Michael Maresca’s Top Dog Friday Night In DIRTcar Modified Action At Brewerton Speedway
News Director 
Story By: DAVE MEDLER / BREWERTON SPEEDWAY – BREWERTON, NY – A huge thank you to all the fans and race teams who came out Friday, July 2 even with the gloomy weather forecast statewide. Except for a shower before hot laps, the entire show was completed with multiple racing grooves thanks to the track maintenance crew.
Michael Maresca decided in 2021 to call the Brewerton Speedway his Friday night home to work on his big block program. That decision has paid off, in six events run at the speedway he has gone to victory lane twice.
In the 35-lap Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Big Block Modified feature 24 cars took the green with Roy Bresnahan and Chad Phelps leading early laps.
By lap 10 Phelps bolted out to an almost full straightaway lead with Jim Witko, Michael Maresca, Tim Sears Jr. and Kevin Root slugging it out for second through fifth.
After Maressca moved into second, he was able to run down Phelps and into the lead on lap 14.
With 10 laps remaining Maresca had his car on rails as he was putting cars down a lap while building up a three-second lead over Tim Sears Jr., Jimmy Phelps who started 11th and Root.
Over the final laps there was no stopping Maresca as he cruised to the popular win. The fastest car on the track over the last handful of laps was Jimmy Phelps who finished second. Tim Sears Jr., Chad Phelps and Larry Wight finished third through fifth.
In the 25-lap DOT Foods DIRTcar Sportsman feature would see 29 cars take the green that would see the winner decided on the final lap coming to the checkers.
Jeff Prentice would lead the opening 4 laps when Chris Mackey would take over the top-spot as racing was two- and three-wide behind them throughout the field.
With 10 laps remaining Mackey was still cruising out front ten car lengths ahead of Alan Fink. Zach Payne, Prentice and Quinn Wallis were showing on the scoring tower in the top-five.
The last thing Mackey wanted to see was a late caution that would wipe out his lead, that is exactly what happened with 5 laps remaining.
The final laps were a classic between Chris Mackey and Alan Fink as they traded slide jobs back and forth on both ends of the speedway with Mackey picking up his second win of the year. Zach Payne was able to slip by Fink coming to the checkers. Alan Fink, points leader Zach Sobotka and Amy Holland finished third through fifth.
Lucas Oil Empire Super Sprints CNY Speedweek would see 28 cars sign into the pits for the 25-lap Don Gillette Memorial.
Sam Reakes IV would grab the lead at the drop of the green and would show the way out front, quickly putting cars down a lap trying to build distance between himself and the tight battle just behind him between Larry Wight, Jason Barney Matt Tanner and Tommy Wickham.
Reakes would see his advantage disappear when the caution came out on lap 11. Wight took advantage of the yellow as he would bolt out to the lead on the restart.
Wight would open the biggest lead of the race with 10 laps remaining, leaving Reakes, Tanner, Barney and Dylan Swiernik to battle it out in the top-five.
Over the final laps there was no stopping Wight as he defended home turf winning his second straight Brewerton ESS CNY Speedweek feature by five seconds over Matt Tanner. Sammy Reakes, Danny Varin, and Dylan Swiernik finished third through fifth.
Chris Bonoffski made his first start of the year in the Fleet Repairs 4-Cylinders pay off. Bonoffski would lead every lap in the 15-lap feature, never being seriously challenged. Damien Bechler, Chuck Powelczyk, Quinn Wallis and Justin Pope finished second through fifth.
This Friday, July 9 NAPA Auto Parts will present a night of fast, family affordable, fun racing featuring the Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds, DOT Foods DIRTcar Sportsman, AmeriCU Credit Union Mod Lites, Fleet Repair 4-Cylinders plus a visit from the Dirt Modified Nostalgia Tour.
Adult grandstand admission is $15 with everyone 18 years old and younger, admitted free. Pit admission is $35. Gates will open at 5:30 pm with racing at 7:30 pm.
A-Verdi Storage Containers July 2 Night at The Speedway Results
(Tracey Road Equipment DIRTcar Big Block Modifieds 35 Laps) – MICHAEL MARESCA, Jimmy Phelps, Tim Sears Jr., Chad Phelps, Larry Wight, Kevin Root, Ron Davis III, Tyler Trump, Jim Witko, Chris Hile, Willy Decker, Billy Decker, Tom Sears, Jack Lehner, Roy Bresnahan, Ben Bushaw, Pat Ward, Sean Beardsley, Jeff Taylor, Torrey Stoughtenger, Tim Harris, Nick Krause, Rocky Warner, DNS – Andy Noto
(DIRTcar 358 Modified Bonus $300, $200, $100) – Willy Decker, Ben Bushaw, Sean Beardsley.
(Empire Super Sprints Don Gillette Memorial 25 Laps) – LARRY WIGHT, Matt Tanner, Sammy Reakes, Danny Varin, Dylan Swiernik, Jason Barney, Tommy Wickham, Shawn Donath, Davie Franek, Jonathan Preston, Scott Holcomb, Kelly Hebing, Billy VanInwegan, Chad Miller, Tyler Cartier, Paulie Colagiovanni, Denny Peebles, Joe Trenca, John Smith, Jake Karklin, Dalton Herrick, Lacey Hanson, Chuck Hebing, Nick Fratto, Jeff Cook.
(DOT Foods DIRTcar Sportsman 25 Laps) – CHRIS MACKEY, Zach Payne, Alan Fink, Zach Sobotka, Amy Holland, Tyler Murray, Dalton Rombough, Dale Caswell, Jeff Prentice, Tony Finch II, Willy Decker Jr., Max Hill, Dorian Wahdan, Earl Rudy, Brent Joy, Bucky Hayes, Dan Keyes, Riley Rogala, Rich Townsend, JJ Courcy, Quinn Wallis, Chris Bonoffski, Dan Rief, Matt Caprara, Jacob Dupra, Matt Kitts, Teddy Starr, Joe Sobotka, DNS – Brandon Carvey.
(NAPA Auto Parts Chase Elliott Award) – Jeff Prentice
(Fleet Repairs 4-Cylinders 15 Laps) – CHRIS BONOFFSKI, Damien Bechler, Chuck Powelczyk, Quinn Wallis, Justin Pope, Ray Bechler, Tony Frezzo, Clayton Koch, Corey Valade, Kenneth Evans, Jack Taskey, Justin Burns, Kevin Duffany, Tyler Bates, Tim Dunn, Dave Mills, Sam Curcie, Hannah Guerreri.
