Maresca Makes it Two in a Row With Doug Hoffman Memorial Win at Bridgeport Season Opener & Modified Pit Notes

The Doug Hoffman Memorial 60 kicked off the Bridgeport Motorsports Park 2021 modified racing season a day earlier than scheduled to take advantage of unseasonably warm conditions while avoiding rainy conditions on the originally scheduled date.

 Mike Maresca and Mike Mahaney both towed over 6 hours from upstate New York and in the end it came down to a final lap final turn duel between the two upstate New York travelers with Maresca diving under Mahaney’s slider to take the victory by a little over 2 tenths of a second.  The win was Maresca’s second in row at Bridgeport as he won the 2020 season closing Wildcard Weekend 50 lap event and now claims the 2021 Doug Hoffman Memorial 60 season opener.

Duane Howard took the early lead from the pole in the Butch Getz 15g while Maresca quickly worked his way from 7^th to 3^rd by lap 5 when the first caution flew for a Kevin Hirthler’s flat tire.  On the restart Jo Jo Watson took over the lead with Howard in pursuit in second.  By lap 20 Howard reclaimed the lead only to have his engine expire in a smoke cloud just after he took the lead back from Watson.  On the subsequent restart it was Mike Maresca taking the lead and Frank Cozze moving into 2^nd while JoJo Watson faded back to 3^rd.  On the 4^th restart at lap 43 Maresca continued to lead while Mahaney moved into second place past Cozze.  From there Maresca stretched his lead only to have lap traffic bring him back to Mahaney on lap 58.  Mahaney threw his “Hail Mary” slider in the final turn of the final lap and Maresca countered with a crossover underneath of Mahaney to take the win by a .24 second margin of victory.   

In victory lane Maresca noted “On the last restart I took a peak at Mike’s tires under caution and they were beat up and I knew mine were about the same so I just tried to take care of my tires for the last 10 laps but then I got messed up with lapped traffic at the end and he made a helluva pass but I saw it coming and turned under him and won the drag race to the line.   Mike Mahaney is great to race with one and one of the best drivers out there right now.”

Mike Mahaney commented “We have been really consistent this year and just came up a little short today. I threw a “hail Mary” at the end and Mikey crossed me up like he should and I was just a little bit late making that final charge.  I made a few mistakes in the turn 1 holes but started to find a rhythm but was just a little too late.”

The top ten was rounded out with Ryan Godown in 3^rd followed by Billy Pauch Jr, Frank Cozze, Jo Jo Watson, Briggs Danner, Peter Britten,Alex Yankowski, Craig Von Dohren.

Ryan Krachun and Mike Maresca quailifed into the cash dash with quick times of session 1 & 2 of timed hot laps on Friday night.

Heat races were won by Kevin Hirthler, Mike Mahaney, Billy Pauch Jr and Jo Jo Watson.  The last chance consolations were won by Briggs Danner and Billy Osmun.

Duane Howard won the 6 lap cash dash which earned him the feature pole position and the $600 cash dash check.

Doug Hoffman Memorial 60 Modified Feature Results – 3/27/21 Bridgeport Speedway

Winner – 1. Mike Maresca 2. Mike Mahaney 3. Ryan Godown 4. Billy Pauch Jr 5. Frank Cozze 6. Joseph Watson 7. Briggs Danner 8. Peter Britten 9. Alex Yankowski 10. Craig Von Dohren 11. Matt Stangle 12. Dillion Steuer 13. Jimmy Horton 14. Danny Bouc 15. Tim Fuller 16. Brandon Grosso 17. Dominic Buffalino 18. Billy Osmun III 19. Tim Buckwalter 20. Clay Butler 21. Ryan Krachun 22. Brett Kressley 23. Tommy Beamer 24. Jared Umbenhauer 25. Neil Williams 26. Duane Howard 27. Tyler Dippel 28. Kevin Hirthler 29. Ryan Watt

Did Not Qualify:  Travis Hill, Brad Roberts, Tommy Errico, Sam Martz Sr., Brian Papiez, Mike Franz, Cale Ross, Ron Roberts, Troy Ale, Justin Easton, Bruce Hooper

 Modified Pit Notes – Doug Hoffman Memorial 60

The Upstate New Yorker Mike Maresca has been on a tear in New Jersey with a win at the 2020 season closing Wildcard Weekend at Bridgeport followed by a win at the Doug Hoffman Memorial 60 to open the 2021 season.  Maresca was fast all weekend and qualified for the cash dash and feature on Friday night as quick time in session 2 of timed hot laps. Maresca plans to hang around the South region a bit and plans on visiting Big Diamond and Grandview this weekend.

Mike Mahaney continued his strong start to his 2021 season adding another 2nd place finish to bring his season totals to three Runner-up finishes; one third place finish and one ninth place finish.

Ryan Godown returned to his home track and quietly had his best run of the season with a 3^rd place finish from a 14^th starting position on the grid.  Godown has been very consistent with his black # 26 with early season STSS South finishes of 8^th, 10^th and 9^th and currently standing 6th in the Short Track Super Series South Region points. This season at Bridgeport is sure to hold some classic Pauch Sr. and Godown battles and provide an epic points battle with a host of young talent giving the old guard a run for their money and the points championship.

Billy Pauch Jr. had a solid outing in the #19 entry with a 4^th place finish from a 10 place starting position.   The 4^th place finish is his best of the season with a 7^th, 14^th and 16^th in prior STSS South races.   Pauch also win his heat race and is hoping this weekend is a springboard to victory lane in the near future. 

Billy Pauch Sr. had a forgettable weekend which ended early on Friday night in timed hot laps with a motor letting go. Pauch is now preparing to defend his 2020 Bridgeport track championship against the likes of Godown, Yankowski, Buckwalter, Steuer, Buffalino, Beamer and many others with the first points race on Saturday April 10th

Frank Cozze returned to form running in 2^nd and contending for the lead for over 40 laps.  Cozze faded a bit late in the race and fell to a solid 5^th place finish.

Jo Jo Watson seems to lead all the 50 to 100 lap at Bridgeport in the early going and than fades toward the back.  Jo Jo lost the lead on lap 20 and faded back but only to a 6^th place finish which is improvement from his 2020 long distance features at Bridgeport.  

Briggs Danner pulled double duty again this weekend with his 78 modified and the 5g URC 360 sprint car.  Briggs raced his way to a 7^th place finish in hs 78 modified from a 23^rd starting position earning him the modified hardcharger of the event. 

Briggs was the quickest URC Sprint car in hot laps and finished 11^th from a 7^th place starting position in the URC 360 winged sprint car season opener. Briggs will be right back at Bridgeport next week competing in his 3rd class at Bridgeport with the USAC East Coast Wingless 360’s on Saturday April 3. If that’s not enough; Briggs will be competing in a 4th class this year at Bridgeport with his # 78 speedster. And it’s not a total impossibility that he may even be competing in a 5th class during 2021 season which is the 600 micro division on the 1/4 mile Spirit Speedway. Briggs last time out in a 600 resulted in a trip to victory lane back in August of 2020.

Bridgeport weekly competitor Matt Stangle continues to impress week in and week out with consistent speed.  Stangle finished 11^th from a 19^th starting position moving forward + 8 positions at his weekly home track.  Stangle adds his 11^th place finish to a 7^th in the STSS race at Port Royal last week.  He has been running in the top 10 at each race this year until tire woes or contact has taken him out as a DNF.  Stangle looks to be in the mix for the Bridgeport and Big Diamond points championships this year.

Ryan Krachun had a strong run going and stayed in the top ten until lap 45 when his steering box broke ending his night as a DNF. Krachun looks forward to using all the speed he has found at Bridgeport as a weekly competitor during the 2021 season.

Dillion Steuer in the Zubi # 17Z started the weekend 3^rd quickest in both of the timed hot laps sessions on Friday night.  In his heat race Steuer had contact with the wall and had to head to the pits to change a tire with no laps on the board.  Despite going to the back due of the field due to his flat tire Steuer moved forward to a 5^th place finish and qualified from the heat race for the feature.  Dillion finished 12^th from a 22^nd starting spot in the field and moved forward +10 positions on the field.

Tim Buckwalter was leading his heat race when the front suspension broke dropping him from a 1^st place qualified to a DNF in the heat race on the last lap.  Buckwalter finished 4^th in the last chance consoliation  from an 8^th starting position which was still was a DNQ for the 60 lap feature by 2 positions.  Buckwalter used a 27th place provisional to start and finished the feature in 19th.

Journeyman Travis Hill jumped in the Horton Sr. owned #76 which may be older equipment but Hill still made a decent showing and just missing qualifying for the feature by one position in the last chance consolation. Travis also did double duty on Saturday and drove the Cogdill #98 entry to a 14th place finish in 602 Crate feature which was the same car he won the Underdog 20 non-winner 602 crate feature race with on Friday night.

Brad Roberts made his rookie season modified debut in his 14B and just missed qualifying in the last chance consolation by 2 positions.  Roberts will be a new weekly competitor at Bridgeport for the 2021 season.

Next on the Schedule at Bridgeport Motorsports Park is the USAC East Coast Wingless 360 Sprints with a full program of 602 Crates, Street Stocks and Vintage on Saturday April 3 with warmups at 6:00 PM.