Independent cinema is about to collide with the roar of engines. PONY, a new feature film shot entirely during a live racing season at Bridgeport Speedway in Swedesboro, New Jersey, will hold its world premiere on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at the very track where it was filmed.
The film tells the story of two racing sisters, Amanda and Pony Marchetti, whose lives are upended when a championship race ends with Amanda in a coma. As Pony investigates, she uncovers evidence of sabotage and must decide whether to succumb to fear or fight for her sister’s legacy on the track.
What sets PONY apart from typical racing dramas is its commitment to authenticity. Rather than relying on CGI or closed-course simulations, the production captured actual wheel-to-wheel racing with professional drivers including Billy Pauch Jr., Sammy Martz Jr., and Ryan Krachun behind the wheel. The lead actresses even performed their own racing scenes, adding a visceral reality rarely seen in the genre.
The film is a joint production between Garden State Media Pro, based in Medford, New Jersey, and Cinemaddict Films LLC out of Cherry Hill. Executive producers Doug Rose and David Izzi of Izzi Trucking and Rigging backed the project.
Producer Chris Cardillo has positioned the premiere as both a cinematic event and a celebration of the short-track racing community that made the film possible. Tickets for the premiere are available through Bridgeport Motorsports Park via Tixr.
The decision to premiere at the actual speedway rather than a traditional theater underscores the film’s grassroots spirit. For fans of dirt track racing and independent filmmaking alike, PONY promises to deliver something genuinely different — a story born from the dust and danger of real competition.
With its blend of family drama, mystery, and high-octane racing action, PONY could become a sleeper hit in the independent film circuit this summer.
