BRIDGEPORT THREE FOR ALL WINS TO WATT, LINGO & WELLER
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BRIDGEPORT THREE FOR ALL WINS TO WATT, LINGO & WELLER
Story By: Kolby Ramey/Bridgeport Speedway – Photos By: Pete MacDonald/RacersGuide.com
Three divisions of racing on a hot summer night – something for every racing fan! Stock cars, Late Models and Sprint cars on the same racing card – a racing fan’s dream sponsored by BRB Contractors of King of Prussia and DA’s Auto Body.
Boyertown, PA driver, Ryan Watt, continued his winning ways. After picking up the win in Saturday night’s Big Block Modified feature, the current Saturday night point leader drove ahead of rookie driver, Matt Stangle on the eighth circuit to capture the 358 Small Block Modified portion of Bridgeport’s Three for All event.
Donnie Lingo made a tire decision based on his experience in last year’s event and came away with the flag to flag win in the twenty lap Super Late Model feature.
Josh Weller became a three time United Racing Club (URC) Sprint Car feature winner with his win in the twenty-five lap winged open wheel event. Weller turned his fastest lap of the race as he powered ahead of Mark Bitner to take the lead on lap four.
A three time feature winner in Bridgeport’s Crate/Sportsman Division, Matt Stangle turned a lot of heads as he qualified and then led the first seven laps of the 358 Small Block Modified feature event. At sixteen years of age, Stangle showed composure and talent well beyond his years and experience as he took the lead from the outside pole and led the first seven laps of the race. When the caution waved for a tangle between Ryan Grim and Clay Butler on lap eight, Stangle again won the drag race for the lead, this time against Watt. When Butler then came to a stop between turns one and two on the restart, the yellow flag waved again. This time, it was Watt who led the field down the homestretch as Dominick Buffalino closed in on Stangle.
Despite several cautions – including on the final lap – Watt drove to the checkered flag without a serious challenge while Stangle held off the early challenges by Buffalino to finish second in his first official Modified race. Jeff Strunk finished third in the Hyneman owened No. 126 for his best Bridgeport finish of the season. Buffalino finished fourth after regaining the position following a late race charge by fifth place finisher, Brett Kressley.
“We’ve been getting better and better,” Watt stated, “we just needed a little luck to go our way.”
Donnie Lingo came out on top of a three wide race for the lead as the Super Late Models raced to the start/finish line for the wave of the green flag. From that point on, it was all Lingo as he led from lap one to the checkered flag to pick up the win. Bryan Bernheisel raced from his fifth place start to take over second following a lap eight restart. Bernheisel closed the gap on Lingo but was unable to mount a serious challenge before the checkered flag. Ross Robinson finished third followed by Modified driver, Matt Jester taking fourth. Danny Snyder rounded out the top five at the finish line.
Lingo picked up the win, running the same basic set up all night. “I decided to go with a harder tire – I was afraid that I was going to beat myself but we never made any changes to the set-up all night!”
Fresh off his Saturday night win in URC action, Weller took the lead on lap four and never looked back in the sprint car feature race. Current URC point leader and five time feature winner, Davie Franek, was able to cut into Weller’s lead, especially in the closing laps but Weller drove to the finish line ahead off the field. Franek finished second followed by nine time URC Champion, Curt Michael. Adam Carberry and Troy Betts rounded out the top five at the checkered flag.
“I thought I heard somebody coming but you’re never sure if it’s real or if you are imagining it,” Weller said following his win. Weller has never won more than one event in a season prior to 2016. He now has three wins to his credit at three different speedways.
The second annual Three for All event was sponsored by BRB Contractors, headed by Robert Lilick and his four sons – all of who compete in Saturday action at the Bridgeport Speedway. BRB Contractors of King of Prussia has been in business 
for sixteen years, providing demolition, excavating, paving, hauling and site work.
There’s more action to follow as the Bridgeport Speedway hosts Quarter Midget Night this Saturday. Quarter Midget competitors from throughout the area will have their cars on display behind the grandstand before Saturday night’s races. The Spirit Auto Center Big Block Modifieds, Stewart Stainless Crate/Sportsman and PennCo Tech Outlaw Stocks will all see action on the 5/8 mile track with racing getting underway at 7pm.
358 SMALL BLOCK MODIFIEDS (25 LAPS)
1 – Ryan Watt, 2 – Matt Stangle, 3 – Jeff Strunk, 4 – Dominick Buffalino, 5 – Brett Kressley, 6 – Billy Vaninwegan, 7 – Mike Iles, 8 – David Van Horn, 9 – Wade Hendrickson, 10 – Jimmy Horton, 11 – Ryan Krachun, 12 – Steve Davis, 13 – Ryan Grim, 14 – Clay Butler, 15 – Kevin Vaclavicek, 16 – Chad Barney, 17 – Eric Kormann, 18 – Mike Franz, 19 – Matt Peck, 20 – Jim Britt, 21 – Kris Lilick, 22 – Chris Grbac, 23 – Ron Roberts, 24 – Jeramy Doerr
SUPER LATE MODELS (20 LAPS)
1 – Donald Lingo, 2 – Bryan Bernheisel, 3 – Ross Robinson, 4 – Matt Jester, 5 – Danny Snyder, 6 – CJ Faison, 7 – Dave Hertz, 8 – Ricky Elliott, 9 – Amanda Whaley, 10 – Kerry King Sr DNS – Scott Van Gorder
UNITED RACING CLUB SPRINTS (25 LAPS)
1 – Josh Weller, 2 – Davey Franek, 3 – Curt Michael, 4 – Adam Carberry, 5 – Troy Betts, 6 – Justin Whittall, 7 – Nate Snyder, 8 – Robbie Stillwaggon, 9 – Chris Coyle, 10 – Brett Michaelski, 11 – Tim Tanner, 12 – Stef Palmai, 13 – Will Eggiman, 14 – Jason Cherry, 15 – Mark Bittner, 16 – Jonathan Swanson
CLICK HERE For Full Event Photo Gallery
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