Ryan Watt Takes Victory Saturday Evening At Bridgeport Speedway

Story By: KOLBY RAMEY / BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY – SWEDESBORO, NJ – Ryan Watt, Matt Stangle and Jeramy Doerr raced to victory in Bridgeport action on Saturday night in a night of racing sponsored by All County Garage Door LLC of Carneys Point, NJ. Track officials raced the pop-up line of storms that appeared on the radar as feature time neared.

It was Mike Franz and Jack Swain who led the Spirit Auto Center Big Block Modifieds to the wave of the green flag but it was fourth place starter, Tommy Beamer who took the lead on the first lap of the twenty-five lap main. Beamer drove away from the field that included Billy Pauch, Rick Laubach, Jim Britt and Jesse Hill through lap five. Watt moved into the top five on lap seven as Beamer stretched his lead over Pauch and Laubach.

Laubach took over second on lap eleven with a move to the outside of Pauch with Watt moving into third two laps later. Just as Beamer was faced with lapped traffic, the caution waved for the first time with fourteen laps complete for Ricky DiEva between turns three and four. Laubach used the outside line on the restart to put the Hermann No. 7 into the lead. Watt followed in second.

On lap sixteen, Watt put the Roberts Racing No. 14w on the inside and pulled even with Laubach as they raced down the backstretch. The race had a new leader as the field crossed the start/finish line for lap sixteen.

The final caution waved on lap nineteen as last week’s feature winner, Neal Williams had smoke billowing from the Overhead Door No. 0. The field realigned for the restart with Watt out in front. Richie Pratt, Jr. broke into the top five on the restart while Dominick Buffalino challenged Laubach for second.

Watt led the way to the checkered for his sixth Bridgeport victory of the season over Laubach, Buffalino, Pauch and Pratt. Britt, Hill, Beamer, Jordan Watson and David Hunt rounded out the top ten.

After thirteen consecutive top five finishes, Eric Kormann suffered his first DNF one week ago after an early race multi-car incident in Stewart Stainless Crate/Sportsman competition. Kormann looked like he was back with a vengeance as he raced into the lead on lap one with a pass by David Crossman as the field exited turn four. Kormann then drove away from the field, leaving the race for the top five positions.

Kormann took the halfway sign followed by Crossman, Clyde Cox, Stangle and Brian Papiez. Kormann led the way through the race’s first restart as Stangle and Papiez battled behind Cox. On lap twelve, Kormann’s No. 16s slowed off the pace on the backstretch, leaving the lead to Crossman. Without warning, Kormann’s mount just shut off.

Crossman led the way for three times around the 5/8th mile track before Stangle took the lead as they crossed the line to complete lap sixteen. One lap later, Papiez raced by Crossman to take second.

Stangle took the win – his ninth at Bridgeport this season – followed by Papiez, Crossman, Cox and Roger Manning. Kris Lilick raced from deep in the pack in his first Crate/Sportsman race of the season to finish sixth with Wayne Weaver, Matt Peck, Chris Jenkins and Tom Sherby rounding out the top ten.

It was a clean sweep for Jeramy Doerr as he raised his win total in Pennco Tech Outlaw Stock competition to a career total of twenty-seven victories. Doerr took the lead from Brian Ludwig on lap four for the win in the rained out feature event from June 17th. Ludwing finished second followed by Tom Wills, Jr., Spider Ensinger and David Kramer.

In the regular feature event, Andrew Joslin led the way for the first four laps before Darren Cox took the lead on the backstretch on lap five. Cox led the field for two circuits before Doerr took the lead on lap seven. Doerr picked up the win with Wills, Jr. finishing second after being involved in several on track incidents earlier in the race. Darren Cox finished third followed by Ken Moren and Joslin.

Ernie Miles Jr., Jimmy Martin and Jeff Erbie picked up Mechanics Race wins at the end of the night in the Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman and Outlaw Stocks, respectively.

It’s Back to School and Scout Night at the Races next Saturday at the Bridgeport Speedway – sponsored by Pennco Tech. The Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman and Mid Atlantic Sprint Series will compete with the first green flag at 7pm.

SPIRIT AUTO CENTER BIG BLOCK MODIFIED FEATURE (25 laps): 1. Ryan Watt, 2. Rick Laubach, 3. Dominick Buffalino, 4. Billy Pauch, Sr., 5. Richie Pratt, Jr., 6. Jim Britt, 7. Jesse Hill, 8. Tommy Beamer, 9. Jordan Watson, 10. David Hunt, 11. Sam Martz, 12. Ron Roberts, 13. Jack Swain, 14. Matt Hawkins, 15. Dave Shirk, 16. Ernie Miles, III, 17. Ricky DiEva, 18. J.R. Burritt, 19. Neal Williams, 20. Mike Franz, 21. H.J. Bunting, III, 22. Jimmy Horton, 23. Bob Bracall, DNS – Travis Hill, DNQ – Brett Ballard, Tom Maccherone, Wesley Smith, Bob Sarkisian

STEWART STAINLESS SUPPLY CRATE/SPORTSMAN FEATURE (20 laps): 1. Matt Stangle, 2. Brian Papiez, 3. David Crossman, 4. Clyde Cox, 5. Roger Manning, 6. Kris Lilick, 7. Wayne Weaver, 8. Matthew Peck, 9. Chris Jenkins, 10. Tom Sherby, 11. Bill Briggs, 12. Chuck Sayres, 13. Jason Rush, 14. Tom Holding, 15. Adam Cox, 16. Kevin Belmont, 17. Eric Kormann, 18. Tom Errico (Sr), 19. John Laren, DNS – Jim Gallagher, Jr., David Banko

PENNCO TECH OUTLAW STOCK MAKE-UP FEATURE FROM 6/17 (15 laps): 1. Jeramy Doerr, 2. Brian Ludwig, 3. Tom Wills, Jr., 4. Spider Ensinger, 5. David Kramer, 6. John Parker, 7. Darren Cox, 8. Rich Stinson, 9. Mike Creamer, 10. Ken Moren, 11. Andrew Joslin, 12. Steven Land, 13. Doug DeBray, 14. Paul Donahue

PENNCO TECH OUTLAW STOCK FEATURE (15 laps): 1. Jeramy Doerr, 2. Tom Wills, Jr., 3. Darren Cox, 4. Ken Moren, 5. Andrew Joslin, 6. Mike Creamer, 7. Steven Land, 8. David Kramer, 9. Brian Ludwig, 10. John Parker, 11. Rich Stinson, 12. Doug Debray, 13. Spider Ensinger, DNS – Paul Donahue

MECHINICS RACES

BIG BLOCK MODIFIEDS (8 laps): 1. Ernie Miles, Jr., 2. Don Thornton

CRATE/SPORTSMAN (8 laps): 1. Jimmy Martin, 2. Mike Crispo, 3. Tom Ballard, 4. John D’Augustine, 5. Sam Martz, Jr., 6. Jim Lange, 7. Britt Williams

ROADRUNNER (6 laps): 1. Jeff Erbie