Bridgeport, NJ – The 2022 racing season got underway at the Spirit Auto Center Speedway on Friday night with divisions of racing as Tommy Kunsman, Nick Walton, Michael Becket and Braden Morrison picked up their first wins of the new season.
For Tommy Kunsman, it was win number eleven on the Bridgeport quarter mile in the Hyper Racing EVO 600 Micro Sprints Dakota Steiner Memorial. Kunsman has had a lot of success at Spirit, picking up victories in several special events. He continues to chase the win in the Danny Serrano Skyscraper race for the 600s after collecting wins in the 270 event.
It was a big payday for Kunsman whose win was worth $1,000 in the second annual race in Steiner’s memory. Many sponsors contributed to the Friday night purse and contingencies. organized by Paul Steiner, Dakota’s father. There was also a trophy to commemorate the win in Dakota Steiner Memorial.
The twenty-five lap feature event got off to a rough start when several cars tangled on the homestretch with Steven Bracall getting some air time in the Cobbs Mill No. 10B. Several cars were not able to continue but all drivers were okay.
On the complete restart, Kunsman made quick work, taking the lead from his third place starting spot from past Spirit Champion, Matt Smith. With Kunsman out in front, there was a three car battle for second among Smith, Chris Fenimore and Damon Paul. Luke Thomas became part of that battle after racing from his eleventh place start. Thomas was the winner of the 2021 Dakota Steiner Memorial.
Kunsman led the way into lapped traffic just before the halfway mark as Thomas raced with Fenimore for third and Mason Peters became part of the top five. Peters had a strong outing in a rare Spirit start.
Thomas brought some pressure to the leader in the final laps but Kunsman prevailed for the win with Thomas finishing second followed by Fenimore, Smith and Pat Bealer who raced from the rear of the field after the lap one incident to take fifth from Peters in the closing laps. Peters finished sixth followed by Paul, 2021 Champion, Connor Gross, Lavar Scott and Colin White.
Lee Nardelli was poised to take the win in the 270 Micro Sprint feature, leading from the green through lap fifteen when mechanical woes sidelined the race leader in the Huesser No. 20 from the event. Nick Walton took over the point and led the remaining laps to the checkered with 2021 Champion, Alex Swift pressuring the leader. Joe Dopke returned to 270 competition on Friday night and had a strong outing to finish third followed by Tyler Grau and Dom Pomponi. Nick Skias had been running among the top five but was also a victim of mechanical failure with just four laps remaining.
Winning car owner, Ed Tyers and family joined Walton and his family for a large Victory Lane celebration with the Clarke Contracting and A1 Auto Repair of Pitman No. 16T.
With four feature wins to his credit last season, including his first victory, Michael Beckett put himself in position to win the All Star Slingshot Feature on opening night. It was Beckett’s first win of the season in the Black Horse Diner and Restaurant No. 22.
There was a lot of back and forth among the top contenders in the twenty lap main event. Making his first Spirit start, Chase Bixler finished second with James Hendricks crossing the finish line in third after rebounding from an incident earlier in the race. Scott Phillip finished fourth with Tomas Mowery rounding out the top five.
After suffering electrical problems earlier in the evening, Brayden Morrison picked up the win in the Junior Slingshot fifteen lap feature event over Cody Williamson. Morrison was not able to run in the heat race do to the mechanical issues but he overcame all of that to take the win.
Racing returns to Spirit Auto Center Speedway this Friday evening with a four division show featuring the Hyper Racing EVO Injection 600s, the winged 270s, All Star Slingshots and Junior Slingshots. Racing to follow 7:15 warm-ups.
HYPER RACING EVO FUEL INJECTION 600cc MICRO SPRINT FEATURE (25 laps):
1. Tommy Kunsman, 2. Luke Thomas, 3. Chris Fenimore, 4. Matt Smith, 5. Pat Bealer, 6. Mason Peters, 7. Damon Paul, 8. Connor Gross, 9. Lavar Scott, 10. Colin White, 11. Daniel Dickerson, 12. Billy Koch, 13. P.J. Williams, 14. Geordan Marrero, 15. Tyler Lindsay, 16. Anthony Tramontana, 17. Whitey Kidd III, 18. Rich Deck, 19. Brendan Hires, 20. Sam LaMothe, 21. Wayne Scott, 22. Dallas Damansk, 23. Ethan Simpson, 24. Tommy Errico, 25. Frank Holmes, 26. Steven Snyder, 27. Kyle Spence, 28. Gary Bozowski, 29. Jackson White, 30. Steven Bracall, 31. Dominic Foster, DNQ – Devon Dvorak, Robert Pierce, Dominic Henrichsen, Jared Kreider, Olivia Haworth, Stephen Fleetwood, Kristopher Thompson, Bubba Hughes
270cc MICO SPRINT FEATURE (20 laps)
1. Nick Walton, 2. Alex Swift, 3. Joe Dopke, 4. Tyler Grau, 5. Dominic Pomponi, 6. Tommy Rinck, 7. John Wagner, Jr., 8. Trevor Waegel, 9. Steve Burger, 10. Lee Nardelli, 11. Nick Skias, 12. Jimmy Wagner
ALL-STAR SLINGSHOT FEATURE (20 laps)
1. Michael Beckett, 2. Chase Bixler, 3. James Henricks, 4. Scott Phillipp, 5. Tomas Mowery, 6. Ryan Harris, 7. Ryan Davey, 8. Evan Bixler, 9. Matt Kiefert, 10. Amanda Angstadt, DNS – Dave Morrell, Tim Franks
JUNIOR SLINGSHOTS (10 laps)
1. Brayden Morrison, 2. Cody Williamson
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