0
0
The Bridgeport Motorsports Park threw the green flag on the 2026 season with a full pit of Modifieds (39) and Sportsman (53) for the Prelude to the Doug Hoffman Memorial race. Mike Maresca raced to his second Bridgeport season opener in the Modified twenty-five lap feature. Joe Toth won both the twenty lap Sportsman main event and the rained-out Harry’s U-Pull-It 100 Lap Sportsman Nationals $10,000 Not to Win feature event from last season. Jonathan Swanson raced to the win in the season opener for the Victory Fuel Wingless Sprints.
The twenty-five lap non-stop Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz Modified feature event took just over seven minutes to complete as Mike Maresca of Baldwinsville, NY set a blistering pace from the wave of the green. Maresca blasted by polesitter, Tyler Dippel and then led every lap to gain the Bridgeport victory. Seventeen year old, Logan Watt gave Maresca a run for his money after taking over second from Justin Grosso on lap nine. At that point, Maresca had driven away to a significant lead but had caught the back of field and Watt began to cut into his advantage. Watt caught the leader in traffic and mounted a challenge with five laps to go. That was Maresca’s incentive to get more aggressive.
Maresca took the win over Watt, Justin Grosso, Dippel and Danny Bouc. Alex Payne finished sixth followed by 2025 Champion, Dillon Steuer, Ryan Godown, Brian Papiez and Brandon Grosso.
Joe Toth was behind the wheel of a Hirthler No. 117 for Saturday’s action – a car that he had qualified for the Sportsman National’s last Fall. Toth started on the pole for the twenty lap feature with Brandon Watkins to his outside. Jesse Hirthler started in third in his new No. 117.
Toth grabbed the lead on the start with Hirthler quickly moving into second. The first half of the race was riddled with caution flags – three in just the first five laps. The restarts put the pair of Hirthler cars side-by-side on the restarts but Toth was able to hold off Hirthler each time. They ran that way to the checkered with Toth taking the win over Jesse Hirthler, Mike Butler, Matt Ellery and Colin Cox.
Toth became the first feature winner in the Demers Heating & Cooling sponsored Sportsman.
When drivers were asked about the $10,000 “not to win” payday for the one hundred lap Sportsman Nationals, the answer was very consistent. The drivers stated, without hesitation, they were going for the win. And that was probably true – up to the final laps anyway. That’s when the realization hit – if they weren’t going to win, then they wanted to finish third.
Polesitter, Travis Hill took the early lead over Joe Toth. Hill led every one of the first seventy-seven laps, maintaining his lead through both restarts. Hill had pulled away to about a half of track advantage when the caution waved with twenty-three laps to go. This time, Toth went to the inside and had the lead as the field headed down the backstretch as he capitalized on the timing of the restart that left Hill re-examining what he could have done differently for the remainder of the event.
The caution was needed again with just three laps to go. It was a single file restart with Toth and Hill holding their positions but there was plenty of action for that third place finish. Ethan Bill, Steve Kemery, Steve Davis, Jax Yohn, Matt Peck and Zane Roth were racing for third as the field headed to the checkered. Toth took the win over Hill with Davis grabbing third for the $10,000 prize. Zane Roth finished fourth with his new ride and Kemery crossed the line in fifth in spite of a flat right rear tire. Ethan Bill was shuffled back to sixth followed by Matt Peck, Jax Yohn, Jesse Hirthler and Colin Cox.
It was a sweep for Toth and for car owner, Kevin Hirthler!
After leading every lap of the fifteen lap feature event, Stan Ploski was forced to settle for second after Jonathan Swanson was able to complete a last lap, last corner pass for the lead and the win. Wayne Scott won the battle for third over Nate Smith and Brendan Hires.
PRELUDE TO THE HOFFMAN MEMORIAL
DANNY’S PIZZA PIZZAZZ MODIFIEDS (25 LAPS) 1. Mike Maresca, 2. Logan Watt, 3. Justin Grosso, 4. Tyler Dippel, 5. Danny Bouc, 6. Alex Payne, 7. Dillon Steuer, 8. Ryan Godown, 9. Brian Papiez, 10. Sammy Martz, Jr., 11. Brandon Grosso, 12. Neal Williams, 13. Ryan Krachun, 14. Cole Stangle, 15. ax20. David Schilling, 21. Paul Mancini, 22. Anthony Tramontana, 23. Johnny Bangs, 24. Stan Frankenfield, Jr., 25. Billy Osmun, III, 26. Dominick Buffalino, DNS – Ryan Behrent, Bill Deckelman, Mike Franz, Jason Reome
DEMERS HEATING & COOLING 602 SPORTSMAN (20 LAPS) 1. Joe Toth, 2. Jesse Hirthler, 3. Mike Butler, 4. Matt Ellery, 5. Colin Cox, 6. Ryan Simmons, 7. Jordan Henn, 8. Robbie Emory, 9. Ronnie Solomon, III, 10. Adam White, 11. Tom Moore, Jr., 12. Jax Yohn, 13. Chris Grbac, 14. Zane Roth, 15. Quinton Buchanan, 16. Ryan Krushinski, 17. Todd English, 18. Christopher Cordeau, 19. Christopher Buffalino, 20. Matt Peck, 21. Mike Toth, 22. Steve Kemery, 23. Brandon Watkins, 24. Matt Martino, 25. Billy Chester, DNS – Jimmy Leiby, DNQ – Nick Van Wickle, Kyle Hartzell, Adrianna Delliponti, Ryan Graver, Brian Rogers, Travis Hill, Luke Bunting, Duncan Molesworth, Aidan Spencer, James Allen, Tyler Lilick, John Leiby, Kyle Brown, Ethan Young, Dave Miloczar, George Schweigart
VICTORY FUELS WINGLESS SPRINTS (15 LAPS) 1. Jonathan Swanson, 2. Stan Ploski, III, 3. Wayne Scott, 4. Nate Smith, 5. Brenden Hires, 6. Shea Wills, 7. Bill Hoff, 8. David Swanson, DNS – Walt Fletcher, Frank Frasco, Andrew Hunt
SPORTSMAN NATIONALS (100 LAPS) 1. Joe Toth, 2. Travis Hill, 3. Steve Davis, 4. Zane Roth, 5. Steve Kemery, 6. Ethan Bill, 7. Matt Peck, 8. Jak Yohn, 9. Jesse Hirthler, 10. ColinCox, 11. Matt Ellery, 12. Ronnie Solomon, III, 13. Duncan Molesworth, 14. Tom Moore, Jr., 15. Matt Martino, 16. Jimmy Leiby, 17. Brian Lilick, 18. T.J. Mayberry, 19. Brian Rogers, 20. Ryan Anderson, 21. Ryan Simmons, 22. Charley Cossaboone, 23. J.D. Darling, 24. Jordan Henn, DNS – Luke Bunting
Thank you to everyone that makes the Kingdom of Speed Possible…..
VP Fuels
American Racer (Lias Tire)
Liberty Kenworth
Church’s Auto Parts
Premio Sausage
Precision Hydraulic & Oil
Millville Glass & Door
Design For Vision
Rodota Trucking & Excavating
Scrappy’s Auto Service
Hyper Racing
Izzi Trucking & Rigging
Danny’s Pizza Pizzazz
Ellery’s Pub & Grill
Ice Less llc.
Hoffman Discount Parts
Weaknecht Archery
Hisko Lowboy
Lineman Racing
Cenco Oil
Bob Hilbert Sportswear
Cassidy Painting
TW Metals
Hessert Chevrolet
Triple R Truck Parts
John Blewett Scrap & Waste Recycling
Pioneer Pole Buildings
F&L Doors – FLDoors.com
EZ Work Trucks
J&S Electrical
Melton Industries
Pro Tek Roofing
Johns Manville
Beacon Building Products
@Victory Fuel
DTM Kawasaki
Amwell Auto Body
Williams Napa
Prime Design Landscaping
Bett’s Garage
Insta Signs Plus
Fogg Chiropractic
Sublmtd Apparel
All State Auto Glass
Marvel’s Welding
A Service Company
Brewer Home Improvements, llc
Pete Clark & Sons Auto Body
Demers Heating and Cooling
