as he flew from tenth starting spot to take the lead by lap ten, Coyle’s Turpin-Kennedy #56 was found to be light when weighed by the URC officials after the race, turning the win over to point leader Bill Brian Jr. For the second week in a row, the Bridgeport Sportsman winner was disqualified, when Bob Lineman Jr’s #USA1 failed the post race tech inspection, giving the win to last week’s DQ recipient, Rich Stinson Jr.

Woodbine, NJ’s Bud Schweibinz, in his first full season of competition in the highly competitive Bridgeport Big Block Modified division, led the twenty-four car field to the start line to begin the twenty-five lap main event, and had his #1 in the lead for the first eight laps. While Schweibinz was in control of the front spot, all eyes were on the #60 of Doug Hoffman, who vaulted from ninth starting spot up to fifth by just the second lap. On the next lap, 2000 season point champ Wade Hendrickson pulled into the infield, retiring from the race with engine problems. Hoffman was hooked up in a battle with Kevin Hirthler for second, and after fighting it out for three laps, Hoffman got past Hirthler to grab the runner up spot. A yellow flag caution period for Dave Stonebraker on lap eight wad exactly what Hoffman needed, and on the restart he worked past Schweibinz entering turn one to grab the lead. Duane Howard put the Big Spring Car Wash #126 in second place on the next lap, and he proceeded to try to chase down Hoffman. With Starter Dennis Weir waving the halfway signal to the field, Howard was closing in on Hoffman and with ten to go, he caught the leader with the help of lapped traffic. Two laps later, on lap seventeen, Howard’s chance at the win ended, when he stopped on the backstretch with a flat right rear tire. With five to go, Hoffman had put some daylight between himself and second place driver Hirthler, who had problems of his own holding off seven-time point champ Jimmy Horton. Horton was able to pull alongside Hirthler several times on the last couple laps, but Hirthler and his #117 held on for a second place finish behind 2001 point champ Hoffman. Three-time winner Rick Laubach brought home the Auger Manufacturing #93 in fourth, while Stephan Durand shook off the bad luck gremlins to get a fifth place finish with the Thornton’s Gulf #5. Schweibinz, Hirthler, and Hendrickson won their qualifying heats, with Joe Dekutoski taking the consolation race.

Second generation driver Bob Lineman Jr. took the lead on the second lap of the twenty lap Bridgeport Sportsman feature, passing Bill Klingmeyer in turn two of the big 5/8th mile oval. With Lineman running fast and smooth out front, Klingmeyer, driving the Ron Roberts #Z14 while Roberts recovers from leg injuries suffered earlier in the season, held on to second place until lap nine, when Rich Stinson worked his way past, with Bob Sarkisian and Mark Forte in tow, sending Klingmeyer back to fifth. At halfway, Richie Pratt wrestled fifth away from Klingmeyer, and on lap thirteen Pratt dove under Forte in turn one to move into fourth place exiting turn two. With just three laps left, Lineman had a big lead, while Sarkisian was making a last gasp effort to take second place from Stinson. Sarkisian had his #47 alongside Stinson several times, even inching ahead in turns one and two, but Stinson pulled back ahead on the back straightaway. At the finish, Lineman had what seemed to be his first career win, with Stinson, Sarkisian, Pratt, and Forte right behind. For the second week in a row, the winner was disqualified when Lineman’s racer failed the post race tech inspection when his distributor was found to be illegal, giving the win to Stinson and moving the rest of the field up one spot. Lineman, Steve Lindale, and Andy Burkhart won the eight lap qualifying heats, while last week’s winner, Dan Cogdill winning the consolation race.

Chris Coyle started the twenty-five lap United Racing Club feature in tenth place, and on the backstretch of the first lap he charged into fourth position with a reckless abandon that had the full grandstand of fans in attendance on the edge of their seats. Coyle moved into the runner up spot coming down the front straight to complete the third lap, and everyone knew that nothing was going to stop the Wilmington, Delaware driver who graduated to the sprinters from running micro sprints on the Bridgeport ¼ mile oval. On the eighth lap, Coyle pulled even with leader Dave Gable, and exiting turn four Coyle shot under Gable to take the lead as the two finished lap nine. Coyle went the rest of the way pretty much unchallenged, with Greg Coverdale looking to catch up until a front wing mount broke loose. Right at the finish, Coverdale ran out of fuel, dropping him to fourth place behind Coyle, Bill Brian, and Dave Ely. URC tech inspectors negated Coyle’s exciting drive after the race, when his car was found to be under the minimum weight allowed, giving the win to point leader Brian.

BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY RESULTS

CARQUEST NIGHT SATURDAY 7-13-02

MODIFIEDS

Heat 1 – Schweibinz, Adams, Horton, Howard, Davis, Kressley

Heat 2 – Hirthler, Hoffman, Infante, Franz, Stonebraker, Vasquez

Heat 3 – Hendrickson, Chester, Durand, Laubach, Kerr, Hieber

Consi – Dekutoski, B.Chester, Iles, Gibbons, D’Allesio, Voss

CARQUEST Modified Feature – 25 Laps

DOUG HOFFMAN, Kevin Hirthler, Jimmy Horton, Rick Laubach, Stephan Durand, Dave Adams, Duane Howard, Carmine Infante, Brian Kressley, Bud Schweibinz, Mike Iles, Joe Dekutoski, Billy Joe Chester, Phil Vasquez, Ryan Kerr, Scott Davis, Danny Hieber, Mike Franz, Jimmy Chester, Jason D’Allesio, Steve Bottcher, Bob Gibbons, Dave Stonebraker, Wade Hendrickson

DNS- Barry Voss

Lap Leaders: Schweibinz-8, Hoffman-17

SPORTSMAN

Heat 1 – Lineman, Harris, Townsend, Stinson, Forte, Pratt

Heat 2 – Lindale, DeMedio, Wilkins, Price, Lilick, Pursell

Heat 3 – Burkhart, Sarkisian, Klingmeyer, Mills, Pierce, Britt

Consi – Cogdill, Wescott, Horton, Collins, Miller, Cook, Sadler, Ottinger

CARQUEST Sportsman Feature – 20 Laps

Rich Stinson Jr, Bob Sarkisian, Richie Pratt Jr, Mark Forte, Bill Klingmeyer, Steve Lindale, Dennis Price, Andy Burkhart, Judd Mills, John Pursell, Beau Wilkins, Jim Britt, Billy Harris, Bob Lilick, Sam Wescott, Dan Cogdill, Tom Miller, Jay Horton, Court Ottinger, Blaine Sadler, Rob Pierce, Eric Poole, Mike DeMedio, Bob Cook, Kevin Collins DQ- Bob Lineman Jr.

UNITED RACING CLUB SPRINTS

A-Main: 25 Laps

BILL BRIAN, Dave Ely, Greg Coverdale, Kevin Welsh, Kramer Williamson, Tim Hogue, Scott Pursell, Doug Emery, Donnie Ennis, Glen Clarke, Mike Haggenbottom, George Suprick, Gary Gollub, Midge Miller, Joe Zuczek, Deric Parker, Matt Gerber, Dave McGough, Jeff Busby, Dave Gable, Judi Bates, Danny Massey, Ashley Parlett, Todd Rittenhouse DQ- Chris Coyle