7/27/2025
United Racing Club
HEY JOE! JOE KATA BECOMES THE 6th DIFFERENT WINNER IN 6 URC FEATURES CAPTURING FIRST URC FEATURE OF CAREER AT BRIDGEPORT
Article by Bert Wojcik
Photo- Jesse Carberry
Left and right races were raining out on Saturday Afternoon. But when storms moved closer to the east they started to lift. By the time heat racing rolled around in Swedesboro, NJ, it was blue sky and sunshine as one of the only races left standing on the east coast was the United Racing Club 360 Sprint Cars made their second trip of 2025 to the Bridgeport Motorsports Park. We have not had a repeat winner so far in 2025 for URC. That continued tonight as Goshen, NY Joe Kata became the 6th different driver in the first 6 races to win and also the 3rd driver in 2025 to get his first career URC Feature win on Saturday night at Bridgeport.
14 URC 360’s signed in for competition. Kata and Sassamsville, PA’s Brandon McGough brought the 25 lap feature event to the green. It didn't take long for Kata to get out and run away from the field. It also didn't take long for Woodbine, NJ’s Buddy Schweibinz to make his way to the front trying to defend home turf like he did back in June picking up his first win at Bridgeport as well. Making it three wide from his 8th starting spot getting up to fourth by turn two of the opening lap. By lap two McGough was in a dog fight for the second spot with Mertztown, PA’s Josh Weller for the second spot. Weller would clear McGough for the second spot by the 5th lap and then Schweibinz would find his way around McGough for third. Up front it was all Joe Kata all the time getting out to a 2.5 second lead at one point as the feature would run clean and green the first half.
Kata would reach lap traffic just before the half way point, Adian Borden would slow Kata up just ahead, Schweibinz would pull a daring move to get around both lap cars of Borden and Mark Bittner, Kata needed to find a way around Jason Shultz. Kata made quick work to get around Shultz but Weller wouldn't have the same fortune. That allowed Schweibinz to close in and start a battle for the third spot. While those two were fighting with each other Joe Kata was running the race of his life to clinch his first ever URC feature win. Becoming the 292nd different driver to head to URC Victory lane. Weller held off Schweibinz for second. Newtown, PA’s Mikey Thompson, Coming off a runner up finish last week in the 410 feature at Port Royal, was fourth and Bernville, PA’s Hayden Miller rounded out the top 5.
“ We really need this win badly.” Kata said in Victory Lane. “ We got our asses handed to us running 410’s for the last three or four wins. We came back down to the 360's to recoup and get better. This was an intense and physical track. I had to hit my marks and get around the lap cars and clean them out really fast because I knew Weller and Schweibinz were behind me.This just feels amazing !”
“ Joe and I were too matched for speed.” Weller said post race. “ We needed a caution to get us back together.” The same was stated by Schweibinz.” Definitely needed a restart. Had a great initial start.You get pretty strung out here and even with lap traffic. Kata was really fast though and it was going to be tough to beat him. This deal with the 360, I love it. It's more powerful and it helps a lot especially coming from a 305. We’re rolling really well right now,” Schweibinz added.
URC is now on a Summer break with Delaware International now OFF THE SCHEDULE on Saturday August 16th. So that means the next race for The United Racing Club will be Friday August 22nd at the Big Diamond Speedway.
Results for 7/26/2025 at Bridgeport Motorsports Park - Bridgeport, NJ
URC 360 Winged Sprint Cars 14 Entries
A Feature 1 25 Laps
- 10-Joe Kata[1]; 2. 63-Josh Weller[3]; 3. 35B-Buddy Schweibinz[8]; 4. 11T-Mike Thompson[4]; 5. 11H-Hayden Miller[6]; 6. 7X-Dylan Cisney[5]; 7. 47-Adam Carberry[7]; 8. 24-Jared Kreider[9]; 9. 669-Brandon McGough[2]; 10. 35-Jason Shultz[10]; 11. 19-Mark Connoly[13]; 12. (DNF) G1-Mark Bitner[11]; 13. (DNF) 7B-Aidan Borden[14]; 14. (DNF) 51-Mike Haggenbottom[12]
Heat 1 8 Laps - 11H-Hayden Miller[1]; 2. 7X-Dylan Cisney[3]; 3. 669-Brandon McGough[2]; 4. 47-Adam Carberry[4]; 5. 24-Jared Kreider[5]; 6. G1-Mark Bitner[6]; 7. 19-Mark Connoly[7]
Heat 2 8 Laps - 63-Josh Weller[2]; 2. 10-Joe Kata[1]; 3. 11T-Mike Thompson[4]; 4. 35B-Buddy Schweibinz[6]; 5. 35-Jason Shultz[5]; 6. 51-Mike Haggenbottom[7]; 7. (DNS) 7B-Aidan Borden
Submitted By: Robert Wojcik
