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WADE WINS A WILD ONE AT BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY
By Mike Wisniewski
BRIDGEPORT, NJ (May 11, 2008) - Wade Hendrickson from Lawrenceville, NJ gained his second win of the season in the 25-lap Big Block Modified feature event. In the 358 Sportsman, Randy Yaple captured his first ever win at Bridgeport Speedway. Pat Hires was declared the winner in the GM Sportsman race after a post race technical inspection. Erik Renninger picked up his first victory in the Rookie GM Sportsman contest. Rich Reider overcame a flat tire to win the 15-lap Outlaw Stock feature. Tim Iulg bested the field in the Bridgeport Limited Sprint contest.
Ricky Rutt and rookie Matt Harrell led the “Saturday Night Stars” to the start of the Big Block Modified feature, which was slowed down immediately by a 9 car tangle on the backstretch. Unfortunately, this ended the night for the 2007 Big Block Modified champion Billy Pauch, Scott Irwin and Brian Kressley. On the restart, Harrell jumped out and led the first 4 laps. Steve Durand’s flat left rear brought the caution on lap 4. On the next resumption of the feature, Harrell chose the outside lane and second place runner Ryan Watt quickly gained the lead. On lap 6, seventh place starter Rick Laubach was charging for the lead in turn three when his car tumbled wildly towards the outside fence bringing out the red flag. Hendrickson who had started in the fourteenth position was now in the runner up position behind Watt. After a few more cautions slowed the field, Hendrickson was able to assume the lead from Watt on lap 9. Hendrickson led the remaining laps and claimed his thirty fifth career win at Bridgeport Speedway. Watt finished in second place. After being involved in the original start skirmish, Jimmy Horton came from the rear of the field to finish in third place. Mike Iles and Ray Swinehart completed the top five. Durand, Kressley and Watt won the qualifying events while Bob Sarkisian claimed the consolation event for the Big Block Modifieds.
In the 358 Sportsman feature, polesitter John Kelly sprinted out and led the first four laps. Thirteenth place starter Yaple took advantage of multiple restarts and drove successfully into the second position by lap 4. Following a lap 4 restart, Yaple assumed the lead from Kelly and steered home his family owned ride to the checkered flag. Twelfth place starter Brett Ballard went on to finish in second place after gaining the position on lap 6. Jessie Hill, Erik Kormann and Jimmy Horton IV rounded out the top five. Heat winners for the 358 Sportsman division were Robert Wyant Jr., Craig Whitmoyer and Scott Davis Jr. Hill took the checkered flag in the consolation event.
In the 15 lap GM sportsman feature, Bob Bartleson appeared to have won his first ever feature. Following a post race technical inspection, Pat Hires was declared the winner. Hires started in the seventh position. Travis Hill, John Micek, Michael Cogdill, and David Bell completed the top five. Cogdill and Chuck Buchman were victors in the qualifying events.
In the rookie GM sportsman feature, Erik Renninger led all 8 laps on the way to his first feature win. Renninger started in the second position and outran the field. Neil Williams charged from his eighth starting spot to finish in second place. Brandon Guyer, Corey Anderson, and Bob Burgess completed the top five.
In the Outlaw Stock main event, Rich Reider battled back from a flat tire on lap 3 to claim his third victory in 2008. Reider started in the seventh position and drove past Ken Watson Sr. on lap 12 for the lead. Watson Sr. hung on second place. Frank Ashmen, Bob Dooley and Jim Honeker filled out the top five.
In the Bridgeport Limited Sprints event, Kevin Darling seemed to be on his way to victory after assuming the lead from Tim Iulg on lap 2. Unfortunately, Darling’s sprint car suffered a mechanical failure on lap 6. Iulg reassumed the lead and went on to collect his first victory of 2008. Jonathan Baker and newcomer Ryan Maisonhalter rounded out the top three.
NOTES: Modified driver Don Barone returned to Bridgeport Speedway after sitting out the 2007 season. The rookie GM Sportsman division has been very competitive this year as no one has more than one victory in the series.
Bridgeport Speedway Results - Saturday
Big Block Modifieds
Heat 1 – Steve Durand, Billy Pauch, Chad James, Ricky Rutt, Scott Irwin, Ken Meisner
Heat 2 – Brian Kressley, Wade Hendrickson, Jimmy Horton, Mike Franz, Gary Hager, Donny Radd
Heat 3 – Ryan Watt, Rick Laubach, Chic Cossaboone, Richie Pratt Jr., Ray Swinehart, Matt Harrell
Consolation – Bob Sarkisian Rick Wegner, Mike Iles, Steve Bottcher, Jimmy Chester, Steve Downs
BIG BLOCK MODIFIED FEATURE – 25 LAPS
WADE HENDRICKSON, Ryan Watt, Jimmy Horton, Mike Iles, Ray Swinehart, Mike Franz, Jimmy Chester, Ken Meisner, Gary Hager, Matt Harrell, Steve Bottcher, Rick Wegner, Steve Downs, Bob Sarkisian, Richie Pratt, Chic Cossaboone, Ricky Rutt, Steve Durand, Rick Laubach, Chad James, Donny Radd, Brian Kressley, Scott Irwin, Billy Pauch
DNQ: Steve Haggan, Jim Robertson, Jeff Brown, Don Barone, Chris Knopp, Brett Hoffman
358 Sportsman
Heat 1 – Robert Wyant Jr, Eric Kormann, Brett Ballard, Don Bogey, Jimmy Horton IV, James Morris
Heat 2 – Craig Whitmoyer, Jarrad Miller, Guy Germano, Randy Yaple, Danny Bouc, Dan Cogdill
Heat 3 – Scott Davis Jr., John Kelly, Steve Transue, Frank Dorry Jr., Bob Lineman Jr., Kevin Collins
Consolation – Jessie Hill, Chuck Hopkins, Tom Miller, Bill Klingmeyer, Sean Gunther, Mike Brannigan
358 SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 20 LAPS
RANDY YAPLE, Brett Ballard, Jessie Hill, Eric Kormann, Jimmy Horton IV, Bob Lineman Jr, John Kelly, Ron Roberts, Craig Whitmoyer, Danny Bouc, Bill Klingmeyer, Dan Cogdill, Jarrad Miller, Guy Germano, James Morris, Scott Davis Jr., Steve Transue, Don Bogey, Mike Brannigan, Chuck Hopkins, Rob Wyant, Tom Miller, Sean Gunther, Kevin Collins, Frank Dorry Jr.
DNQ: Steve Kassekort, Tom Miller Jr., Dan Waisempacher, John Cavallaro, Steve Warner, Kyle Borror, Billy Briggs, John Stangle, Bobby Sandt, Lou Farina, Harry Marlin
BRIDGEPORT LIMITED SPRINTS – 12 LAPS
TIM IULG, Jonathan Baker, Ryan Maisonhalter, Kevin Darling, Doug Suiter
DNS: Keith Anderson
GM Sportsman
Heat 1 – Michael Cogdill, Bob Bartleson, David Bell, Gino Postorivo, Mike Barone, Pat Hires
Heat 2 – Chuck Buchman, Rich Jackson, Jon Haegele, Jason Rivers, John Micek, Corey Anderson
GM SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 15 LAPS
PAT HIRES, Travis Hill, John Micek, Michael Cogdill, David Bell, Gino Postorivo, Bob Burgess, Corey Anderson, Jason Rivers, Jason Bittner, Doug Urbano, Jon Haegele, Justin Griffith, Rich Jackson, Joey Milza, Tom Moore Jr., Erik Renninger, Brandon Guyer, Neil Williams, Chuck Buchman, Mike Barone
DQ: Bob Bartleson
DNS: Brooke Bartleson
ROOKIE GM SPORTSMAN FEATURE – 8 LAPS
ERIK RENNINGER, Neil Williams, Brandon Guyer, Corey Anderson, Bob Burgess, Tom Moore Jr., Doug Urbano, Jason Bittner, Joey Milza, Brooke Bartleson
OUTLAW STOCKS FEATURE – 15 LAPS
RICH REIDER, Ken Watson, Frank Ashmen, Bob Dooley, Jim Honeker, Jeff Dirkes, Rick Haegele, Bill Miller, Ron Dirkes, Fran Forsythe
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