Bridgeport. NJ – Tommy Kunsman became the second repeat winner of the season in the Hyper Racing EVO Injection 600 Wingless Micro Sprints on the Spirit quarter mile on Friday night. Billy Gray won his first race of the season in the JC Fabrication 270 Winged Micro Sprints. Michael Beckett racked up win No. 4 in the Speedway Entertainment All Star Slingshots while Carter Mullins was a first-time winner in the Junior Slingshot feature.
Kunsman has made a number of Spirit starts this season and is sitting at a fifty percent winning ratio at this point in time. Kunsman has raced in four events and has two feature wins to show for his efforts. Eight different drivers have claimed 600 wins on the Bridgeport quarter mile this season. Kunsman becomes the second repeat winner – something Luke Thomas accomplished early in the season.
On Friday night, Kunsman celebrated his win with his wife, Jenna who was celebrating her birthday on Friday.
The 600 feature was set to be a classic battle as Pat Bealer and Kunsman made up the front row of the feature line-up. Bealer has a feature win in a 270 this season but was looking for his first Spirit win in the 600s while Kunsman was looking to pick-up his second win of the season.
Bealer grabbed the early lead as Kunsman battled with Anthony Tramontana for second. Zack Bealer, another one- time winner this season, raced behind Tramontana in the early going as Steven Fleetwood completed the top five in the first five laps.
Kunsman closed in on Bealer, dogging the race leader for several laps. A lap ten caution put the two drivers side-by-side on the restart. Kunsman pulled ahead to lead the way over Bealer and Tramontana through lap ten. Zack Bealer and Ethan Simpson trailed the top three through the crossed flags.
Jon Keller caught a wheel and went for a ride on the homestretch to bring out the red on lap thirteen. Keller was not injured. The field lined-up for a double file restart.
Kunsman was able to pull away from the field as the laps counted down. On lap eighteen, mechanical woes struck the No. 44 of Pat Bealer as he rolled to a stop in turn three. After contact was made with another car, Zack Bealer also exited to the pits under caution with suspension damage.
Former track champion, Matt Smith, PJ Williams and Connor Gross were on the move during the race’s final laps. Smith to the outside to make his way through the top five. Kunsman took the checkered over Smith, Williams, Gross and Tramontana. Chris Fenimore finished sixth followed by TJ Greve, Simpson, Morgan Rochelle-Bealer and Ryan Boyd.
Corey Waegel and Billy Gray led the 270s to the green flag with Gray taking the lead as they raced out of turn two. Gray never looked back. Several cautions kept the field tight but Gray never faltered. “The thing is when you are leading a race, you have to run as if someone is right behind you,” Gray explained after capturing the victory.
Pat Bealer raced into second but wasn’t able to close in on Gray for the challenge. Bealer finished second followed by point leader, Alex Swift, Lee Nardelli and Joe Dopke. Blake Esham finished sixth with John Wagner, Jonathan John, Trevor Waegel and Brendon Locascio completing the top ten at the checkered.
PJ Bozowski was the early race leader in the Speedway Entertainment All Star Slingshot feature. Bozowski led the way with Michael Beckett pressuring him for the first eight laps. Beckett took the lead on lap nine and led the remaining laps to the checkered. It was Beckett’s fourth feature win this season as he defends his 2022 Championship.
Bozowski finished second followed by first year All Star competitor, Brayden Morrison. Brothers, Chris and Jonathan Laureigh, finished fourth and fifth.
Carter Mullins took the lead from his pole position start and then led every lap to capture his first Junior Slingshot Feature event. Austin Walls in second until just two laps remained when Jack Jarvis drove to the inside to take the runner-up spot.
It was Mullins for the win over Jarvis, Walls, Cody Williamson and David Morrison.
Fast and furious Fridays continue on the Spirit quarter mile next week with the 600 and 270 Micro Sprints and All Star and Junior Slingshots.
HYPER RACING EVO FUEL INJECTION 600cc MICRO SPRINT FEATURE (25 laps):
1. Tommy Kunsman, 2. Matt Smith, 3. P.J. Williams, 4. Connor Gross, 5. Anthony Tramontana, 6. Chris Fenimore, 7. T.J. Greve, 8. Ethan Simpson, 9. Morgan Rochelle-Bealer, 10. Ryan Boyd, 11. Olivia Haworth, 12. Robert Pierce, 13. Billy Calvert, 14. Rebecca Lamothe, 15. Hank Stellar, 16. Jayson Conover, 17. Jacob Homrick, 18. Steve Fleetwood, 19. Pat Bealer, 20. Zach Bealer, 21. Gary Bozowski, 22. Wayne Scott, 23. Sam LaMothe, 24. Jon Keller, 25. Julian Rexrode, 26. Maddie Boyd
JC FABRICATION 270cc MICRO SPRINT FEATURE (20 laps):
1. Billy Gray, 2. Pat Bealer, 3. Alex Swift, 4. Lee Nardelli, 5. Joe Dopke, 6. Blake Esham, 7. John Wagner, 8. Jonathan John, 9. Trevor Waegel, 10. Brendon Locascio, 11. Braedan Locascio, 12. Dustin Dash, 13. Charles Cobourn, 14. Alex Lester, 15. Princess Paige, 16. Brittany Hopkins, 17. Jon West, 18. Cory Waegel, 19. Jimmy Wagner, DNS – Dominic Pomponi
ALL STAR SLINGSHOT FEATURE (20 laps):
1. Michael Beckett, 2. P.J. Bozowski, 3. Brayden Morrison, 4. Chris Laureigh, 5. Jonathan Laureigh, 6. Scott Philipp, 7. Dave Morrell, 8. Robert Davey, 9. Frank Yoder, 10. Brandon Oakley
JUNIOR SLINGSHOT FEATURE (15 laps):
1. Carter Mullins, 2. Jack Jarvis, 3. Austin Walls, 4. Cody Williamson, 5. David Morrison, DNS – Nathan Kempe
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