Archive for Indoor Racing
OSWEGO SUPERMODIFIED STARS CHASE INDOOR SERIES GLORY AT SYRACUSE MARCH 13-14
Posted by: | CommentsNEWS FROM LEN SAMMONS PRODUCTIONS
2020 BELFOR INDOOR AUTO RACING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES FUELED BY VP RACING FUELS
ALLENTOWN, ATLANTIC CITY, TRENTON, NJ AND SYRACUSE
Event Promoter: Len Sammons @609.888.3618
MEDIA INFORMATION: Ernie Saxton Communications – Esaxton144@aol.com -267.934.7286
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OSWEGO SUPERMODIFIED STARS TO CHASE INDOOR SERIES GLORY AT NEW YORK STATE FAIRGROUNDS EXPOSITION CENTER MARCH 13-14
SYRACUSE, NY March 8, 2020 . . . Michael Barnes and Tyler Thompson, two highly regarded Supermodified drivers from Oswego Speedway, have entered the 2020 Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP Race Fuels events being held inside the New York State Fairgrounds Exposition Center on Friday and Saturday nights March 13-14.
Two days of action will feature complete programs for TQ Midgets, Slingshots and Champ Karts with overall BELFOR “Concrete Series” champions to be crowned on Saturday evening.
Barnes, Oswego’s Supermodified 2016 track champion, and Thompson, the 2019 Oswego Speedway Classic winner, are Jason Simmons Racing (JSR) teammates on the Indoor Series this season. After three events, JSR’s TQ team of Barnes and Thompson rank 11th and 12th respectively in points, after each qualified for the prestigious Gambler’s Classic inside Atlantic City, NJ’s Boardwalk Hall back on February 1st as well as the two early January races inside Allentown, PA’s PPL Center.
Barnes, who was the first driver in Oswego Speedway history to run a sub-17 second lap around the venerable oval in a non-winged car, was immediately impressed with the TQ Indoor discipline his first time out in Allentown. “It’s quick around here,” Barnes deadpanned. “Things happen fast in these cars, just like the Supers at Oswego.”
Barnes, 36, of Mexico, NY, finished tenth and ninth in Allentown and eleventh in Atlantic City. He was a bit more reflective after the Atlantic City race. “I never figured this place out at all,” Barnes remarked. “I was confident coming in but am leaving scratching my head. We could never get the car hooked up.”
Thompson, 17, of Fulton, NY became the youngest driver in Oswego Speedway history to win a Supermodified feature this past summer then, in one of the greatest upsets in racing history won the 63rd Budweiser International Classic 200. “When I won for the first time this summer, to be honest, I realized that winning the Oswego Classic wasn’t a dream, it was a possibility. That win was a huge boost of confidence,” Thompson shared.
Thompson, a rookie on the 2019 Indoor Series, finished a disappointed 20th in both of the Allentown races after early race problems. In Atlantic City, Thompson led the field to the green flag from the pole position and managed an eighth place finish, a total change from his teammate’s result. “Just tried to stay out of trouble in Atlantic City,” Thompson said. “Survive and finish.”
Oswego Speedway has stepped up as a sponsor of the event. The winner of each of the four TQ Midget Car heat races on both Friday and Saturday night will receive not only a spot in the A-Main but a $50 bonus thanks to Oswego, the home of SuperModified racing. Dr. Williams Lowe, a long-time supporter of TQ Midget racing, has also posted $200 to the fast qualifier both nights.
N.Y.’s JSR also has fielded a two car Champ Kart team for the 2020 Indoor Series. Allentown, PA winner, Tyler Brown, is in command of the Champ Kart standings following a third place finish in Atlantic City. After finishing 12th in both Allentown and Atlantic City, Dan Kapuscinski is tied for 11th in the Champ Kart order with two events remaining in Syracuse.
The race for the Indoor BELFOR Concrete Series championship will be decided between point leader Andy Jankowiak, Matt Janisch, defending champion Erick Rudolph and Tim Buckwalter after qualifying and feature events are held both nights in Syracuse.
Doors open on Friday at 5:30 and Saturday at 5 pm. Fans are allowed pre-race access to the pit each night for one hour after the doors have opened. Racing will begin nightly with heat races for all divisions with the first green flag on Friday at 7:30. On Saturday, action begins a half-hour earlier at 7 pm.
Tickets are available in a range of different prices through links on www.indoorautoracing.com and the venue box office. Tickets will be available each race night starting at 2pm at the Exposition Center Box office.
Race fans can enjoy a double header weekend at the Fairgrounds with the 34th annual Syracuse Motorsports Expo and Trade Show being held at the Center Of Progress Building on the Fairgrounds. This show opens on Saturday at 10 am giving everyone plenty of time to enjoy that show then walk over to the nearby Exposition Center for the races that night. The Trade show reopens on Sunday from 11 to 4 pm.
Sponsorship at a variety of levels to meet every budget is available for the Syracuse event. Interested parties should contact Danny Sammons at 609-888-3618 or e-mail danny@aarn.com.
Thorson Thrills with 15th to 1st Charge at Shamrock Classic
Posted by: | Comments
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Contact: Richie Murray - USAC Media / richie@usacracing.com
THORSON THRILLS WITH 15TH TO 1ST CHARGE AT SHAMROCK CLASSIC
By: Richie Murray - USAC Media
Du Quoin, Ill. (March 7, 2020).........As Tanner Thorson recollected over his first three starts of the 2020 USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget season, one of his first thoughts was, "we should be three for three."
Instead, the 2016 series champ has had to settle for winning two out of three on the year thus far following Saturday night's Shamrock Classic victory at the Southern Illinois Center. And like a common refrain from a song you might've heard in the past, 'two out of three ain't bad.'
After capturing a season opening victory in Ocala during February, then dominating the second night at Ocala until an engine issue stifled a surefire victory, Thorson entered the Shamrock Classic with a plan to return to his winning ways, but that plan and the confidence went slightly askew early in the evening.
"After the qualifier, I thought I was about to load this thing up and get out of here," Thorson admitted. "This place has never been really too good to me."
Yet, Thorson and team remained tactful and honed in on the details that allowed him to drive from his 15th starting spot to victory lane, the furthest back in the field a winning driver has started with the series since himself, also from 15th at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Ind. in June of 2019.
"We just kept at it all night," Thorson said. "I was really fast the last time I was here and we kind of brought the same set up here, but it didn't work. We just had to change some things and go through some stuff and it paid off."
In doing so, Thorson kept the streak intact of consecutive different USAC Midget winners to emerge at the Southern Illinois Center to nine and the run of different Shamrock Classic victors to five years running.
Furthermore, Thorson's 15th career series win elevated the Minden, Nev. driver to 46th all-time on the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget feature win list, equaling him with Don Branson and Larry Rice.
The resilient Thorson had unfinished business to attend to after missing last year's Shamrock Classic due to the serious injuries he suffered in a California highway crash. His two most recent visits to the 1/6-mile dirt oval netted him a 7th place finish in 2016 and a 21st place result in 2017.
On Saturday, Thorson began his quest from the last quarter of the field while defending race winner Cannon McIntosh controlled the race from the front with series Rookie Buddy Kofoid in close quarters just behind in second.
On the 12th lap, leader McIntosh clipped the turn three infield berm, forcing him to check up and leave teammate Kofoid no room to maneuver and no time to react. Kofoid tapped McIntosh's rear bumper as a result, sending himself into a spin toward the turn three outside wall and out of contention for the win.
The ensuing restart saw the infield berm rear its ugly head at the opposite end of the track for McIntosh on the lap 13 restart. McIntosh clipped it with his left front, sliding him to a stop and collecting second running Courtney in the fracas, ending both racers their bid for a win on this night.
Nearing the midway point, 2018 Jason Leffler Memorial winner Tyler Thomas was the man on the move, sending it to third by Cole Bodine on the inside of turn three on lap 21 and to second underneath Jake Neuman on the 26th circuit.
With less than 20 to go, it was Thorson's turn to rise to the occasion as he tussled within the top-five and was battling for the third position with Jake Neuman on lap 32 when the two made contact. Neuman received the smaller piece of the wishbone on the deal, spinning to a stop in turn one, while Thorson continued on.
"It's just short track racing," Thorson chalked it up to. "I had a bunch of speed going in there. He got up on the berm and I just got into his back bumper a little bit."
On the ensuing restart, Thorson immediately went to work on Thomas for the runner-up position, ultimately snagging the spot on the 33rd lap. Thorson instantly slashed into Windom's advantage, and two laps later, slid underneath Windom off the fourth corner to secure the lead, finally sticking the right rear tire to the surface, something that he admitted to struggling with all night.
From there onward, Thorson went virtually unchallenged. He clipped the turn one berm with his left front wheel on the lap 40 restart, but it was no harm, no foul as he carried on to a 0.837 second victory aboard his Hayward Motorsports/Oilfire - Factory Kahne - Walker Filtration - Smith Titanium/Spike/Stanton SR-11x.
"This race team is just a big group that works really hard and it helps," Thorson said. "The overall package we have from our shocks to motors to cars, just everything. It's cool to watch the things we do work. Sometimes they don't, obviously, but we're doing a lot of little things that no one probably even thinks about that all add up. We've got a really good team and I'm looking forward to the next one."
Thomas took second over series point leader Windom while career best series performances were turned in by Robert Dalby, who finished fourth, and Kyle Simon who collected a fifth in his first career USAC National Midget feature start.
CONTINGENCY AWARD WINNERS:
Simpson Race Products First Qualifier Winner: Cannon McIntosh
Competition Suspension, Inc. Second Qualifier Winner: Buddy Kofoid
AutoMeter Third Qualifier Winner: Brady Bacon
Indy Race Parts Fourth Qualifier Winner: Jake Neuman
Indy Metal Finishing Semi Winners: Kyle Simon & Trey Gropp
KSE Racing Products / ProSource Hard Charger: Tanner Thorson
Wilwood Brakes 13th Place Finisher: Ace McCarthy
Saldana Racing Products First Non-Transfers: Aiden Purdue & Anthony Nicholson
---------------------------------------
USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS: March 7, 2020 - Southern Illinois Center - Du Quoin, Illinois - Shamrock Classic presented by Dooling Machine
FIRST HEAT: (10 laps, passing points) 1. Tanner Carrick (#35 Petry), 2. Andy Bishop (#91 Harris), 3. Trey Robb (#08 Dave Mac), 4. Sam Johnson (#72 Johnson), 5. Kyle Simon (#23s Simon), 6. Gage Rucker (#19G Hayward). NT
SECOND HEAT: (10 laps, passing points) 1. Tyler Courtney (#7BC Clauson/Marshall), 2. Brady Bacon (#21H Hinck), 3. Ronnie Gardner (#7m Moonshine), 4. Logan Faucon (#52F Casson), 5. Kyle May (#39 May), 6. Tyler Robbins (#35T Robbins), 7. Michael Klein (#10A MWR). NT
THIRD HEAT: (10 laps, passing points) 1. Cannon McIntosh (#71K Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 2. Chris Windom (#89 Tucker/Boat), 3. Kevin Thomas Jr. (#5 Petry), 4. David Budres (#31 Manic), 5. Anthony Nicholson (#5o Hagar/Proctor), 6. Robert Bell (#71B Bell), 7. Thomas Chandler (#1T Chandler), 8. Tyler Nelson (#88 Nelson). NT
FOURTH HEAT: (10 laps, passing points) 1. Buddy Kofoid (#67 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 2. Trey Gropp (#54G Mounce), 3. Robert Dalby (#4 Dalby), 4. Andrew Layser (#82 Tucker/Boat), 5. Aiden Purdue (#57D McCreery), 6. Austin Yarbrough (#13A McGee), 7. Matt Durbin (#12D Durbin), 8. Mark Chisholm (#3 Neuman). 1:50.410
FIFTH HEAT: (10 laps, passing points) 1. Ace McCarthy (#28 Dave Mac), 2. Cole Bodine (#39BC Clauson/Marshall), 3. Tanner Thorson (#19 Hayward), 4. Riley Kreisel (#56AP Young), 5. Chris Urish (#77u Casson), 6. Kendall Ruble (#11m Martin). 1:49.218 (New Track Record)
SIXTH HEAT: (10 laps, passing points) 1. Daison Pursley (#9 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 2. Tyler Thomas (#91T Thomas), 3. Jake Neuman (#3N Neuman), 4. Justin Grant (#4A RAMS), 5. Kyle Jones (#7R Moonshine), 6. Craig Oakes (#91x Oakes), 7. Sean Robbins (#53 Robbins). 1:50.231
ALSO AT THE TRACK: Derek Hagar (#9JR Hagar/Proctor) & Chris Andrews (#95 Miller)
SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS FIRST QUALIFIER: (12 laps, top-40 overall in passing points transfer to the feature) 1. Cannon McIntosh, 2. Sam Johnson, 3. Justin Grant, 4. Cole Bodine, 5. Austin Yarbrough, 6. Thomas Chandler, 7. Trey Robb, 8. Kyle Jones, 9. David Budres, 10. Daison Pursley. NT
COMPETITION SUSPENSION (CSI) SECOND QUALIFIER: (12 laps, top-40 overall in passing points transfer to the feature) 1. Buddy Kofoid, 2. Chris Windom, 3. Ace McCarthy, 4. Andy Bishop, 5. Aiden Purdue, 6. Riley Kreisel, 7. Mark Chisholm, 8. Ronnie Gardner, 9. Gage Rucker, 10. Matt Durbin, 11. Kyle May. NT
AUTOMETER THIRD QUALIFIER: (12 laps, top-40 overall in passing points transfer to the feature) 1. Brady Bacon, 2. Anthony Nicholson, 3. Kyle Simon, 4. Robert Bell, 5. Trey Gropp, 6. Tanner Thorson, 7. Tanner Carrick, 8. Kevin Thomas Jr., 9. Tyler Robbins, 10. Michael Klein. NT
INDY RACE PARTS FOURTH QUALIFIER: (12 laps, top-40 overall in passing points transfer to the feature) 1. Jake Neuman, 2. Tyler Courtney, 3. Robert Dalby, 4. Tyler Thomas, 5. Kendall Ruble, 6. Logan Faucon, 7. Andrew Layser, 8. Sean Robbins, 9. Craig Oakes, 10. Chris Urish. NT
INDY METAL FINISHING FIRST SEMI: (15 laps, top-4 transfer to the feature) 1. Kyle Simon, 2. Tanner Thorson, 3. Daison Pursley, 4. Kevin Thomas Jr., 5. Aiden Purdue, 6. Austin Yarbrough, 7. Kyle Jones, 8. Thomas Chandler, 9. Tyler Robbins, 10. David Budres, 11. Gage Rucker, 12. Michael Klein, 13. Tanner Carrick. NT
INDY METAL FINISHING SECOND SEMI: (15 laps, top-4 transfer to the feature) 1. Trey Gropp, 2. Trey Robb, 3. Robert Bell, 4. Kendall Ruble, 5. Anthony Nicholson, 6. Ronnie Gardner, 7. Riley Kreisel, 8. Andrew Layser, 9. Chris Urish, 10. Logan Faucon, 11. Matt Durbin, 12. Mark Chisholm. NT
FEATURE: (50 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Tanner Thorson (15), 2. Tyler Thomas (10), 3. Chris Windom (5), 4. Robert Dalby (7), 5. Kyle Simon (13), 6. Cole Bodine (8), 7. Buddy Kofoid (2), 8. Tanner Carrick (21), 9. Daison Pursley (17), 10. Trey Robb (16), 11. Kevin Thomas Jr. (19), 12. Kendall Ruble (20), 13. Ace McCarthy (9), 14. Justin Grant (11), 15. Cannon McIntosh (1), 16. Jake Neuman (6), 17. Brady Bacon (4), 18. Sam Johnson (12), 19. Robert Bell (18), 20. Tyler Courtney (3), 21. Trey Gropp (14). NT
**Tyler Nelson flipped during the third heat. Thomas Chandler flipped during the third heat. Daison Pursley flipped during the first qualifier. Kyle May flipped during the first qualifier. Craig Oakes flipped during the third qualifier.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-12 Cannon McIntosh, Laps 13-34 Chris Windom, Laps 35-50 Tanner Thorson.
KSE RACING PRODUCTS/PROSOURCE HARD CHARGER: Tanner Thorson
WILWOOD BRAKES 13TH PLACE FINISHER: Ace McCarthy
SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS FIRST NON-TRANSFER: Aiden Purdue & Anthony Nicholson
NEW USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Chris Windom-202, 2-Tyler Courtney-196, 3-Kevin Thomas, Jr.-188, 4-Buddy Kofoid-187, 5-Tanner Thorson-182, 6-Cannon McIntosh-178, 7-Andrew Layser-167, 8-Daison Pursley-158, 9-Tanner Carrick-149, 10-Cole Bodine-130.
NEW OVERALL PROSOURCE PASSING MASTER POINTS: 1-Tanner Thorson-18, 2-Chris Windom-18, 3-Daison Pursley-18, 4-Brady Bacon-16, 5-Kevin Thomas Jr.-11, 6-Andrew Layser-9, 7-Tyler Thomas-8, 8-Mario Clouser-8, 9-Anton Hernandez-7, 10-Dave Darland-7.
NEXT USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACES: April 10-11, 2020 - Riverside International Speedway - West Memphis, Arkansas
MIKE CHRISTOPHER JR. SET FOR SYRACUSE INDOOR RACING MARCH 13-14
Posted by: | CommentsNEWS FROM LEN SAMMONS PRODUCTIONS
2020 BELFOR INDOOR AUTO RACING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES FUELED BY VP RACING FUELS
ALLENTOWN, ATLANTIC CITY, TRENTON, NJ AND SYRACUSE
Event Promoter: Len Sammons @609.888.3618
MEDIA INFORMATION: Ernie Saxton Communications – Esaxton144@aol.com -267.934.7286
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOUNG MIKE CHRISTOPHER, JR. TO DEBUT NEW TREY HODDICK TQ MIDGET AT SYRACUSE INDOOR RACES
SYRACUSE, NY March 6, 2020 . . .The late entry of young Mike Christopher Jr. has added even more intrigue to the March 13-14 Indoor Auto Racing Championship Series Fueled By VP events to held inside the Exposition Center on the grounds of the New York State Fairgrounds.
Christopher, 20 years old from Wolcott, CT, is set to suit up to drive a yet-to-be-completed TQ Midget being constructed by Trey Hoddick of Buffalo, NY. Hoddick has fielded winning TQ Midgets for drivers Scott Kreutter, Andy Jankowiak and Christopher’s late uncle in past years.
Ted Christopher won eight Indoor Series features and two championships in his career before being killed in a plane crash in 2017.
While Mike Christopher will be making his first start in the Indoor Series, the drivers he will be competing against will be vying for the TC Cup, named in the honor of his late uncle, which is awarded annually to the TQ Midget Indoor Series champion.
The race for the 2020 Indoor Auto Racing Series BELFOR Concrete Series championship will be decided between point leader Andy Jankowiak, Matt Janisch, defending champion Erick Rudolph and Tim Buckwalter after qualifying and feature events are held both nights in Syracuse.
Mike Christopher, however, knows very little about TQ Midget car racing. He did watch his late uncle win Indoor events in Atlantic City, NJ and Providence, Rhode Island. He also attended the most recent series event in Atlantic City as an interested spectator in the pit area.
“I know from watching Uncle Ted this is a totally different form of racing than I am not used to,” Christopher said. “Way different. I do have some past experience in Legends Cars and Go-Karts besides Asphalt Modifieds but I don't think any of that will mean anything much. This is a whole new venture for me.”
Mike’s father, a twin to brother Ted, was a successful asphalt Modified racer himself. Mike Jr. followed in the footsteps of both in recent years winning SK Modified events at Ct.’s Stafford Motor Speedway.
Less than ten days before the start of practice on Friday afternoon March 13th in Syracuse, Christopher had not yet see his ride. This past weekend, he headed to Hoddick's western New York shop to be fitted for a seat.
“Trey had to build the roll cage and position the seat just for me. I'm six foot-two, so he wanted to build the roll cage longer and higher and put the seat back further than in the other cars he has built. I remember when Uncle Ted raced for Trey his cars were always fast, good equipment,” said Mike Jr.
Christopher and Hoddick talked about the possibility of an Indoor TQ effort not long after Ted was killed with a car that was in the planning stages for him to drive.
The two reconnected when the 2019 outdoor season was over and talked out Hoddick's plans to build a second car, initially as a back-up. At first, Hoddick hoped to have the car done for the late January Atlantic City Indoor race but wasn't able to finish it in time.
To aid his advance preparation even further, Mike Jr. has conferred with past series winner and champion Ryan Flores, who will not be in the Syracuse field, owing to his NASCAR Cup Team Penske commitments.
“Ryan and I talked at Atlantic City about Indoor TQ racing,” Christopher noted. “He told me some of the things he learned the first year he ran the Series.”
Christopher confirmed with Hoddick that he will be able to run his Stafford SK Modified number, the digital No. 82, on the TQ Midget.
At the end of the 2018 Stafford SK season, Christopher was being touted as a star of the present and future after winning the last three features. This past year, in the same equipment, he was winless.
“My father told me, 'racing is 90 percent down and 10 percent up,” Christopher related. “Last year the car was fast but it didn't produce good results. I had motor problems, power steering problems, couldn't finish races. I had never gone through the kind of struggle I did last year.”
Tickets are available in a range of different prices through links on www.indoorautoracing.com and the venue box office. Tickets can also be purchased by calling the Area Auto Racing News office at 609-888-3618. Tickets will be available each race night starting at 2pm at the Exposition Center Box office.
Race fans can enjoy a double header weekend at the Fairgrounds with the 34th annual Syracuse Motorsports Expo and Trade Show being held at the Center Of Progress Building on the Fairgrounds. This show opens on Saturday at 10 am giving everyone plenty of time to enjoy that show then walk over to the nearby Exposition Center for the races that night. The Trade show reopens on Sunday from 11 to 4 pm.
NY MODIFIED ACE RYAN BARTLETT FOR FOR INDOOR AUTO RACING ACTION IN SYRACUSE MARCH 13-14
Posted by: | CommentsNEWS FROM LEN SAMMONS PRODUCTIONS
2020 BELFOR INDOOR AUTO RACING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES FUELED BY VP RACING FUELS
ALLENTOWN, ATLANTIC CITY, TRENTON, NJ AND SYRACUSE
Event Promoter: Len Sammons @609.888.3618
MEDIA INFORMATION: Ernie Saxton Communications – Esaxton144@aol.com -267.934.7286
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW YORK STATE DIRT MODIFIED ACE RYAN BARTLETT READY FOR INDOOR AUTO RACING SERIES FINALE IN FRONT OF SYRACUSE, NY HOME CROWD ON MARCH 13-14
SYRACUSE, NY March 4, 2020 . . . Ryan Bartlett, a versatile and experienced dirt Modified racer, is hoping that a home town crowd advantage is the boost he will need to win his first career Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP Race Fuels TQ Midget feature in the New York State Exposition Center in Syracuse. NY. over the March 13-14 weekend.
“Other than Tyler Thompson who lives in Fulton, I'm the home town guy for the Syracuse Indoor races,” Bartlett, 37, said.
The 2020 BELFOR Property Restoration TQ Midget, Champ Kart, and Slingshot Indoor Series Concrete championships will be determined after two complete shows are held on Friday and Saturday, March 13-14. Both nights will include qualifying and feature events for not only the headline TQ Midgets but the Slingshots and Champ Karts as well.
Since purchasing a new TQ Midget in the off-season, Bartlett has emerged from a mid-pack runner to a contender in the three feature races held so far this season.
Bartlett left the Atlantic City Gambler’s Classic racing weekend on February 1 sitting seventh in points; he had been second following the first two races, run back to back in Allentown, PA.
Bartlett and his father David bought the TQ from Lenny and Donna Boyd. It has made a huge difference.
“The car was race ready. Lenny (Boyd) had the motor freshened and the car was set up for the Allentown race when he sold it to us,” Bartlett said. “He shared the last two years of Indoor racing notes with me. It really only took me a couple of laps to get the feel for the car,” Bartlett said.
Bartlett brings a wealth of experience to Syracuse. His father and his team have Indoor TQ Midget roots that date back to 1998 at Niagara Falls Convention Center.
“I raced in that building until it closed and that's when Len (Sammons) started this Series. “I've entered every single one of his races except for the year when they raced over New Year's Day weekend in Providence (Rhode Island),” Bartlett said.
Bartlett says the Syracuse track was similar in size to the Allentown track where he ran so well in January. But that's as far as the comparison goes.
“The new concrete in Syracuse made the floor a lot more slippery than Allentown last March. With the dirt track experience I have, slippery is fine with me,” shared Bartlett.
Bartlett anticipates a cheering section of at least 50 people from Watertown, N.Y. who will be in the arena rooting for his No. 93. With the new equipment have come greater expectations.
“In years past, I was just happy to qualify for the feature. Now, we all expect a top ten finish at the minimum and a top five is realistic.,” he predicted.
In the two Allentown races in early January, Bartlett registered a fifth and seventh place finishes in the two features.
“In the second race on Saturday, the track started to get real slippery. That's when my dirt track experience kicked in. I hope Syracuse gets that way,” Bartlett summed.
The race for the 2020 BELFOR Concrete Series TQ championship has become essentially a four driver race with the two features in Syracuse this weekend to determine the outcome.
Buffalo. NY area driver Andy Jankowiak, the Atlantic City race winner the last two years, leads the standings with 256 points. Matt Janisch, of Nazareth, PA, who has been consistent in the first three races but hasn’t won, is just two points behind Jankowiak - a virtual dead heat.
Erick Rudolph of Ransomville, NY, a four time Series champion (2012, 2015, 2016, 2019), lurks just 14 points off the leader’s place. Rudolph, the 2019 DIRTcar 358 Modified champion, won one of the two races in January held in Allentown, PA. Tim Buckwalter, Douglassville, PA, a teammate of Rudolph, sits fourth just 21 points off the pace.
The point award differential between finishing first and second is ten points. The spread between first and last in a feature is 83 markers. With a complete show including a 40 lap feature both nights in Syracuse, one bad night by any of the front runners could torpedo their bid for the title.
The points chase in both the Slingshot and Champ Kart classes is more sharply defined.
Scott Neary, Columbia, NJ is atop the leaderboard with a 35 point margin over Brett Bieber and Cody Kline.
Tyler Brown has a 44 point bulge on Todd Crenshaw and a 54 point margin over Ron Midford, Jr. in the Champ Kart division. Brown, of Richfield, PA, the hired gun of Jason Simmons’ multi-car race team out of Fulton, NY, won the Saturday night
Tickets are available in advance at a range of different prices through a link on www.indoorautoracing.com and the venue box office the day of the events.
East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals 2020 Day 2
Posted by: | CommentsNEWS FROM LEN SAMMONS PRODUCTIONS
2020 BELFOR INDOOR AUTO RACING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES FUELED BY VP RACING FUELS
ALLENTOWN, ATLANTIC CITY, TRENTON, NJ AND SYRACUSE
Event Promoter: Len Sammons @609.888.3618
MEDIA INFORMATION: Ernie Saxton Communications – Esaxton144@aol.com -267.934.7286
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FROM E-MAIN TO VICTORY LANE: JON KELLER SCORES HUGE UPSET VICTORY IN THIRD ANNUAL EAST COAST INDOOR DIRT NATIONALS 600 SPRINT FEATURE SATURDAY NIGHT IN TRENTON’S CURE INSURANCE ARENA;KENNY MILLER III, BILLY PAUCH, JR. SECOND AND THIRD IN WILD COME-FROM-BEHIND FINISH
TRENTON, NJ February 22,2020 . . . Bridgeport Speedway Micro Sprint regular Jon Keller of Salem, NJ raced to a thrilling victory Saturday night in the East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals 600 Sprint race held inside Cure Insurance Arena in Trenton, NJ. The race was a 50-lap event and paid $5,000 to win.
“I can’t believe I even made it into the A-Main all the way from the E-Main let alone win the race,” Keller, 33, said. “I got run into the wall during the feature and rode along it and flipped in Saturday afternoon practice. On Friday, I got black flagged for spinning out three times in my heat and that put me in the back of the E-Main,” Keller related.
“I was discouraged enough after Friday that I actually went home. But as the crew told me the next morning, we’ve come all this way, now’s not the time to give up. They were right, and here we are.”
Keller started the feature dead last, from the thirteenth row, sidestepped several multi-car crashes, and took the lead with two laps to go, bringing Kenny Miller, III, who had started from the twelfth row, with him.
Billy Pauch, Jr., finished third. He led the first ten laps, then was involved in a six-car crash that affected several other front runners including Eddie Strada and Tim Buckwalter. All restarted, but at the back of the field.
Brenden Bright picked up the lead after the big tangle with the remarkable run of Keller first becoming apparent when he moved into the top three on lap 20.
Erick Rudolph, defending race winner, took the lead with 11 laps left as Bright faded. Keller grabbed second, closed on Rudolph and then, on the final restart of the race, shot by Rudolph on the high side of the multi-groove course to complete his shocking ride.
Miller was second, Pauch third, Rudolph fourth and Strada fifth.
“I don’t believe any of this. Winning this race against these top guys from the back of the field,” Keller said. “I don’t belong here, but here I am.”
Larry Wight, who worked his way through from the D Main into the A was sixth after running as high as third at one point. Kyle Spence, Mike Bednar, Bright and Jesse Maurer completed the top ten.
Two B Mains, from which the top six transferred to the A Main, were won by Joey Amantea and Pat Bealer.
C Main race winners were Brandon Pavel and Kyle Spence. Sammy Martz, Jr. and James Morris captured the pair of D Mains. Mike Mahaney and Matt Warner won the two E Mains.
The Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP Race Fuels concludes its 2020 season with the final ‘Concrete Series’ event at the New York State Fairgrounds Expo Center in Syracuse, NY on March 13-14, 2020 at which time the Series 2020 champion will be crowned.
For more information, visit www.indoorautoracing.com.
East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals Feature Finish (50 Laps): 1. Jon Keller, 2. Kenny Miller III, 3. Billy Pauch Jr., 4. Erick Rudolph, 5. Eddie Strada, 6. Larry Wight, 7. Kyle Spence, 8. Mike Bednar, 9. Brenden Bright, 10. Jesse Maurer, 11. Mike Thompson, 12. Gary Bozowski, 13. Pat Bealer, 14. Christian Bruno, 15. Tyler Lindsay, 16. Doug Snyder, 17. Whitey Kidd, 18. Tim Buckwalter, 19. Brian Carber, 20. Alex Bright, 21. Joey Amantea, 22. Brett Altemose, 23. Jim Radney, 24. Aiden Bordan, 25. Wayne Scott.