By Mandee Pauch

After Mother Nature put a hold on the Super DIRTcar Series season opener back on April 28, the series will officially kick off its season on Wednesday in the “Battle at the Bridge” at Bridgeport Speedway in Bridgeport, NJ.

The Super DIRTcar Series’ last visit to the 5/8-mile, high-banked, dirt oval in May 2017 saw the “Electric Company” Ryan Watt clinch his first career series victory.

Watt inherited the lead after Rick Laubach suffered a flat tire on lap 10 and went on to dominate the remaining 50 laps of the “Friends of Mike Finale” feature event. 

Watt, who is from Boyertown, PA, defended his home turf in 2017 and looks to do it once again this week at the spacious clay oval.

“It was a big win for me,” he said. “I grew up watching the Super DIRTcar Series and can remember only a couple years ago when I was just barely qualifying for a series race. To be able to pick up a win is big. Not a lot of guys in our area have done that. Being at a track I’m comfortable with I knew there was a good shot at it.”

The 2017 Big Block Modified track champion picked up right where he left off by grabbing the season-opening Doug Hoffman Memorial at Bridgeport back in March. Looking ahead, Watt is confident with his package and is ready to contend for the Battle at the Bridge victory.

“We have the exact same package that we won with last year—the same car and motor,” Watt noted. “I’ll be able to go off of my notes on what we won with so I’m feeling confident with that.”

Most tracks Watt runs at, such as Bridgeport, require American Racer Tires. However, the Super DIRTcar Series require all cars to run Hoosier tires. The series only visits New Jersey once a year, which leaves Watt with minimal experience on the series’ Hoosier tires.

“There’s not much series races around us,” he said. “Last year we ran Eldora (Ohio), Sharon (Ohio), and Lernerville (PA) so I was able to get some more experience on the Hoosiers, plus we ran Volusia (FL) in February, so we have some left.”

Watt may have the winning package to go back-to-back, but he feels the series regulars have quite the advantage when it comes to the tires.

“Those guys know how the cars will react,” Watt said. “The cars are different with Hoosiers on, plus they know how to prep them. That was one thing for us when we went out west last year: We didn’t know what compound to run. They know better than what we know.”

The fast 5/8-mile at Bridgeport was recently resurfaced with new clay, which could also play a role in Wednesday's outcome.

“I know the clay is a little different, so the track is definitely a little different from last year,” he added. “Right now, the track could take rubber, depending on how they prep it. The season opener was similar to last year’s race we won but this past Saturday wasn’t the same. They need to add a little more moisture than in the past. It looks like we get to run on it again before the series race, so I feel confident enough to be able to challenge for a win again.”

Watt, Billy Pauch, Stewart Friesen, Neal Williams, and Matt Sheppard were last year’s top five in the feature event, making only two of the top five cars series regulars. 

The series regulars may have a tire advantage, but they’ll have to bring everything they have to conquer the Battle at the Bridge on May 16.

Can the Bridgeport regulars defend their turf again or will the DIRT boys claim the victory?