HOWARD & PRATT RACE TO DRAMATIC FINISH IN BRIDGEPORT FINALE

HOWARD & PRATT RACE TO DRAMATIC FINISH IN BRIDGEPORT FINALE

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

It was the Wild Card Weekend with the final hands to be played in the 2016 Colonial Pipeline 8-1-1 Dig Safely Poker Series for all three divisions of Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman and Outlaw Stocks. The final race date of the 2016 season was sponsored by Spirit Auto Center and in spite of the unseasonable cold temperatures, the racing action was HOT – leaving the fans with some great memories to recall during the off-season.

The Spirit Auto Center Big Block Modifieds raced in the Gone But Not Forgotten 40 lap finale with the Poker Series Champion to be determined by the race’s outcome.

The race saw three different leaders and a half dozen lead changes that ended with a last lap pass, racing to the checkered win for Duane Howard in a race that was clearly dominated by Richie Pratt, Jr. Pratt was wheeling a second Pat Michael owned No. 51m as a team mate to Dominick Buffalino.

Howard jumped into the early lead by outgunning pole sitter Craig VonDohren on the start. After leading the first seven laps, Howard relinquished the race lead to Friday night winner, Ryan Godown and the Hewlett owned No. 901. Howard was back on top for two laps before Pratt raced into the lead like a man on a mission. Pratt not only took the lead but drove away from the field. Unfortunately, Pratt’s mount started to spew smoke through the corners at about the same time.

When Rick Laubach came to a stop on the backstretch, Pratt’s advantage was erased and the field lined up double file with ten laps to go. Pratt elected the outside for the restart but it was Howard who got to the green flag first. Pratt chased Howard through turns one and two and came away with the lead as they exited turn two and headed down the backstretch.

Pratt held the advantage over Howard as the leaders took the white flag but his lead was reduce to a car length or two. Howard shot to the inside as they came off of turn four. With the checkered flag waving, it was Howard who edged ahead of Pratt for the win.

It was a tough race to lose but Pratt had an outstanding outing that left many fans commenting about how it was the best race they had ever seen. Dominick Buffalino followed in third with the second 51m with Craig VonDohren charging through the top ten in the final laps to capture fourth. Neal Williams won the battle for fifth after racing with Ryan Watt and Danny Johnson late in the race.

The win gave Howard his third Ace of the Poker Series and the 2016 811 Dig Safely Poker Series Championship for the former track champion.

Craig Whitmoyer picked up his second Bridgeport win of the season from a green to checkered victory in the Stewart Stainless Crate/Sportsman twenty lapper. Whitmoyer drove away from the field and navigated his way through lapped traffic with the final sixteen laps run under green flag conditions. Brian Papiez raced from his seventh place start to finish second with Chad Kohler ending his strong outing with a third place finish over Jared Umbenhauer. Art Liedl rounded out the top five. In spite of a rough outing, Stephen Kemery’s Three of a Kind hand landed the 2015 Rookie Champion the Poker Series title for the Crate/Sportsman.

Jon Meyer led the first eleven laps of the final Penn Co Tech Outlaw feature event before TJ Henry forged into the lead. It was Henry’s fifteenth win of the season after setting a new one lap track record for the Outlaw Stocks during the fifteen lap event. Meyer had his best run of the season to finish second ahead of Ron Frees. Ken Watson, Jr. finished fourth with Tom Wills, Jr. taking the final spot in the top five. Henry’s win gave him another Ace and the Poker title for the Outlaw Stocks for the 2016 season.

The Bridgeport Speedway will honor their 2016 Champions at their Annual Awards Banquet on Saturday, December 3rd. Tickets are available through the track office.

The Bridgeport Speedway would like to thank their sponsors, race teams and fans for their support during the 2016 season. It was a good one and plans are underway for an even better 2017!
SPIRIT AUTO CENTER BIG BLOCK MODIFIEDS-GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN (40 laps)
1 – Duane Howard, 2 – Richie Pratt Jr, 3 – Dominick Buffalino, 4 – Craig VonDohren, 5 – Neal Williams, 6 – Danny Johnson, 7 – Ryan Watt, 8 – Jeff Strunk, 9 – Ryan Anderson, 10 – Sam Martz, 11 – David Hunt, 12 – Billy Pauch Jr, 13 – Jimmy Horton, 14 – Ryan Godown, 15 – Bucky Kell, 16 – Ron Roberts, 17 – Rusty Smith, 18 – CJ Jones, 19 – Rick Laubach, 20 – Steve Davis, 21 – Bob Sarkisian, 22 – Brett Kressley, 23 – Clay Butler, 24 – Tommy Beamer, 25 – Billy VanInwegen, 26 – John Willman

STEWART STAINLESS CRATE/SPORTSMAN (20 laps)
1 – Craig Whitmoyer, 2 – Brian Papiez, 3 – Chad Kohler, 4 – Jared Umbenhauer, 5 – Art Liedl, 6 – Eric Kormann, 7 – Frank Dorry, 8 – Billy Osmun, 9 – Brad Roberts, 10 – Ray Woodall, 11 – Matt Stangle, 12 – Cory Cormier, 13 – Tom Collins, 14 – Roger Manning, 15 – Bill Briggs, 16 – Clyde Cox, 17 – Kyle Lilick, 18 – Adam Cox, 19 – Jason Bittner, 20 – Matthew Peck, 21 – Steve Kemery, 22 – Dave Damiano, 23 – Scott Hulmes, 24 – Tom Sherby, 25 – Nick Nicotra, 26 – Ryan Grim

PENN CO TECH OUTLAW STOCKS (15 laps)
1 – TJ Henry, 2 – John Meyer, 3 – Ron Frees, 4 – Ken Watson Jr, 5 – Tom Wills Jr, 6 – Rich Reider, 7 – Joe Reid, 8 – Spider Ensinger, 9 – Jim DeArmitt, 10 – Doug Debray, 11 – Mark Campagna, 12 – Billy Wroble, 13 – Todd Ahner, 14 – John Parker, 15 – Ken Moren, 16 – Ryan Freshneck, 17 – Steven Land, 18 – Jay Tomarchio, 19 – Jeramy Doerr, 20 – George Ramos, 21 – Rich Stinson DNS – Mike Creamer, Brian Ludwig