HORTON, HILL & AVERY ARE BRIDGEPORT WINNERS‏

BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY NEWS
For Immediate Release - Thank You

 

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Upcoming events

Friday, July 25th - 600cc & 270cc Micro Sprints and 4 Cylinders on the 1/4 mile - racing at 8pm

Saturday, July 26th - Jeep Jamboree - Big Block Modifieds, Crate/Sportsman and Outlaw Stocks - racing at 7pm

 

 

IT'S HORTON AGAIN IN BRIDGEPORT BIG BLOCK MODIFIEDS

Travis Hill is Winner of Bill Hill Memorial

 

 

     For the fifth time this season, Jimmy Horton put the Dieter Schmidt owned Lincoln Auto Body #5 in Bridgeport's Victory lane after earning yet another Big Block Modified feature win on the big 5/8th mile speedway.  Travis Hill led from the green to the checkered to capture the 2nd Bill Hill Memorial Race for the Crate/Sportsman division, winning the race dedicated to his late father's memory.  Jimmy Avery debuted a new paint scheme and was able to show it off in the Winner's Circle after his second win of the season in Outlaw Stock competition. 

 

     Track conditions at the Bridgeport Speedway have been outstanding, leading to many close races.  The last five Spirit Dodge Big Block Modified feature events have been decided in the final laps with Horton coming out on top in three of those contests while Wade Hendrickson picked up the wins in the other two races. 

 

      Win number five came after a drive from fifteenth to first for Horton.  "Rocco is a good friend," Horton said of Infante.  "I've tried to help him out a little but tonight, I think he was a little too good," Horton added with a laugh. 

 

     Polesitter, Stan Frankenfield took the early lead before Rocco Infante moved up from his fifth place start to take the lead on lap four.  Infante immediately distanced himself from the field.  Caution flags on laps five and seven did not hold the Robbinsville, NJ driver back as he proceeded to pull away on each restart.  

 

     Horton closed in on Matt Harrell and claimed the second spot on lap eight but Infante had already extended his lead to nearly a straightaway at that point.  By lap twelve, 2012 Bridgeport Champion, Rick Laubach had moved into third but there was a lot of real estate separately the top three.

 

     As the leaders approached the five to go mark, they were also closing on the back of the field.  Infante now raced through lapped traffic as Horton closed in with Laubach hot on his heals.  Laubach ran a higher line than the leaders and was able to close quickly.  He slipped by Horton to move into second on lap twenty but Horton regained the spot on the next lap.

 

     What Infante did not want to see was a caution but the yellow waved with just three laps to go when Richie Pratt Jr. came to a stop on the homestretch.  Infante's advantage was erased as he started with Horton and Laubach lined up single file behind him.  Infante held the lead on the restart but Horton moved to the outside in turn three and came out of the corner as the race leader.   Laubach challenged for second on the next lap and took the position as he raced Infante out of turn two. 

 

     Hendrickson moved up to fourth on the restart as 2013 Bridgeport Champion, Ryan Watt took over fifth. 

 

     Horton led the charge to the checkered flag with Laubach challenging right to the line.  Infante finished third.  Watt got the advantage over Hendrickson on the final lap to take fourth. 

 

     For the second year in a row, Bridgeport Speedway management have joined with members of the Hill family to honor the memory of Bill Hill who lost his battle against cancer in December of 2012.  

 

      Bill Hill was a second generation racer who shared his love of racing with his sons, Jesse and Travis.  The Hills have supported the Bridgeport Speedway for many years.   Both Jesse and Travis have been track champions.  The Bill Hill Memorial Race is their way of paying tribute to their dad while keeping his memory alive as well as giving back to the speedway that Bill considered his home.

 

     This year, Travis Hill was a man on a mission.  After getting caught up in a skirmish in last year's event, Travis drew the outside pole for the start of this year's race.  At the wave of the green, Hill set his Joel's Auto Technology #19 out in front and pulled away from Steve Searock, his nearest challenger.  For twenty-five laps, Searock chased Hill around the speedway but Travis Hill was not to be denied what he would later describe as "the most memorable race I've ever won."  Jesse Hill powered the Cogdill #98 into third on lap three.  While he closed in on Searock several times, he was never able to mount a challenge for the position as Searock was the 'spoiler' between the two Hills on this special night.  Kris Lilick finished fourth followed by Gary Hieber, Jr.

 

     Travis Hill won the special purse of $939 - representing two of his father's car numbers - the 9A and 39.  He also won more than $500 in lap money as he led every lap of the twenty-five lap race for the 811 Dig Safely Crate/Sportsman.

 

     After dropping out of the top five earlier in the race, Jimmy Avery regained his momentum to challenge race leader, Jeramy Doerr on the final lap to capture his second Stewart Stainless Outlaw Stock Feature of the season.  Doerr finished second with Tom Wills Sr. finishing third in his first race of the season. 

 

SPIRIT DODGE BIG BLOCK MODIFIEDS (25 LAPS)

1. Jimmy Horton 2. Rick Laubach 3. Rocco Infante 4. Ryan Watt 5. Wade Hendrickson 6. Matt Harrell 7. Eric Kormann 8. Dominic Buffalino 9. Ryan Godown 10. Dave Witte 11. Ron Roberts 12. Bob Sarkisian 13. Don Cogdill III 14. Tommy Beamer 15. Scott Ambruster 16. Tom Maccherone 17. Kyle Hieber 18. Neil Huber 19. Richie Pratt, Jr. 20. Sam Martz 21. Stan Frankenfield 22. Mike Franz 23. Tom Carberry 24. PJ Oliver

 

811 DIG SAFELY CRATE/SPORTSMAN "2ND BILL HILL MEMORIAL" (25 LAPS)

1. Travis Hill 2. Steve Searock 3. Jesse Hill 4. Kris Lilick 5. Gary Hieber 6. Sean Gunther 7. Jesse Bonaduce 8. Ian Humphreys 9. Brett Ballard 10. Steve Davis 11. Rich Rutski 12. Ricky DiEva 13. Kevin Belmont 14. Frank Holmes 15. Matthew Peck 16. Justin Lilick 17. Matt Carman 18. Joe Langshaw 19. Melissa Scarpati 20. Jeff Sargent 21. Matt Budd 22. Jason Duppel 23. Steve Desmelyk 24. Bob Scott, DNQ - Scott Hulmes, Adam Cox 

 

STEWART STAINLESS SUPPLY OUTLAW STOCKS (15 LAPS)

1. Jimmy Avery 2. Jeramy Doerr 3. Tom Wills, Sr. 4. Pete Ellis 5. Art Avery 6. Tom Princiotta 7. Doug DeBray 8. Terry Griffin 9. TJ Henry 10. Ken Moren 11. Tom Wills, Jr. 12. David Kramer 13. Russell Wurst 14. Jack Beaumont DNS - Steve Michel, Jim Neely, Jimmy Hughes