By Erika Palmai-Wagner
BRIDGEPORT, N.J. (April 30) – Rick Stief scored his second career Racesaver 305 Sprint Car victory in the first-ever Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series event Sunday at Bridgeport Speedway.
Stief started fourth and took the lead on lap 14 after early race leader Ryan Stillwaggon’s engine expired while maintaining over a straightaway gap on Stief and the rest of the field.
Stief then won the 20-lap feature event over Tim Tanner, Tommy Carberry, Mark Bitner and Dave Brown Jr. Nineteen IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars signed in at the back gate for their first event as a newly-sanctioned series.
“I honestly had no idea that I was leading the race until I took the checkered flag and looked over at the scoreboard,” Stief admitted post-race. “I knew I was catching Ryan, but I was pretty focused on maneuvering the lapped traffic I had in front of me, so I had no idea. But I’m glad that I was finally able to win one this way, instead of losing one this way.”
Stillwaggon gained the lead after a first-lap duel with Tanner. He reached heavy lapped traffic by midway and maintained a blistering pace before his engine gave out.
Inheriting the front running position unknowingly due to no caution being brought out, Stief continued to master lapped traffic for six more circuits while holding almost more than a half a track distance over Tanner.
“I’m going to be racing with both the Pennsylvania Sprint Series as well as with the Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series when my schedule allows but I just enjoy being able to travel around to different tracks and racing with these great group of people,” Stief said. “The new management of the Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series is a passionate group of people who enjoy our sport and I think I can speak for most people when I say that their efforts are appreciated and I look forward to what this season has to bring.”
Next up on the Engler Machine & Tool-sponsored Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series schedule is a co-sanctioned points event with the Pennsylvania Sprint Series at Susquehanna Speedway Park on May 20.
Feature results – 1. Rick Stief; 2. Tim Tanner; 3. Tommy Carberry; 4. Mark Bitner; 5. Dave Brown Jr.; 6. Joe Kay; 7. Stef Carberry; 8. Eddie Wagner; 9. Jamie Kostic; 10. Jeff Geiges; 11. Bryant Davis; 12. Bobby Scherff; 13. Keith Anderson; 14. Doug Snow; 15. Craig Pellegrini; 16. Harris Kohen; 17. Gabe Fox; 18. Ryan Stillwaggon; 19. Sam Lieberman.