Billy Pauch Jr. Wins Jim Gallagher Sr. Remembrance Modified Event Saturday At Bridgeport
News Director 
Story By: BRIDGEPORT MOTORSPORTS PARK – SWEDESBORO, NJ – Everyone is familiar with the various one liners like “it ain’t over til it’s over” or “it’s not over ’til the fat lady sings”. Those words right are right on point when it comes to the Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modifieds. For the second week in a row, the Modified feature was decided on the final lap as the cars raced to the finish line out of turn four.
A week ago, it was Cole Stangle’s flat-foot performance that took the win from Matt Stangle as they raced to the checkered.
On Saturday night, Rick Laubach saw his second win of the season slip away as the No. 7 slowed on the last half lap of the feature.
Saturday night’s events were sponsored by Elite Welder Training & Testing to honor the memory of Jim Gallagher, Sr. The C3 Group was also a sponsor on this race night. In addition to an increased purse and incentives, the Modified race was scheduled as a thirty-one lap event, paying $3,131, commemorating the car number associated with the Gallagher family throughout their years in racing. Gallagher, Sr. passed away last year after a valiant battle against cancer. Jim, Jr. chose to honor his father with this race, run on what would have been his father’s 80th birthday.
Laubach grabbed the lead on the start and led for thirty laps, taking the white flag. Power was noticeably lost as he headed down the backstretch and into turn three on the 31st lap. Billy Pauch, Jr. who ran in second and Dillon Steuer, who took the white flag in third, closed in on the slowing car. As the leaders exited turn four, it was a three car race for the win. Pauch and Steuer raced around Laubach and headed to the checkered flag, while racing for the same real estate. Pauch got to the line first followed by Steuer. Laubach limped to the finish line to take third. Matt Stangle finished fourth with Sammy Martz, Jr. completing the top five at the finish.
Frank Cozze finished in sixth followed by last week’s feature winner, Cole Stangle. Sam Martz, Sr. finished eighth with Wade Hendrickson and HJ Bunting rounding out the top ten.
The win made Pauch just the second driver to repeat in the Modifieds this season. Only Roger Manning has been able to do so up until this week.
Gallagher also presented a special match race sequence that included the drivers that finished in the top five in their heats. The winning driver selected their opponent and started from the inside for the two lap distance. Cole Stangle won the first round and was then defeated by Cale Ross. Rick Laubach won against Ross and then selected Frank Cozze for his next competitor. Billy Pauch, Jr. won the next round and was then defeated by Matt Stangle. Neal Williams took the win over Stangle and then became the first driver to win from the outside and win more than one round. Williams then won over both Dillon Steuer and Wade Hendrickson to claim the victory.
After a violent accident in turns three and four a week earlier, Matt Peck returned to the track with the same car – repaired – and raced to his third win of the season in the Ice Less 602 Sportsman.
Rob Tete led the first four laps before Peck challenged and won the lead on lap five. Five-time feature winner, Brian Papiez moved into second on lap nine. The race ran green from this point on with Peck taking the win followed by Papiez, Trent Willey, Ethan Bill and Joe Toth. Travis Hill finished sixth followed by Craig Pelligrini, Ronnie Solomon, Jim Wyers and Ethan Young.
Defending track champion in the C3 Group Street Stocks, Tom Wills, Jr. has been racing on a part time schedule this season. On Saturday night, he ran just his fourth race of the season and took the win over Mike Hughes after a three car battle for the lead that included Jeff Dirkes.
Hughes, still racing with a crate engine under the hood of the No. 18, finished second followed by Spider Ensinger, Jr., Jeff Dirkes and Terry Chaney.
In other full fendered competition, Joe Garey, Jr. picked up the win in the Four Cylinder feature event over Dan Stein, Jr., Joe Garery, Sr., John Parker and Lee Allen.
The Victory Fuel Wingless Sprints were on hand for another event that saw Brian Spencer race to his fourth win in a row in impressive fashion. Dan Leaper led the first ten laps in the Foley Cat No. 24 before Chris Allen, Jr. took the lead on lap eleven. Allen led for five laps while Spencer raced with Leaper for second. Spencer took the lead from Allen on lap sixteen and then raced to the win by a sizeable margin.
Allen finished second followed by Thomas Radivoy, Shea Wills and David Swanson.
Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modifeds 1. Billy Pauch Jr. 2. Dillon Steuer 3. Rick Laubach 4. Matt Stangle 5. Sam Martz Jr. 6. Frank Cozze 7. Cole Stangle 8. Sam Martz Sr. 9. Wade Hendrickson 10. HJ Bunting 11. Roger Manning 12. Brad Roberts 13. Ryan Krachun 14. Cale Ross 15. Billy Osmun 16. Neal Williams 17. Stan Frankenfield 18. Jim Gallagher Jr. 19. Blaine Bracelin 20. Mike Franz
Ice Less, LLC Sportsman Modifieds 1. Matt Peck 2. Brian Papiez 3. Trent Willey 4. Ethan Bill 5. Joe Toth 6. Travis Hill 7. Craig Pelligeini 8. Ron Solomon 9. Jim Wyers 10. Ethan Young 11. Jax Yohn 12. Billy Chester 13. Robert Tete 14. Kenny Ott 15. Bryan Olsen 16. Michael Beckett 17. Luke Bunting 18. Brian Rogers
Victory Fuel Wingless Sprints 1. Brian Spencer 2. Chris Allen Jr. 3. Thomas Radivoy 4. Shea Wills 5. David Swanson 6. Stan Ploski 7. Jonathan Swanson 8. Heidi Hedin 9. Dan Leaper 10. Connor Gross 11. Ricky Rutt 12. Paul Kline 13. Matt Peck
Street Stocks 1. Tom Wills Jr. 2. Mike Hughes 3. Spider Ensinger Jr. 4. Jeff Dirkes 5. Terry Chaney 6. Nick Sandone III 7. Kevin Heckman 8. Duncan Molesworth 9. Bailey Tolson
4 Cylinder Stock Cars 1. Joe Garey Jr 2. Dan Stein Jr 3. Joe Garey Sr 4. John Parker 5. Lee Allen 6. Norm Kid Jr 7. Colin Gale 8. Roger Kumnerer 9. Rob Weil 10. Tom Cavagino
