GODOWN & HENRY OPEN WILD CARD WEEKEND WITH WINS

GODOWN & HENRY OPEN WILD CARD WEEKEND WITH WINS

Story By: Deb Smith/Bridgeport Speedway – Photos By: Pete MacDonald & George Steigerwalt Jr./RacersGuide.com

Ryan Godown and TJ Henry set the pace in their respective divisions as the Bridgeport Speedway presented the first of two nights of racing to conclude their 2016 racing season.

Friday night’s event was sponsored by Colonial Pipeline 8-1-1 Dig Safely and fans were treated to Colonial’s heated tent where they received several giveaways and free hot dogs before the start of the racing events.

Godown, winner of two 358 Small Block Modified track championships during the 2016 season, took the lead from Ryan Krachun on lap five of the thirty lap event and then held off the challenges from 2016 Bridgeport Champion, Ryan Watt and Rick Laubach to capture the $3,000 payday.

Watt chased Godown through lapped traffic as the leaders caught the back of the field on lap eleven. Watt closed in on Godown on several occasions but posed the biggest threat with just five laps to go when Godown battled with a lapped car in turns three and four. Godown drifted up the track, leaving a hole that Watt quickly filled. The lapped car made contact with Watt, allowing Laubach to make the pass for second. The caution waved with four laps to go for the disabled car of Steve Young, setting up a single file restart.

Godown led the way without a further challenge as he took the checkered flag for his second career Bridgeport Small Block Modified win. Laubach finished second with Watt holding on to third in spite of missing a right front shock after the incident in turns three and four. Jeff Strunk raced from his eleventh place start to finish fourth with Brett Kressley rounding out the top five at the finish line.

Danny Bouc, Frank Cozze, Krachun, Ray Swinehart and Richie Pratt, Jr. finished sixth through tenth.

Henry wasted no time in racing to the front of the 20 lap Friends of Mike event for the Penn Co Tech Outlaw Stocks. Henry took the lead from Spider Ensinger on lap one and then raced ahead of Ken Watson, Sr. for most of the race. Watson, Brian Ludwig and Jon Meyer made it a three way battle for second as they diced for position right up to the finish. Henry picked up his fourteenth win of the season with Ludwig taking second in the closing laps. Meyer finished ahead of Watson to take third with Billy Wroble winning the battle for fifth.

Timed hot lap sessions were run for the Big Block Modifieds and Crate/Sportsman during Friday night’s event. Brett Kressley and Ryan Anderson were awarded redraw positions in the Spirit Auto Center Big Block Modified event – Gone But Not Forgotten – on Saturday. Stephen Kemery and Jeff Bubori were the recipients of the Sportsman and Crate redraw spots by virtue of their fast laps.
OUTLAW STOCKS
1 – TJ Henry, 2 – Brian Ludwig, 3 – John Meyer, 4 – Ken Watson Jr, 5 – Billy Wroble, 6 – Tom Wills Jr, 7 – Jimmy Avery, 8 – Jim Dermitt, 9 – Rick Broschard, 10 – Todd Ahner, 11 – George Ramos, 12 – Cleve Riehl, 13 – Spider Ensinger, 14 – Jack Beaumont, 15 – Ken Moren, 16 – Vern McLaughlin, 17 – Rich Stinson, 18 – Ron Frees, 19 – Mike Creamer

358 MODIFIEDS
1 – Ryan Godown, 2 – Rick Laubach, 3 – Ryan Watt, 4 – Jeff Strunk, 5 – Brett Kressley, 6 – Danny Bouc, 7 – Frank Cozze, 8 – Ryan Krachun, 9 – Ray Swinehart, 10 – Richie Pratt Jr, 11 – Rocco Infante, 12 – Billy VanInwegen, 13 – Ron Roberts, 14 – John Pakenham, 15 – Jason Bittner, 16 – Neil Huber, 17 – Scott Hulmes, 18 – Brian Hitz, 19 – Steve Young, 20 – Tom Sherby, 21 – Brandon Grosso, 22 – Dominick Buffalino, 23 – Matt Stangle, 24 – Chad Barney