Plenty Of Big-Time Action Heading To Bridgeport For 2020; Schedule Announced
Story By: DANNY SERRANO / BRIGEPORT SPEEDWAY – SWEDESBORO, NJ – Bridgeport Speedway is proud to announce that they have put together an exciting schedule of events for the 2020 season!
“Excited is an understatement,” new track owner Doug Rose exclaimed. “We’ve come up with such a diverse and attractive schedule for the fans and race teams, I truly can’t wait. We’ve got the best touring series in the country coming to Bridgeport in 2020 along with the best weekly competition on Saturday nights. If this schedule doesn’t get the blood pumping, you might want to go see your primary doctor,” Rose added with a chuckle.
The 2020 season will kick off with the ‘Kingdom of Speed 100 Weekend’ featuring the 60 Over Special-Doug Hoffman Memorial Race on March 28th and 29th. Friday night gets things going with an open practice for any participating weekend divisions. Saturday and Sunday will showcase the Modifieds vying for a 60-lap $6,000 first-place prize while the 358 ‘spec’ Small Blocks battle it out for $4,000 in their 40-lapper. The Speedstrs will make their first of 9 appearances in 2020, while 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks, and 305 MASS Sprints round out what is sure to be a must-see opening day weekend!
The 2020 point chase gets underway on Saturday, April 10., There are 17 scheduled traditional point races for the Spirit Auto Center Modifieds throughout the upcoming season. The South Jersey Overhead Door 602 Sportsman will crown a champion 19 point races, while the Sunbelt Rental Outlaw Stocks will battle it out over 21 races. The 2020 Point Champions will be crowned following the final night of points on Saturday, September 12th.
The World of Outlaws make their only 2020 appearance in the Garden State when the likes of Donny Schatz, Brad Sweet, David Gravel Daryn Pittman and the best in the business take on the PA Posse’s Danny Dietrich, Ryan Smith, Lucas Wolfe, Freddie Rahmer and more at the new ‘Kingdom of Speed’ Bridgeport Speedway. The stars of the Modified division will join the Outlaws in this double header show on Tuesday, May 20th.
The ever-popular Monster Truck Throwdown returns to Bridgeport for two separate two-day events. With last year’s standing-room only sold out shows, Bridgeport management and MTT decided to give the fans what they want…another weekend of car-crushing excitement! The unofficial start of summer will kick off at Bridgeport Speedway during Memorial Day Weekend. Monster Truck Throwdown will make their first appearance of 2020 on Saturday, May 23 and Sunday, May 24. Then on Saturday and Sunday, September 19th and 20th will see the return of MTT. Be sure to witness iconic trucks up close such as ‘Avenger’, ‘Crustacean’, ‘Over Bored’, ‘Miss Over Bored’, ‘Lumberjack’ and more.
The return of the ‘South Jersey Shootout’ comes on Wednesday, May 27. The stars of the STSS-Short Track Super Series will be in full fledge for this mid-week special. Modified stars from all over the Northeast that include Stewart Friesen, Matt Sheppard, Andy Bachetti, Jordan Watson, Duane Howard, David VanHorn, Billy Pauch Jr., Jimmy Horton, Mike Gular, Danny Bouc, Brandon Grosso, Ryan Krachun, Craig VonDohren, Brett Kressley, and Anthony Perrego will be going head to head with Bridgeport’s own Modified squad. The 602 STSS Sportsman will be the undercard of this year’s Shootout.
The United States Auto Club (USAC) comes to town for the 2020 Eastern Storm on Wednesday, June 10. The wingless daredevils will be making their third straight appearance at the South Jersey speedway. Previous winners Kevin Thomas Jr. and Jason McDougal will be out in full force with stars Brady Bacon, Tyler Courtney, CJ Leary, and many more. Joining USAC will be the mighty Modifieds for this tremendous double header program.
On Sunday, July 5th, the ‘All American 40’ holiday show returns. Joining the Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, and Street Stocks will be the first appearance of the URC 360 Sprint Cars. URC returns in November for their traditional two-day show during Wildcard Weekend. URC has a strong history at Bridgeport Speedway and 2020 should see car counts grow even more with the new layout of the sprint car-friendly facility.
The Super DIRTcar Series will be making their return to Bridgeport for the all-new ‘King of the Big Blocks’ event after a two-year hiatus on Wednesday, July 29. The well-traveled Big Block circuit has some of the best drivers to offer in the modified ranks. Mat Williamson is the reigning SDS champion and will lead a brigade of Big Blocks that include Matt Sheppard, Billy Decker, Jimmy Phelps, Peter Brittain, Brett Hearn, Danny Johnson, Ryan Godown, Larry Wight, Mike Mahaney, Tim Fuller, Demetrios Drellos, Jack Lehner, and plenty of others on this special Wednesday evening. Joining the 900 plus horse power ground pounders will be the stars of the Speedstrs for this must-see double header.
The National USAC Midget Tour will make its first appearance ever at Bridgeport on Thursday, August 6. When the high-flying midgets come to town, the fans will get to see the likes of Logan Seavey, Zeb Wise, Jerry Coons Jr., Chad Boat, Brady Bacon, Chris Windom, Tyler Courtney and many more. Accompanying the USAC Midgets will be the Modifieds, where the open wheel fans will get to see weekend warriors Pauch, Watt, Strunk, VonDohren, Godown, Laubach and dozens more.
The USAC Speedstrs will bring their talents East from the Action Track to Bridgeport for 9 appearances throughout the 2020 season. Just some of the drivers that will be giving the fans pure excitement will be Billy Pauch Jr., Tim Buckwalter, Billy Pauch Sr., Jeff Strunk, Alex Yankowski, Matt Janisch, Briggs Danner, Earl Paules, Alex Bright, Trevor Kobylarz, and TJ Mayberry. The Speedstrs will be in action during Kingdom of Speed 100 Weekend, April 18, May 2, May 30, July 18, July 29, September 5, Rumble on the River Weekend, and Wildcard Weekend.
On May 30 and June 13 both tracks at the “Kingdom of Speed” will be in action in what is dubbed as a ‘Combo Event’. Bridgeport and the Spirit 1/4 mile will race on these Saturday programs. 602 Crate Sportsman, MASS Sprints, Street Stocks, Speedstrs, 4 Cylinders, 8 Cylinders, 270 and 600 Micro Sprints, and Slingshots will be part of one or both of these ‘Combo Events’.
Bridgeport Speedway will close out the 2020 season with a pair of big three-day weekend programs…The ‘Rumble on the River’ in September and ‘Wildcard Weekend’ in November.
The three-day September affair will feature the USAC East Coast Wingless Sprints, Speedstrs, Modifieds, 358 ‘spec’ Small Blocks, Street Stocks, 602 Sportsman plus Underdog 20, 4 Cylinders & 8 Cyinders. ‘Wildcard Weekend’ will showcase the URC Sprints for two complete shows, Speedstrs, Modifieds, Street Stocks, 602 Sportsman, 4 Cylinders, & 8 Cylinders.
The 602 Sportsman Rookie will return as well in 2020. “We’ve had quite a few calls in regards to the rookies in 2020. We need the teams to register and sign up with us over the next few months then we can start adding race dates to the schedule,” general manager Danny Serrano pointed out.
The 4 Cylinder and 8 Cylinders will be making their return to the newly constructed facility as well in 2020. “We’ve had multiple teams already calling us about racing these two divisions on the new track. We will be working with neighboring speedways so we can come up with dates that are beneficial for two divisions,” offered Serrano. Dates for both classes will be announced in the near future.
Those are just the highlights of the action-packed 2020 season at Bridgeport Speedway! Bridgeport offers something for every race fan.
2020 Race Season Schedule:
*4 Cylinder and 8 Cylinder Dates to be added
- Saturday, March 21 – Media Day – Practice for All Divisions (1/4 mile Practice following)
- Friday, March 27 – Open Practice for Competing Weekend Divisions
- Saturday & Sunday March 28/29- 358 Small Blocks, Modifieds, SpeedSTR’s, Street Stocks, MASS Sprints, 602 Sportsman
- Sunday, April 5 – Modifieds ($3,333 to win), 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks
- Saturday, April 11- Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks (Points Begin)
- Saturday, April 18 –Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks, SpeedSTR’s
- Saturday, April 25-Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks, MASS Sprints
- Saturday, May 2-Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks, SpeedSTR’s
- Saturday, May 9-Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks
- Saturday, May 16-Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks
- Tuesday, May 19- World of Outlaws & Modifieds
- Saturday, May 23-Monster Truck Throwdown
- Sunday, May 24- Monster Truck Throwdown
- Wednesday, May 27 South Jersey Shootout – STSS Modifieds & STSS 602 Sportsman
- Saturday, May 30 –MASS Sprints, SpeedStrs, Street Stocks – (1/4 mile 600 & 270 Micros, Slingshots) COMBO SHOW
- Saturday, June 6- Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks
- Wednesday, June 10 – USAC Sprints & Modifieds
- Saturday, June 13-602 Sportsman, Street Stocks, MASS Sprints, SpeedSTR’s (1/4 mile 600 & 270 Micros, Slingshots) COMBO SHOW
- Saturday, June 20- Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks
- Saturday, June 27-Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks
- Sunday, July 5 – All American 40- URC Sprints, Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks
- Saturday, July 11-Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks
- Saturday, July 18- Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks, MASS Sprints
- Saturday, July 25- Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks
- Wednesday, July 29– Super DIRT Series and SpeedSTR’s
- Saturday, August 1-602 Sportsman, MASS Sprints, Street Stocks
- Thursday, Aug 6 – Bridgeport USAC Midgets and Modifieds
- Sat Aug 8 – OFF
- Saturday, August 15-Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks
- Saturday, August 22- Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks
- Saturday, August, 29- Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks
- Saturday, September 5 -Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks, SpeedSTR’s
- Saturday, September 12- Modifieds, 602 Sportsman, Street Stocks,
- Saturday, September 19- Monster Truck Throwdown
- Sunday, September 20- Monster Truck Throwdown
- Friday/Saturday/Sunday -September 25, 26, 27- USAC East Coast Sprints, Modifieds, 358 Small Blocks, SpeedSTR’s, MASS Sprints, Street stocks, 602 Sportsman, 602 Underdog 20, 4 Cylinders, 8 Cylinders
- Friday/Saturday/Sunday – November 6, 7, 8 – URC (two complete shows) Modifieds, SpeedSTR’s, Street Stocks (two shows), 602 Sportsman, 4 Cylinders, 8 Cylinders,
