HINTON WINS USAC EAST COAST SPRINT CAR FINALE AT BRIDGEPORT, DREVICKI IS 6-TIME CHAMP

Winner #39 Chelby Hinton. (Steve Koletar Photo)

By: Kurt Bettler

Swedesboro, New Jersey (October 31, 2026)………Just a few days ago, Chelby Hinton was preparing to race in Texas. Those races were ultimately canceled, but a random phone call from Hogue Racing Enterprises soon changed everything.

That phone call led to bringing a kid from Louisiana to New Jersey where he finished the USAC East Coast Sprint Cars Presented by Baer Den Farms season as a winner of Sprint Car Extravaganza on Saturday night at Bridgeport Motorsports Park.

A stout field of 23 drivers were on hand, and Hinton, who had never stepped foot on the grounds at Bridgeport, wasted no time making himself at home. On Friday night, Hinton captured the Malley Pool Water Non-Winners Showdown, taking the first step toward what became a career-changing weekend.

With $700 to win Friday, $2,500 to win Saturday, and a $2,000 Sandoe’s Fruit Market sweep bonus on the line, something never before accomplished in USAC East Coast history was possible. A potential $5,200 weekend was waiting for the driver who could conquer both nights.

Another major storyline heading into Saturday was the tight championship battle between Steven Drevicki and Christian Bruno. After Kyle Spence, Steven Drevicki, and Ronald Helmick captured the three heat races, Drevicki carried a 24-point advantage into the Baer Den Farms feature.

Once the amber lights went dark, the drama began. Who would win the battle? Who would win the war?

Jonathan Swanson started from the pole, but it was Reading, Pennsylvania’s Tyler Brehm taking the early lead, piloting the potent Kelly No. 51. However, Hinton, aboard the Hogue 39, wasted no time applying pressure to Brehm.

Flirting with disaster while utilizing every inch of the very top of the racetrack, Hinton snatched the lead on lap eight. Brehm wasn’t going away, though, as he fought back and attempted another slide job on the 39.

Meanwhile, the battle for third was three-wide, with Swanson, Helmick, Spence, and a charging Brenden Hires all in the mix. Kyle Spence began working every angle of the racetrack, finding a way past Swanson, Hires, and Helmick to move into third.

Drevicki lurked just outside the top five, while Christian Bruno was slicing his way forward from his 16th starting position and breaking into the top 10, right behind the point leader.

As the laps clicked off, one thing became evident: Hinton didn’t come east just to compete. He came east to win. Neither Brehm nor Spence had an answer for the Louisiana invader.

Hinton scored not only his first career USAC East Coast victory, but his second win of the weekend. He collected the $2,500 feature payday, the $2,000 Sandoes Fruit Market sweep bonus, his $700 Friday night victory, a $100 RAD Hot Lap Hero bonus, and the Bitner Automotive Fast Time award. Quite the lucrative trip from Louisiana!

Brehm turned in a career-best wingless performance with a second-place finish, while Kyle Spence completed the podium in third.

While Hinton was celebrating a magical weekend, Drevicki had unfinished business of his own. The Reading, Pennsylvania driver did exactly what he needed to do, sealing up his sixth career USAC East Coast Sprint Car championship.

A weekend that started with a phone call ended with a new winner, a $5,200 payday, and another championship added to the history books.

USAC EAST COAST SPRINT CARS PRESENTED BY BAER DEN FARMS RACE RESULTS: October 31, 2026 – Bridgeport Motorsports Park – Swedesboro, New Jersey – Sprint Car Extravaganza

E. SCHNEIDER & SONS FIRST HEAT: (8 laps, starting positions in parentheses, all transfer to the feature) 1. Kyle Spence (#42 Fraker) (1), 2. Tyler Brehm (#51 Kelly) (5), 3. Jonathan Swanson (#17J Swanson) (3), 4. David Swanson (#117 Swanson) (7), 5. Greg Shepsis (#75 Shepsis) (2), 6. Mick D’Agostino (#91D D’Agostino) (4), 7. Christian Bruno (#3 JMO) (6). NT

BDB GRAPHICS SECOND HEAT: (8 laps, starting positions in parentheses, all transfer to the feature) 1. Steven Drevicki (#19 Drevicki) (3), 2. Chelby Hinton (#39 Hogue) (4), 3. Brenden Hires (#2 Danner) (1), 4. Jared Kreider (#24 Haggenbottom) (5), 5. Rick Lafferty (#02 Hisko) (7), 6. Stan Ploski III (#27 Ploski) (2), 7. Heidi Hedin (#3H Hedin) (6). NT

MALLEY POOL WATER THIRD HEAT: (8 laps, starting positions in parentheses, all transfer to the feature) 1. Ronald Helmick (#22R Helmick) (2), 2. Kenny Miller III (#23m Miller) (3), 3. Joe Kata (#10 Kata) (5), 4. Steve Downs (#12D Downs) (4), 5. Olivia Thayer (#39T Thayer) (6), 6. Dan Malley (#H20 Malley) (7), 7. Ed Aikin (#7 Aikin) (1). NT

ALSO AT THE TRACK: J.R. Fulper (#67x Fulper) & Frank Frasco (#186 Frasco).

BAER DEN FARMS FEATURE: (25 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Chelby Hinton (3), 2. Tyler Brehm (2), 3. Kyle Spence (7), 4. Kenny Miller III (8), 5. Brenden Hires (5), 6. Steven Drevicki (9), 7. Christian Bruno (16), 8. Ronald Helmick (6), 9. Jared Kreider (11), 10. Jonathan Swanson (1), 11. Joe Kata (4), 12. Rick Lafferty (14), 13. Olivia Thayer (15), 14. Steve Downs (12), 15. Greg Shepsis (13), 16. Mick D’Agostino (19), 17. Stan Ploski III (17), 18. Heidi Hedin (20), 19. Dan Malley (18), 20. David Swanson (10). NT

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-7 Tyler Brehm, Laps 8-25 Chelby Hinton.

USAC EAST COAST SPRINT CARS PRESENTED BY BAER DEN FARMS POINTS: 1-Steven Drevicki-847, 2-Christian Bruno-819, 3-Kenny Miller III-787, 4-Kyle Spence-671, 5-Joe Kata-643, 6-Ed Aikin-572, 7-Ronald Helmick-551, 8-Olivia Thayer-496, 9-Bruce Buckwalter Jr.-433, 10-Chris Allen Jr.-419.

CONTINGENCY AWARD WINNERS:

Hoosier Right Rear Tires by Racers Used & New Warehouse Heat Winners: Kyle Spence, Steven Drevicki & Ronald Helmick

RAD Race Design Hot Lap Hero: Chelby Hinton

Bitner Automotive Fast Time of the Night: Chelby Hinton

Hoosier Tire Pill Draw: Mick D’Agostino (16)

C & C Landscape Hard Charger: Christian Bruno (16th to 7th)

JPA Racing Products Hard Luck Award: Ed Aikin (engine blew while leading heat)

J & W Home Improvement Highest Finishing Crate or 305: Greg Shepsis (15th)

TWF Trailer Tires: Joe Kata

Kenda Trailer Tires: Christian Bruno