PAUCH WINS THE RACE AND THE CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY
Billy Pauch drove to his sixth victory of the 2019 Bridgeport Speedway season and collected the Spirit Auto Center Big Block Modified title along the way. While the point race heated up in the other divisions, Pauch’s 68th Bridgeport feature win gave Pauch the title with just one more point race left to be run.
Rich Stinson, Jr. made it three in a row in the Sunbelt Rental Outlaw Stocks while Wayne Weaver threw his hat into the ring for the season title with his second win in the South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Crate Sportsman.
Mike Franz and Bob Sarkisian led the starting field to the wave of the green flag with Sarkisian jumping into the early lead. Roger Manning made his way from sixth to second on lap three and began his pursuit of the leader.
Sarkisian led through lap six when Manning took control. One lap later, Wade Hendrickson raced into second with the Rio No. R10. At halfway, Manning led Hendrickson, Brett Ballard, Pauch and Dominick Buffalino.
Pauch made use of the outside as he moved into second on lap seventeen with a pass by Hendrickson. One lap later, he moved to the inside to take the lead from Manning. Hendrickson followed Pauch through as Manning bobbled momentarily and then recovered.
Pauch led the way to the finish over Hendrickson, Manning who had his best finish of the season, Jimmy Horton and Jim Britt. Buffalino exited with mechanical ills just a lap from the finish. Stan Frankenfield, Jr. had another strong outing to finish sixth followed by Richie Pratt, Jr., Sam Martz, David Hunt and Ryan Watt.
Wayne Weaver took the flag to flag victory over Sammy Martz, Jr. in the South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Crate Sportsman feature. Weaver’s win makes him the third driver to have a shot at the 2019 title along with point leader, Eric Kormann and Matt Peck.
Travis Hill finished third followed by Steve Kemery and Peck. Danny Buccafusca finished sixth followed by Jim Gallagher, Tom Sherby, Rich Wegner, Jr. and Eric Kormann.
It was win number six for Rich Stinson, Jr. who also made it three in a row with his win in the Sunbelt Rentals Outlaw Stocks. Justin Knowlen led the first three laps after the green, first leading Brian Ludwig and then Lee Allen. Stinson closed in and took the lead onlap four and then put some distance between himself and the competition.
Current point leader, Tom Wills, Jr. made his way into second on lap five and chased Stinson to the finish. A late race surge by Jeff Dirkes resulted in a third place finish followed by Ludwig and Allen.
The 2019 Champions will be crowned when racing returns to the Bridgeport Speedway on Saturday night with the Big Block Modifieds, 602 Crate Sportsman and Outlaw Stocks with racing getting underway at 7pm.
BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY
Saturday, August 31, 2019
SPIRIT AUTO CENTER BIG BLOCK MODIFIEDS (25 laps) –
1. Billy Pauch, Sr., 2. Wade Hendrickson, 3. Roger Manning, 4. Jimmy Horton, 5. Jim Britt, 6. Stan Frankenfield, 7. Richie Pratt, Jr., 8. Sam Martz, 9. David Hunt, 10. Ryan Watt, 11. Brett Ballard, 12. Jeramy Doerr, 13. Ron Roberts, 14. J.R. Burritt, 15. Dominick Buffalino, 16. Neal Williams, 17. Joe Toth, 18. Tommy Beamer, 19. Bob Sarkisian, 20. Mike Franz, 21. Todd Neiheiser, 22. Joe Puzzella, 23. Pete Visconti, DNS – Jack Swain, Matt Stangle
SOUTH JERSEY OVERHEAD DOOR 602 CRATE SPORTSMAN (20 laps) –
1. Wayne Weaver, 2. Sammy Martz, Jr., 3. Travis Hill, 4. Steve Kemery, 5. Matt Peck, 6. Danny Buccafusca, 7. Jim Gallagher, Jr., 8. Tom Sherby, 9. Rich Wegner, Jr., 10. Eric Kormann, 11. Bobby Bracall, 12. Brett Belmont, 13. Tom Moore, Jr., 14. Tommy Errico, Jr., 15. Scott Maher, Jr., 16. Jim Cheesman, 17. Tom Holding, 18. Billy Chester, 19. Eric Mattson, 20. Pete Serra, 21. Jonathan Swift, 22. Scott Hulmes, DNS – Ernie Miles, Jr., Andrew Belmont
SUNBELT RENTALS OUTLAW STOCKS (15 laps) –
1. Rich Stinson, Jr., 2. Tom Wills, Jr., 3. Jeff Dirkes, 4. Brian Ludwig, 5. Lee Allen, 6. Justin Nowlen, 7. Ken Moren, 8. Andrew Joslin, 9. Nick Sandone, III, 10. John Parker, 11. Mike Hughes, 12. Seven Land, 13. Kevin Conaway, 14. Paul Donahue, DNS – Michael Creamer
Upcoming events
Satuday, September 7 – Final Points Night – Big Block Modifieds, 602 Crate Sportsman & Outlaw Stocks, racing at 7pm
Saturday & Sunday September 14th and 15th – Monster Truck Throwdown
Friday, September 27 – Small Block Modifieds, Outlaw Stocks and open practice for all divisions for Saturday events, racing at 7:30pm
Saturday, September 28 – Poker Series Hand #4 – King of the Big Blocks – Big Block Modifieds and 602 Crate Sportsman, racing at 6:30pm