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Up and coming at Bridgeport.
West Lawn, PA’s #75 Dave Ely puts on a dominating performance as he jumps out to an early lead to win the URC Sprint Car Series season opening Feature event on the FAST Bridgeport Speedway 5/8mi. clay oval.
Jay James and crew did a spectacular job in preparation for the arrival of the URC Sprinters for their season opener as the 5/8th mile clay was smooth and fast for the evening’s racing events. Trenton, NJ’s #15 Mark Bitner sat on the pole for the start of the feature. As the green flag dropped for a clean start, #75 of Dave Ely quickly jumped into the lead heading down the back stretch from the pole sitter Bitner. As the rest of the field began jockeying for positions, Ely soon started opening up a lead on the rest of the field and quickly showed he was going to be the man to beat. Last years URC champion Curt Michael, in the new Bill Gallagher owned green 5G didn’t take long to start a charge to the front from his 10th starting position into the top 5 as the leader began approaching lapped traffic. The first yellow flew on lap 6 for an altercation between the #18 of Adam Gordon and # 808 of James Bodo in turn 2. With the field lined up for the restart, Ely quickly jumped out to his lightning fast lead on the rest of the field with Michael soon racing his way into the 3rd position. Wilmington, DE’s Chris Coyle in his new Chad Sinon & BPG Racing #4 started to show some dominance as he began working his way up through the field from his 12th starting spot moving his way up to 6th passing 7th and 8th starters of Ed Aiken and Becca Anderson. The big battle on the track is now for the 5th spot between #08 of Jason Clouse, #64K of Kyle Purks and the hard charging Coyle. As the leaders begin working heavy lap traffic, Coyle finally gets a run on Parks to take the 6th spot away. The leader Ely now has his hands full with lapped traffic as 2nd spot #15 of Mark Bitner and Curt Michael now running 3rd, start to close the gap as they head to the half way mark. Chris Coyle has now caught 4th running Jason Clouse and makes the pass to join the hunt with Bitner and Michaels on the leader. The Yellow flies to the relief of the leader Ely on lap 20 for a spinning #00 of Randy West in turn 4. With the field lined single file for the restart and clear track ahead of the leader #75 Dave Ely the green flies and Ely quickly jumps back out to a sizable lead running un-contested to the checkered flag for his 9th career URC victory. Mark Bitner takes 2nd followed by Curt Micheals, Chris Coyle and Jason Clouse rounding out the top 5. The Hard Charger award has to go to Chris Coyle and his new ride for racing his way form his 12th starting spot into 4th.
Lawrenceville, NJ’s “The Flyin Farmer” #85 Wade Hendrickson runs down pole sitter Mike Iles late in the race to win the Big Block Modified Feature Event Saturday night on the Fast and Smooth 5/8th Bridgeport clay oval.
“When I saw Mike draw for the pole it made me sit up on the wheel a lil harder” “Jakes Marine supplies great equipment and the Rio Bothers work real hard to make me get here, I’m just the guy behind the wheel” explains a very jubilant Wade Hendrickson to track announcer Jeff Ahlum on the winners podium.
The “Medford Mad Dog” Mike Iles sat on the pole for the 25 lap Big Block Modified feature event as the green flag dropped but the field had to line up for a restart because of a 3 car tangle in turns 3 and 4 for the #33 of Ray Swinehart, #7A Chic Cossaboone and the #19B of Brian Kressley which, in turn, ended Swinehart’s and Cossaboone's nite early. Kressley was able to return to the rear of the field for a restart. Iles quickly jumped out to the lead followed by #27 Chad James and #47 Bob Sarkisian heading to the turns for lap 1. As the leader exits turn two, Sarkisian takes #27 of James 2 wide to steal the 2nd spot away from James the heading down the backstretch. The yellow flies again as the middle of the field work their way through the corners for #12 of Mike Franz with suspension problems, who then limps off to the pits. On the restart, Iles soon resumes the lead followed now by #47 Bob Sarkisian, #27 of Chad James, #51 M of Keith Hoffman, “The Flyin Farmer” Wade Hendrickson and Rick Laubach. Chad James quickly passes Sarkisian to take back his 2nd spot in turns 1 and 2. Richie Pratt in his new Sal DeBruno Overhead Doors #0 ride also passes #44 Jimmie Chester as he starts to work his way to the leaders from his 16th stating spot into the top 10. Pratt is on the move soon taking on 8th starting Rick Laubach, but Laubach is having none of it as he shut down Pratt heading down the back stretch into 3 and 4 and their battle continues for the next several laps. James is doing all he can to contend with the leader, Iles, as Hendrickson begins to close in on 3rd Sarkisian from his 6th starting spot, followed by Hoffman in 5th. Pratt continues to work on Laubach for several laps before finally slipping by for a pass to move into 7th. Now Laubach has his hands full again now with a 13 starting spot of #27 Steve Bottcher. Chad James starts to close the gap on the leader, Iles, as the yellow flies with 9 laps in the books for the #8F of Stan Frankenfield heading into turn 3 for what appears to be a blown motor. With the field lined up for a restart, Iles is your leader with James and Sarkisian battling side by side for 2nd heading into turn 1. Sarkisian takes James low 2 wide followed by Hendrickson exiting two for the 2nd spot, Hendrickson in 3rd with James falling back into 4th as the leaders head down the back stretch. Hendrickson doesn’t stop there, he beats a now 2nd place Sarkisian to the corners to take the 2nd spot away as they race into 4. As Hendrickson now has his cross hairs set on the leader of Iles, Sarkisian is 3rd, James 4th and Hoffman barely holding down the 5th spot from a still hard charging Pratt. “The Flyin Farmer” wastes no time closing in on the leader Mike Iles as they near the half way mark as Chad James and Bob Sarkisian continue their race battle for now the 3rd spot. Hendrickson works all over Iles’ bumper for the next several laps until he gets a nose under Iles in the middle of turns 1 and 2, then makes the pass for the lead. With #85 Wade Hendrickson now the leader, he now starts to deal with lapped traffic as the final laps start to wind down. As James continues to slug it out with Sarkisian for 3rd spot the yellow flies on lap 23 as James tries to get around the lapped #61M of Anthony Moran exiting turn 2 and the two drivers tangle and spin sending a un-happy and hard working Chad James to the rear of the field for the single file restart. With just 2 laps remaining at the drop of the green, Hendrickson resumes the lead followed by Mike Iles in 2nd, Bob Sarkisian still holding onto 3rd, Keith Hoffman 4th. Steve Bottcher is now in 5th, but Pratt is over his bumper and soon makes the pass before the checkered flies to finish 5th. Wade Hendrickson collects his 34th Bridgeport feature win and 1st of the 2008 Bridgeport season. Richie Pratt gets the Hard Charger award racing through a class field from starting 16th to finish in the top 5.
Williamstown, NJ’s #71 Chuck Hopkins scores his 2nd ever 358 Sportsman Feature win holding off an always hard charging Jesse Hill from the pole Saturday on the FAST Bridgeport clay oval.
Chuck Hopkins drew the pole position for the 24 car field for the 358 Sportsman 20 lap Feature. Hopkins quickly jumped out to the lead leaving the 2nd starting spot #307 of Sean Gunther and Jesse Hill to battle it out heading into turns 1 and 2. Hill and Gunther slug out through the corners with Hill taking over the 2nd spot as the two head down the backstretch. As the leader crosses the stripe for lap one, the yellow/red flies for a multi car altercation in the middle of turns 3 and 4 involving the rear of the field. Last years series Champion, #126 of Kevin Collins bad luck continues for the 2nd week in a row as he is involved and has to leave the track on the hook with fellow racers #38 of Jimmy Horton IV #10 Billy Briggs and #1ndy Nathan Ottensmyer who’s night also ended early. The 99 of John Cavallaro, USA1 Bob Lineman, Jr, 15J of John Pursell and the 01A of Andrew Wygand were able to rejoin the field. At the drop of the green the race resumes, Hopkins quickly jumps back out to the lead followed by Jesse Hill, Sean Gunther, Ron Roberts, and Randy Yaple rounding out the top 5. The ole crafty one, Ron Roberts is all over Gunther and makes his move on him for 3rd by lap 5. Hill has now started to gain some ground on Hopkins and looks to make a run for the lead. Hopkins is running a cool and mistake free line and not giving an inch to Hill. The big battle on the track now is between #R40 of Ryan Forte and the #99 of Randy Yaple. Yaple is all over Forte for the next few laps as the leaders start approaching lapped traffic near the half way point. Hopkins now not only has his hands full with the “Thrill Jesse Hill” on his bumper, he has lap traffic in front of him heading down the front stretch. Hill sees an opportunity with a lapper and takes Hopkins 3 wide with the lapped car, Hill in the middle all the way around turns 1 and 2 but Hopkins wont be denied as he holds Hill off exiting 2 down the back stretch still holding on to the lead. It was a great and brave move by Hill but Hopkins wouldn’t let him pull it off. The #99 of Randy Yaple finally makes his move on Forte passing into 5th to move in behind Roberts and Gunther. Jesse Hill is still on Hopkins’ bumper as Gunther and Roberts are now closing the gap on the leaders as the remaining laps wind down. With 5 laps to go, #17 of Ron Roberts gets a run on Sean Gunther as he battles a lapped car and has to give up 2 positions to Roberts and Yaple as he drops back to 5th. With 4 to go, Hopkins has cleared all lapped traffic and has clear track ahead. Hill makes one more bid for the lead, but Hopkins is perfect and shuts him down as he races to the checkered flag for his second all time 358 Sportsman feature win. Jesse Hill finishes 2nd, Ron Roberts 3rd, Randy Yaple 4th and Sean Gunther drops back dealing with lapped traffic, to finish in the top 5.
Flemington, NJ’s John Mecik survives a wild GM Sunoco Sportsman Feature to win the 15 lap event.
The GM Sunoco drivers put on one heck of a show and weren’t afraid to hang it all out with several lead changes and lots of hard 2 wide racing and both ends of the speedway for their feature event. The #98 of Michael Cogdill sat on the pole for the GM Sportsman feature event. At the drop of the green, Cogdill charges out to the lead into turn one as the yellow flies for a front running multi car tangle which sent the #267 of Mike Barone HARD into the turn 1 guardrail which in turn brought out a red flag. Also involved were the #66 and last weeks winner Jason Rivers, #61 Jon Haegele and the #96 of Corey Anderson. Barone was O.K. but his car was severely damaged and done for the night. For the restart of the feature, Mike Cogdill again jumps out to the lead as 2nd starting spot David Bell goes in turn 1 hi near the rail and loses several positions sending #22 Chuck Buchman into second followed by Micek and #25 of Pat Hires. The rookie #0 of Neal Williams quickly jumps up into the mix, from his 13th starting spot, battling Hires and #99 Travis Hill for the top positions. Buchman is now gaining ground on the leader Cogdill as a yellow flies again for a spinning #722 of Brooke Bartleson and Jason Bittner in turn 4. On the restart, Mike Cogdill is still the leader but a hard charging Chuck Buchman is right along side for the start. As the leaders charge down toward turn one, Buchman beats Cogdill to the corners bringing with him #91a of John Micek on the inside to emerge as the new leader. Williams gets a run on Travis Hill heading down the back stretch to take his position away. Jon Haegele, who was involved in the start of the race crash AND is now missing body panels, is man on a mission. He has charged up from the rear of the field and is now challenging the #0 of Williams for the top five. The yellow flies once again for a spinning #64 of Rich Jackson in turn 4. Buchman re-assumes the lead on the start as Travis Hill greats a great start and picks up a few spots passing Hires and # 59 Tom Moore. The Leader, #22 of Buchman, starts to open up a sizable lead just past the half way mark when a spin in turn 4 by #722 Brooke Bartleson bringing out another yellow to bunch up the field once again. The restart green flies with 7 to go as Buchman charges into the corners with the now 2nd place John Micek on his tail. Micek takes Buchman on the inside and the 2 race side by side through the corners and down the backstretch. Haegele is now 3rd followed by Travis Hill in 4th heading into turn 3. Buchman and Micek are still side by side down the front stretch to turn 1 with Micek just edging Buchman to the corner for the lead when the yellow flies again for Rich Jackson. With 5 laps remaining, John Micek races easily on to the checker with Chuck Buchman finishing 2nd Travis Hill racing back to 3rd, the damaged Hard Charger Jon Haegele 4th and the rookie Neil Williams finishing out the top 5. The hard Charger Award goes to #61 Jon Haegele for being involved in the crash at the start, missing body panels from the crash, starting back at the rear and racing back into the top 5.
RESULTS:
URC Sprint Cars:
Heat 1 Qualifiers: N/A
Heat 2 Qualifiers: N/A
Heat 3 Qualifiers: N/A
FEATURE:
1- 75 of Dave Ely, 2- 15 of Mark Bitner, 3-5G of Curt Michael, 4-4 of Chris Coyle, 5-08 of Jason Clouse, 6- 64K of Kyle Purks, 7-92A of Ed Aiken, 8-17 of Becca Anderson, 9-89 of Robbie Stillwaggon, 10-69 of Justin Collett, 11-2W of Kevin Welsh, 12-99 of Davey Sammons, 13-1 of Scott Pursell, 14-16 of Brett Schoenly, 15-16P of Chuck Palmucci, 16-22 of Dave Betts, 17-00 of Randy West, 18- 3B of Joey Biasi, 19- 37 of JJ Grasso, 20- 19H of Brian Seidel, 21-92 of Tim Hogue, 23-21 of Scott McClaron, 24-18 of Adam Gordon, 25-808 of James Bodo
Big Modifieds:
Heat 1 Qualifiers: Keith Hoffman, Mike Franz, Brian Kressley, Chad James, Steve Bottcher, Richie Pratt
Heat 2 Qualifiers: Rick Laubach, Ray Swinehart, Bob Sarkisian, Jimmy Chester, Mark Forte, Sr., Steve Durand
Heat 3 Qualifiers: Mike Iles, Chic Cossaboone, Gary Hager, Wade Hendrickson, Jimmy Horton , Mark Forte, Jr.
Consi Qualifiers: Ryan Wyatt, Stan Frankenfield, Anthony Noran, Scott Irwin, Chris Knopp, Brett Hoffman
FEATURE:
1- 85 of Wade Hendrickson, 2- 711 of Mike Iles, 3- 47 of Bob Sarkisian, 4- 51M of Keith Hoffman, 5- 0 of Richie Pratt, 6- 27X of Steve Bottcher, 7-14 of Rick Laubach, 8- 5 of Jimmy Horton, 9- 44 of Jimmy Chester, 10- 44H of Gary Hager, 11-14W of Ryan Watt, 12- 40 of Mark Forte Sr. 13- 66 of Chris Knopp, 14- M40 of Mark Forte Jr. 15-92 of Scott Irwin, 16- 924 Stephen Durand, 17- 27 of Chad James, 18- 19B of Brian Kressley, 19-39 of Brett Hoffman, 20-61M of Anothony Moran, 21-12 of Mike Franz, 22-8F of Stan Frankenfield, 23- 33 of Ray Swinehart, 24- 7A of Chic Cossaboone
358 Sportsman:
Heat 1 Qualifiers: Ryan Forte, Ron Roberts, Chuck Hopkins, Tom Miller, John Pursell, Craig Whitmoyer
Heat 2 Qualifiers : James Morris, Sean Gunther, Rich Scagliotta, Eric Kormann, Dan Cogdill, Jimmy Horton IV
Heat 3 Qualifiers : Randy Yaple, John Stangle, Brett Ballard, Jesse Hill, Jarrad Miller, Bob Lineman, Jr.
Consi Qualifiers : Kevin Collins, Nathan Ottenmyer, Jason Duppel, Andrew Wygand, John Cavallaro, Ryan Wyant
FEATURE:
1- 71 of Chuck Hopkins, 2-99H of Jesse Hill, 3-17 of Ron Roberts, 4-99 of Randy Yaple,
5-307 of Sean Gunther, 6-12K of Erik Kormann, 7-R40 of Ryan Forte, 8- 8 of Rich Scagliotta, 9- 6 of John Stangle, 10- o of Brett Ballard, 11-75 of James Morris, 12-99 of Craig Whitmyer, 13-USA 1 of Bob Lineman Jr. 14- 26 of Dan Cogdill, 15-77 of Tom Miller, 16-01A of Andrew Waygand, 17-15J of John Pursell, 18- 917 of Jarrad Miller,
19-B4 Kyle Borror, 20-20 of John Cavallaro, 21-10 of Jason Dupple, 22- 38 of Jimmy Horton IV 23- 126 of Kevin Collins, 24-1ndy of Nathan Orrensmeyer
GM Sportsman:
Heat 1 Qualifiers: Jon Haegele, Jason Rivers, David Bell, Travis Hill, Bob Bartleson, Neil Williams, Bob Burgess, Doug Urbano, Brooke Bartleson, Gino Postarivo
Heat 2 Qualifiers: Michael Cogdill, Mike Barone, John Micek, Chuck Buchman, Pat Hires, Tom Moore, Corey Anderson, Brandon Guyer, Mark Suk, Jason Bittner, Rich Jackson.
FEATURE: 1-91a of John Micek, 2- 22 of Chuck Buckman 3-99H of Travis Hill, 4-61 of John Haegele, 5-0 of Neil Williams, 6-25 of Par Hires, 7-59 of Tom Moore Jr. 8-96 of Cory Anderson, 9-720 of Bob Bartleson, 10-33 of David Bell, 11-77 Brandon Guyer, 12-727 of Mark Suk, 13-311 of Doug Urbano, 14-33 of Jason Bittner, 15-64 of Rich Jackson, 16-98 of Michael Cogdill, 17- 722 of Brooke Bartleson, 18-66 of Jason Rivers, 19- 267 of Mike Barone, 20-80 of Bob Burgess
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