Pauch Sr Claims Opening Day Modified Win & Godown Jr Claims Crate Win at Bridgeport Motorsports Park

Bridgeport Motorsports Park opened their 2022 points season with cloudy, breezy, and unseasonably cool conditions.   

The 30-lap modified feature was won by Billy Pauch Sr who missed the “big one” on lap one by inches and held off his son Billy Pauch Jr. to take the opening day win.

Ryan Godown Jr. held off a pesky Travis Hill to take his second win in a row at Bridgeport after he traded the lead a couple of times. 

Tommy Beamer and Jimmy Britt brought the field to green but in the middle of the backstretch Beamer broke something in the drivetrain and slowed with the entire field behind him resulting in chaos as 1/3 of the field piled in and up before lap 1 was in the books.  Billy Pauch Sr and Jr made it past the melee but Ryan Godown, Brent Ballard, Ryan Watt; Tommy Beamer; Jordon Watson and Roger Manning saw their night end before the feature officially started.  Ron Roberts and Danny Sammons were also involved but were able to continue. 

On lap 1 Jimmy Britt took the lead and was able to gain separation from Billy Pauch Sr who was in chasing in 2^nd.  Pauch Sr took the lead on lap 10 after a restart as Britt began to drop back in the field and Billy Pauch Jr moved into 2^nd.   The final 10 laps were a great display of racing tactics between the top 3 of Pauch Sr; Pauch Jr and Matt Stangle who broke away from another battle for 4^th between JoJo Watson, Ryan Krachun and Alex Yankowski.  At the checkered flag Billy Pauch Sr held off his son by a .2 second margin to take the opening night trip to victory lane.   

In victory lane Billy Pauch Sr. noted “Tonight the track was pretty demanding and was rough and real bouncy.  My head was going from one side of the headrest to the other side like a ping pong ball.  I knew the kid was there and he’s tough and going to be tough here this year.  We were really fortunate to get a good starting spot tonight.  Britt was pretty good early but spun his wheels on the restart and that’s all he needed to fall out of the lead.

Restarts are a key here because once you get strung out here, we all seem to be the same.  It is really hard to pass so restarts are just about it for passing.  Lapped Traffic was in the preferred groove and where I wanted to be and they kind of messed me up.  I had to slide them guys and didn’t quit get past one of them and he stayed in there and clipped my right rear and I was happy I didn’t get a flat from it.”

Heat race winners were Billy Pauch Sr, Billy Pauch Jr., and Ryan Krachun.  The last chance race was won by Clay Butler.

DANNY’S PIZZA PIZZAZZ BRIDGEPORT MODIFIEDS – 30 Lap feature 4/09/22:

 1. Billy Pauch Sr., 2. Billy Pauch Jr., 3. Matt Stangle, 4. Joseph Watson, 5. Ryan Krachun, 6. Alex Yankowski, 7. Jim Britt, 8. Dominick Buffalino, 9. Richie Pratt Jr., 10. Neal Williams, 11. Sam Martz Jr., 12. Sam Martz Sr., 13. Davey Sammons, 14. W.B. James, 15. Ron Roberts, 16. Clay Butler, 17. Sean Metz, 18. Mike Barone, 19. Matt Peck, 20. Matt Smith, 21. Tommy Beamer, 22. Jordan Watson, 23. Ryan Watt, 24. Ryan Godown, 25. Brett Ballard, 26. Roger Manning

DNQ – Jimmy Gallager, Mike Franz, Mike Trautschold

Brian Papiez took the early lead over Eric Korrman but by lap 7 both were back in the pits with Ryan Godown Jr moving into the lead.  A battle of the restarts developed between Travis Hill and Ryan Godown Jr.  Travis Hill took the lead on two restarts only to have another caution fly on the next lap and Godown would retake lead on the next restart.  Once Godown got some green flag laps he was able to extend his lead to over 1 second and take his 2^nd win in a row at Bridgeport Motorsports Park in the 45-minute feature race.

Heat races were won by Greg Humlhanz, Wayne Weaver and Travis Hill with last chance consolation going to Pete Sierra.

In victory lane Ryan Godown Jr noted “I thought I was dumping the season on lap 2 when the whole left side of the car went airborne and was off the ground.  The only thing I could do was stomp on the breaks and turn right.  Luckily it came back down and landed on all fours, and I was able to get back down the straightaway.  I was trying to go 3 wide with Eric Kormann and Brian Papiez and hit a hole.  After that I just got up on the wheel.

The car was great from lap 1 – 25 and I just messed up a couple of restarts with Travis Hill.  It’s going to be a heck of a season.  Travis was great on every restart tonight.  He is fun to race with and we never made contact once and were side by side on every restart.”

PRECISION HYDRAULIC AND OIL 602 SPORTSMAN:

 1. Ryan Godown Jr., 2. Travis Hill, 3. Wayne Weaver, 4. Howie Finch, 5. Matt Ellery, 6. Jim Dallett, 7. Greg Hummelhanz, 8. Stephen Yankowski, 9. Billy Chester, 10. Brandon Shipley, 11. Thomas Prychka, 12. Brian Rogers, 13. Isabella Van Orden, 14. David Jenkins, 15. Anthony Sisco, 16. Ethan Young, 17. Brian Papiez, 18. Scott Hulmes, 19. Bryan Brobst, 20. Nick Desantis, 21. Pete Serra, 22. Eric Kormann, 23. Howard Huepful, 24. Ethan Bill

DNQ – John Scarpati, Sara Napora, Nolan Openshaw, Dan Hulmes, Erik Matson, Chris Martinez, Greg Nailor & Jim Cheeseman.

Next up at Bridgeport on April 16^th is Modified, Mass 305 Sprint cars, Street Stocks and Vintage cars with racing at 6:00 PM