BRIDGEPORT, NEW JERSEY – The Capitol Renegade United Racing Club officially kicked off its 72nd season Sunday at Bridgeport Speedway.
And the 2018 champion, Josh Weller, carried the momentum from last season into the day’s event, picking up his first win of the season in the opening day race.
“We were pretty confident coming in,” the reigning champ said of kicking off this season following the 2018 championship. “Bridgeport’s always a good one for us, but it certainly helped to come in with that goal and then it’s certainly going to help to get this one out of the way. Last year we won the first race and this year we won the first race, so hopefully that’s a good sign.”
Weller started on the outside pole for the 25-lap feature next to polesitter Chris Allen Jr. Weller grabbed the early lead headed into Turn 1 with Steve Buckwalter, Allen, Troy Betts and Chad Layton falling in line behind him.
The top five spaced themselves out before a caution was thrown on Lap 8 after Ryan Quackenbush, the 2018 URC Rookie of the Year, grazed the wall along the backstretch. His machine was pushed back to the pit area.
Weller chose the outside lane for the restart, driving out of Turn 2 with the race lead once again, maintaining a comfortable distance between himself and Layton, who had worked his way up to second.
“It felt good. The car felt good,” Weller said. “We could put it pretty much anywhere that we needed to. Starting on the front row like that, obviously we couldn’t tell what was fast behind us and where other guys were coming from, but we were quick enough to hold everybody off at least.”
Weller had control of an impressive lead when a caution came out for the No. 39 of Ryan Watt. However, the yellow turned to a red as smoke poured from the No. 47 of Adam Carberry in Turns 1 and 2 before flames erupted from the car. Carberry was ok and both cars were pushed back to the pit area.
Weller once again chose the top lane for the restart, sharing the front row with Layton and followed by Lucas Wolfe, Jason Schultz, Curt Michael and Betts.
Weller’s No. 63 maintained control of the lead on the restart as he went low in Turns 1 and 2, but this time Layton stayed close behind. He showed Weller his nose down in Turns 3 and 4 before trying again in 1 and 2 before Weller motored away again.
“We were having a problem with our motor restarting, so once we got on the frontstretch we were good, but I needed to get through the corner to get going,” Weller explained.
The final caution of the evening was thrown on Lap 24 for Bill Unglert, who slowed on the backstretch and was pushed behind the wall. Weller held his line on the final green-white-checkered restart to claim the win in the first URC race of the season.
Weller was joined in the top five by Layton, Schultz, Michael and Wolfe.
CAPITOL RENEGADE UNITED RACING CLUB
RESULTS – SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2019
BRIDGEPORT SPEEDWAY
HEAT 1 – 1: Jason Schultz (29); 2: Chris Allen Jr. (71); 3: Josh Weller (63); 4: Chad Layton (35); 5: Lucas Wolfe (5w); 6: Ryan Stillwaggon (11); 7. Zack Burd (5z); 8: Mark Van Vorst (34); 9: Bill Unglert (33b); 10: Tyler Ross (5)
HEAT 2 – 1: Ryan Watt (39); 2: Steve Buckwalter (7K); 3: Troy Betts (22); 4: Davie Franek (28f); 5: Adam Carberry (47); 6: Curt Michael (5g); 7: Austin Bishop (11A); 8: Ryan Quackenbush (5Q); 9: Larry McVay (83); 10: Austin Morris (706)
A-MAIN – 1: Josh Weller (63); 2: Chad Layton (35); 3: Jason Schultz (29); 4. Curt Michael (5g); 5: Lucas Wolfe (5w); 6. Troy Betts (22); 7: Austin Bishop (11A); 8: Tyler Ross (5); 9: Steve Buckwalter (7K); 10: Davie Franek (28f); 11: Ryan Stillwaggon (11); 12: Larry McVay (83); 13: Bill Unglert (33b); 14: Mark Van Vorst (34); 15: Chris Allen Jr. (71); 16: Adam Carberry (47); 17: Ryan Watt (39); 18: Austin Morris (706); 19: Zack Burd (5z); 20: Ryan Quackenbush (5Q)
- Catherine Hogue on Apr 15, 2019
- Article Date: 4/14/2019 by Catherine Hogue