Bridgeport, NJ – The Spirit Auto Center Speedway celebrated the start of the 2021 season with a three division show on opening night. Mother Nature threw promoter Doug Rose a curve ball with a line of rain showers but when Rose asked the drivers what they wanted to do, the consensus was to wait out the rain and race and Rose honored their request. By feature time, the track was in peak condition!
The Hyper Racing EVO Injection 600 Micro Sprints raced in a twenty-five lap feature event for the Dakota Steiner Memorial Trophy and $1000 first place money. Luke Thomas raced from the back of the starting line-up to take the lead in the final laps to earn his first win of the season. Alex Swift raced to the win in the 270 Micro Sprints over defending champion, Nick Skias while Shelby McLaughlin picked up the win in the All Star Slingshots in her first ever race on the Bridgeport quarter mile.
After qualifying with a win in the second B Main, Luke Thomas raced from his 22nd place starting position into the top five by the time race leader, Billy Koch took the crossed flags. On lap fifteen, Thomas was racing with Tyler Lindsay for third. Two laps later, he raced to the outside of Brenden Bright to take over second. Bright charged back, however, and the two drivers battled for several laps for the runner-up spot. Then on lap twenty-two, Thomas challenged Koch for the lead. The two drivers raced side by side before Thomas took the lead on the backstretch with less than two laps to go.
Thomas raced to the opening night victory over Koch. Daniel Dickerson finished third in his first Spirt appearance. Bright crossed the line in fourth followed by Bobby Watkins who raced a second Ken Vincent entry as a team mate to Thomas.
Colin White, Steve Bracall, Eddie Barber III, Fred Heinley and Frank Holmes completed the top ten at the end of twenty-five laps.
Thomas accepted the beautiful Dakota Steiner Memorial Trophy from Steiner’s father, Charles who is a 600 Micro Sprint car owner. Dakota Steiner lost his life in a traffic accident in October of last year. The win presented Thomas with an opportunity to honor two individuals. “I haven’t had a win for a while but tonight I want to dedicate this win to Dakota Steiner and Danny Serrano,” Thomas explained. Thomas is third on the All Time Feature Winner List in the 600s. Thomas also acknowledged fellow competitor, Billy Koch, for a clean race that saw the two drivers battle wheel to wheel for several laps.
Alex Swift put the John Blanda owned No. 15 into the lead on the start and never looked back as he raced to the twenty lap victory in the 270 Micro Sprint feature. Nick Skias and Nick Walton raced behind the leader but no one could quite get to the race leader to make a challenge.
Swift crossed the finish line ahead of defending champion, Skias, Walton, polesitter, Tommy Rinck and Shea Wills. Finishing sixth through tenth were John Wagner, Johnny Trendler, Barry Pollard, Andrew Locuson and Logan Diehl.
Shelby McLaughlin became the first feature winner in the All Star Slingshots this season. McLaughlin was racing in second when defending champion, Ryan Davey broke coming out of turn four on lap five. Ryan Harris pursued the leader for many laps before Amanda Angstadt raced by to take the spot.
McLaughlin raced to the finish line ahead of Angstadt, Harris, Scott Phillip and Zach Merola.
HYPER RACING EvO INJECTION 600cc MICRO SPRINTS (25 laps)
1. Luke Thomas, 2. Billy Koch, 3. Daniel Dickerson, 4. Brenden Bright, 5. Bobby Watkins, 6. Colin White, 7. Steve Bracall, 8. Ed Barber, III, 9. Fred Heinly, 10. Frank Holmes, 11. Ernie Miles, II, 12. P.J. Williams, 13. Adriana Dellaponti, 14. Robert Pierce, 15. Jonathan John, 16. Stephen Fleetwood, 17. Tyler Lindsay, 18. Jay Hartman, 19. Brendan Hires, 20. Mark Landwher, 21. Carl Locuson, 22. Wayne Scott, 23. Kristopher Thompson, 24. Gary Bozowski, 25. Rich Deck, 26. Brett Michalski, DNQ – Rob Miles, Brandon Pavel, John Jenkins, Steven Snyder, Ashley Therien, Cory Hunsberger, Geordon Marrero, Nathan Smith, Rebecca LaMothe, Maddie Boyd, Chris Fenimore, Charles Chance, Connor Sheffield
270cc MICRO SPRINTS (20 laps)
1. Alex Swift, 2. Nick Skias, 3. Nick Walton, 4. Tommy Rinck, 5. Shea Wills, 6. John Wagner, 7. Johnny Trendler, 8. Barry Pollard, 9. Dom Pomponi, 10. Logan Diehl, 11. Andrew Locuson, 12. Johnathan John, DNS –
All Star Slingshots (15 laps)
1. Shelby McLaughlin, 2. Amanda Angstadt, 3. Ryan Harris, 4. Scott Phillip, 5. Zach Merola, 6. Thomas Mowery, 7. Ryan Davey, 8. PJ Bosowski
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