JIMMY HORTON GETS FOURTH BRIDGEPORT MODIFIED VICTORY OF SEASON

BRANDON VISSER WINS SPORTSMAN FEATURE; GREG COVERDALE URC WINNER

Bridgeport, NJ – Seven-time modified champion Jimmy Horton won the twenty-five lap Big Block Modified feature Saturday night at the 5/8th mile Bridgeport Speedway. It was the fourth win of the season and the ninety-sixth career victory for the Neshanic, NJ resident, adding to his all-time record at New Jersey’s fastest dirt track. The twenty-five lap United Racing Club winged sprint A-Main was won by Milford, DE’s Greg Coverdale, driving the H & L Contracting #97, which is owned by Pilesgrove, NJ’s Sam Locuson. Brandon Visser won the twenty lap Bridgeport Sportsman feature, giving the Havre-de-Grace, MD resident his fourth win of the 2001 season.

Lawrenceville, NJ’s Wade Hendrickson started the modified feature in fourth position, and before lap one was completed, the “Flying Farmer” had the lead. While the 2000 season champ had the Rio Brothers R-10 flying and holding on to the top spot, Newfield, NJ’s Jimmy Chester, in the new Speed Palace #44 was charging and closing in on the leader. By lap six, Chester, who started in third, was coming on and cutting into Hendrickson’s lead on every lap. A yellow flag on lap ten eliminated the little lead that Hendrickson had left, and brought the pack up on the leaders. Two laps later Jimmy Horton steered the Hewlitt #901 around Chester and began his charge to the lead. Horton tried a number of times to go past Hendrickson on the outside groove, only to have Hendrickson fight off Horton’s advances. These two drivers battled each other, trading paint more than once, to the delight of the large crowd on hand to witness the night’s action. Horton remained in second place pressuring Hendrickson for almost twelve laps, when on lap twenty-three, Horton used all his guile and experience to make his final move, diving under Hendrickson in turn two to make the pass. Horton had control of the lead halfway down the backstretch, and was on his way to his fourth win of the season. Hendrickson held off Chester to stay in second, with former champions Doug Hoffman and Jamie Mills finishing fourth and fifth. Chester, Hendrickson, and Hoffman won the eight lap qualifying heats, while modified rookie Stephan Durand won the consolation race.

Second generation driver Bob Lineman Jr. started the twenty lap Bridgeport Sportsman feature race on the outside pole and pulled out at the green to take the lead at the beginning of the race. Lineman, son of modified veteran driver Bob Lineman Sr., held on to first place until lap five, when Brandon Visser began closing in on the rookie driver. Coming out of turn four, Visser dove under Lineman and at the start-finish line, Visser had a half hood lead over the Doylestown, PA native to complete lap six. Visser tried to build up on his lead, but caution flags kept working against him, cutting back any advantage he had in his #103. Lineman ended his best run of the season on lap nine when mechanical problems forced him to the pits. Billy Harris took over the runner up spot in the DiAntonio #3 and tried to run down Visser. Visser had enough to hold off any challenges Harris was able to surmount, and when curfew ended the race at fifteen laps, Visser had a comfortable lead and his fourth victory of the season. A fast closing G.R. Smith finished third behind runner up Harris, with veteran Ron Roberts and Bob Sarkisian completing the top five. Qualifying heats were won by Rich Stinson, Lineman, and Roberts. Frank McDonnell and Eric Kormann won the two consolation races.

NOTES: After missing a month of action at the South Jersey oval, Oley, PA’s Duane Howard was back in action, driving the Big Spring Car Wash #126. Howard qualified for the feature through his heat race and started the main event in fifteenth place, eventually cracking the top ten and finishing in eighth place…Scotto Pizza Sportsman Halfway Bonus went to Visser, while a new weekly reward for the modifieds, the Classic Concessions Modified Halfway Award went to Hendrickson. These two bonuses are worth a cool $100 to the leader of the race at the halfway point of the feature…Bridgeport Sportsman point leader Steve Lindale’s night ended on lap nine of the feature, when the motor on his NTB #54 let go billowing clouds of smoke, forcing the New Castle, DE driver to the infield…Willie Osmun was also in action at the track, driving the #9 in modified competition. Osmun started 21st and finished in 12th place…Milford, DE’s Kevin O’Neill, age 11, and Melissa Carr, age 8 and from Upper Black Eddy, PA, were the winners of the Kids Scooter Giveaway…Coming up this week on Friday night is the regular four division show of 125, 250, and 600cc micro sprints and modified lites on the ¼ mile oval, with an Enduro Stock race competing on the big 5/8th mile oval. Saturday night action on the big track will see regular features for the Bridgeport Sportsman, Bridgeport Winged Sprints, and Street Stocks, while the Big Block Modifieds will compete in the Labor Day 30 holiday special, where the 30 lap feature will pay $3000 to win for the high power modifieds.

BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY RESULTS – Saturday August 25, 2001

MODIFIEDS

Heat 1 – Chester, Elliott, Mills, Miller, Kerr, Hallowell

Heat 2 – Hendrickson, Horton, Pompei, Kell, Adams, Voss

Heat 3 – Hoffman, Bottcher, Laubach, Kania, Howard, Davis

Consi – Durand, Edwards, Osmun, Glisson, Reppert, Hartnett

Modified Feature – 25 Laps

Jimmy Horton, Wade Hendrickson, Jimmy Chester, Doug Hoffman, Jamie Mills, Ricky Elliott, Scott Kania, Duane Howard, Gary Edwards, Scott Davis, Stephan Durand, Willie Osmun, Dave Adams, Bill Miller, Tom Pompei, Kevin Hartnett, Rick Laubach, Bucky Kell, Steve Bottcher, Barry Voss, Butch Glisson, Jimmy Reppert, Don Hollowell, Ryan Kerr

BRIDGEPORT SPORTSMAN

Heat 1 – Stinson, Smith, Visser, Harris, Barone, J.Czachorowski

Heat 2 – Lineman Jr, Lindale, Pratt, Cook, Sarkisian, Pursell

Heat 3 – Roberts, Forte, P.Collins, Townsend, Wescott, Ratoskey

Consi 1 – McDonnell, K.Collins, Cogdill, Dekutoskey

Consi 2 – J.Horton, Beavers, Miller, Fucilli

Bridgeport Sportsman Feature – 20 Laps

Brandon Visser, Billy Harris, G.R. Smith, Ron Roberts, Bob Sarkisian, Sam Wescott, Don Barone, Dan Cogdill, Frank McDonnell, Kevin Collins, Rich Stinson, John Townsend, Rob Ratoskey, Jay Horton, Tom Miller, Brian Fucilli, Rick Beavers, Joe Dekutoskey, Richie Pratt, Bob Cook, Mark Forte, Bob Lineman Jr, Steve Lindale, Paul Collins, Joe Czachorowski, John Pursell

k, Mark Forte, Bob Lineman Jr, Steve Lindale, Paul Collins, Joe Czachorowski, John Pursell