Archive for Indoor Racing
NEWS FROM LEN SAMMONS PRODUCTIONS
2018-2019 INDOOR AUTO RACING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES FUELED BY VP RACING FUELS
Event Promoter: Len Sammons @609.888.3618
MEDIA INFORMATION: Ernie Saxton Communications – Esaxton144@aol.com -267.934.7286
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INDOOR AUTO RACING SERIES IS COMING TO NEW YORK STATE FARIGROUNDS EXPO CENTER MARCH 8-9, 2019 FEATURING THREE QUARTER MIDGETS, SLINGSHOTS, CHAMP KARTS; TITLES TO BE DECIDED
SYRACUSE, NY October 2, 2018 . . . The Indoor Auto Racing Series fueled by VP Racing Fuels will make its debut at The New York State Fairgrounds Exposition Center in Syracuse, NY on Friday, March 8 and Saturday, March 9, 2019. The Syracuse program will include two complete programs with qualifying and feature events for the Three Quarter (TQ) Midgets, Slingshots and Champ Karts both on Friday and Saturday nights.
The first ever event in Central, N.Y. will be the third and final leg of the 2019 Indoor series. Following annual races inside Allentown Pa.’s PPL Center (January 4, 5) and Atlantic City, N.J.’s famous Boardwalk Hall (January 25, 26), the teams will head to Syracuse where the champions will be decided in all three divisions after two hard fought nights of racing on the building’s concrete floor.
The New York State Fairgrounds Expo Center opened during the recent Labor Day Fair. The huge state of the art $33 million project was built without obstructing poles. Grandstand seating will be available on both the front and backstretch. From their seats, fans will able to be able to see the entire speedway plus the pit area which will be located on the far side of the building.
“This is a great opportunity for fans in the area to again see exciting Indoor Auto Racing during the off-season,” series and event promoter Len Sammons said.
The headline TQ Midgets annually competed inside the Niagara Falls Convention Center from 1984 through 2002 when the building was made into a casino. The Indoor Auto Racing Series made its debut in New York last year with an event held inside Albany’s Times Union Center, but an acceptable date could not be arranged. The Syracuse venue will be the sixth different location for a Len Sammons promoted Indoor Auto Racing Series event.
“The Syracuse location is the perfect building in just the right spot for our series,” said Sammons. “Many of the teams that competed in Niagara Falls back in the day, now have an event closer to their home. The events were also very popular with the fans so a big crowd is expected.”
Two big TQ Midget winners on the Indoor Series, Erick Rudolph of Ransomville and Andy Jankowiak of Buffalo, will surely be fan favorites at the Syracuse show.
Rudolph, currently second in the Super DIRTcar Series point standings, has already clinched the 2018 Modified champion of the nearby Canandaigua Speedway. The Ransomville driver, a multi-time Indoor race and Series champion, should be the fan choice among dirt fans.
Jankowiak won the Indoor series finale in Albany last February. The popular driver recently won an asphalt Modified Race of Champions event at the Lancaster Speedway held in late father’s honor.
Justin Bonsignore, the 2018 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion, is the TQ Midget Indoor Series defending champion. The Long Island driver won his first Indoor TQ Midget victory last January inside Allentown Pa.’s PPL Center on route to the title.
Over 100 drivers from eight states and two Canadian providences are expected to compete. Other top TQ Midget drivers in the Series hailing from the Empire State include Ryan Bartlett of Watertown, Scott Kreutter of Buffalo, the Catalano brothers, Tommy and Timmy from Ontario, Oswego Speedway 2018 Supermodified Rookie of the Year Tyler Thompson from Fulton, DJ Forbes, Jr. from Syracuse, Jonathan Reid from Lockport, Mike Maresca of Hannawa Falls, and the Nye brothers, Shawn and Andrew, from Lancaster.
Competitor entry blanks and rules plus event sponsorship opportunities for all series events will be available by the end of the week at indoorautoracingseries.com. Other information is available by calling the series office at 609-888-3618 or dropping an email to motorsports@aarn.com. Advance ticket, host hotel and other information will be available in the coming weeks.
ENTRIES NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR SECOND ANNUAL EAST COAST INDOOR DIRT NATIONALS AT TRENTON
Posted by: | CommentsNEWS FROM LEN SAMMONS PRODUCTIONS
2018-2019 INDOOR AUTO RACING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES FUELED BY VP RACING FUELS
Event Promoter: Len Sammons @609.888.3618
MEDIA INFORMATION: Ernie Saxton Communications – Esaxton144@aol.com -267.934.7286
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ENTRIES NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR SECOND ANNUAL EAST COAST INDOOR DIRT NATIONALS AT TRENTON; 2017 ENTRANTS ENCOURAGED TO FILE BY AUGUST 31, DEFENDING CHAMP KIDD FILES FIRST ENTRY
TRENTON, NJ August 27, 2018 . . . In the aftermath of the critically acclaimed inaugural, entry blanks for the Second Annual East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals were recently mailed to the competitors and teams who helped make the first race an artistic success. New entries will now be accepted for the event to be held December 14th and 15th at the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, N.J.
All 2017 competitors who intend to race this year and have not returned their completed entry forms should do so prior to the August 31st deadline. At that point new entries will be accepted.
“Pit space is limited at the CURE Insurance Arena,” said promoter Len Sammons. “That’s why we are requesting an early entry return from last year’s drivers. After August 31, we will begin accepting entries from teams that did not compete last year.”
The first official entry returned for the event was received from Whitey Kidd III, the upset winner of the inaugural race last December. Kidd, who qualified through the B-Main and started deep in the field. The 36-year-old Staten Island, N.Y. resident made a late race pass on Collegeville, Pa.’s Alex Bright to win the thriller. Brian Carber of Pipersville, Pa. passed three cars in the final corners to end up third with USAC Sprint Car series rookie Tim Buckwalter and a very exciting Austin Quick rounding out the top five.
One of the reasons for the success of the race was the quality of the racing thanks to an unbelievable dust free banked speedway surface built with rich black clay.
“Everyone was thrilled by the track surface which offered three grooves of racing,” said Sammons. “The top drivers thrilled the fans, running low, pounding the outside cushion or sneaking in between. The fast-paced presentation left the fans wanting more. This year’s race should be even better.”
Title sponsorship for the event is currently being sought. Event sponsors Oliver Communications Group, Hoosier Racing Tires, and VP Racing Fuels are returning to back the race once again. Those interested in being a part of this event should contact Danny Sammons at 609-888-3618 or via e-mail at danny@aarn.com.
Information about entering the East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals, technical and competition rules, and host hotel information have been posted on www.indoorautoracing.com.
Reserved seat spectator tickets went on sale August 16 and are available at www.cureinsurancearena.com
One change in ticket offerings is that event organizers will offer upper-level seating with a reserved seat or a general admission option. Reserved upper-level seats assure ticket buyers the choice of their favorite seats. General admission upper-level seating is available as a less costly alternative, but without the guarantee of specific seats.
A limited amount of premium front-row seats and suites are available for each night. Saturday’s front row seat will also include a special pit area tour prior to the start of racing action.
The Friday, December 14 events will feature heat races and semi features. Points earned throughout Friday’s program will be used to lineup alphabet mains on Saturday night, December 15.
Racing starts at 7PM on Friday and 5PM on Saturday.
ATLANTIC CITY ‘NAPA KNOW HOW’ INDOOR AUTO RACING DATES SET FOR JANUARY 25-26, 2019
Posted by: | CommentsNEWS FROM LEN SAMMONS PRODUCTIONS
2018 INDOOR AUTO RACING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES FUELED BY VP RACING FUELS
Event Promoter: Len Sammons @609.888.3618 – Release created by Steve Barrick
MEDIA INFORMATION: Ernie Saxton Communications – Esaxton144@aol.com -267.934.7286
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ATLANTIC CITY ‘NAPA KNOW HOW’ INDOOR AUTO RACES 2019 DATES SET FOR JANUARY 25-26
TRENTON, NJ May 8, 2018 . . . The Indoor Auto Racing Series fueled by VP Racing Fuels events promoter Len Sammons has set Friday, January 25 and Saturday, January 26, 2019 as the dates for the 17th running of the NAPA Know How Weekend inside historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
Indoor auto racing inside Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall dates back to the late 1930s. Indoor racing was revived for the first time in 1965 and continued through 1981 when, with the advent of casino gambling, racing ceased. Sammons brought the event back to life in 2003.
The lightning fast TQ Midgets will again headline the program which is highlighted by Saturday night’s traditional 40 lap Gambler’s Classic feature event. The quick and agile Champ Karts and the unpredictable and rugged Slingshots will once again be part of the triple header.
“The last weekend in January has been the traditional date for the running of Gambler’s Classic and we are pleased to schedule it there once again for next year,” Sammons said. “It’s the date our drivers and fans have told us year after year that they like.”
Ryan Flores won the 2018 Gambler’s Classic for TQ Midgets. Cale Ross won the Champ Kart main event and Brett Bieber the Slingshot headliner.
“Atlantic City is the anchor for the Indoor Auto Racing Series,” Sammons stated. “We are working on dates for the other events for next season, including the second annual East Coast Dirt Nationals. Look for announcements in the coming weeks as building contracts are finalized.”
Indoor Auto Racing Series 2018 champions were Justin Bonsignore in the TQs, Ross in Champ Karts and Cody Kline in Slingshots.
Past Gambler’s Classic TQ Midget feature race winners in addition to 2018 race victor Flores include three time winners Erick Rudolph (2012, 2015, 2017) and Anthony Sesely (2013, 2014, 2016), the late Ted Christopher (2009, 2011), Lou Cicconi, Jr. (2006, 2010), Joe Payne, Sr. (2004, 2007), Andy Mackereth (2003), Jeff Heotzler (2005) and Mike Tidaback (2008).
For more information visit www.indoorautoracing.com.
ALBANY INDOOR RACING SERIES FINALE RESULTS
Posted by: | CommentsANDY JANKOWIAK WINS INDOOR AUTO RACING SERIES THREE QUARTER MIDGET FINALE; BONSIGNORE NAMES 2018 SERIES CHAMPION; NICK DELCAMPO RACES TO SLINGSHOT CHECKERED; CODY KLINE IS TITLE WINNER; BROWN BEATS ROSS IN CHAMP KART HEADLINER
ALBANY, NY February 9, 2018 . . . Andy Jankowiak of Tonawanda, N.Y., passed Tim Buckwalter six laps into Saturday’s 40-lap feature to win the Indoor Auto Racing Series feature at Times Union Center in downtown Albany, N.Y.
“This is the one I wanted to win,” Jankowiak said. “I’ve won ‘em before but this is the first I won in my own car. It was perfect. I couldn’t be happier. I did everything but win last night and to get it tonight is all I could ever ask for.”
At the other end of the spectrum, Justin Bonsignore nursed a car with an engine that he described as ‘blown up’, to win the Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP Racing Fuels 2018 championship.
“I don’t know how this car finished,” Bonsignore said. “The motor was coming apart ten laps into this thing. The championship means a lot to me and to this team.”
Buckwalter retained second for the last 34 laps after losing the lead to Jankowiak while Timmy Catalano survived a mid-pack start and minor involvement in several crashes to finish third. Matt Janisch was fourth in the finale with Erick Rudolph fifth.
Rudolph could have had a shot at the title with Bonsignore’s subpar outing but never got untracked.
Anthony Sesely managed a sixth-place finish flipping his car during the race. Jonathan Reid, Ryan Tidman, Tim Nye and Friday night winner Anthony Payne rounded out the top ten.
Nick DelCampo of Blauvelt, N.Y., won the 20-lap Slingshot main event.
“I’m in tears right now. These races are so tough. This is just such a humbling experience,” DelCampo said. “We had been bringing fast race cars to Indoor races for years. We finally got one.”
Cody Kline of Hellertown, Pa., was the 2018 Indoor Auto Racing Series 2018 Slingshot champion.
“This Indoor racing is tough,” Kline said. “I didn’t really want to know where I was in the points but last night my crew told me I was ahead. Very happy to be able to do it. A lot of people have worked hard to make this happen.”
The Champ Kart 20-lap, 20-Kart main event, remarkably, ran from green flag to conclusion without a single caution flag. A titanic battle for the win between Cale Ross of Lambertville, N.J., and Tyler Brown of Fulton, N.Y., developed with Brown passing Ross for the first time with five laps left.
Ross then regained the lead two laps later only to lose it on the final circuit. Ross had not lost in 2018 Indoor Auto Racing Series competition but couldn’t hold off Brown in the race to the finish line.
Gene Gregoric ran third behind the leaders for the entire race. Ryan Kendall and Jeremy Tuttle completed the top five.
“It was all about being patient,” Brown said. “That was the key to this race. I was kind of holding back a little with the lapped traffic. Once I got him, he kind of surprised me when he got me back. So I had to repass him.”
Four TQ Midget heat race of ten laps were won by Jankowiak, Buckwalter, Bonsignore, and Reid. The pair of TQ B-Mains of ten laps each were snared by Tidman and Tommy Catalano.
The trio of Slingshot heat races went to Seth Spayd, Austin Silfee and Jared Silfee.
Champ Kart ten lap prelims were won by Cale Ross, Tyler Brown and Gene Gregoric. Damon Schuster won the B-Main for Karts.
TQ Midget Feature (40Laps): 1. Andy Jankowiak, 2. Tim Buckwalter, 3. Timmy Catalano, 4. Matt Janisch, 5.Erick Rudolph, 6. Anthony Sesely, 7. Jonathan Reid, 8. Ryan Tidman, 9. Tim Nye, 10. Anthony Payne. 11. Justin Bonsignore, 12. Chad Jones, 13. Matt Roselli, 14. Scott Kreutter, 15. Tyler Thompson, 16. Tony DiMattia, 17. Brett Conkling, 18. Andrew Molleur 19. Briggs Danner, 20. Shawn Nye, 21. Ryan Bartlett, 22.Tommy Catalano, 23. Mike Lichty. 24. Geoffrey Sutton.
Champ Kart Feature (20Laps): 1. Tyler Brown, 2. Cale Ross, 3. Gene Gregoric, 4. Ryan Kendall, 5.Jeremy Tuttle, 6. Brandon Ruscek, 7. Jamie Shutts, 8. Anthony Colandro, 9.Mike Perry, 10. Ron Midford, Jr., 11. Dominic Roselli, 12. Zachary Asklar, 13.Damon Schuster, 14. TJ Reed, 15. Richie Davidowitz, 16. Eric Zeh, 17. Jake Nelke, 18. Vinny Delaney, 19. Chris Hitt, 20. Nick Demling.
Slingshot Feature (20Laps): 1. Nick DelCampo, 2. Cody Kline, 3. Matt Mertz, 4. Joe Toth, 5. Dan Morgiewicz. 6. Danny Buccafusca, 7. Kyle Herve, 8. Kurt Bettler, 9. Tom Arntz, 10.Austin Silfee, 11. Alan Selemba, 12. Bryce Cherko, 13. Jared Silfee, 14. Steve Svanda, 15. Brett Putnam, 16. Craig Pellegrini, 17. Chris Kurtz, 18. Brian Tobey, 19.Seth Spayd, 20. Spencer Cherko.
ALBANY,NY INDOOR RACING RESULTS
Posted by: | CommentsTEENAGER ANTHONY PAYNE, FROM 24TH, AVOIDS WRECKS TO WIN FIRST EVER THREE QUARTER MIDGET FEATURE ON OPENING NIGHT OF ALBANY INDOOR AUTO RACING SERIES, STEVE SVANDA CALIMS SLINGSHOT CO-FEATURE; BONSIGNORE TAKES POINTS LEAD INTO SATURDAY SEASON FINALE; FIVE SLINGSHOT RACERS STILL IN TITLE CONTENTION
ALBANY, NY February 9, 2018 . . . Second generation driver Anthony Payne started 24th in Friday night’s Indoor Auto Racing Series Presented By VP Racing Fuels 40-lap feature and with his father Joey Payne, Sr. looking on, won his first career (TQ) Three Quarter Midget feature in a thrilling conclusion to a wild event.
Payne took the lead with nine laps left in the feature after Andy Jankowiak and Erick Rudolph tangled on a restart while running side by side heading into the first turn. Payne, who had been third, managed to miss the crashing pair by inches even as half a dozen drivers behind him piled into the wreckage.
“This is amazing, I can’t even put it into words,” Payne said, his voice choked with emotion. My mother and father, I thank them for making it all possible. Unbelievable.”
Payne struggled to make it into the A-Main. His crew completely changed the set up on the car and it showed in the B-Main which he qualified from.
Then in the feature, Payne’s forward progress was relentless.
Still, it was his accident avoidance skills that carried the day. Two crashes in the first ten laps of the race involved eight and ten cars respectively, all of them in front of Payne. He then missed the leader’s tangle with nine to go, then held off Matt Janisch to prevail.
Janisch, who went to the rear of the field for involvement in one of the multi-car crashes, rallied to finish second in Roger Mahan’s entry with pole starter Tim Nye finishing third. Matt Roselli authored one of the best finishes of his long Indoor Auto Racing Series career by taking fourth with Briggs Tanner, who was in the midst of three accidents, placing fifth after apparent fifth place finisher Tony DiMattia, a teammate of Payne’s, was disqualified for weighing in light at the end of the event.
Jankowiak, who was the leader for most of the race prior to his fateful collision with Rudolph, rallied for sixth trailed by Series point’s leader Justin Bonsignore, Jonathan Reid, Ryan Bartlett and Timmy Catalano.
The 20-lap Slingshot feature was won by Steve Svanda of Allentown, Pa., who started up front and held off Joe Toth Upper Makefield, Pa., in a race-long battle for the win.
“It’s my first win in a Slingshot Indoor race and it’s amazing. I could retire right now and be happy,” Svanda declared. “Thanks to Joe Toth, who was right behind me and ran me clean.”
Toth, in turn, ran second the whole way but had Kyle Herve, Dan Morgiewicz and Chris Kurtz on his tail at various times in the race. Morgiewicz ended up third with Kurtz slotting in fourth and Danny Buccafusca checkering in fifth.
Thirty-two TQ Midgets took time trials with Tim Buckwalter (6.824 sec.) shading Earl Paules (6.871), Danner (6.674), Keith Rocco (6.949), and Scott Kreutter (6.952).
Four TQ Midget 10-lap qualifiers were taken by Tim Nye over Buckwalter, by Tommy Catalano ahead of Earl Paules, by Jankowiak besting Danner and by Reid, vanquishing Mike Lichty. The only major accident in the heat races occurred with a tangle involving Keith Rocco, Lichty and Marc Johnson, whose car climbed the first turn wall and flipped. He was not hurt.
A pair of 12-lap TQ Midget B-Mains went to Scott Kreutter over Matt Roselli and by Tyler Thompson ahead of Keith Rocco.
Three Slingshot eight lap Slingshot heat races were won by Steve Svanda over Kyle Herve, by Dan Morgiewicz ahead of Austin Silfee and by Joe Toth who superseded Nick DelCampo.
The 12-lap Slingshot B-Main verdict was earned by Kurt Bettler.
Racing continues tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Times Union Center with TQ Midgets and Slingshots running full programs for the second straight night joined for Day Two by the Champ Karts.
The Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP Racing Fuels 2018 TQ Midget and Slingshot championships will be determined Saturday.
After the results from Friday’s TQ and Slingshot features were tabulated, Bonsignore’s seventh place finish enabled him to open a 55 point margin over 14th place finisher Erick Rudolph and a 67 point bulge over race runner-up Janisch heading into the TQ Midget Saturday finale.
Bonsignore can clinch the 2018 Indoor Auto Racing Series Presented By VP Racing Fuels championship with an 11th place finish in the finale even if Rudolph were to win the main event.
In the Slingshots, Cody Kline leads Kyle Herve by four points, Danny Buccafusca by six, Kurt Bettler by ten and Joe Toth by 13. The five contenders are expected to battle down to the final lap of the Saturday Slingshot feature to settle the 2018 Slingshot championship
TQ Midget Feature (40 Laps): 1. Anthony Payne, 2. Matt Janisch, 3. Tim Nye, 4. Matt Roselli, 5. Briggs Danner 6. Andy Jankowiak, 7. Justin Bonsignore, 8. Jonathan Reid, 9. Ryan Bartlett, 10. Timmy Catalano, 11. Ronnie Flaim, 12. Keith Rocco, 13. Ryan Tidman, 14. Erick Rudolph, 15. Chad Jones, 16. Anthony Sesely, 17. Tommy Catalano, 18. Tyler Thompson, 19. Andrew Molleur, 20. Tim Buckwalter, 21. Mike Lichty, 22. Geoffrey Sutton, 23. Earl Paules, 24. Scott Kreutter. DQ: Tony DiMattia (from 5th)
Slingshot Feature (25 Laps): 1. Steve Svanda, 2. Joe Toth, 3. Dan Morgiewicz, 4. Chris Kurtz, 5. Danny Buccafusca, 6. Kurt Bettler, 7. Cody Kline, 8. Matt Mertz, 9. Nick DelCampo, 10. Jared Silfee, 11. Austin Silfee, 12. Tom Arntz, 13. Kyle Herve, 14. Brian Tobey 15. Bryce Cherko, 16. Craig Pellegrini, 17. Alan Selemba, 18. Seth Spayd, 19. Spencer Cherko, 20. Brett Putman.
SATURDAY NIGHT AC INDOOR RESULTS
Posted by: | CommentsRYAN FLORES WINS HIS FIRST GAMBLER’S CLASSIC INDOOR RACE IN ATLANTIC CITY; CALE ROSS CLAIMS CHAMP KART FEATURE, BRETT BIEBER TOPS IN SLINGSHOT MAIN
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ January 28,2018...Ryan Flores gained the lead with thirteen laps left in the sixteenth running of the Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP Racing Fuels Three Quarter (TQ Midget Gambler’s Classic Saturday night inside Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall when leader Tim Buckwalter went spinning off turn two, and then held off Jimmy Blewett for the final thirteen laps of the race to claim his first Gambler’s Classic win.
“I want to apologize to Timmy,” Flores said in Victory Lane. “He slowed up a little, I got a bump from behind and couldn’t avoid hitting him.”
Flores outdistanced Blewett, third place finisher Justin Bonsignore, Matt Janisch and Buckwalter, who stormed from the back of the field into the top five in the final dozen laps.
Erick Rudolph, Ryan Preece, Anthony Sesely, Ryan Tidman and Timmy Catalano rounded out the top ten.
The race was red flagged on lap 18 for a crash on a restart that sent Brandon Azzalina’s car slamming into the fourth turn wall. Azzalina needed to be extricated from his car before being transported to an area hospital. He was said to be complaining of lower back pain but was conscious and alert.
Cale Ross of Lambertville, N.J., scored the 25-lap Champ Kart headliner. Ross’s win was his second straight in Boardwalk Hall and his second straight in the 2018 Indoor Auto Racing Series, having won the Series’ early January inaugural in Allentown, Pa.
Cameron Carter, who was leading the Champ Kart main event, would up being involved in an accident that occurred when another driver, who was running near the back of the field, spun in front of Carter.
Ross then acquired the lead and held off Doug Stearly, Ryan Kendall, Todd Crenshaw and Tyler Brown to win. Champ Kart results are considered unofficial, pending a post-race technical inspection of the top finishers.
Brett Bieber drove to victory in the Slingshot 25-lap main event over Seth Spayd, Tyler Truex, Kyle Herve and Cody Kline.
Tim Buckwalter earned the pole position for the Gambler’s Classic by winning the five-lap, nine-car Pole Position Dash that determined the starting order for the four winners of Friday’s TQ A Main qualifiers and the top five drivers in accumulated qualifying points.
Six 10-lap TQ heat races, each transferring the two top finishers into the A Main, were won by Justin Bonsignore, Matt Janisch, Ryan Preece, Briggs Danner, Kyle Lick and Mike Iles. Lick’s win came in a Micro Sprint.
Three TQ B Mains, each transferring the top two finishers into the Gambler’s Classic, were won by Mike Lichty, Steve Kemery and Pat Bealer.
Saturday evening Champ Kart B-Main qualifiers were won by Ryan Kendall and DJ Doyle while Dakota Kohler and Mike Bednar captured the Slingshot B-Mains.
Numerous special awards were presented to TQ competitors for unusual achievements over the NAPA Know How Weekend. They were presented as follows: Larry Michaels Fast Time Award: Ryan Flores; Tony Romit Second Fast Time Award: Erick Rudolph; Sonny Saunders Third Fast Time Award: Andy Jankowiak; Bob Hilbert Halfway Leader Bonus: Tim Buckwalter; Saturday TQ Heat Winners Bonus: Justin Bonsignore, Matt Janisch, Ryan Preece, Briggs Danner, Mike Iles and Kyle Lick; Nick Fornoro Jr. Lap One Leader: Tim Buckwalter; George Stockinger First Non-Gambler Award: Timmy Catalano; Doug Craig Hard Charger: Justin Bonsignore; Joe Pratt Determination Award: Pat Bealer; Ray McCabe ATQMVC Best Appearing Car Award: Matt Janisch.
The Atlantic City race was the second of three events on the Indoor Auto Racing Series schedule. The finale is set for Friday and Saturday, February 9-10, 2018 at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y., where the Indoor Auto Racing Series champion will earn the TC (Ted Christopher) Cup, emblematic of TQ Midget racing season excellence.
Tickets for the Albany race are available either at the Times Union Center Box Office or through Ticketmaster outlets.
Gambler’s Classic TQ Midget Feature (40 Laps): Ryan Flores, Jimmy Blewett, Justin Bonsignore, Matt Janisch, Tim Buckwalter, Erick Rudolph, Ryan Preece, Anthony Sesely, Ryan Tidman, Timmy Catalano, Pat Bealer, Steve Kemery, Jesse Maurer, Earl Paules, Mike Iles, Briggs Danner, Andy Jankowiak, Jonathan Reid, Joey Payne, Matt Roselli, Brandon Azzalina, DJ Forbes Jr., Scott Kreutter, Mike Lichty, Keith Rocco, Kyle Lick.
Champ Kart Feature (25 Laps): Cale Ross, Doug Stearly, Ryan Kendall, Todd Crenshaw, Tyler Brown, Ron Midford, Jr., Tony Bootes, Ryan Swartz, John Berger, Chris Daley, DJ Doyle, Brian Chin, Mike Perry, AJ Jadacki, Gene Gregoric, Jeremy Tuttle, Dalton Rivira, Zachary Asklar, Cameron Carter, Anthony Colandro, Richie Davidowitz, Nick Demling, TJ Reed, Eric Zeh.
Slingshot Feature (25 Laps): Brett Bieber, Seth Spayd, Tyler Truex, Kyle Herve, Cody Kline, Chris Grbac, Kurt Bettler, Joe Toth, Dan Spellmon, Damon Paul, Dakota Kessler, Mike Toth, Chris Gall, Alex Lizotte, Mike Lapicki, Scott Adams, Ben Whitaker, Danny Buccafusca, Nick DelCampo, Mike Bednar, Nick Shaw, Jimmy Gagne, Anthony Raisner, Chris Kurtz.
BLEWETT,PAULES,TIDMAN AND CATALANO FRIDAY WINNERS IN AC, RACING CONTINUES SATURDAY NIGHT
Posted by: | CommentsNEWS FROM INDOOR AUTO RACING SERIES, ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
LEN SAMMONS PRODUCTIONS
MEDIA CONTACT: Ernie Saxton -267.934.7286----Esaxton144@aol.com
Results story by Steve Barrick
DATE OF RELEASE: FRIDAY, JAN. 26, 2018
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BLEWETT, PAULES, TIDMAN AND TOMMY CATALANO ARE NAPA KNOW HOW FRIDAY NIGHT THREE QUARTER MIDGET MASTERS IN A.C.BOARDWALK HALL; FLORES FASTEST IN TIME TRIALS; SLINGSHOTS COMPLETE QUALIFYING; 16TH ANNUAL GAMBLER’S CLASSIC SET FOR TONIGHT (SATURDAY)
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ JANUARY 26, 2018 . . . Jimmy Blewett, Howell, N.J., Earl Paules, Palmerton, Pa., Ryan Tidman, Holland, Pa., and Timmy Catalano, Ontario, N.Y., each punched their tickets into Saturday night’s Gambler’s Classic (Three Quarter) TQ Midget feature by winning their twenty-lap A-Main Qualifiers Friday at Boardwalk Hall in day one action of NAPA Know How Weekend in Atlantic City, N.J.
The winning quartet plus the top five drivers in accumulated Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP Race Fuels point standings, which includes points earned in Friday’s qualifying plus at the previous Indoor Auto Races in Allentown, Pa. in early January, will race in a Dash event Saturday to determine the top nine starters in the Gambler’s Classic.
Blewett, 2017 Wall Stadium Modified champion and perennial Indoor Auto Racing Series favorite, started seventh in his heat race and outran Justin Bonsignore to the checkered.
Paules, a past champion at Mahoning Valley Speedway in both Modifieds and Late Models, outran a determined Andy Jankowiak to take the checkered.
Tidman took advantage of a situation in which leader Keith Rocco and challenger Erick Rudolph tangled, ending Rocco’s race. Rudolph was then penalized, putting Tidman in front. Tim Buckwalter came on to finish second.
Timmy Catalano, the youngest of the Catalano racing brothers, held off Anthony Sesely for the win, set up when Ryan Flores spun and third place driver at the time, Scott Kreutter was penalized.
The remainder of the 26-car field will be set through a series of heat races that will start the Saturday night race program.
Earlier in the afternoon, Flores, Cornelius, N.C., out qualified 64 other TQ Midget drivers in time trials. Flores’ 8.042 clocking set the standard for the class.
In Champ Kart action, Cale Ross set fast time (9.455 seconds) to outpace 47 other Karters. Ten lap Champ Kart heat races were won by Eric Zeh, Jeremy Tuttle and John Berger.
Damon Paul (9.864 seconds) was fastest among 42 Slingshot time trailers while Mike Lapicki, Kyle Herve and Tyler Truex were winners of the trio of ten lap qualifiers. It was Truex’s first time in a Slingshot and first time in an Indoor race.
At the end of the third TQ A-Main Qualifying race, a multi car accident saw driver Mike Tidaback, Brick, N.J., a former Gambler’s Classic winner (2008), sustain injuries. Tidaback was initially unconscious but did became responsive as he was being evaluated at an area hospital. No further information was available on his condition at this time.
Friday’s action set the stage for Saturday’s Gambler’s Classic for the TQ Midgets, a 40-lap feature for the Indoor Auto Racing Series’ top class. Champ Karts and Slingshots will each complete their racing NAPA Know How Weekend action with 20-lap feature races.
Saturday racing begins at 7:00 PM preceded by Fan Fest, an event that allows ticket holders to meet and greet the drivers, receive autographs and snap pictures.
Tickets are available for the Saturday Gambler’s Classic from the Boardwalk Hall Box Office up until race time. Tickets can be purchased in advance through Ticketmaster outlets.
First TQ Qualifier (20 Laps): Jimmy Blewett, Justin Bonsignore, Jonathan Reid, Matt Roselli, Chris deRitis, Chad Jones, Brandon Azzalina, Brett Michalski, Mike Iles, Geoffrey Sutton, Bobby Butler, Justin Moensch, Ronnie Flaim, Tony DiMattia, Dakota Kessler, Mark Yoder. DNS: Chad Parks.
Second TQ Qualifier (20 Laps): Earl Paules, Andy Jankowiak, Steve Kemery, Matt Janisch, Danny Bouc, Jesse Maurer, Jack Conover, Robert Geibel, Eddie Strada, Tyler Thompson, Bob Baker, Eric Hershey, Mike Lichty, Austin Bishop, Jason Treat, Tommy Catalano.
Third TQ Qualifier (20 Laps): Ryan Tidman, Tim Buckwalter, Ryan Preece, Mike Maresca, Erick Rudolph, Tim Nye, Anthony Payne, Brett Conkling, Kevin VanValkenburg, John Ivy, Timmy Solomito, Jeffrey Kot, Mike Tidaback, Cole Mullen, Keith Rocco, Andrew Nye.
Fourth Heat (20 Laps): Timmy Catalano, Anthony Sesely, Briggs Danner, Ryan Flores, Ryan Bartlett, Andrew Molleur, Connor Sellers, Scott Kreutter, DJ Forbes Jr., Kyle Lick, Bruce Leote, Joey Payne, Bill Force Jr., Patrick Emerling, Shawn Nye.
