By Kurt Bettler
Swedesboro, New Jersey (November 1, 2025)………Briggs Danner once again proved why he’s among the best by driving the Hogue Racing Enterprises Boulevard Truck Repair No. 39 to victory in Saturday’s USAC IMT East Coast Sprint Cars Presented by Baer Den Farms season finale at New Jersey’s Bridgeport Motorsports Park.
Meanwhile, with his third place finish in the feature, Steven Drevicki capped his season as the USAC East Coast Sprint Car driving champion for the fifth time in his career following previous titles in 2018-2019-2020-2024.
It’s been a banner 2025 season for Danner with USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship wins at Kokomo twice, Eldora, Big Diamond and Tri-City, plus a pair of USAC East Coast scores at Big Diamond and now Bridgeport — the perfect capstone to a dominant year.
A cool, breezy, sunny afternoon reminded fans that the season’s end — and winter’s doorstep — had arrived in the northeast. Twenty Innovative Machining Technology Wingless Sprints made the haul for the season finale.
Heat race victories went to Briggs Danner and Ronald Helmick.
The 25-lap feature saw Jason Cherry and Helmick on the front row. Helmick came out swinging, holding off fierce challenges from fourth-starting Danner and sixth-starting Kenny Miller III. The trio went three-wide at the end of lap three before the red flag waved for Christian Bruno, who caught the fence in turn three and took a wild ride. Bruno’s No. 17B was heavily damaged, but Bruno walked away uninjured, although the crash prematurely ended a strong season for the Deptford, New Jersey driver.
On the restart, Danner rocketed around the top at the exit of turn two to take command, with Miller quickly sliding past Helmick for second. While Danner opened up a lead, Miller refused to let him get far ahead.
Meanwhile, Goshen, New York’s Joe Kata was putting on a show after a flat tire in his heat, storming from 20th to break into the top 10. Ed Aikin also charged forward into the mix from 14th.
As the laps wound down, lapped traffic brought Miller back into striking distance of Danner. Series champion Steven Drevicki found late-race speed, muscling past Helmick for third.
When the checkers fell, it was Danner taking his second East Coast Series win of the season, followed by a determined Kenny Miller III while Drevicki, the season-long Strange Engineering Oval Torsion Bars Passing Master, rounded out the podium. Helmick capped a career night with his first heat win and a fourth-place finish, earning him Rookie of the Year honors, while Chase Moran impressed with a top-five in his first start of the season.
Bridgeport hosted three IMT USAC East Coast events in 2025, all won by current or former USAC National Sprint Car driver: Joey Amantea, Alex Bright and Danner, proving once again that the cream rises to the top on Doug Rose’s thrilling 4/10-mile oval.
USAC IMT EAST COAST SPRINT CARS PRESENTED BY BAER DEN FARMS RACE RESULTS: November 1, 2025 – Bridgeport Motorsports Park – Swedesboro, New Jersey
BDB GRAPHICS FIRST HEAT: (8 laps, all transfer to the feature, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Briggs Danner (#39 Hogue) (5), 2. Kenny Miller III (#23m Miller) (4), 3. Christian Bruno (#17B Bruno) (6), 4. Steven Drevicki (#19 Drevicki) (10), 5. J.R. Fulper (#67 Fulper) (3), 6. Greg Shepsis (#75 Shepsis) (2), 7. Dale Schweikart (#78 Auto Barn) (7), 8. Heidi Hedin (#3H Hedin) (8), 9. Dirk Rimrott (#27 Rimrott) (9), 10. Olivia Thayer (#39T Thayer) (1). 2:11.611
E. SCHNEIDER & SONS SECOND HEAT: (8 laps, all transfer to the feature, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Ronald Helmick (#22R Helmick) (1), 2. Patrick Chilmonik (#1 Chilmonik) (3), 3. Chase Moran (#4p Moran) (2), 4. Jason Cherry (#67 Cherry) (4), 5. David Swanson (#117 Swanson) (8), 6. Ed Aikin (#7 Aikin) (10), 7. Mike Haggenbottom (#51 Kelly) (6), 8. Lee Kauffman (#96 Kauffman) (5), 9. Richy Carnathan (#64 Carnathan) (9), 10. Joe Kata (#10 Kata) (7). NT
BOULEVARD TRUCK REPAIR FEATURE: (25 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Briggs Danner (4), 2. Kenny Miller III (6), 3. Steven Drevicki (5), 4. Ronald Helmick (2), 5. Chase Moran (7), 6. Ed Aikin (12), 7. David Swanson (10), 8. Joe Kata (20), 9. J.R. Fulper (9), 10. Patrick Chilmonik (3), 11. Mike Haggenbottom (14), 12. Heidi Hedin (15), 13. Jason Cherry (1), 14. Greg Shepsis (11), 15. Lee Kauffman (16), 16. Dale Schweikart (13), 17. Dirk Rimrott (17), 18. Christian Bruno (8), 19. Richy Carnathan (18), 20. Olivia Thayer (19). NT
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-3 Ronald Helmick, Laps 4-25 Briggs Danner.
USAC IMT EAST COAST SPRINT CARS PRESENTED BY BAER DEN FARMS POINTS: 1-Steven Drevicki-819, 2-Ed Aikin-738, 3-Kenny Miller III-592, 4-Ronald Helmick-544, 5-Chris Allen Jr.-579, 6-Bobby Butler-530, 7-Jason Cherry-474, 8-Christian Bruno-477, 9-Mike Haggenbottom-393, 10-Bruce Buckwalter Jr.-417.
CONTINGENCY AWARDS:
Bitner Automotive Fast Time Award: Briggs Danner
JPA Racing Products Hard Luck: Christian Bruno
C & C Landscaping Hard Charger: Joe Kata (20th to 8th)
Hoosier Tire Poker Chip: Richy Carnathan
Strange Engineering Torsion Bars Winner: Olivia Thayer
J & W Homes Best 305 or Crate: J.R. Fulper (9th)