Mike Maresca

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MIKE MARESCA SNIPES A WIN IN THE SUNSHINE STATE

By Adam Cornell

MIKE MARESCA TRAVELLED thirteen hundred miles from his home in Potsdam, New York to compete at the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway in Florida back in February. His quest was to score an elusive victory in the Super DIRTcar Series.

“In 2017 we did the whole [Super DIRTcar] tour,” Maresca said. “Then only three or four races in 2018, and just a few in 2019. I just didn’t feel like we were competitive.”

As Maresca honed his craft, some of the advice he was given didn’t seem to work for him.

“I’d heard and believed it, that you race with the best to be the best,” Maresca said. “That didn’t work for me. I had to learn how to race. I had to learn how to run up front. Once I felt like I could be competitive I decided to go for it again. This was really the first year I felt good about my chances.”

Maresca has always approached racing from a different vantage point than many of his competitors.

“I started off racing dirt bikes,” Maresca explained. “Maybe that has an effect on how I race now. I don’t know. On a bike, it’s just you out there. No protection. So, you kind of have to be fearless. In a car, you’ve got the cage, the belts, everything. It’s a little different. But then again, if you make a small mistake on a bike, you can recover. Get back up and keep riding. In a car, if you make a small mistake, you can tear it up. It gets expensive quick.”

During the last year, in the lead up to

the 2021 Super DIRTcar Series races in Florida, Maresca ran a pretty full schedule, despite some shutdowns due to the pandemic.

“One of the things I missed the most in 2020 was not getting to race in Canada,” Maresca said. “I loved racing across the border in 2019. I’ve got a lot of friends up there. With the borders closed, that whole scene was shutdown. I hope we can get back there this year. I guess we’ll see.”

Another striking impact of the Photos: Michael Boggs

pandemic was the lack of fans allowed in the stands through most of the year.

“I have to say, that part didn’t affect me as much,” Maresca continued. “Not that I don’t appreciate the fans or anything. I don’t mean that. It’s just, when I get to the track, and I’m out in the car, I am focused on the track. I try to take mental photographs at the big races, take it all in, so I can remember it later and enjoy the moment. But when I’m on the track I am totally focused on the task at hand. So, I’m not paying attention to anything going on in the stands or anything. I’m there to win. Or trying to win.”

Maresca’s decision on where and when to race in 2021 goes back to his feeling on whether he’ll be competitive and have a chance to win. In 2020 he was track champion at Can-Am Speedway in Lafargeville, New York in the 358 DIRTcar Modifieds. He also took home the track championship at Fonda Speedway in Fonda, New York in 2020.

“I come at my racing career from a different angle,” Maresca explained. “I have a degree in financing with a minor in project management. I use some of those skills in steering my career. I’ve looked at it this way: I wanted a career that let me have a regular job, but also gave me a chance to go racing anywhere within a ten-hour radius. I’m pretty lucky to live in an area with so many tracks within driving distance. I like Utica-Rome, Fonda, Thunder Mountain (in Lisle, New York), Bridgeport, BAPS, Can-Am. I really love Brockville. I think that’s my favorite racetrack. It’s got a big cushion, some character on the bottom, and always aggressive racing. It’s a fun place to race.”

Maresca’s picking and choosing his races and tracks is reminiscent of a sniper picking off his targets, carefully and methodically. Perhaps that’s why the number emblazoned on the side of

Photos: Michael Boggs

Maresca’s car is 7mm, accompanied by a rifle round graphic. The 7mm Remington round had a history with snipers, primarily the US Secret Service sharp shooters. (Though it’s commonly used in hunting these days, I’m sticking with the sniper analogy.) Or maybe Maresca just thought it was cool. Either /or.

When Maresca headed to Florida in early February, he was locked and loaded and on a mission.

“The biggest race of my career was the Outlaw 200 win back in 2019,” Maresca said. “I won about $20,000. But I wanted to win a Super DIRTcar Series race, it’s definitely been on my radar. And I felt really good about my chances this year.”

By the second night, Maresca had a victory in his sights, but fell just short, finishing third behind Stewart Friesen and Erick Rudolph.

By night three, Maresca had his car dialed in and found himself sitting on the pole after qualifying. It wasn’t going to be an easy battle, however, as savvy veteran, Matt Sheppard, started the race door-to-door with Maresca.

Maresca jumped off the line and took the lead and had his hands full keeping Sheppard at bay. But as the race progressed and the field stretched out around the track, Maresca found himself climbing through lapped traffic and extending his lead ahead of Sheppard. A caution with just seven laps remaining could have proven to be the opportunity Sheppard needed to slip by, but Maresca retained the lead and finished with a victory, finally landing his first Super DIRTcar Series victory and his first Little Gator trophy.

The rain washed out the final night of racing during the 50th DIRTcar Nationals, ending the race for the championship, giving the Big Gator to Max McLaughlin of Mooresville, North Carolina.

“We didn’t get the championship, but I did achieve some of the goals I had going to Florida,” Maresca said.

Looking forward to the 2021 season, Maresca is focused on continuing to advance. He has committed to racing at Utica-Rome Speedway Friday nights and Fonda Speedway on Saturdays. He’ll add races throughout the season at which he feels he can be competitive. Sniper scoping out his targets or financial specialist running the numbers? Whichever the case, he continues to calculate his path to success.

“We still have a lot left to do,” Maresca said. “We’ll get there.”

“One of the things people might be surprised to find out about me is that I’m a huge history buff. It’s actually the thing I’m most passionate about. I love Revolutionary War and Civil War history. One day, when I’m old and gray and ready to settle down a little bit, I’ll probably end up being a town historian or something. I think I’d love that.” – Mike Maresca.