MARTZ SR RACES TO FIRST BRIDGEPORT MOTORSPORTS PARK VICTORY
July 12, 2021
Bridgeport, NJ – Sam Martz Sr. raced to his first Bridgeport Motorsports Park victory in the Foley Cat Modifieds in what was the fifth caution free Modified feature event of the 2021 season. The victory came in less than nine mintues on Liberty Kenworth of South Jersey night at the speedway.
After being sidelined from the last Saturday night event, Steve Kemery returned with a new power plant under the hood of the B&K Sheet Metal No. 69K and raced to his third win of the season in the South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Crate Sportsman feature. Rich Stinson out ran TJ Henry to pick up his fifth Bridgeport Motorsports Park Street Stock win of the season while Cody Kline earned his second Spirit Auto Center Speedway All Star Slingshot win of the season.
Clay Butler had the Cray Motorsports No. 4B out in front of the Modified feature for the first seven laps before a hard charging Sam Martz raced his Izzi Trucking No. 3 into contention. Martz had just the bumper advantage on lap eight but pulled ahead of Butler on lap nine.
Once out in front, Martz drove away from the field, setting a rapid pace for the thirty lap event. Butler, Jim Britt and Dominck Buffalino battled for second. Britt hung tough as he and Buffalino swapped the third and fourth spots several times. Once in third, Buffalino took on Butler for second, finally securing the runner-up spot with just ten laps remaining.
Martz was racing through lapped traffic with Buffalino in pursuit but Martz never slowed his pace. “I didn’t know who was second or where they were,” Martz explained following the win – not taking any chances late in the race.
Buffalino finished second with Ryan Krachun winning a hard fought battle for third, finally securing the position from Ryan Godown with just about five laps to go. Godown finished fourth with Joseph Watson rounding out the top five. Alex Yankowski, Bulter, Britt, Ryan Watt and Tommy Beamer rounded out the top ten at the checkered with Watt racing into the top ten after starting in seventeenth.
It was a special win for Martz who got to celebrate the victory with his family, including his nine month old grandson, Colton. The Martz family returned to Bridgeport for the 2021 season after a two year absence and they are certainly making their mark in both divisions. Sam Sr. has been in the thick of the action since changing to a small block and new Bicknell chassis. Sammy Jr. has five wins in the 602 Crate Sportsman and currently leads the points. “Doug told us to come down here and this place is amazing,” Martz said from the Weaknecht Archery Victory Lane. “Top, bottom, multiple lanes – you can run anywhere,” Martz added.
After engine troubles sidelined Steve Kemery from the last Saturday night program, Kemery made up for lost time and picked up his fourth win of the season in the 602 Crate Sportsman. And his trip to Victory Lane came after Kemery received some help from his fellow racers. Doug Snyder and Ryan Conrad had a Crate engine sitting in their garage. When they heard of Kemery’s situation, they offered Kemery the motor. “It saved me a long drive,” Kemery explained how he just ordered a replacement for Snyder and Conrad and made the much shorter drive to their shop.
Howard Huepful, Matt Ellery and Steve Davis all had their chance to lead the race before Kemery took over on lap thirteen. Cautions kept the field close as Sammy Martz, Jr. and Travis Hill battled for position in front of another three car battle with Ellery, Weaver and Ethan Bill. Weaver and Bill were later sidelined in the final laps.
Kemery took the win over Martz, Hill, Ellery and Brett Ballard who wheeled the Crossman No. 80D. Jim Dallett, Tom Sherby, John Stevenson, Huepful and Ray Woodall completing the top ten at the checkered.
Rich Stinson returned to Victory Lane in the Street Stock division after escaping from the clutches of TJ Henry and Jeff Dirkes during the fifteen lap feature.
Mike Hughes led the way for the first seven laps before Stinson took the lead, followed closely by Henry. Dirkes, Hughes and Jeramy Doerr battled through out the race for position, racing so close that Dirkes and Doerr became hooked together at one point. Doerr finished third at the checkered followed by Dirkes and Hughes. Nick Sandone II, John Parker, Jeff Waitz, Andrew Joslin and Ken Moren completed the top ten in the running order.
Cody Kline picked up his second Spirit win of the season as the All Star Slingshots raced in their Saturday Matinee event at the start of the night of racing. Amanda Angstadt finished second after loaning a motor from fellow competitor, Ryan Davey. Michael Beckett finished third after battling with Scott Phillip and Ryan Davey who finished fourth and fifth.
Christopher Allen, Sr. raced ahead of his brother Lee to win the 4/8 Cylinder event.
FOLEY CAT MODIFIEDS (30 laps – Non-stop)
Sam Martz, 2. Dominick Buffalino, 3. Ryan Krachun, 4. Ryan Godown, 5. Joseph Watson, 6. Alex Yankowski, 7. Clay Butler, 8. Jim Britt, 9. Ryan Watt, 10. Tommy Beamer, 11. Billy Osmun, III, 12. Matt Stangle, 13. Neal Williams, 14. Billy Lasko, 15. David Crossman, 16. Troy Ale, 17. Eric Kormann, 18. Briggs Danner, 19. Frank Cozze, 20. Tom Moore, Jr., 21. Wade Hendrickson, 22. Billy Pauch, Sr., 23. Jim Gallagher, Jr., 24. Brett Kelly, DNS – Joe Toth, Ron Roberts, Mike Franz
SOUTH JERSEY OVERHEAD DOORS (25 laps)
Steve Kemery, 2 Sammy Martz, Jr., 3. Travis Hill, 4. Matt Ellery, 5. Brett Ballard, 6. Jim Dallett, 7. Tom Sherby, 8. John Stevenson, 9. Howard Huepful, 10. Ray Woodall, Jr., 11. Josh Bricker, 12. Billy Chester, 13. Mike Creamer, 14. Scott Hulmes, 15. Brad Cicio, 16. Frank Holmes, 17. Ethan Bill, 18. Wayne Weaver, 19. Aaron Weaver, 20. Howie Finch, 21. Joseph Brown, 22. Ryan Godown, Jr., 23. Shane Kassekert, 24. Rich Stinson, Jr., 25. Steve Davis (technical infraction)
BRIDGEPORT MOTORSPORTS PARK STREET STOCKS (15 laps)
Rich Stinson, Jr., 2. T.J. Henry, 3. Jeramy Doerr, 4. Jeff Dirkes, 5. Mike Hughes, 6. Nick Sandone, III, 7. John Parker, 8. Jeff Waltz, 9. Andrew Joslin, 10. Ken Moren, 11. Tom Wills, Jr., 12. Gary Klimeczak, DNS – Wes Camp, Jr.
ALL STAR SLINGSHOTS (20 laps on ¼ mile)
Cody Kline, 2. Amanda Angstadt, 3. Michael Beckett, 4. Scott Phillipp, 5. Ryan Davey, 6. Dave Morrell, 7. Ryan Harris, 8. P.J. Bozowski, 9. Tim Franks, DNS – Zach Merola, Matt Sydoryk
4/8 CYLINDER ENDURO (12 laps)
Christopher Allen, Sr., 2. Lee Allen, 3. Jim Smith, 4. Robert Johnson.