Sam Martz, Five Other Drivers Record First Wins Of 2018 At Bridgeport

Story By: KOLBY RAMEY / BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY – SWEDESBORO, NJ – ​​The Bridgeport Speedway hosted its first 5/8th mile and quarter mile double header on Saturday night, showcasing action on two of the three tracks within the speedway complex. It was an exciting night of racing as six drivers garnered their first wins of the 2018 season.

After a rather unsuccessful start to the season, popular Whitehouse Station, NJ driver, Sam Martz brought out the Steve Izzi Trucking sponsored No. 3 that he raced last season and drove to his eighth career Bridgeport Speedway victory and first of the season in the Spirit Auto Center Big Block Modifieds.

Martz pulled away from the field and had built a sizable lead before the caution waved with fifteen laps complete, erasing his advantage over second place, Tommy Beamer. Jack Swain and Roger Manning had been racing side by side for third when they came up on a lapped car as they raced down the backstretch. Swain made contact and his the No. 42 slid across the front end of Rick Laubach in the No. 7 before making contact with the turn three wall.

Laubach was unhappy when told that he would restart in twelfth position. His protest consumed about thirty minutes before the situation was resolved with his car being towed from the homestretch and Laubach walking back to the pit area.

Martz went back to work on the restart and drove to the win over Beamer, Ryan Watt who moved up to third on lap nineteen. Richie Pratt, Jr. finished fourth with Modified rookie, Roger Manning earning his first top five finish of the season. Neal Williams, Billy Pauch, Ron Roberts, Bucky Kell and David Hunt rounded out the top ten at the checkered.

Matt Luzi, a graduate of the 2017 Rookie division, led from the green flag to the checkered to capture his first ever feature win in the Stewart Stainless 602 Crate Sportsman division. Luzi led Wayne Weaver to the checkered flag. Frank Dorry finished third, advancing several positions in the closing laps. Tom Sherby and Tom Moore finished fourth and fifth respectively at the end of twenty laps.

Reigning Pennco Tech Outlaw Stock Champion, Tom Wills, Jr. picked up his first checkered flag of the season with his win in the Outlaw Stock fifteen lap feature. Wills took the lead on a lap ten restart and drove to the win over Lee Allen, Mike Creamer, Scott Hulmes and Brian Ludwig.

Parker Guldin of Fleetwood, PA picked up his first win in the DA’s Auto Body & Repair Rookie feature event. Guldin is the third different winner in Rookie competition. Sam Martz, Jr. raced to a second place finish on the white flag lap. Seth Spayd finished third.

There were two new winners in the Spirit Speedway quarter mile action as the 270 and 600 Micro Sprints were featured in the doubleheader action.

PJ Williams earned his first ever Spirit Speedway victory in the Ace Overhead Door Co. 600 Micros by holding off the challenges of a determined Whitey Kidd during the twenty lap event. Steven Bracall finished third followed by 2017 Champion, Matt Smith and Nick Havens.

Ken Andreas earned his first win of the season in Ace Overhead Door Co. 270 Micro sprint action. Andreas drew the pole and led every lap to capture the win over Alex Swift, Tommy Kunsman, Kyle Weiss and Devin Porch.

Action resumes on the Spirit Speedway on Friday night with 270 & 600 Micros, 600 Novice, 4 Cylinder Enduros and Slingshots with racing getting underway at 8pm. Saturday night action switches to the 5/8 mile Bridgeport Speedway for Bike Night with the Big Block Modifieds, 602 Crate Sportsman, Outlaw Stocks and Rookies with the first green flag waving at 7pm.

SPIRIT AUTO CENTER BIG BLOCK MODIFIEDS (25 laps): 1. Sam Martz, 2. Tommy Beamer, 3. Ryan Watt, 4. Richie Pratt, Jr., 5. Roger Manning, 6. Neal Williams, 7. Billy Pauch, Sr., 8. Ron Roberts, 9. Bucky Kell, 10. David Hunt, 11. Stan Frankenfield, 12. Dave Shirk, 13. Tom Maccherone, 14. Ernie Miles, III, 15. Jim Britt, 16. Ricky DiEva, 17. Jack Swain, 18. Rick Laubach, 19. Mike Franz, 20. Travis Hill, 21. Wade Hendrickson, 22. Steve Kemery

STEWART STAINLESS SUPPLY 602 CRATE SPORTSMAN (20 laps): 1. Matthew Luzi, 2. Wayne Weaver, 3. Frank Dorry, 4. Tom Sherby, 5. Tom Moore, 6. Eric Kormann, 7. Bobby Bracall, 8. David Crossman, 9. Danny Buccafusca, 10. Chris Jenkins, 11. Dave Damiano, 12. Howard Huepful, 13. Sammy Martz, Jr., 14. David Hartman, 15. Mark Clauss, 16. Pete Serra, 17. Roger Gaskill, 18. Rich Wegner, Jr., 19. Tom Holding, 20. Jim Gallagher, Jr., 21. Brad Roberts, 22. Tommy Errico, 23. Scott Kohler, 24. Seth Spayd, 25. Parker Guldin, 26. Jeremy Harrington

PENNCO TECH OUTLAW STOCKS (15 laps): 1. Tom Wills, Jr., 2. Lee Allen, 3. Mike Creamer, 4. Scott Hulmes, 5. Brian Ludwig, 6. Jeramy Doerr, 7. David Kramer, 8. Ken Moren, 9. Paul Donahue, 10. Keith McKinley, 11. Darren Cox, 12. Rich Stinson, Sr., 13. Jeff Dirkes, 14. Steven Land

D.A.’S AUTO BODY AND REPAIR ROOKIES (8 laps): 1. Parker Guldin, 2. Sammy Martz, Jr., 3. Seth Spayd, 4. Danny Buccafusca, 5. Dave Hartman

ACE OVERHEAD DOORS 600CC MICRO SPRINTS (20 laps): 1. P.J. Williams, 2. Whitey Kidd III, 3. Steve Bracall, 4. Matt Smith, 5. Nick Havens, 6. Jermain Godshall, 7. Tommy Kunsman, 8. Wayne Scott, 9. Luke Thomas, 10. Steven Kemery, 11. Josh Conover, 12. Joe Dopke, 13. Brandon Pavel, 14. Chris Fenimore, 15. Colin Bustard, 16. Richie Keller, 17. William Butler, 18. Josh Martin, 19. Mark Landwher, 20. Jon Keller, 21. Bobby Butler, 22. Corey Andersen, 23. Travis Hill, 24. Lee Nardelli, DNQ – Sam LaMothe, Joe Bednarek, Robert Miles, Billy Calvert, Rebecca LaMothe, Dave Dimaio, Nick Walton, Justin Murphy, Gary Bozowski, Jim Tippin

ACE OVERHEAD DOORS 270CC MICRO SPRINTS (20 laps): 1. Ken Andreas, 2. Alex Swift, 3. Tommy Kunsman, 4. Kyle Weiss, 5. Devin Porch, 6. Brandon Shipley, 7. Steve Coslop, 8. Billy Gray, 9. Billy Murphy, 10. Jonathan John, 11. Kristen Landwher, 12. John West, 13. Ross Holler, 14. Ed Tyers, 15. Buddy Schweibinz, 16. John Wagner, Jr., 17. Ron Ford, 18. Matt Hoffman, 19. Richie Keller, DNS – Logan Diehl, Ryan Wozunk