WOLFE AND GRASSO EARN VICTORIES, MICHAEL WINS MILLER MEMORIAL AT BRIDGEPORT

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WOLFE AND GRASSO EARN VICTORIES, MICHAEL WINS MILLER MEMORIAL AT BRIDGEPORT

Story By: Deb Smith/Bridgeport Speedway – Photos By: Pete MacDonald/RacersGuide.com

Two days of wheel to wheel sprint car excitement came to an end as Lucas Wolfe drove to his first ever win on the 5/8 mile Bridgeport Speedway when he drove to the win in the second day of competition in Bridgeport’s URC Big Track Classic on Saturday. Brandon Grosso earned a $1,250 payday by winning the 25 lap Crate/Sportsman Feature event. The two day event was sponsored by Michalski Heating and Air.

Unlike Friday night’s event where Wolfe advanced through the top five in the final laps of the race, by the time polesitter, Davey Sammons and Wolfe raced to the stripe to complete the first lap, Wolfe held the advantage. Sammons didn’t go away quietly though as the two drivers battled during the early laps before Wolfe was able to pull away from his challenger.

With only five laps scored, Wolfe had caught the back of the field and was able to use the traffic ahead of him to extend his lead.

At the crossed flags, Wolfe led Sammons, Josh Weller, Davie Franek and Curt Michael who had just taken the spot from his brother, Sean on the previous lap.

Sammons drew the first caution of the race as he came to a stop exiting turn four – his night was over as he was pushed to the pits. That put Weller alongside of Wolfe on the restart. Weller led the way for lap eighteen but Wolfe quickly regained the lead before the next lap could be completed. Wolfe had battled for most of the race with a broken shock tower. “I had to commit to the bottom because of the broken shock tower,” Wolfe explained.

With five laps to go, it was Weller who came to a stop in turn four when his power plant let loose. “I was able to reverse what happened (when Weller took the lead) on the next restart,” Wolfe explained. “I had a better start and ran a better line through turns one and two.”

Wolfe had to contend with 2016 URC Champion, Davie Franek on the final restart but was able to pull ahead after two laps of green flag racing. Curt Michael was a man on a mission as he raced in third and closed the gap on Franek in the final laps. Michael had his eye on the Midge Miller Memorial Trophy and bested Franek as the two drivers crossed the finish line. After a seven year absence, Sean Michael finished fourth with a second Whittal entry with Derek Locke rounding out the top five.

Wolfe got the win, Franek got the URC title and Michael took home the hardware for the weekend. In four URC events this season, four different drivers came home with feature wins – Franek, Weller, Curt Michael and Wolfe.

It was win number eighteen on the season for sixteen year old Brandon Grosso as he powered by polesitter, Craig Whitmoyer just past the half way mark in the 25 lap Stewart Stainless Crate/Sportsman main event.

Matt Stangle raced his way into second on the final laps, making a last lap bid at the lead but Grosso was able to prevail. Brian Papiez recovered from late race contact to finish third with Jeff Bubori finishing fourth and Dave Damiano taking the final spot in the top five.

Grosso, Stangle and Papiez were able to accomplish a top three finish – something the three young friends had been trying to do all season.

It’s the final event of the 2016 season this coming weekend at the Bridgeport Speedway. It’s Wild Card weekend with Colonial Pipeline 811 Dig Safely sponsoring Friday night’s events and Spirit Auto Center taking on the Saturday show. 358 Small Block Modifieds and Outlaw Stocks will make up the Friday night doubleheader with the Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman and Outlaw Stocks competing on Saturday to determine the 2016 Poker Series Champions. Racing gets underway at 7:15 on Friday with a 4pm start for Saturday’sevents.

United Racing Club Feature (25 laps)
1 – Lucas Wolfe, 2 – Curt Michael, 3 – Davie Franek, 4 – Sean Michael, 5 – Derek Locke, 6 – Troy Betts, 7 – Ryan Stillwaggon, 8 – Matt Tanner, 9 – Mike Haggenbottom, 10 – Travis Radivoy, 11 – Justin Barger, 12 – Brett Michalski, 13 – Samantha Lieberman, 14 – Will Eggimann, 15 – Cody Jourdan, 16 – Chris Allen, 17– Kris Lilick, 18 – Josh Weller, 19 – Chris Coyle, 20 – Jason Cherry, 21 – Davey Sammons, 22 – Justin Whittal, 23 – Mark Sasso, 24 – Jimmy Stitzel

Midge Miller Memorial Trophy Winner
Curt Michael

Stewart Stainless Crate Sportsman (25 laps)
1 – Brandon Grosso, 2 – Matt Stangle, 3 – Brian Papiez, 4 – Jeff Bubori, 5 – Dave Damiano, 6 – Brad Roberts, 7 – Ryan Lilick, 8 – Clyde Cox, 9 – Billy Briggs, 10 –Cale Ross, 11 – Chuck Potts, 12 – Chris Jenkins, 13 – George Nardelli, 14 – Tom Sherby, 15 – Pete Serra, 16 – Mike Koffel, 17 – Roger Manning, 18 – John Gilroy, 19– Scott Hulmes, 20 – Steve Davis, 21 – Roger Gaskill, 22 – Kyle Ciccio, 23 – Craig Whitmoyer, 24 – Tom Tanner, 25 – Kyle Lilick, 26 – Andrew Belmont

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