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KUTZTOWN, PA – They say you never forget the first time.
For Cale Ross, that adage holds true for his breakthrough Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series (STSS) Fueled By Sunoco Modified victory on Tuesday night at Pennsylvania’s Action Track USA.
Lambertville, N.J.’s Ross, who started 14th in the 50-lap ‘Berks County Brawl’ event, edged Michael Maresca at the Sunoco Checkered Flag by a mere .014 seconds for the $5,000 payday in Round No. 3 of the STSS Modified NJ Quality Drywall South Region.
Ross became the 46th different Modified winner in series history.
“I thought Maresca had me there,” Ross said. “I just kept digging and digging, then Alex (Yankowski) was there.
“This place is just absolutely insane. It’s so fast. I’m out of breath.”
Following the Beyea Custom Headers Redraw, Danny Creeden led the starting field to green on the tricky one-fifth-mile oval. Creeden shot into the lead at the outset.
Creeden paced the field for nine laps before a rim-riding Kyle Smith, who started sixth, powered to the top spot.
By lap 10, ultimate victor Ross had cracked the top three from his seventh-row starting berth.
On a lap-17 restart, Ross cleared Smith for the top spot.
Maresca advanced to second on lap 28 and lined up next to leader Ross on a double file restart. Taking advantage of the inside lane, Maresca took command with 21 laps to go.
The remainder of the event ran caution-free as Maresca led a battle between Ross and Alex Yankowski raged for second.
During the race’s final five circuits, Maresca’s pace slowed as he encountered the rear of the field.
Exiting turn four on the race’s final lap, the leaders fanned out three wide with Maresca high, Ross in the middle and Yankowski low. An opportunistic Ross shot the gap in the center and bested Maresca at the line by .014 seconds.
“The top was super treacherous,” Ross said. “It was just ‘cowboy up’ and hold it to the floor. Sometimes you’d hit it and sometimes you didn’t. Luckily we were able to make it work.”
Maresca, of Baldwinsville, N.Y., settled for a $3,000 runner-up effort but took over the lead in the NJ Quality Drywall South Region standings entering the next event at N.J.’s Bridgeport Motorsports Park.
Yankowski of Covington Township, Pa., authored a stirring drive from 15th to complete the podium in the Millman’s NAPA Auto Parts No. 84Y.
Louden Reimert of Oley, Pa., who competed at Action Track USA very early stages of his career, finished fourth in the Flurer Machine & Tool No. 16 and Fleetwood, Pa.’s Smith completed the front five after his career run.
Finishing sixth through 12th, respectively, were 12th-starter Joe Toth of Upper Makefield, Pa.; pole starter Creeden of Wurtsboro, N.Y.; Anthony Perrego of Walden, N.Y., in the Vinnie Salerno-owned No. 4; Bobby Hackel IV of East Greenbush, N.Y., who ran the gamut of positions throughout the main; and Sammy Martz Jr. of Branchburg, N.J., from a provisional 18th starting berth.
Brian Hirthler of Green Lane, Pa., topped the 10-lap ‘Rocky’ Last Chance Qualifier. Hirthler had the option of collecting the $1,000 winner’s share or starting the 50-lap main. Hirthler chose to pocket the grand and put his self-owned car in the trailer.
Heat winners were Perrego, Danny Bouc and Matt Stangle. Hackel won the consolation.
Reimert was the ATL Fuel Cells Hot Lap Hero with a circuit of 11.315 seconds.
The STSS returns to competition during a busy month of June.
On June 14, N.Y.’s Brookfield Speedway hosts the STSS Sportsman Madsen Overhead Doors Inc. North Region rescheduled second round postponed by rain from Memorial Day Sunday.
Attention turns to Vermont’s Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Father’s Day (Sunday, June 21) with the ‘Slate Valley 67’ for the STSS Modified HYTORC of New York North Region offering a $6,700 top prize.
N.Y.’s Afton Motorsports Park hosts a doubleheader on Thursday, June 25 with the STSS Modified HYTORC of New York North Region and STSS Sportsman Madsen Overhead Doors Inc. North Region on the ‘Interstate 88 Special’ program.
To learn more about the Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco, visit www.shorttracksuperseries.com, e-mail bdmotorsportsmedia@gmail.com, check out ‘Short Track Super Series’ on Facebook or @ShortTrackSS on (X) or Instagram.
The Short Track Super Series is presented by Bob Hilbert Sportswear, FloRacing, American Racer, Lias Tire, Sunoco Race Fuels, BDR Feed, NJ Quality Drywall, HYTORC of New York, Ollie’s, Penske Racing Shocks, Saint Lawrence Radiology, Capitol Custom Trailers & Coaches, Bicknell Racing Products, Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Madsen Overhead Doors, Belmont’s Garage, Wegner Automotive, DIG Race Products, ATL, Dirt Draft, Swagger Factory Apparel, F.X. Caprara Car Companies, Algonkin Motel LLC, Beyea Custom Headers, Design for Vision, Sunglass Central, Dirt Track Digest TV, DKM Fabrication, EIBACH, Flach Performance Products, Henry’s Headers & Exhaust Systems, JK Signworks, JLR Technologies, Dave Prime Jr. MAC Tools, MD3, PEM Engineering, Schultz Racing Fuel Cells, SRI Performance, Swift Springs, The Exotic Brand, Troyer Dirt Cars, TV 12 Racing Products, VAHLCO Wheels & Wilwood Disc Brakes.
‘BERKS COUNTY BRAWL’ RESULTS SUMMARY – ACTION TRACK USA MAY 26, 2026
Bob Hilbert Sportswear Short Track Super Series Fueled By Sunoco Modified NJ Quality Drywall South Region Round No. 3 Feature Finish (50 laps): 1. 112-Cale Ross[14]; 2. 7MM-Michael Maresca[5]; 3. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[15]; 4. 16-Louden Reimert[7]; 5. 77-Kyle Smith[6]; 6. 9-Joe Toth[12]; 7. 16X-Danny Creeden[1]; 8. 4-Anthony Perrego[8]; 9. 97-Bobby Hackel IV[13]; 10. 24M-Sammy Martz Jr[18]; 11. 26-Ryan Godown[10]; 12. 6D-Dillon Steuer[9]; 13. 53-Mike Gular[3]; 14. 13T-Anthony Tramontana[17]; 15. 6-Danny Bouc[4]; 16. 6S-Matt Stangle[2]; 17. 51-Ryan Krachun[16]; 18. 5K-Kenny Peoples Jr[11]
“Rocky 20” B-Main Feature Finish (20 laps): 1. 4*-Brian Hirthler[2]; 2. 5B-Bobby Butler[1]; 3. 24M-Sammy Martz Jr[3]; 4. 13T-Anthony Tramontana[4]; 5. F1-Coleby Frye[5]; 6. 14-Billy Pauch Jr[6]; 7. 1-Austin Dean[7]
American Racer/Lias Tire Bonuses (FREE Tire Certificate): Joe Toth (sixth) & Ryan Godown (11th)
ATL Fuel Cell Hot Lap Hero ($100): Louden Reimert (11.315 seconds)
Beyea Custom Headers Redraw Bonus ($50): Dillon Steuer (Redrew Ninth)
Henry’s Exhaust Power Position ($50 Certificate): Ryan Godown (11th)
MD3 Most Laps Led ($100 Certificate): Michael Maresca (20 laps)
PEM Manufacturing Bonus (Gear Set): Alex Yankowski(third)
Penske Racing Shocks Bonuses: Cale Ross (first – $150 certificate); Michael Maresca (second – $100 certificate); Alex Yankowski (third – $75 certificate)
Swift Springs Hard Luck Award (FREE Spring): Ryan Krachun
