FIRST OFFICIAL ENTRIES ARRIVE FOR BRIDGEPORTS 8TH ANNUAL FRIENDS OF MIKE RACE

BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY NEWS
For Immediate Release - Thank You

Bridgeport Speedway
83 Floodgate Road
Bridgeport, NJ 08014
Office: 856-467-4407
24 hr. info: 856-467-4408
E-mail: mike@bpspeedway.com
Website: www.bpspeedway.com
Twitter: twitter.com/bridgeportspeed

COMING EVENTS:

Fri 8/16 - Fast and Furious Fridays – Slingshots on Gloucester County
Night - $5.00 grandstand admission for Gloucester County residents
with proper identification.
IPM Pest Management 600cc Micro-Sprints (20L), 270cc Micro-Sprints
(20L), & 4-Cylinder Enduro Cars (20L). Plus, Slingshots.
5:00 p.m. - Gates open
7:15 p.m. - Racing starts

Sat 8/17 - Saturday Night Stars – Bike, Egg Harbor, Galloway, and Mays
Landing Night with twin 20’s for the Big Block Modifieds. Free
grandstand admission for Motorcyclists and for residents of Egg
Harbor, Galloway and Mays Landing.
Big Block Modifieds (2-20L), Crate/Sportsman (20L), & Outlaw Stock Cars (15L)
4:30 p.m. - Pit gates open
5:30 p.m. - Grandstand gates open
7:00 p.m. - Racing starts


FIRST OFFICIAL ENTRIES ARRIVE FOR BRIDGEPORT’S 8TH ANNUAL FRIENDS OF MIKE RACE

Bridgeport, NJ (August 12, 2013) - In less than three weeks, the
Bridgeport Speedway will be hosting one of the track’s most meaningful
events in the track’s 42-year history. On Thursday, August 29 ‘The
Port’ will be honoring race fan Mike Rogie in the 8th Annual Friends
of Mike races. In conjunction with the 51-lap main event the ‘Rogie
Rumble IV’ will be back by popular demand. The Crate/Sportsman will
also be in competition on this evening as they race for a minimum of
$1,500.

Last year, Danny Johnson of Rochester, NY invaded NJ to take home a
$10,000 top prize. He was able to conquer the 100-lap event in grand
style as he led a star-studded field across the finish line which
included former winner Tim McCreadie, Ryan Godown, Jimmy Horton, and
Rick Laubach. Event organizer and Bridgeport Speedway track manager
Danny Serrano has listened to the driver’s suggestions over the past
few years and decided it was time to act on those suggestions in 2012.
“Paying 20 grand to win a race is phenomenal, it really is. But,
only one guy gets to see all that money. This year we wanted to make
it much more attractive to the drivers yet still pay generously to the
winner. I think this year more than ever that it’s more important to
make 30 guys a little more happier rather than a select few,”
explained Serrano.

Mike Iles of Medford, NJ became the first official F.O.M. VIII entry
last week. Iles, also known as the ‘Medford Mad Dog’ currently sits
5th in the Bridgeport modified point standings. Iles is also coming
off of his first big block victory of the season this past Saturday.
Last year, Iles finished in the 24th position, while in 2011 he
finished 27th. Needless to say, The ‘Mad Dog’ is looking to shake his
bad F.O.M. luck as of late. The Speed Zone-Active Environmental No.
711 will certainly be a contender for F.O.M. VIII as Mike Iles is
heating up at the perfect time to take home the $7,500 first-place
prize.

The next three Big Block entries all hail from the same racing stable
yet have three different drivers from three different states.
Delaware’s Ron Roberts, Pennsylvania’s Ryan Watt, and New York’s Jeff
Heotzler will all be sporting a No. 14 of some sort come August 29 in
New Jersey. The 63-year-old Roberts is celebrating his 40th year of
racing this season. There couldn’t be a much better way for this
long-time Bridgeport loyalist to remember his anniversary season, than
to get a win in this year’s Friends of Mike event. Ryan Watt has been
swapping the point lead back in forth in 2013 with all-time Bridgeport
Speedway winner Jimmy Horton. Watt leads the way this year in the
modified division with a total of four victories. Ryan also recorded
a popular victory back in June during the Clash of the Can at the Penn
Can Speedway. The 2011 Bridgeport track champion finished 25th in
last year’s F.O.M. feature. The 33-year-old Boyertown, PA resident is
looking to become yet another first-time Friends of Mike winner in
just a couple of weeks. Multi Orange County and Accord track champion
driver Jeff Heotzler will be wheeling a third No. 14 on August 29.
The “Jeffer” has 10 track championships as well as a Mr. Dirt 358
Series title. Heotzler possesses over 150 career wins including the
Orange County Eastern States 200, (2) Lebanon Valley Mr. Dirt Track
U.S.A., Atlantic City Indoor TQ Midget Race, and the Syracuse Small
Block victor. He’s won races at Accord, Woodhull, Rolling Wheels,
Five Mile Point, and most importantly Bridgeport. Heotzler still
remains a threat to win at whatever venue he races at.

The most recent F.O.M. entry is National Park, NJ’s Mike Franz. The
Franz Garage, Southwood Bar, Ciconte’s Pizza No. z28 has been a
fixture at the 5/8th mile oval for more than a decade. Although Franz
has had his share of bad luck in 2013, a good finish in the 8th annual
F.O.M. event could turn around his season in a hurry. Franz was
unable to qualify through last year’s talented field but rest assured
‘Big Mike’ is seeking full redemption come August 29th.

This coming Saturday will see the mighty Big Blocks compete in popular
Twin 20 feature events. The driver with the ‘overall’ best finish
(tie goes to highest finish in first 20) will not only be a guaranteed
starter for the 51-lap F.O.M. race but will also lock himself into a
‘redraw’ position for the $7,500 to win feature event.

The two-division program on August 29 has a starting time of 7:00 p.m.
The grandstand and pit gates will both open at 3:00 p.m. The
pavilion area will host the fan-favorite ‘Chinese Auction/Tricky
Tray’. The auction starts at 3:00 p.m. with the winner’s prizes being
drawn during intermission.

Lap Sponsors still remain open. If you are interested in sponsoring
laps, you can call the track office at 856-467-4407 or Danny at
609-433-4487. You may sponsor a lap in the Modified or Sportsman.

Adult admission for the August 29 spectacle is $30, Students 10-15 are
$15, and children 9 and under are FREE. Pit Admission is $40 and no
track license is required. For more information regarding times,
prices, the auction, rules, entries, lap sponsors, and other important
paper work you can visit www.bpspeedway.com or call the track office.

Bridgeport Speedway provides a safe and secure family atmosphere, free
parking, giveaways and fan participation games. Billed ‘The Fastest
Dirt Track in the East’, Bridgeport Speedway is a banked 5/8th mile
dirt oval, featuring a dirt 1/4 mile oval embedded in the center, and
is located in Southern New Jersey -- just minutes from Pennsylvania
and Delaware at exit 14 off of I-295.