Bridgeport: Race report

Swindell wins again at Brigeport Speedway.

BRIDGEPORT, NJ (October 5) -- Sammy Swindell won his fifth "A" Feature at Bridgeport Speedway Sunday, leading all 25 laps as the O'Reilly World of Outlaws Series returned to the semi-banked, 5/8-mile oval for the first time in eight years.

The $10,000 victory was the second of the season for the three-time series champion, who recorded the first clean sweep in O'Reilly World of Outlaws Series history at Bridgeport Speedway on August 7, 1995. Swindell set a record for the facility by winning Sunday's caution-free main event in 8:25.53.

"We've run pretty good here," Swindell said. "I think I'm still undefeated here. This is just a big old track, and you just have to keep your momentum up and keep the car straight, and that's what we were able to do. I just have to thank Ray Brooks and my guys and Les and Linda Stewart for helping us out here tonight.

"We've struggled some this year, and we had some personnel problems that we had to overcome and some things that weren't done the way they should have been, but now we're going back in the right direction. If we get a few breaks, we can win the rest of the races this year. We're still handicapped by some equipment that we inherited from the people who were here before. Sometimes it all comes down to what number you draw. Tonight we could've had a better qualifying lap if we had gone out earlier, but it all worked out and put us right where we needed to be."

Swindell, the ninth-fastest qualifier in the 39-car field, received the privilege of starting the Second Dash Race on the pole when third-quick Jason Meyers failed to qualify for the five-lap race through the Third Heat Race. Swindell and O'Reilly World of Outlaws Series points leader Steve Kinser, who have combined to win 20 of the series' 25 championships, won the Dash Races for the right to start the main event on the front row.

Kinser, who won at Bridgeport Speedway on June 1, 1983, drove his #11 Quaker State Maxim into the lead as the green flag fell in the 62nd "A" Feature of the series' 25th Anniversary Season, only to have Swindell pass him the low groove between the first and second corners.

Fast qualifier Greg Hodnett withstood Danny Lasoski's challenges during the first three laps before passing Donny Schatz for third place deep in turn three late in lap five.

Swindell had the #1 Ore-Cal/Beef Packers J&J half a straightaway ahead of Kinser when he entered lapped traffic two laps later.

Hodnett, who paced the qualifying session with a 133.841-M.P.H. lap, battled Kinser for 1½ laps before passing him for the runner-up spot in the low groove in turn four late in lap 18.

Swindell was 12 car-lengths ahead of Hodnett when Daryn Pittman took the low line through the third and fourth corners to pass "The Dude" for fifth place two laps later.

Fred Rahmer stopped in turn three with a flat tire as Swindell took the checkered flag 15 car-lengths ahead of Hodnett.

Kinser opened a season-high 100-point lead in the point standings over Lasoski with his third-place finish. Schatz finished in fourth place, ahead of Pittman, Lasoski, Tim Shaffer, Second Heat Race winner Lance Dewease, Billy Pauch and Paul McMahan.

Meyers won the "B" Feature, then drove the #7 VMAC Maxim past six cars to finish in 11th place in the main event.

The O'Reilly World of Outlaws Series will sanction the Cheaper Than Dirt Shootout at Texas Motor Speedway and Saturday.

-WoO-