LAFFERTY EDGES OUT WAGNER ON FINAL TURN ON OPENING NIGHT OF SPRINT CAR NATIONALS

By Pete Wortman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE………

(Sept. 4, 2026):  Rick Lafferty of Pennington, NJ opened the Ron Faison Memorial weekend at Bridgeport Speedway by winning the DCB Plumbing & Heating Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series feature event presented by Capitol Renegade. Lafferty got around Eddie Wagner and won the drag race to the finish by less than one car length to post his third career MASS victory in the Preliminary night 25 lap feature. Lafferty and Wagner, by virtue of their top 2 finishes, locked themselves into the feature redraw for Saturday’s $4000 to win 50-lap Sprint Car Nationals.         

“I saw he (Wagner) was hanging off of turn 2, so I went for the slider and got lucky,” stated Lafferty in victory lane, “He was able to get back under me but my momentum was able to keep me ahead.”   

DJ Tanner and Eddie Wagner brought the 24 car field to the start with Wagner dueling w/Tanner side by side only to see several cars midpack get together in the middle of the backstretch with Shelby Kelly, Zach Fields and Josh Bricker all spinning. The second try was much more successful, as Wagner again battled with Tanner and once again took command.  Wagner drove away to a comfortable lead during the opening laps as Lafferty raced up to fifth from his 7th starting position.  Wagner began getting into lapped traffic on lap 8, as Lafferty took 4th from Jared Kreider and began to pressure third place runner Troy Betts.  As the race moved past halfway Tanner began to close back in on Wagner in traffic. Meanwhile Lafferty and Betts had the crowd focused on them as they waged a battle royale for 7 straight laps for the third position. Lafferty took the position finally on lap 16 and moments later the second and final yellow of the race flew for series rookie Tyler Grau who spun entering turn #3.  

Lafferty was now third and on the restart he showed the speed he had as he pulled a slider on Tanner to take the runnerup spot. Wagner was 5 lengths out in front at this point but Lafferty immediately began to close the gap, getting within a car length with 3 laps remaining. Lafferty chased Wagner for the next two laps around lapped cars, pulling right onto his bumper as the white flag flew. Lafferty dove low in turn one pulling the slider for the lead, only to see Wagner steer it back under him. The two raced even down the back into the final two turns, with Lafferty using his momentum on the outside to beat Wagner off turn four to the checkered. Wagner finished second, with both of them locking into the Nationals 50 lapper redraw for Saturday.  DJ Tanner came home third with Jared Kreider fourth, making these two guaranteed starters in the Nationals. Troy Betts settled for 5th, his 13th top five of the season in 15 events.        

The three All-State Auto Glass heat races for the 24 cars were won by DJ Tanner, Dan Leaper and Troy Betts.   

The DCB’S Plumbing and Heating Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series presented by Capitol Renegade is back in action tonight at Bridgeport Speedway for the finale of the Ron Faison Memorial Weekend Sprint Car Nationals. The 50 lap feature tonight will pay $4000 to win and $300 to start. Pit Gates will open at 4pm, Grandstands at 5pm and Warmups are at 6pm.

9/4/26

DCB’s Plumbing Mid-Atlantic Sprint Series presented by Capitol Renegade

Ron Faison Memorial Weekend Sprint Car Nationals Preliminary Event

Event #15 - Bridgeport Speedway

All-State Auto Glass Heat 1: DJ Tanner ($50) 2.) Zach Fields 3.) Aiden Borden 4.) Adam Carberry

All-State Auto Glass Heat 2: Dan Leaper ($50) 2.) Andrew Turpin 3.) Rick Lafferty 4.) George Loux

All-State Auto Glass Heat 3: Troy Betts ($50) 2.) Chris Dolan 3.) Eddie Wagner 4.) Dave Brown Jr.  

A-Main Feature Results (25 Laps):

1.) RICK LAFFERTY 2.) Eddie Wagner 3.) DJ Tanner 4.) Jared Kreider 5.) Troy Betts 6.) Tim Iulg 7.) George Loux 8.) Aiden Borden 9.) Chris Dolan 10.) Dan Leaper 11.) Mike Shea 12.) Cody West 13.) Dave Brown Jr. 14.) Derrek Treece 15.) Mark Bitner 16.) Kurt Rainey 17.) Dirk Rimrott 18.) Andrew Turpin 19.) Adam Carberry 20.) Tyler Grau 21.) Zach Fields 22.) Shelby Kelly 23.) Matt McAnally 24.) Josh Bricker  

Contingency Awards: 

Tin Hoagie Customs Highest Pill Draw $50: DJ Tanner

Next Generation Construction Quick Time in Hot Laps $50: Shelby Kelly 15.117 

Capitol Custom Trailers Quick Time in Time Trials $50: Jared Kreider 15.097

WheelsofSpeed.com Lucky 13th Place Starter $30: Shelby Kelly

Professional Design Services Most Laps Led $100: Eddie Wagner

JWK Electric 12th place finisher $50: Cody West

Insinger Performance Tail End of Lead Lap (10 Gal. Fuel): Derrek Treece

Bitner Automotive Lightning Fast Lap in Feature $50: Rick Lafferty

Janney Electric Hard Charger Award $50: Mike Shea +9

Kreider Manufacturing Hard Luck Award (25% off Order Coupon): Andrew Turpin