FRIESEN IS THE BIG SHOT IN SOUTH JERSEY SHOOTOUT

FRIESEN IS THE BIG SHOT IN SOUTH JERSEY SHOOTOUT

Story By: Deb Smith/Bridgeport Speedway

Photos By: RacersGuide.com Photo Staff

Stewart Friesen made it two for two in Spirit Auto Center Big Block Modified competition at the Bridgeport Speedway on Sunday when he captured the second race of the season for the South Region of the Bob Hilbert Sportswear sponsored Short Track Super Series (STSS) fueled by Velocita event. It was a $5,000 payday for Friesen who had already picked up the win in the 60 Over Special/Doug Hoffman Memorial season opener.

Friesen was the race winner but it was Bridgeport regular, Mike Barone who set the pace for nearly thirty of the forty laps of feature event. Barone sat out most of last season, returning to full time action just a few weeks ago with a new Bicknell chassis and a fresh Lombardo power plant under the hood of his No. 267. Barone has been perfect in qualifying, winning all three of his heat races since returning to action.

On Sunday, Barone lined up on the pole with Friesen starting alongside. It was Barone who had the lead on the start – to everyone’s surprise, including Friesen’s. “He just took off,” Friesen explained later. “The top was greasy at the beginning. I had to wait until they blew it off before I could go there,” Friesen continued.

Barone pulled away from the field and led through the first twenty-nine laps, as he began to pass the cars at the back of the field. Friesen closed in and as the leaders raced to the line to complete lap thirty, Friesen put his Halimar No. 44 on the inside of the track and edged ahead of Barone as they scored the lap. With ten laps to go, Friesen led Barone, Neal Williams who had raced his way from an eighteenth place start, David VanHorn and Ryan Godown.

A lap thirty-one caution brought about some significant changes to the race’s outcome in positions behind the leader. Danny Bouc, racing a spec head small block powered car, charged to second on the restart, chasing Friesen and racing ahead of Barone, Williams and Godown as VanHorn was shuffled out of the top five. Bouc had not even broken into the top five prior to the restart.

Friesen led the way to the checkered followed by Bouc who credited his performance with a good draw, coupled with track conditions that benefited his small block power plant. Barone finished third followed by Williams and Godown at the line. Jimmy Horton, a Halimar team mate to Friesen and the winner of the first STSS event of the season, finished sixth followed by Craig VonDohren, Richie Pratt, Jr., VanHorn and Jesse Hill who was added as a provisional to the starting line-up.

Young Matt Stangle picked up his second consecutive Stewart Stainless Crate/Sportsman win and his first victory in STSS competition.
Stangle took the lead from pole sitter, Roger Manning and led the non-stop event to the checkered flag in seven minutes and thirty-one seconds. Manning finished second with pressure from third place Brandon Grosso. Eric Kormann finished fourth with season opener feature winner, Brian Papiez finishing fifth after starting eleventh on the starting grid.

Jon Meyer picked up his second win of the season in PennCo Tech Outlaw Stock competition. Meyer was the early race leader before Jeramy Doerr took the lead on lap three. Doerr’s race for the win ended on lap nine when his No. 3D went up in smoke and Meyer regained the race lead. Mike Creamer finished second to Meyer with Tom Wills, Jr., David Kramer and Mark Campagna.

The Bridgeport Speedway presents Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman, MASS 305 Sprint Cars and the Garden State Vintage on Sunday, April 30th with racing getting underway at 5pm.
SHORT TRACK SUPER SERIES MODIFIED FEATURE (40 laps): 1. Stewart Friesen, 2. Danny Bouc, 3. Mike Barone, 4. Neal Williams, 5. Ryan Godown, 6. Jimmy Horton, 7. Craig VonDohren, 8. Richie Pratt, Jr., 9. David Van Horn, Jr., 10. Jesse Hill, 11. Andy Bachetti, 12. Duane Howard, 13. Jordan Watson, 14. Rick Laubach, 15. Brett Kressley, 16. Jeff Strunk, 17. David Hunt, 18. Ryan Watt, 19. Jamie Mills, 20. Billy Pauch, Sr., 21. Matt Jester, 22. Tyler Dippel, 23. Jim Britt, 24. Dominick Buffalino, 25. Wade Hendrickson, 26. Sammy Martz, 27. Billy Pauch, Jr., DNQ – Ron Roberts, Brett Hearn, Danny Johnson, Tommy Beamer, Shawn Ward, P.J. Oliver, HJ Bunting III, Jeff Brown, Travis Hill, Howard O’Neal, Bob Sarkisian, Daniel Johnson, Jr., Mike Franz, Scott Hitchens

STEWART STAINLESS SUPPLY CRATE/SPORTSMAN FEATURE (20 laps): 1. Matt Stangle, 2. Roger Manning, 3. Brandon Grosso, 4. Eric Kormann, 5. Brian Papiez, 6. Jeremy Harrington, 7. Brad Roberts, 8. Steve Kemery, 9. Jordan Henn, 10. Chad Kohler, 11. Jeremy Martino, 12. Louden Reimert, 13. Brett Ballard, 14. Bill Briggs, 15. Brad Arnold, 16. John Scarpati, 17. Scott Hulmes, 18. Chuck Sayres, 19. J.D. Cranston, 20. Rich Wenger, 21. David Jenkins, 22. Jim Gallagher, Sr., 23. Matthew Peck, 24. Scott Hitchens, DNQ – Howard Huepful, John Farissier, Tom Holding, David Banko, Andrew Belmont

PENNCO TECH OUTLAW STOCK FEATURE (15 laps): 1. Jon Meyer, 2. Mike Creamer, 3. Tom Wills, Jr., 4. David Kramer, 5. Mark Campagna, 6. Jeff Dirkes, 7. Brian Ludwig, 8. Jeramy Doerr, 9. Billy Wroble, 10. John Parker, 11. Rich Stinson, DNS – Paul Donahue