Steve Kemery Captures 6th Crate Modified Win of Season at Bridgeport Motorsports Park

Steve Kemery won the 25 lap 602 sportsman feature on night 2 of the Street Stock Nationals with a dramatic three on one pass for the lead on lap 23 and his 6^th trip to victory lane at Bridgeport this season.

Travis Hill and Brian Papiez led the field to green.  Hill led for 18 laps with Papiez giving pursuit in 2^nd while Bryan Brobst held 3^rd and Steve Kemery had moved into 6^th when the only caution of the race flew on lap 18.  After the restart; an intense three way battle for the lead developed between Hill, Papiez and Brobst.  Papiez took the lead on lap 20 as Kemery continued to move forward and into 4^th.  Then on lap 23 Hill threw a slider and made hard contact with the leader Papiez coming out of turn 4 which opened the door for Kemery to make his 4^th to 1^st pass for the lead and his 6^th trip to the Bridgeport victory lane this season.

In victory lane Steve Kemery stated “I always set my car up for the end.  After the track being watered; it took 18 laps for us to be able to move and I knew I had a good car.  I didn’t even know what lap the yellow came out on.  After the restart; I didn’t know what was going on between Travis and Brian but the lead was gifted to me when those two got together.  Got to thank my family who worked until 1:30 in the morning to rebuild the shock tower from Friday night’s race which I don’t even know how we finished 2^nd Friday night with the damage we had.  Now we are getting ready for the STSS at Port Royal.”

The top ten was rounded out by Brian Papiez in second place followed by Bryan Brobst, Ethan Bill, Travis Hill, Sammy Martz Jr., Matt Ellery, Ryan Simmons, Cole Stangle and Kevin Borden in 10^th.

602 Sportsman Pit Notes

Steve Kemery made a pass from 4^th to take the lead for a three for one pass of the top 3 on lap 23 to take the win from his 8^th starting position.

The night before Steve threw a last lap slider but Tommy Princiotta was able to cross over to take the win leaving Kemery with a second place finish from an 9^th starting position on Friday night.

In addition to two nights of crate racing Steve also competed in the Street Stock National 100 lap race in Andrew Joslin’s 343 and posted an 11^th place finish.

Steve recalled “The track had a lot of bite after the intermission track rework; so everyone had speed.  Our 69K really comes to life when the track slicks off and we have to search for bite to find the correct groove to be in.  On both Friday and Saturday night it took about 15 laps for the track to slick off enough that drivers could start searching for grip.  On Friday night we had the fastest car just started too deep (9th) and had a very long green flag run did not help the cause.  We were lucky enough to get a shot at the win with a slider in turns 3 & 4 on the white flag lap but just came up short by about half a car length.”

Steve continued “Saturday we were practically gifted the win.  I didn’t talk to Travis or Brian after the race to get there sides to the story of what happened.  All I know is if Travis doesn’t throw that failed slider on Brian to get him out of shape we don’t win the race.  We restarted in 6^th on lap 17 and we were battling for 2nd with Brobst and Hill until Travis attempted the slider.  I certainly think we had the best car it was just a track position type of track.  I don’t think I have ever done a 4^th to 1^st move before.  I have done several 3^rd to 1^st but never from 4^th to 1^st until tonight.”

Steve stated “As far as the street stock it was a good run.  We started 14^th and early on we were up to 6^th battling with TJ Henry and Stinson.  We were 8^th at the half way break and made some changes that would have helped if the track stayed stick but it rubbered up around lap 75.  We ended up spinning to miss a wreck in the top of 3 & 4 on lap 96 and ended up with an 11^th place finish.  We were happy to roll it in the trailer in one piece after running all 100 laps.”

Brian Papiez returned to Bridgeport for the first time in a few years as a substitute driver for Ian Humphreys in the #90.  Brian won 7 sportsman races at Bridgeport in 2017 on the ole 5/8’s but has never raced on the new high banks.  Brian showed his pure driving talent by posting a 3^rd and 2^nd place finish in what was his first time in the # 90 car; first time in a 602 crate; and first time on the high banks track at Bridgeport.

Brian started the weekend out on Friday night with a solid 3^rd place finish from a 5^th starting position.  On Saturday Brian led for three laps but contact from a slider on lap 23 allowed the 4^th place Kemery to take the win while Papiez finished with a hard fought 2^nd place finish.  

Brian noted “On Saturday we started in the front row and that always helps.  We ran caution free until lap 18 of the 25 lap race.  The leader decided to take the bottom on the only restart of the race and I got the top which I had been running for the whole race anyway.  I had a great restart and was able to make the pass and take the lead.  With 3 laps to go; the 98 dive bombs a slider into turn 4 and uses the side of my car to make the turn and takes both of us out of contention for the win.  To say that was a terrible slider is an understatement.”

 Brian continued “In crate racing it is all about not upsetting the car.  There’s no power to help you get out of a mistake.  So you got to be smooth.  I appreciate the whole # 90 team for giving me a chance to run their car this weekend.”    

Bryan Probst came from Delaware and turned in his best Bridgeport finish of the season with a 3^rd place finish from a 4^th starting position.  In the heat race Bryan finished 2^nd from a 5^th starting position and had a strong car right out of the trailer that lasted right to the feature.

Ethan Bill finished 4^th from his 12^th starting position.  The 2021 rookie champion had one of his best runs of the season moving forward 8 positions in the one caution 25 lap feature to a 4^th place finish.  Ethan also finished 8^th in Bridgeport 2021 crate sportsman points.

Sportsman Results (25 laps) – Friday 10/09/21

Winner – Tom Princiotta, 2. Steve Kemery, 3. Brian Papiez, 4. Matt Ellery, 5. Ryan Simmons, 6. Howie Finch, 7. Will Protinick, 8. Ethan Young, 9. Brian Rogers, 10. Wayne Weaver, 11. Scott Hulmes, 12. Erik Mattson, 13. Shane Kassekert, DNS – Sara Napora, Mark Berzowski.

Sportsman Results (25 laps) – Saturday 10/10/21  

Winner – Steve Kemery, 2. Brian Papiez, 3. Bryan Brobst, 4. Ethan Bill, 5. Travis Hill, 6. Sammy Martz, Jr., 7. Matt Ellery, 8. Ryan Simmons, 9. Cole Stangle, 10. Kevin Borden, 11. Ryan Stangle, 12. Kyle Kania, 13. Will Protinick, 14. David Jenkins, 15. Bryan Higgs, 16. Shane Kassekert, 17. Sara Napora, 18. Greg Nailor, 19. Brian Rogers, 20. Tommy Klimkowski, 21. Mark Berzowski, 22. Andy Walko, DNS – Howard Huepful

Next racing action at Bridgeport Motorsports Park is the High Bank Classic Weekend on Friday November 5 to Sunday November 7.