Hellertown PA’s “Quaker Shaker” Rick Laubach out duels Richie Pratt Jr. to win his 2nd George Wingate Memorial

Bridgeport, NJ (June 24, 2008) – Hellertown PA’s “Quaker Shaker” Rick Laubach out duels Richie Pratt Jr. to win his 2nd George Wingate Memorial during the Bridgeport/New Egypt challenge series event Tues night on the Famed Bridgeport 5/8th mile clay. Laubach wins his second of the Bridgeport/New Egypt Challenge series and his 20th of his career. Laurel DE’s Kevin Collins patience and perseverance pays off as he races from a 20th starting spot for his third 358 Sportsman feature win of the season. Bridgeport Speedway had plenty of great sponsors on hand, including Sal DeBruno & Overhead Doors, Cliff Krause & Supreme Manufacturing, Mike Lyons & Family, DCS Racing, The Racing Realtor, Bill Flannery Automotive, Clean N Shine, Mohrs Graphics and Clean Up Guys for the Wingate Memorial event offering heat winner money, consi winner money and cash for dash to make for an exciting evening of racing.

Several of Dirt Track Racing’s best invaded Bridgeport Speedway for the George Wingate Memorial Tuesday night including some of New Egypt’s best for the 40 lap Big Block Modified Bridgeport/New Egypt Challenge Series feature event. Birdsboro PA’s Scott Irwin started on the pole for the event. At the drop of the green the 14w of Ryan Watt quickly jumped out to a huge lead as he left some of Dirt Racing’s best to battle for position.  Ryan Godown and Richie Pratt Jr. began an early battle for the 2nd spot with the #44 of Frank Cozze close behind.  It didn’t take long for “Mr. Big Event” #4 of Duane Howard to jump into the top 5 to make his bid on the leaders from his 9th starting spot. Howard soon made his move on Cozze and set his sights on 3rd place of Richie Pratt Jr. Pratt was all over the rear bumper of Ryan Godown and finally got his shot and took it, moving into the 2nd spot on lap 5. Deeper in the field, Jimmy Horton, Rick Laubach, Billy Pauch, Steve Bottcher, Craig Von Doren and Jeff Strunk battled 2 wide in the corners as they tried to race their way into the top 5.  Howard had his Modified glued to the bottom as he took the 3rd spot away from Godown and looked as if he was going straight after the leaders of Watt and Pratt. Challenge Series points leader, Mike Iles has begun working his way into the top 10 from his 19th spot. New Egypt regulars Frank Cozze and Keith Hoffman have mechanical problems and pull into the infield with Shawn Reimert as their nights come to an early end on lap 8. Watt has now opened up a commanding lead as he starts to come up on lapped traffic. As Watt starts to deal with heavy traffic, Pratt takes advantage and starts closing the gap. It doesn’t take Pratt long before he reels in the leader of Watt just before the first yellow flies for the 7A of Chic Cossaboone, who spins up to the turn 2 wall on lap 14.  The field is now bunched up for a restart which works to the leader Watt’s advantage who longer has to deal with lapped traffic. Watt is still the leader with Pratt 2nd, Howard 3rd, Godown 4th and Laubach now in the top 5 spot for the restart. Watt chooses the outside for the restart but Pratt is all over Watt looking to make the pass on the inside but Watt shuts him down from the hi-side. Mike Iles is also on the move and has now raced into the top five from starting deep in the field. Exiting turn four, Pratt suddenly slows but gets back in the gas after giving the 2nd spot up to Duane Howard but it was short lived as Howard brings out a yellow for a flat tire soon after. On the restart, Watt is still your leader, Pratt is in 2nd Mike Iles is now 3rd Laubach 4th and Steve Bottcher in 5th. Watt maintains the lead from the outside but it’s Laubach that makes a big move and makes the pass on Iles for 3rd and now sets his sights on Pratt in second.  Pratt and Laubach now start a 2 wide, side by side battle for the 2nd spot at both ends of the speedway. Billy Pauch has now started to makes his move moving into the top 5 battling Wade Hendrickson who has charged up from 25th starting spot at the half way mark. Watt begins to open up a lead as Laubach and Pratt continue to slug it out for the second until the yellow flies again this time for #71 of Jimmy Horton who’s bad luck continues as he glances of the guardrail  in turn 3. On the restart, Watt jumps back to the lead from the outside lane with Pratt all over his bumper as the two race side by side into 1 and 2 then down the backstretch.  Pratt sets up Watt heading into turn 3 and dives down hard and low and does a classic slide job up in front of Watt to emerge out of turn 4 as the new leader. Laubach doesn’t take long to make to jump all over a stunned Watt as the 2 begin to slug it out for 2nd spot as Pratt begins to open up a lead.  The top five really begin to heat up as Pauch, Bottcher and Chad James go 3 wide at both ends of the track trying to catch the leaders. Laubach now has sent Watt into 3rd as Laubach begins to track down Pratt. With 12 laps remaining, the hard charging Mike Iles has to pull’er into the infield to a steamy stop which ends his great run from the rear of the field early and brings out the caution for what is certain to be an exciting restart. On the restart Pratt jumps back out to the lead with Laubach all over his bumper as Pauch gets a great start and moves into the 3rd spot. Laubach and Pratt slug it out two wide for several laps with Pratt hangin it out high and Laubach stickin to the inside. Coming out of turn 2 Laubach finds the bite he needs and edges Pratt down the back stretch to emerge as the new leader heading into 3. Laubach and Pratt continue to slug it out with Pauch in 3rd, as Bottcher, Watt and Hendrickson battle for the top 5.  With five to go, early race leader Ryan Watt develops mechanical problems and brings out the final caution of the evening. Laubach holds off Pratt on the restart to go on to the win, his 2nd Wingate Memorial victory and 20th career win.  Pratt holds on to 2nd, a smoking Pauch falls back to 4th and Duane Howard racing back for 3rd from starting in the rear from a early race flat. Wade Hendrickson gets the hard Charger Award as he races to 4th from a 21st starting spot.
 
Laurel DE’s Kevin Collins out bests the field from a 20th starting spot to win the Wingate Memorial 358 sportsman 25 lap feature event. Jimmy Horton the IV sat on the pole for the start of the event and it quickly turned into a battle for the lead at the drop of the green with John Stangle. A couple of early cautions bunched up before the Sportsman settled in for some green flag racing. Stangle jumped out to an early lead with Horton the IV all over his bumper during the early stages. Eric Kormann looked like a man on a mission as he out dueled Ryan Forte and Jack Swain to move into the top three to make an early challenge on the leaders. Swain has problems and soon exits the track as Kormann gets a run on Horton into the 2nd spot as the yellow flies for Jarrad Miller and a flat tire on lap 8. On the restart Stangle is the leader with Kormann 2nd, Chuck Hopkins and Jesse Hill fill out the top 5. Kormann takes Stangle hi on the restart battling side by side before making his move to become the new leader by the half way mark. Stangle starts to lose ground as he begins to slip back into 2nd. Kevin Collins has now raced up on Stangle's bumper and takes the 2nd spot away and sets his sights on the leader Kormann as Stangle is now left behind to battle with Horton, Hopkins and Hill to stay in the top 5. Collins ever so slightly begins to gain ground on Kormann until five to go, leader Eric Kormann breaks on the backstretch and has to pull into the infield making hard charging Kevin Collins the new leader. Jesse Hill continues to do battle for 3rd with Stangle and Roberts has his hands full with Dan Cogdill for 3rd. With three to go, Ryan Forte looses a wheel and gets airborne to bring out the final yellow of the event. Collins holds off Horton on the restart for the win with Stangle 3rd, Hill 4th and Roberts fighting off Cogdill for the top 5 spot. Collins patience and perseverance pays off as he races from a 20th starting spot for his third feature win of the season.

6/24/2008

Modified Results

Heat #1: 1. Duane Howard, 2. Ryan Watt, 3. Ryan Godown, 4. Jimmy Chester, 5. Mike Gular

Heat #2: 1. Steve Bottcher, 2. Jeff Strunk, 3. Scott Irwin, 4. Jimmy Horton, 5. Bob Sarkisian

Heat #3: 1. Richie Pratt Jr, 2. Rick Laubach, 3. Chic Cossaboone, 4. Matt Harrell, 5. Mike Iles

Heat #4: 1.  Craig Von Dohren, 2. Frank Cozze, 3. Billy Pauch, 4. Keith Hoffman , 5. Chad James

Consolation: 1. Wade Hendrickson, 2. Shawn Reimert, 3. Gary Hager, 4. Jimmy Horton IV, (added - Mike Franz)

Dash for Cash: 1. Duane Howard, 2. Steve Bottcher, 3. Richie Pratt Jr., 4. Craig Von Dohren

Feature - George Wingate Classic (40 Laps): 1. Rick Laubach, 2. Richie Pratt Jr., 3. Duane Howard, 4. Wade Hendrickson, 5. Billy Pauch, 6. Steve Bottcher, 7. Chad James, 8. Chic Cassaboone, 9. Jeff Strunk, 10, Jimmy Chester, 11. Gary Hager, 12 Craig Von Dohren, 13. Mike Gular, 14. Mike Franz, 15, Ryan Watt, 16 Jimmy Horton IV, 17. Mike Iles, 18 Jimmy Horton, 19. Bob Sarkisian, 20 Ryan Godown, 21 Scott Irwin, 22. Matt Harrell, 23. Keith Hoffman, 24. Shawn Reimert, 25. Frank Cozze

DNQ: Mark Forte Jr., Mike Franz, Ken Meisner, Mark Forte, Bucky Kell, Tommy Sheetz, Mark Schweibinz, Keith Brightbill, Darwin Greene, Scott Armbruster, Kevin Hirthler, Brett Ballard, Stan Frankenfeild Jr.

Sportsman Results

Heat #1: 1. Dan Cogdill, 2. Randy Yaple, 3. John Stangle, 4. Jack Swain, 5. Jarrad Miller, 6. Sean Gunther

Heat #2: 1. Eric Kormann, 2. Tom Solderich, 3. Ron Roberts, 4. Jimmy Horton IV, 5. Rich Scagliotta, 6. Danny Bouc

Heat #3: 1. Chuck Hopkins, 2. Jesse Hill, 3. Ryan Forte, 4. Guy Germano, 5. Scott Davis Jr., 6. Billy Briggs

Consolation: 1. Lou Farina, 2. Kevin Collins, 3. Gino Postorivo, 4. John Cavallaro, 5. Marc Herman

Feature (25 Laps): 1. Kevin Collins,  2. Jimmy Horton IV, 3. John Stangle 4. Jesse Hill, 5. Ron Roberts, 6. Dan Cogdill, 7. Randy Yaple, 8. Guy Germano, 9. Gino Postorivo, 10. Shawn Gunther, 11. Jarrad Miller, 12. Marc Herman, 13. Rich Scagliotta, 14. John Cavallaro, 15. Chuck Hopkins , 16. Ryan Forte, 17, Eric Kormann, 18. Danny Bouc, 19. Scott Davis Jr., 20. Billy Briggs, 21. Jack Swain, 22. Lou Farina, 23. Tom Solderich

DNQ: Tom Pompei, John Pursell, Steve Warner