WHITTALL & MARTZ, JR. COLLECT DIRTY JERSEY WINS AT BRIDGEPORT
November 5, 2024
Vincentown, NJ driver, Justin Whittall raced to the $11,000 winner’s share of the Dirty Jersey at Bridgeport Motorsports Park. The race was co-promoted by Bridgeport’s Doug Rose and PA Posse driver, Danny Dietrich with Brewers Home Improvements sponsoring the two-day event that featured 410 Sprint Cars – the only race of its kind in the Garden State this season.
Whittall picked up $500 for his win in the Dash which gave him the pole position start in the thirty lap main event. Whittall led every lap on his way to the biggest win of his career. Another Garden State race, Kyle Reinhardt was the only driver to challenge Whittall on his way to victory. Reinhardt briefly grabbed the lead but Whittall quickly raced back into the lead.
The New Jersey drivers kept the first two positions for themselves, thrilling the large crowd in attendance on the beautiful first weekend of November.
Whittall took the win over Reinhardt. Danny Dietrich raced into third late in the race to capture the final podium finish. Oklahoma’s Daison Pursley finished fourth in his first race in the Tom Buch No. 13. Anthony Macri raced from his 24th place start to a top five finish after overcoming mechanical issues during qualifying. Michael Walter finished sixth followed by Freddie Rahmer, Jordan Poirier, Aaron Bollinger and Tyler Ross.
Pursley was Saturday’s Fast Timer. Pursley was the first car on the track, setting 12.786 as the time to beat for the rest of the field. Briggs Danner was the high point man following the four heat races. Whittall claimed the win in the dash. All three drivers received $500 payouts sponsored by Betts Garage.
Heats were won by Davey Franek, Jordan Poirier, Ryan Smith and Bryce Lucius with Aaron Bollinger taking the B Main.
Brewers Home Improvements was the sponsor of the two day event. Weikert Livestock and Staunton Union Stockyard added several bonuses to the top five positions. Heat winners received right rear tires from Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic. $50 gift certificate for steering rebuilds from ERK Steering went to each of the second place finishers in the sprint car heats as well as Free Factory Kahne Shock certificates presented by Drew Bible and 8740 Suspension. The first sprint non-qualifier received a right rear tire from Racer’s Used Parts Warehouse. The $300 Hard Charger was sponsored by Mitch Bodine Magoo’s Motorsickles. JPA Masonry offered $200 for the Hard Luck Award. Big Glen Enterprises offered $250 for the driver turning the fastest lap during the thirty lap feature. $300 was added to feature winner if carrying the Brewers Home Improvement decal. Mamma’s Pizza of Wellsville offered $100 awards to the Hard Charger and Hard Luck driver.
“I wish we had had a race yesterday, too,” Whittall said following his big win. It was Whittall’s first win on the High Banks.
Sammy Martz, Jr. raced to his second win of the season in the Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modified 30 lap feature event.
The final race of the season paid $4,000 to the winner leading Martz to comment that he seems to be able to win the special shows but not regular Saturday night races. Martz’s first Modified win came in the Doug Olsen Memorial race in mid-June.
Martz led every lap from the green to the checkered to capture his latest victory but he had plenty of company during the middle portion of the race when both Neal Williams and Dillon Steuer had Martz on their radar.
Williams and Steuer battled back and forth for second but it was Williams who told Martz that he had him lined up.
Martz chose to run a middle line – thinking he would avoid any challenges from slide jobs that way. Williams had a plan but lapped traffic foiled his attempt.
It was Martz for the win over Steuer, Williams, Cale Ross and Sam Martz Sr. Frank Cozze finished sixth followed by Roger Manning, Jeff Strunk in the Rio R10, Mike Franz and WB James.
Phil Levering raced to his first win of the season in the Four Cylinder main event. Levering raced in Roger Kummerer’s No.74 to take the win over Joe Garey, Jr., Justin Benz, Joe Garey. Sr and Jim Backowski.
DIRTY JERSEY 410 SPRINT FEATURE SPONSORED BY BREWERS HOME IMPROVEMENTS (30 LAPS)
1. Justin Whittall, 2. Kyle Reinhardt, 3. Danny Dietrich, 4. Daison Pursley, 5. Anthony Macri, 6. Michael Walter, 7. Freddie Rahmer, 8. Jordan Poirier, 9. Aaron Bollinger, 10. Tyler Ross, 11. Mike Thompson, 12. Lance Dewease, 13. Billy VanInwegen, Jr., 14. Cameron Smith, 15. Denny Pebbles, 16. Ryan Timms, 17. Davie Franek, 18. Kyle Spence, 19. J. T. Ferry, 20. Bryce Lucius, 21. Jordan Thomas, 22. Ryan Smith, 23. Briggs Danner, 24. Cole Duncan, DNQ – Austin Bishop, T.J. Greve, Rick Lafferty, Aidan Borden, Jon Brennfleck, Ricky DiEva, Dominic Melair, J. J. Loss, Chase Moran
DANNY’S PIZZA PIZZAZZ MODIFIED FEATURE (30 LAPS)
1. Sammy Martz, Jr., 2. Dillon Steuer, 3. Neal Williams, 4. Cale Ross, 5. Sam Martz, Sr., 6. Frank Cozze, 7. Roger Manning, 8. Jeff Strunk, 9. Mike Franz, 10. W. B. James, 11. Rusty Smith, 12. Rick Laubach, 13. Dominick Buffalino, 14. Dakota Kessler, 15. Justin Grim, 16. Brian Papiez, DNS – Jim Gallagher, Jr.,
BREWERS HOME IMPROVEMENTS FOUR CYLINDER FEATURE (20 LAPS)
1. Phil Levering, 2. Joe Garey, Jr., 3. Justin Benz, 4. Joe Garey, Sr., 5. Jim Backowski, 6. Rob Weil, 7. John Parker, 8. Brayden Morrison, 9. Dominick Antonelli, DNS – Eric Degler, Tom Cavagnino, Tim Jones, Garrett Mull