BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY CELEBRATES 2016 SEASON
Story By: KOBY RAMEY / BRIDGPORT SPEEDWAY MEDIA
Photos By: JIM BROWN / RACERSGUIDE.COM
Bridgeport NJ.- December 6, 2016-The Bridgeport Speedway celebrated the success of the 2016 season and crowned the track champions for both the 5/8 mile speedway and the Spirit Auto Center Speedway.
Ryan Watt raced to his second Spirit Auto Center Big Block Modified championship in four seasons behind the wheel of his Ron Roberts Racing Team No. 14w. Watt led all competitors with four feature wins, finishing in the top ten in twenty out of the twenty-one events on the 2016 Bridgeport schedule. He captured three of the last four point races and put together a string of eighteen consecutive top ten finishes.
Watt credited his car owners and crew for the success this season. “I have to thank Ronnie (Roberts) and Fay (Marion) for giving us everything we need to race,” Watt stated. “And my crew who work on the cars to get them ready for the track.”
Watt claimed his second title over 2012 Bridgeport Champion, Rick Laubach who had two wins during the season. Sam Martz and Jordan Watson finished in a tie for third in points. Martz was the winner of the 11th Annual Friends of Mike event. Racing in his first full season of big block modified competition at Bridgeport, Watson was also named as “Best Newcomer” in the division. Richie Pratt Jr. raced his family owned No. 28 to finish fifth in the season points.
With two wins during his Rookie season, CJ Jones received the Star of Tomorrow award along with a sixth place finish in points. Jim Britt, Ron Roberts, Wade Hendrickson and Mike Franz rounded out the top ten.
Steve Davis was crowned as the 2016 Stewart Stainless Crate Sportsman Champion – his first ever title. Davis had two wins during the season to lead the eleven different winnerS in this division. Kris Lilick, Brad Roberts, Eric Kormann and Bob Lilick trailed Davis in points. Matt Stangle received the Star of Tomorrow accolades in addition to his seventh place finish in points.
TJ Henry dominated the PennCo Tech Outlaw Stocks to capture his first Championship title with fifteen victories during the 2016 season. The Felton, DE driver also set a new one lap record for the division. Tom Wills, Jr. finished second with fifteen top five finishes followed by Scott Dugan, Brian Ludwig and Art Avery.
Chuck Sayres was the 2016 DA’s Auto Body & Repair Rookie Champion after winning five of the eight Rookie events. Sayres won four races in a row and then came back to capture the final race of the Rookie season to claim the title over Tom Terry and Shannon Marshall.
The Colonial Pipeline 811 Dig Safely Poker Series Awards were also presented. Duane Howard was the Poker Series Champion for the Big Block Modifieds with his three wins followed by Laubach and Watt with Dominick Buffalino receiving the award for the worst hand.
Steve Kemery captured the 811 Dig Safe Poker title for the Crate/Sportsman followed by Clyde Cox and Scott Hulmes with Adam Cox having the worst hand. Henry was the Outlaw Stock Poker Champion with four wins. Wills, Jr. finished second followed by Billy Wroble. Mike Hagenbottom was honored as the Poker Series Champion in the 2016 Tanner Brothers Dairy/Thayer Performance TSRS 305 Sprint Poker Series. Tim Tanner and Jeff Geiges finished second and third.
The first champions of the Spirit Auto Center Speedway were also crowned during the night’s proceedings. Jon Keller captured his first title in the 600 Micro Sprints over Germain Godshall and Travis Hill who received the Best Newcomer award. Tyler Reinhardt won his fourth consecutive championship in 270 Micro Sprint competition over Richie Keller and Luke Fogg. John Webster won the Servpro 4 Cylinder championship with Lee Allen taking the title in the Eight Cylinder Enduro Series. Rich Partite was the winner of the Speedway All Star Bagel Slingshot Division while Chris Kurtz captured the 2016 Slinger Warehouse Sunday Series points.
Tommy Kunsman won the last three races in the 600 Micro Sprint Poker Series to claim his first Bridgeport title. Pat Bealer was the winner of the 2016 Mongoos Chassis/Jim’s Weld-Rite 270 Micro Sprint Poker Series. Chris Kurtz, the winner of four of the six events, took top honors in the 2016 Jeffrey Houge Realtor Action Track USA Slingshot Series.
Bridgeport’s Brian Ramey thanked all of the people who have helped to move the Bridgeport Speedway into the future. “These people do their jobs – not for the pay check but for the love of the Bridgeport Speedway,” Ramey stated. “I can’t believe that we are headed into our fifth season and it is all possible because of all of these people who make it all happen.”
Drivers Tommy Beamer (Modifieds) and Chuck Sayres (Crate/Sportsman) received special awards from Penske Shocks. The Most Popular Driver Awards are selected by the racing fans. Awards were presented by D&D Media to Tommy Beamer (Modifieds), Steve Kemery (Crate/Sportsman) and Tom Wills, Jr. (Outlaw Stocks).
The 2017 Bridgport Season Opener is scheduled for March 25th with the 60 Over Doug Hoffman Memorial.
