Local Racing
Motivated Maresca Masters Bridgeport

BRIDGEPORT, NJ (November 8, 2020): Mike Maresca, the 2020 Fonda Speedway champion from Pottsdam, NY, scored his first career Big Block Modified victory in the final race of the season at Bridgeport Motorsports Park. The win was only worth $5,000 to him becasue he neglected to pay the Gambler’s Fee when registering for the race.
“I’ve always enjoyed coming to Bridgeport, even when it was 5/8ths,” Maresca said. He dedicated the win to the late track manager, Danny Serrano, noting “he was an awesome fan and a good friend.” Maresca went on to say that he received a text from Serrano the day before he died, and that he drew inspiration from it.
Jack Lehnar and Rich Rutski were paired on the front row for the start of the fifty lapper. Behind them, in the second row, were Ryan Watt and Ryan Krachun. Jimmy Blewitt and Jared Umbenhauer were in the third. Richie Pratt, Jr. and Mike Mahaney were in row four, followed by Maresca and Jeff Strunk. Then came Eric Kormann and Davey Sammons. Dillon Steuer and Matt Stangle were in row seven.
Lehnar led Watt into the first corner and they were followed by Umbenhauer, Rutski, Pratt, and Maresca on the opening lap. A two-car tangle at the back of the pack slowed the action.
When racing resumed Lehnar led the next eleven laps, but Watt was pressing him every inch of the way. Watt ‘s familiarity with the new configuration led him to the high side and he rode the rim in turns one and two to gain the lead while Lehnar hugged the inside. Soon after Watt assumed control, a caution slowed the pace again.
Watt pulled away on the ensuing restart, with Lehnar and Maresca fighting for second. Blewitt, Pratt, Umbenhauer, Krachun, and Mahaney trailed. Maresca moved into second just before another caution slowed the pace.
Surprisingly, Watt took the inside line for the lap 18 restart, and that proved to be his undoing. Maresca blasted into the lead at the drop of the green and he held control all the way to the finish. While he was on cruise control, Watt stayed close. Behind them, Blewitt, Pratt and Krachun were locked in a battle for third.
The final two cautions came out with 27 laps in the books. When the racing got going again, Maresca stretched his lead, and Watt also separated himself from the rest of the field. Pratt slipped ahead of Blewitt. Krachun continued along in fifth.
The final 23 laps were run without any caution. While the top five remained static, positions six through ten were changing hands. Track champion, Billy Pauch, came on to grab sixth, bringing Dominic Buffalino with him. Billy Pauch, Jr., Strunk, and Ryan Godown completed the top ten.
There were five heats, and the wins went to Lehnar, Umbenhauer, Krachun, maresca, and Sammons. The pair of B Mains were split by Tyler Dippel and Danny Bouc.
Steve Davis romped to the win in the 602 Crate Sportsmen. This time,he had to battle with teenager Anthony Tramontana. They locked wheels going through turn one midway through the race, and Davis was able to break free. However, Tramontana spun out. Davis continued on for the victory, his second of the weekend. Paul Mancini was second, with Stacy Jackson, Steve Kemery, and Travis Hill completing the top five. Dan Fleming, Adam White, Sammy Martz, Jr., Howie Finch, and Wayne Weaver were the next five to cross the finish line.
T.J. Henry copped the Outlaw Stock feature. Lee Allen was second, closing out the season with just one finish outside teh top five. Mike Hughes got his second third place finish of the weekend. Jimmy Doer and John Parker were fourth and fifth.
The USAC Speedsters competed in a pair of feature events. The make-up race went to Kenny Miller, III, with Louden Reimert, Jared Silfee, Briggs Danner, and Ryan Godown chasing him home. Miller was set to start on the pole for the nightcap, but he pitted and had to go to the trail for the satrt. That moved Steve Buckwalter to the front row, and he was unbeatable from there. Godown was second this time, followed by Jeff Hartman, Reimert, and Tim Iulg.
Dirt Racing
Lincoln Beats Weather, Macri and Ely Score Wins

ABBOTTSTOWN, PA (April 5, 2025): Lincoln Speedway gambled that an earlier start time would allow for the completion of the fifth event of the season before weather was due to arrive. Anthony Macri and Nash Ely benefited from their roll of the dice, winning the 410 and 358 features, respectively.
Macri explained that he did not feel comfortable riding the rim in turns three and four, which is usually his lane of choice. Instead, he tried to stay on the bottom and bide his time. The strategy worked, albeit aided by some attrition.
Macri also commented that he had a tough time dealing with the lapped traffic. “I was kinda sketchy in traffic. I just didn’t have the confidence.”
Were that not enough weighing him down, Macri was involved in a scuffle coming off turn two that sent his challenger, Dallas Schott, for a tumble midway down the backstretch. “I hope that Dallas is OK,” Macri said apologetically. “I was told that it was just a racing deal. I tried to keep my car down and he came up on me.”
Macri added that, after that incident, he picked up a vibration in his motor. “I smelled oil when I got out of the car,” He could not determine the problem, however, and he was hoping that post-race maintenance would sort things out.
The track’s point average handicapping system was used to set the line-up for this event. Under that scheme, the first three finishers in the heat races are inverted based upon their point averages. The remaining heat transfers fill in based upon their finishing order.
The B Main transfers tag the tail of the field.
So, Cole Knopp was the pole sitter, with J.J. Loss on his right. In row two were Lucas Wolfe and Schott. Kyle Moody and Dylan Norris occupied the third row. Then came Brandon Rahmer and Brock Zearfoss. Macri was inside row five, withFreddie Rahmer, Jr. and his partner. In row six were Mike Bittinger and Tyler Ross.
Further back in the line-up were Jeff Halligan, starting fourteenth, points leader Troy Wagaman, Jr. in fifteenth, last week’s winner Matt Campbell in seventeenth, Chad Trout in nineteenth, and Danny Dietrich in twentieth.
Loss rolled through the middle of turn one to take the early lead over Knopp, Schott, Norris, and Wolfe. Things changed rather quickly, though, when Knopp spun in turn two with two laps completed. During that caution period, Norris pitted, relinquishing his position in the top five.
These changes moved Macri into the top three for the restart. While many observers expected Macri to race into the lead, Loss continued out front when things resumed. Surprisingly, it was Schott who challenged him for the lead.
Schott took control around lap twelve. Loss got another crack at the leader just one lap later. Norris stopped in turn four to bunch the field back up again.
Soon after the restart, Macri moved into second. He was followed by Loss and Moody. Behind them, a good battle was brewing. The Rahmer brothers, Ross, and Wagaman were the contestants.
As the leaders worked their way through traffic, Macri was able to close in on Schott, who was seeking his first career win at the track. Macri’s experience paid off on lap twenty-two as he was able to dive to the low side to overtake Schott. On the next lap around, Schott tried to duplicate the maneuver. He drew up beside Macri, but there was contact coming off turn two. Schott got crossed up and he flipped several times. Fortunately, he was not injured.
Macri thus had the point for the final restart, with Loss and Moody next in line. The Rahmer brothers held fourth and fifth, followed by Wagaman, Ross, Campbell,, Halligan, and Zearfoss.
Macri got away cleanly and led the last seven laps to close out the thirty-lap event. Loss and Moody ran second and third. Behind them, Wagaman continued to struggle with the Rahmer boys. Wagaman climbed to third, but Freddie Rahmer rallied in the closing laps to take that position from him. Meanwhile, Brandon Rahmer began to fall back in the running order.
In the final tally, it was Macri over Loss, Moody, Freddie Rahmer, and Wagaman, Campbell advanced to sixth to claim the hard charger award. Brandon Rahmer held on for seventh. Ross, Halligan, and Zearfoss completed the top ten.
Heat wins for the twenty-nine cars belonged to Schott, Moody, and Wolfe. Trout captured the B Main.
In the 358 Sprint nightcap, fourth generation driver Nash Ely picked up his first career win at the speedway. “It feels like it’s been way too long,” he quipped. “It’s maybe five years since my last win.” Ely admitted that he was not watching the scoreboard to see who was running behind him in the closing laps. “I didn’t look at the board because I didn’t want it to get into my head.” He kept his cool and drove confidently in the waning laps.
The top three heat race finishers re-drew for their starting positions in this one. Jayden Wolf and Cody Fletcher were on the front row for their twenty lapper. Ely lined up in third, beside Adam Best. Olivia Thayer and Austin Reed were in row three. Steve Owings and Jude Siegel came next. Ashley Cappetta and Eli Tuckey held down row five, followed by Michael Smith and Seth Schnoke.
Wolf and Fletcher were battling for the top spot on the first lap. Wolf had a slight advantage entering turn three, but Fletcher drove in too hard, and he spun. Remarkably, there was no contact and Fletcher was able to rejoin the race at the tail of the field.
On the second attempt, Ely rode the rim in turn one to grab the lead over Wolf, Best, Reed, and Owings. Ely set a brisk pace while Wolf was under attack from Best. Best took over second on lap eight.
Best was unable to make any headway, however. A caution with four laps remaining brought Ely back to him. But Ely easily drove away in the closing laps.
At the checkers, Ely prevailed over Owings, who had a good closing charge. Best, Wolf, and Reed completed the top five. Tuckey, Schnoke, Siegel, Fletcher, and Tylar Rutherford took positions six through ten.
Owings, Ely, and Best won their heat races. There was no B Main for the twenty-car field.
Next week, Lincoln Speedway will present a Sprint Car doubleheader consisting of the 410 Sprints and the USAC East Coast 360 Sprints racing sans wings. Then, on Easter Eve, the track will host the twenty-first annual Weldon Sterner Memorial for 410 and 358 Sprints. The final event in April will be for the 410 Sprints and the Limited Late Models.
Dirt Racing
Rain Halts Williams Grove Speedway

MECHANICSBURG, PA (April 4, 2025): The second rain shower of the night stopped the action at the Williams Grove Speedway just five laps into the season-opening 410 Sprint Car feature event. An earlier sprinkle delayed the consolation events.
At the time of the caution, Matt Campbell was leading over Anthony Macri, Danny Dietrich, Jeff Halligan, and Brock Zearfoss, Campbell, who started on the pole, led all five laps contested.
The balance of the top ten at the stoppage were Cameron Smith, Chase Dietz, T.J. Stutts, Lance Dewease, and Troy Wagaman, Jr.
The three heat races for the 410 Sprints went to Ryan Taylor, Smith, and Campbell. Preston Lattomus won the B Main. Twenty-nine cars registered for the event.
In the 358 Sprints, Andy Best, Jacob Galloway, and Jude Siegel won the heat races. Cole Young claimed the B Main. Thirty cars signed in for that division.
The balance of the 410 Sprint Car feature will be added to next week’s program, which will include complete shows for the 410 and 305 Sprints and the Wingless Sportsman Tour. The 358 Sprint feature will be added to the card on April 25. There will be no increase in ticket prices on either night.
Dirt Racing
Dietrich and Fletcher Beat Rain at BAPS

NEWBERRYTOWN, PA (March 30, 2025): Two-time and defending track champion Danny Dietrich, of Gettysburg, picked up his twenty-second career 410 Sprint Car victory at BAPS Motor Speedway. It was his sixth triumph in the last eleven non-sanctioned races held at the venue. In the nightcap. For the 358 Sprint Cars, Cody Fletcher, of East Berlin, held off persistent challenges from Seth Shnoke and, later, Dylan Norris to grab the prestigious win.
Dietrich explained that the key to victory was “being patient, really patient.” That was certainly true in the late stages of the thirty lapper.
However, Dietrich was anything but patient earlier in the contest. In the middle stage of the race, Dietrich and Freddie Rahmer, Jr. waged a spectacular battle, often with the help of Brock Zearfoss, for the third position. That episode lasted for several laps before Dietrich dispatched them both.
Dietrich explained that “Rahmer, Zearfoss, and I ran each other so tight.” Dietrich noted that, during the confrontation with Rahmer, there was a close call in turn three. “We were so tight, we almost drove through Brock and he never knew it.” That was fortunate, as Zearfoss had checked up because a lapped car spun just ahead of him.
Then, in the final laps, Dietrich chased down, and passed, early leader Kyle Moody and his successor, Chase Dietz. To do so, Dietrich switched lanes. “It got dark in the middle, and I figured there was some grip there. I got to it first.”
In conclusion, Dietrich gushed, “Man, that was fun, see you all in two weeks!”
Moody and Dietz had the front row for the feature, which was staged under heavy cloud cover. They were the lucky drivers in the top twelve re-draw. Behind them were Kody Hartlaub, making his first start of the new season, and Jeff Halligan. Dietrich and Zearfoss were in row three. Lucas Wolfe and Rahmer made up the fourth row. A pair of 39s were in row five, with Anthony Macri flanked by Aussie Lynton Jeffrey. Mike Thompson and Austin Bishop were the unfortunate racers when it came to the luck of the draw.
Moody took control at the start of the race and, for several laps, it appeared that he may finally break through for the win. Dietz stayed close as the leaders migrated to the top of the track. They were followed by Halligan, Zearfoss, Rahmer, Hartlaub, Dietrich, Jeffrey, Bishop, and Wolfe.
Bishop spun in turn three on lap five, beginning a disjointed segment of the race. As the officials sorted through additional cautions on the restart lap, and laps seven, eight, and nine, the fans got restless and worried that a downpour could end the day early. While some moisture did begin to fall, it was not enough to stop the race.
Moody led through much of it, but Dietz was able to put together one successful lap, riding the rim to take the lead away from him on lap seven. Moody did try a slider entering turn one on the lap eight restart. Zearfoss continued in third, with the battle for fourth between Dietrich and Rahmer began to heat up.
With Dietz and Moody comfortably ahead, Zearfoss jumped the cushion in turn one, allowing Dietrich and Rahmer to close in on him. Following a lap fourteen restart, the three-cars were swapping positions with great frequency.
The leaders were starting to work through traffic and, soon thereafter, the three contestants for third had to navigate through the slower cars as well. Dietrich was superior to Zearfoss and Rahmer, and he claimed third as the laps were counting down.
The traffic got heavier for Dietz and Moody. Dietrich saw his opportunity when the lapped cars clogged up the bottom groove. He moved up just enough to clear them, and that was where he picked up speed. He closed in on Moody, who was also cutting into Dietz’ advantage.
In the final five rounds, Dietrich maintained his charge. He picked off Moody and Dietz in traffic. In the mad scramble at the end of the race, Zearfoss and Rahmer also worked their way forward. Dietz and Moody remained in the top five.
At the checkers, it was Dietrich over Zearfoss, Dietz, Rahmer, and Moody. Macri, Dylan Norris, Tyler Ross, Cameron Smith, and Wolfe comprised the next five finishers.
The three heat winners were Moody, Halligan, and Dietrich. Gerard McIntyre, Jr. won the B Main.
With a temporary halt to the rain, the 358 Sprints staged for their finale. Fletcher and Shnoke occupied the front row, with Derek Locke and Norris in the Second row. Wyatt Hinkle and Tyler Rutherford put a pair of 19s in the third row. They were followed by Cole Young and Austin Reed, Nash Ely and Jay Galloway took row five as their domain. Adam Carberry and Jacob Galloway completed the redraw for this division.
Fletcher powered into the lead using the low groove, while Shnoke flogged the cushion. Norris, Locke, Hinkle, and Rutherford followed.
Cautions five, ten, and eleven laps into the race bunched te field up again, but there were no changes at the front of the pack despite those opportunities to advance. Carberry did make some forward progress, though, as he reached sixth midway through the twenty-five lapper.
On lap nineteen, the drizzle intensified, requiring a caution to sort things out. The cars continued to circulate, and after several slow laps, the rain relented, allowing the final six laps to be presented.
When the race resumed for the penultimate time, Shnoke increased his pressure on Fletcher. The two ran close, particularly in turns three and four. But Fletcher was good coming off turn four and he was able to maintain his lead.
Shnoke made on last, desperate attempt to drive by Fletcher. He sailed it into turn one in the middle groove, pulling even with Fletcher. But, there was nothing ther for him, and the car began to slide up the track. He made contact with the fence in turn two. He spun at the exit of the corner, a disappointing end to an impressive effort.
On the final restart, Norris attempted the same maneuver. However, he was able to keep his wheels under him. Although he lost a few car lengths to Fletcher, he was able to keep going for second at the finish.
Locke was third, followed by Hinkle and Carberry. Ely, Reed, Rutherford, Young, and Jay Galloway completed the top ten.
Fletcher said in victory lane that he was hoping that track officials would call the race after the rain delay. But, he admitted that it was satisfying that he was able to see the race go the entire distance. “I tried to make the car as wide as possible while racing those guys clean.”
Hinkle, Rutherford, and Carberry took the preliminaries. Andrew Hake won the B Main. Notably, he towed his car to the track on an open trailer behind a U-Haul rental truck!
The next 410 Sprint car event at BAPS Motor Speedway will be held on April 13. Also on the card will be the Limited Late Models and Wingless Sportsmen. The speedway will host the Winged Super Sportsmen on April 5 and 12.