Archive for Midgets
Sutton Wins Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic ATQMRA Wall Opener
Earns First ATQMRA Feature Victory
Wall Stadium, Wall Township,NJ Saturday April 23, 2016
2014 ATQMRA Rookie of the year Geoffrey Sutton parked the Metz Driver Development BGF Engine 461 in Victory lane at the season opening race at Wall Stadium earning his first career ATQMRA victory. Heat races were won by Pat VanVarick and Flying Ryan Tidman. The Brice's NAPA Auto Parts Clean Start products were handed out to teams at Wall. The Bob Emmons MNO season long Hard Charger program will be back in place for the 2016 season. Next up for the ATQMRA is a trip Mahoning Valley to blister the circular oval in winged competition on Saturday April 30th. Rookie Eligible Pat VanVarick was the highest finishing rookie giving him the Rookie Points lead.
The first heat race was won by Pat VanVarick in his Hyper Hugger Micro Sprint. He charged from his fourth starting position to the lead and fended off the Challenges of Geoffrey Sutton on several restarts. The first heat was slowed by a series of flips by 2015 ATQMRA Rookie of the Year Mike Glaser who went for a high side tumble coming out of the fourth turn. Somehow the car was unharmed in the incident and Glaser returned to finish the heat. Matt Roselli was third followed by 2015 Champion Buddy Sload, 2014 Champion Matt Janisch and 1998 club Champ Jon Gambutti rounded out the drivers eligible for the feature redraw.
The second heat was never seriously in doubt as Ryan Tidman started from the pole by the luck of the draw and outpaced Jeff Kot and Joey Bailey. Brett Conklin, Ron Mullen and Anthony Payne rounded out the qualifiers to be in the Feature redraw.
The feature saw a front row of Anthony Payne and Matt Roselli bring the field down to the green with Roselli using the outside lane to gain the lead through one and two. Geoffrey Sutton followed Roselli into second and turned under Roselli coming out of turn four to lead the first lap and was scored in the lead the remainder of the race.
It wasn't quite that easy however. A lap three caution bunched the field but Sutton was able to maintain the lead and open a gap on second running Roselli. As Sutton started negotiating lap traffic Roselli and a hard charging Ryan Tidman closed to within striking distance of. The three would dice their way though traffic until lap 22 when Roselli would end up turned around coming out of the fourth turn. Sutton would have a pair of tigers on his tail on the ensuing restart with perennial ATQMRA Championship contenders Tidman and Janisch hot on his heels. Sutton was able to fend off Tidman's Challenges and win by a tight .163 seconds. Janisch was third followed by Jeff Kot and VanVarick. Joey Bailey rolled across the line sixth with rookie Mark Yoder seventh. Matt Roselli would recover from his spin to finish eighth Followed by Wall Stadium's Fan Voted Most popular driver and rookie of the year eligible Ronnie the Rocket Mullen with Mike Glaser posting a top ten.
Special thanks goes out to Bill Brice of Brice's NAPA Auto Parts of nearby Freehold, NJ. They are back supporting the ATQMRA with their Clean Start program once again in 2016. They provided each team in attendance with a NAPA 5 gallon bucket containing carb and brake cleaner a roll of shop rags hand cleaner and Mother's Spray wax to help keep the competition clean and looking good.
Bob Emmons has also returned to help support the ATQMRA with the MNO $500.00 Hard Charger award that was presented in 2015 to ATQMRA Champion Buddy Sload. Racers earn passing points by advancing from their feature starting position.
ATQMRA News and Notes:The ATQMRA was eighteen strong for the season opener. Tim Proctor had his beautifully prepared 98T on hand but had his day end early with an uncharacteristic engine failure. 2008 ATQMRA Rookie of the Year and multi race winner as well as past Borger's Speedway Champion Austin Fehr returned to competition with the ATQMRA. Fehr worked though the day adjusting to Wall's challenging flat track. The day saw a Payne owned 67 return to competition for the first time in many years with Joey Payne III at the controls. Payne won 11 out of 17 open Kart races on Wall's inner oval in 2015 and is trying his hand in a Drinan TQ Midget. Payne finished a respectable thirteenth in the main. Payne's Little brother Anthony picked up a ride in the potent Sload Racing 53 but was out early in the feature. Joey Jr. hopes to have Anthony Payne's Laffler TQ ready for next week's show at Mahoning Valley. Absent on the day was Steve Craig who has designs returning to competition with the organization starting with Mahoning Valley. Following his win Sutton was thankful to Jim Fleishman and Chad Haywood of BGF Engine and Chassis for providing the difference making horsepower to earn the win.
Heat 1: 1. 17 Pat VanVarick 2. Geoffrey Sutton 3. 43/98 Matt Roselli 4. 16 Buddy Sload 5. 48 Matt Janisch 6. 51 Jon Gambutti 7. 73 Austin Fehr 8. f8 Mike Glaser 9. 75 Mark Yoder
Heat 2: 1. 1B Ryan Tidman 2. 95 Jeff Kot 3. 02 Joey Bailey 4. 64 Brett Conklin 5. 39 Ronnie Mullen 6. 53 Anthony Payne 7. 46 Kerry Irwin 8. DNS 98T Tim Proctor
Feature (25 Laps)1. 461 Geoffrey Sutton 2. 1B Ryan Tidman 3. 48 Matt Janisch 4. 95 Jeff Kot 5. 17 Pat VanVarick 6. 02 Joey Bailey 7. 75 Mark Yoder 8. 43/98 Matt Roselli 9. Ronnie Mullen 10. f8 Mike Glaser 11. 46 Kerry Irwin 12. 64 Brett Conklin 13. 67 Joey Payne III 14. 16 Buddy Sload 15. 53 Anthony Payne 16. 51 Jon Gambutti 17. 73 Austin Fehr
GOLOBIC GLIDES TO FIRST USAC MIDGET VICTORY IN Du QUOIN’S SHAMROCK CLASSIC
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GOLOBIC GLIDES TO FIRST USAC MIDGET VICTORY IN Du QUOIN'S SHAMROCK CLASSIC
Shane Golobic of Fremont, California wasn't content on just running the bottom as he went to the high side to pass leader Shane Cottle on lap 34 and was able to pull away on a late green-white-checkered to win his first career USAC Midget National Championship feature in Saturday night's inaugural "Shamrock Classic" at the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin.
Golobic, driving the Matt Wood Motorsports/Elk Grove Ford - Competition Suspension, Inc./Spike/Esslinger, joined drivers Kevin Besecker, Blake Fitzpatrick, Todd Forbes, Gene Hartley, Steve Lotshaw, Henry Pens, Dick Pole and Terry Wente as the only drivers to win their first career USAC National Midget race in the season opening event.
Golobic started in the fifth spot, while the night's race promoter Bryan Clauson started on the pole with Tony Roney outside. The 50-lapper started out as the race that refused to begin. Three cautions and a red flag were thrown before a single lap was even completed.
When the race finally did begin, Clauson jumped into the lead with Cottle in tow. Clauson, who won his heat and his qualifying race earlier in the night appeared to be the car to beat as he first encountered lapped traffic on the fifth circuit. On the sixth lap, USAC Midget National Championship Rookie Holly Shelton pirouetted off the berm between turns three and four directly in front of the lead pack. Amazingly, Clauson's car went under the airborne Shelton without making contact.
However, under the caution, Clauson's engine shut off, forcing him into the pit area and leaving him with a hard luck, last place finish on the night. Cottle, who did make slight contact with Shelton during the incident, was the new leader on the ensuing restart followed by Zach Daum.
On the lap 6 restart, Travis Berryhill participated in the only flip during the feature. He was uninjured and, in fact, was able to restart.
With Cottle still in front on lap 18, second running Zach Daum spun in turn three while fourth-place Tyler Thomas came to a stop on the high side, sending them both to the tail.
It was a race to the bottom for the front runners through the midway point of the race as Cottle, Golobic, Thomas Meseraull, and Roney hugged the inside berm while Brady Bacon was the lone driver in the top-five utilizing the higher line.
After a caution brought out by the stopped car of Gage Walker with 18 laps to go, the restart saw second-running Shane Golobic venture to the outside and making it stick, gaining ground on Cottle each lap, resulting in a near dead-heat at the flag stand at the end of the 33rd lap. One lap later, Golobic was finally able to nose his number 17w ahead of Cottle, officially taking the lead at the stripe on lap 34.
Golobic drove away from second-place Cottle to gain a healthy advantage, but the lead was erased when a yellow on the final lap brought out a green-white-checkered finish. With the field bunched up and a clear track in front, Golobic had no problems whatsoever driving away to the victory followed by Cottle, Meseraull, Bacon, Roney, Spencer Bayston, Tanner Thorson, David Budres, Berryhill and Daum.
Saturday night, Golobic became the first driver since Kenny Irwin, Jr. at the Toronto (Ontario) SkyDome in 1993 to win a full, points-paying USAC National Midget feature indoors.
"Man, I've waited so long to hear my name attached to the phrase 'USAC National Midget winner,' and it feels amazing," Golobic exclaimed. "Our car was so good tonight; I've never driven one that good before. I'm so excited to be working with Tim Clauson and this Matt Wood Racing team. I think we've really got a nice package put together and I can't wait for the rest of the season."
Cottle, of Kokomo, Indiana led the most laps (28) and just came short of picking off his first series win since 2010.
"It's hard to be the leader and not really know where those guys behind you are running," Cottle explained. "We were good on the bottom, but then Golobic went around us on the top and from then on, it was just playing defense to hold those other guys off. We had a really good car all night; (we) just couldn't quite finish it off."
Contingency award winners for the "Shamrock Classic" included Bacon (Max Papis Innovations (MPI) "Wheelman of the Race"); Daum, Cottle, Shane Morgan and Daniel Adler (Competition Susepension, Inc. (CSI); Cottle, Clauson, Budres and Chad Boat (All Star Performance); Golobic (Simpson Race Products Steering Wheel); Roney, Ryan Greth, John Campbell and Terry Babb (Simpson Race Products); Golobic (Priority Aviation $777); Golobic, Danny Meyer and Bayston (Afco Shocks); Dave Darland, Chris Andrews, Boat, Robert Bell and Babb (Indy Race Parts); Golobic (Lap 39 leader from Ben Hodgin), plus the Dooling Machine "Pot of Gold" to five different winners.
USAC Contingency award winners included Chase Briscoe (Simpson Race Products First Heat); Bryan Clauson (Benic Enterprises Second Heat); Jake Neuman (Competition Suspension, Inc (CSI) Third Heat); Dereck King (Indy Race Parts Fourth Heat) and Tanner Thorson (KSE "Hard Charger").
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USAC NATIONAL MIDGET SERIES RACE RESULTS: March 19, 2016 - Du Quoin, Illinois - Southern Illinois Center - "Shamrock Classic"
SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Chase Briscoe (#D33 Davis), 2. Andrew Felker (#11A Felker), 3. Katlynn Leer (#77K Leer), 4. Justin Grant (#38 Gardner), 5. Nick Knepper (#55 Knepper), 6. Kevin Thomas, Jr. (#2x Shuman), 7. Ty Hulsey (#21 Hulsey), 8. Chase Hill (#11H Felker). NT
BENIC ENTERPRISES SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Bryan Clauson (#63 RKR/Dooling), 2. Justin Peck (#5x Peck), 3. Kevin Olson (#5H Hoppe), 4. Spencer Bayston (#97 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 5. John Campbell (#19 Campbell), 6. Mike McSparin (#0A Zero), 7. Shane Morgan (#15M Morgan), 8. Tucker Klaasmeyer (#27 Klaasmeyer). NT
COMPETITION SUSPENSION THIRD HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Jake Neuman (#3N Neuman), 2. Chase Johnson (#17m Wood), 3. Michelle Decker (#4M Meents), 4. J.D. Black (#7JR Robinson), 5. Kyle Schuett (#9K Schuett), 6. Daniel Robinson (#57D McCreery), 7. Danny Meyer (#86J Bergfeld), 8. Scott Orr (#88x Orr). NT
INDY RACE PARTS FOURTH HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Dereck King (#91 Harris), 2. Brady Bacon (#76m Noffsinger/Manafort), 3. Tyler Thomas (#91T Thomas), 4. Tim Siner (#15 Siner/Cyliax), 5. Chad Boat (#84 Tucker/Boat), 6. Austin Prock (#41 Prock), 7. Dave Darland (#11AG Gray), 8. Carson Macedo (#71K Kunz/Curb-Agajanian). NT
FIFTH HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Zach Daum (#5D Daum), 2. Thomas Meseraull (#66 Amati), 3. Travis Berryhill (#11 Manic), 4. Ryan Greth (#4 Greth), 5. Tanner Thorson (#67 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 6. Colten Cottle (#5c Cottle), 7. Daniel Adler (#50 Adler), 8. Robert Bell (#71½ Bell). NT
SIXTH HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Shane Golobic (#17w Wood), 2. Tony Roney (#1T Roney), 3. Anton Hernandez (#37x Felker), 4. Chris Urish (#77u Casson), 5. Holly Shelton (#67K Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 6. Chris Andrews (#91A Thomas), 7. Bill Rose (#6 Rose). NT
SEVENTH HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Shane Cottle (#56 5IVE-6IX), 2. Ryan Robinson (#71 Kunz/Curb-Agajanian), 3. Gage Walker (#7 Walker), 4. David Budres (#31 Manic), 5. Terry Babb (#88 Babb), 6. Brad Kraus (#6B Kraus). NT
ALSO AT THE TRACK: Larry Knowles (#13 Zero).
C-MAIN #1: (10 laps) 1. Darland, 2. Macedo, 3. Morgan, 4. McSparin, 5. Hulsey, 6. Rose, 7. Bell. NT
C-MAIN #2: (10 laps) 1. Andrews, 2. Orr, 3. Meyer, 4. Prock, 5. Hill, 6. Klaasmeyer. NT
FIRST QUALIFIER: (10 laps) 1. S.Cottle, 2. Meseraull, 3. Felker, 4. Neuman, 5. Decker, 6. Peck, 7. Siner, 8. Schuett, 9. C.Cottle. NT
SECOND QUALIFIER: (10 laps) 1. Clauson, 2. Roney, 3. Adler, 4. Babb, 5. R.Robinson, 6. Bacon, 7. Olson, 8. Urish, 9. Black, 10. D.Robinson. NT
THIRD QUALIFIER: (10 laps) 1. Budres, 2. Walker, 3. T.Thomas, 4. Daum, 5. Knepper, 6. Hernandez, 7. Leer, 8. K.Thomas, 9. Greth. NT
FOURTH QUALIFIER: (10 laps) 1. Boat, 2. Berryhill, 3. King, 4. Golobic, 5. Briscoe, 6. Thorson, 7. Shelton, 8. Bayston, 9. Campbell. NT
SEMI #1: (15 laps) 1. Meseraull, 2. Bacon, 3. Hernandez, 4. Thorson, 5. Adler, 6. Knepper, 7. Schuett, 8. Briscoe, 9. Macedo, 10. Darland, 11. Siner, 12. C.Cottle, 13. K.Thomas, 14. Leer, 15. Campbell. NT
SEMI #2: (15 laps) 1. Berryhill, 2. Babb, 3. Decker, 4. D.Robinson, 5. Bayston, 6. Andrews, 7. Shelton, 8. Orr, 9. Urish, 10. Neuman, 11. R.Robinson, 12. Greth, 13. Johnson. NT
FEATURE: (50 laps) 1. Shane Golobic, 2. Shane Cottle, 3. Thomas Meseraull, 4. Brady Bacon, 5. Tony Roney, 6. Spencer Bayston, 7. Tanner Thorson, 8. David Budres, 9. Travis Berryhill, 10. Zach Daum, 11. Anton Hernandez, 12. Terry Babb, 13. Chad Boat, 14. Tyler Thomas, 15. Holly Shelton, 16. Gage Walker, 17. Justin Peck, 18. Daniel Robinson, 19. Michelle Decker, 20. Dereck King, 21. Andrew Felker, 22. Bryan Clauson. NT
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**Rose flipped during the sixth heat. Prock flipped during the second last chance qualifier. R.Robinson flipped during the second qualifier. Urish flipped during the second qualifier. Berryhill flipped on lap 6 of the feature.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-5 Clauson, Laps 6-33 S.Cottle, Laps 34-50 Golobic.
NEW USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Golobic-70, 2-Bacon-61, 3-Bayston-55, 4-Thorson-52, 5-Budres-49, 6-Daum-43, 7-Hernandez-41, 8-Boat-37, 9-T.Thomas-35, 10-Shelton-33.
NEXT USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACES: April 8-9 - Kokomo (IN) Speedway - "Kokomo Grand Prix"
ENTRY LIST FOR A.C. INDOOR AUTO RACING EVENTS, JAN.29-30, CONTINUES TO GROW
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INDOOR AUTO RACING EVENTS AT ALLENTOWN, ATLANTIC CITY AND TRENTON
PROMOTER: Len Sammons (609)888-3618
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THREE QUARTER MIDGET ENTRY LIST FOR NAPA KNOW HOW GAMBLER’S CLASSIC SET FOR JANUARY 29-30 IN ATLANTIC CITY’S BOARDWALK HALL APPROACHES 100
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ January 24, 2016. . . Recently received entries for this coming weekend’s NAPA Know How Gambler’s Classic in Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., have pushed the field of Three Quarter (TQ) Midgets to nearly 100 men and machines.
This, coupled with full fields of Champ Karts and Slingshots, means that the fourteenth annual Len Sammons Motorsports Productions (LSMP) has the potential to break all records for number of team entries.
Heading the list is an 18-car contingent of cars built by upstate New York whiz Mark Lafler, whose cars have come to dominate the VP Indoor TQ Series over the past five years.
His reign as the master car builder is being challenged by Lou Cicconi, Jr. who will be fielding four new John Bodnar-engineered, BJ MacDonald-built cars that performed well in their first runs in Allentown, Pa.’s Indoor Race.
Alex Bright, an ARDC Midget standout, is a top Cicconi car contender. He successfully qualified for the Allentown A-Main, the only one of the three Cicconi entries in the first Series race to do so. Modified driver Jeff Strunk, Ohio Sprint Car pilot John Ivy and Midwestern Sprint and Midget standout Russ Gamester are slated to run the other three Cicconi owned cars.
Cicconi has decided to enter a fifth car after he was notified on January 20 by Rico Abreu that he would not be racing in Atlantic City as had been originally intended.
“The demands for my NASCAR commitments are higher than I anticipated,” Abreu texted Cicconi. “I am truly sorry, I feel awful.”
Abreu, on January 14 signed a contract to drive full time in the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Erick Rudolph, the unofficial leader of the Lafler-brigade, and the winner of the Indoor Auto Racing Championship Series Fueled By VP Racing Fuels opener January 2 in Allentown, Pa., will be racing for the highest stakes.
If Rudolph wins the Saturday night 14th Annual NAPA AUTO PARTS TQ Midget feature in Atlantic City, he’ll remain eligible to receive a $10,000 bonus prize posted by Vahlco Racing Wheels. If he then wins the Saturday night, February 27th Battle Of Trenton main event.
“I’m the only one with a chance to win it,” said Rudolph, who won the 2015 Gambler’s Classic race in Atlantic City’s Bo 100ardwalk Hall and the February, 2014 Battle Of Trenton event in Trenton’s Sun Bank Center.
“But these races are tough to win. It depends on how you qualify, and on which gear you choose to run. The car I run in Boardwalk Hall will be set up the same as it was for the Allentown race,” Rudolph revealed.
With close to 100 TQ s expected in Atlantic City, winning the Valhco Perfect Performance Bonus won’t be easy.
“I would say any of the drivers who made the invert in Allentown would be the guys to beat in Atlantic City,” Rudolph reasoned.
They included Ryan Flores, Mike Lichty, Jimmy Blewett, Anthony Sesely, Ted Christopher, Lou Cicconi, Jr., Andy Jankowiak and Rudolph. All but Flores are past Indoor race winners in the LSMP series events.
The Atlantic City race meet is the second of three events in the Indoor Auto Racing Championship Series Fueled By VP Racing Fuels, run under the Len Sammons Motorsports Productions (LSMP). Racing in Trenton, N.J. on February 26 and 27 completes the Series.
The weekend schedule for Atlantic City calls for the TQ Midgets, Slingshot and Champ Karts to hit the track for time trials on Friday afternoon, setting the stage for Friday night’s racing action.
A newly designed points system will be used to reward the TQ Midgets for time trial performance and finishing position in Friday night’s qualifying races.
The top 80 TQ Midgets from time trials will be split into four 20 car, 20 lap qualifying events. The winners of those events and the top five combined point earners from time trials and the qualifying races will lock themselves into Saturday night’s A-Main.
On Saturday night the TQ Midgets will run six heat races and three B-mains to fill out the 24 car starting field for the 40 Gambler’s Classic A-Main.
The Champ Karts and Slingshots will run preliminary qualifying features on Friday night, final last chance races Saturday afternoon and feature races Saturday night. Both classes will run 25-lap feature races with 24 starters to take the green flag.
Reserved seat tickets for the NAPA Know How Racing Weekend inside Boardwalk Hall are still available but in limited quantity. There are plenty of general admission seats that remain for sale.
Tickets are available from the Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall Box office, all Ticketmaster offices and online at www.ticketmaster.com. To order by phone, call Ticketmaster at 1-800-736-1420 or 1-800-745-3000.
ERNIE SAXTON COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
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RECENT USAC RACE WINNER RUSS GAMESTER SET TO CHALLENGE ALLENTOWN RACERS
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INDOOR AUTO RACING EVENTS AT ALLENTOWN, ATLANTIC CITY AND TRENTON
PROMOTER: Len Sammons (609)888-3618
MEDIA CONTACT: Ernie Saxton Communications, Inc.
Esaxton144@aol.com – EMAIL ---- 267.934.7286 – Ernie’s CELL PHONE
Release created by Steve Barrick
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FRESH FROM BIG USAC WIN IN FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, VETERAN RACER RUSS GAMESTER IS READY TO CHALLENGE A STAR STUDDED FIELD OF RACERS AT ALLENTOWN, PA INDOOR EVENT
ALLENTOWN, PA December 29, 2016 . . . When the eighty TQ (Three Quarter) Midget drivers take to the specially constructed indoor race track inside the PPL Center in Allentown, Pa., this Saturday, January 2, 2016, one veteran driver, fifty year old Russ Gamester of Peru, Ind., will have an advantage.
Gamester won an indoor race last Saturday night in Fort Wayne, Ind., making him the only driver in the Ironton Telephone Avaya TQ Midget Indoor Race field who carries the rush of recent victory into the PPL
Center.
“It was a great run,” stated Gamester. “Once I got the lead I knew I had to be smart and just run my own pace staying on the inside. When it is your night, it’s your night and it all worked out for me.”
Gamester will be one of three drivers competing in new cars, developed by Ohio Supermodified constructor John Bodnar, being built by Pennsylvania fabricator BJ McDonald and commissioned by TQ Midget driver Lou Cicconi, Jr.
Popular Pennsylvania Small Block Modified driver Jeff Strunk and ARDC/USAC Midget Car favorite Alex Bright will be Gamester’s teammates.
NASCAR NEW YORK STATE MODIFIED STOCK CAR CHAMPION JIMMY ZACHARIAS IS LATE ENTRY IN INAUGURAL IRONTON TELEPHONE ALLENTOWN INDOOR AUTO RACE ON JANUARY 2
Third generation asphalt Modified driver Jimmy Zacharias, who has been winning races on New York State’s Southern Tier for many years, is the latest driver to enter the inaugural Ironton Telephone TQ Midget races inside the PPL Center in Allentown, Pa., set for Saturday, January 2, 2016,
Zacharias will be driving a TQ Midget built by Lou Cicconi, Jr. The car is a good one; it was previously driven to two Indoor race victories including a 100 lapper by Stewart Friesen in Providence, Rhode Island.
Zacharias, 24, is coming off one of the best seasons of his outdoor driving career, winning the 2015 NASCAR New York State Modified championship, primarily on the strength of a track title earned at Chemung (NY) Speedrome. The NASCAR crown was Zacharias’ second in three years.
Len Sammons, event organizer of the Len Sammons Motorsports Productions (LSMP) inaugural event in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, can't wait for Saturday's gates to open.
“The response for the first Allentown Indoor race been tremendous,” Sammons said. “With this being the first Indoor race in Allentown, no one will have an advantage in experience. It’s going to be all new for everybody and the fans are in for an unbelievable show.”
The Allentown race is first of three events in the Indoor Auto Racing Championship Series Fueled By VP Racing Fuels. Racing in Atlantic City, NJ and Trenton, N.J., complete the Series.
Past LSMP Indoor event winners include Ted Christopher of Plainville, Ct., Lou Cicconi. Jr., of Lester, Pa., Andy Jankowiak of Buffalo, N.Y., Mike Lichty of Innerkip, Ontario, Canada, Joey Payne of Fair Lawn, N.J., Erick Rudolph of Ransomville, N.Y. and Anthony Sesely of Matawan, N.J.
Lehigh Valley, Pa., area drivers expecting to compete for the victory include Brandon Azzalina of Saylorsburg, Pat Bealer of Slatington, Louie Horvath of Walnutport, Matt Janisch of Nazareth, Stephen
Nederostek of Walnutport. Earl Paules of Palmerton, Matt Roselli of Brodheadsville.
Tickets for the Allentown race are selling at a rapid pace and available exclusively through PPLCenter online, by phone at 610-347-TIXX, or in person at the Mealey’s Furniture Box Office located on 7th & Hamilton St. at PPL Center.
ERNIE SAXTON COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
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Journalist - Announcer - Publisher
www.saxtonsponsormarket.com
215.752.7797 & 267.934.7286
Esaxton144@aol.com
LOU CICCONI JR FIELD MULTI CAR TEAM FOR ALLENTOWN INDOOR AUTO RACES
Posted by: | CommentsNEWS FROM LEN SAMMONS MOTORSPORTS PRODUCTIONS
INDOOR AUTO RACING EVENTS AT ALLENTOWN, ATLANTIC CITY AND TRENTON
PROMOTER: Len Sammons (609)888-3618
MEDIA CONTACT: Ernie Saxton Communications, Inc.
Esaxton144@aol.com – EMAIL ---- 267.934.7286 – Ernie’s CELL PHONE
Release created by Steve Barrick
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TOP TALENTS RYAN SMITH, DJ SHULLICK AND RUSS GAMESTER NAMED BY LOU CICCONI TO DRIVE ALL NEW RACE CARS FOR ALLENTOWN, PA INDOOR AUTO RACE
ALLENTOWN, PA November 30, 2015 . . . Indoor Three Quarter (TQ) Midget driving standout Lou Cicconi, Jr. will be racing against a fleet of his own new cars in the first annual Ironton Telephone with Avaya Allentown Indoor Races set for Saturday, January 2, 2016 at the PPL Center.
The highly regarded Cicconi has commissioned a fleet of new TQ Midgets, designed by ISMA Supermodified champion builder John Bodnar and driver Dave Shullick, Jr. of Parrish, Fla.
In additional to Shullick, Cicconi has named 410 Sprint Car standout Ryan Smith of nearby Kunkletown, PA., winner of World Of Outlaws and All Star Sprint touring series events, and Indiana Sprint and Midget champion Russ Gamester as drivers for the Indoor Series.
Ironically, Cicconi wasn’t behind the wheel of the Bodnar designed car at Wall Stadium this past weekend for the Turkey Derby TQ race. Instead, Cicconi raced the Turkey Derby and plans to compete in the Len Sammons Motorsports Productions Indoor TQ three venue series as a teammate to past series winner Ted Christopher.
The prototype made its first public appearance on Nov. 21 for a shakedown run at Wall (NJ() Stadium. Built by BJ MacDonald of Dublin, Pa., the car features an unusual location of its rear shock absorbers, which extend straight outward from a suspension member above the rear axle. The twin shocks are boxed by steel frame members that are designed to form a protective cocoon behind and on the sides of the shock absorbers.
The car also is equipped with a cockpit controlled device capable of altering steering system tension. In theory, a driver could mechanically correct or induce understeer or oversteer and do so as often as desired.
Cicconi and his fleet are among nearly 80 TQ Midget teams that have filed competition entries for the first Allentown Indoor TQ races in thirty nine years.
In 1966 the Agricultural Hall on the Allentown Fairgrounds promoted three Indoor TQ races in March. Bobby Albert, Len Duncan and Larry Michaels won the events.
Lehigh Valley race fans, starved for racing action, are purchasing advance tickets and local companies are embracing the event.
In addition to title sponsor Ironton Telephone, Future Homes has signed on as a presenting sponsor with additional support coming from All American Property Maintenance and Bob Hilbert Sportswear. Long time Lehigh Valley businessman John Schneider through his E Schneider & Sons Recycling Center is providing support in constructing the 1/10 mile track inside the PPL Center.
The Allentown event is part of a three race indoor series fueled by VP Racing Fuels. Each of the competitors who will be racing in the trio of Len Sammons Indoor Racing Series events – at Allentown, Pa., on Jan. 2, 2016, at Atlantic City, N.J., on Jan. 29-30, 2016 and at Trenton, N.J., on Feb. 26-27, 2016 – will be racing to the front of the field with VP Racing Fuel in the fuel tanks of their cars.
For Allentown Indoor race tickets, contact the PPLCenter online, by phone at 610-347-TIXX, or in person at the Mealey’s Furniture Box Office located on 7th & Hamilton St. at PPL Center in downtown Allentown, Pa.
Tickets for the 14th Annual NAPA AUTO PARTS Atlantic City Indoor are available from the Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall Box office, all Ticketmaster outlets and online at www.ticketmaster.com. To order by phone, call Ticketmaster at 1-800-736-1420 or 1-800-745-3000 or call the Boardwalk Hall Ticket Office direct at 1-609-348-7100.
Trenton indoor race tickets are available online at www.comcastix.com or by phone at 1-800-298-4200. Tickets may also be purchased at the Sun National Bank Center Box Office on Monday through Friday from 10am until 5:30pm and on Saturday from 12 noon through 4pm.
All ticket prices do not include a $2 facility charge; facility charge increases to $5 for tickets purchased on the day of the event.
LSMP is currently seeking additional marketing partners. Contact 609-888-3618 for more information.
Lap sponsorships are now available for all events, starting with the January 2, 2016 Allentown race. Laps are being sold at $20.00 per lap; contact Davey Sammons at davey@aarn.com or at 609-888-3618 for lap sponsorship purchases or for more information.
ERNIE SAXTON COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Public Relations, Sponsorship Consultant
Journalist - Announcer - Publisher
www.saxtonsponsormarket.com
215.752.7797 & 267.934.7286
Esaxton144@aol.com
Rudolph Turkey Derby Champ Bests ATQMRA Field of 35 cars
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TQ's @ Wall (WoS photo)
Belmar, NJ...... Eric Rudolph from Ransomville, NY was not only good but lucky at the 2015 ATQMRA Turkey Derby at Wall Stadium on Saturday. Rudolph led every lap reroute to pocketing the $1,000 winners share in the Mark Lafler owned Lafler House car in his first outing on Wall's inner oval. Matt Janisch set fast time with Matt Roselli earning a B-Main win. Four of the top finishing cars were disqualified following the race by the ATQMRA Officials for a tread width infraction. Next up for the ATQMRA is a General Membership Meeting this coming Sunday at 10:00 am in Fort Washington, Pa.
Ransomville New York's own Eric Rudolph is an accomplished racer in countless divisions beyond the world of TQ midget racing. He has wins in Modified stock cars on pavement and dirt as well as documented success in TQ midgets indoors. He used his talent as a race car driver coupled with a little luck to earn the thousand dollar winners share at the ATQMRA Turkey Derby. Rudolph drove his way into the redraw by turning the ninth fast lap in qualifications and was lucky enough to pull the number one pill that gave him the pole for the scheduled 30 lap race.
2015 ATQMRA Champion and two time feature winner on Wall's flat track as well as track record holder Buddy Sload charged from his fifth starting position to third on the initial race start. Sload worked his way into second by lap five to challenge Rudolph for the lead. A lap 7 restart would send Sload flipping entering the first turn ending his day. Sload was shaken but unhurt following the incident.
The incident put Ryan Flores into second. He would dog Rudolph the rest of the way but was unable to take the lead away from the Ransomville flyer. His chances for getting the win were cut short as a result of the race being shortened due to the impending storm front that was moving in.
The TQ midgets haven't had this strong of a field of cars at the annual Turkey Derby at Wall in many years. With 35 cars on hand and only 26 positions open for the feature it set up a situation where some racers were going to be watching the feature. Qualifications for the race were done by way of European style Time trials where 5 groups of seven cars were given four green flag laps to run their fastest lap. The top twelve would go into a redraw and the next 12 would go into the A-main straight up from time. The final two positions would be the top two finishers in the B-Main.
2014 ATQMRA Champion and the winner of that year's Turkey Derby Matt Janisch would set fast time. Janisch would redraw 7th but would be taken off the track as a result of putting down fluid. Matt Roselli who is normally a strong time trailer had a mechanical issue that relegated him to the B-Main which he won followed by Brett Conklin to advance to the A-Main.
In an unfortunate turn of events four of the top running cars were disqualified for a tread width infraction that was found during post race inspection. This put Ryan Susie in second position followed by Anthony Payne moving into a podium finish of third place in his first race on Wall's inner oval. Tom Fraschetta was fourth with perennial ATQMRA Championship contender Ryan Tidman fifth and 2014 ATQMRA Rookie of the year Geoffrey Sutton sixth. Tim Proctor finished seventh followed by ATQMRA regular Shawn McCaughey, Mark Yoder was ninth with Jeff Kot rounding out the top ten.
A follow up meeting to the October 21st Elections meeting is scheduled for Sunday December 6th at 10am. The meeting will be held at the Best Western Ft Washington, 285 Commerce Drive, Fort Washington, PA. It is located right at the exit from the turnpike. An agenda will be sent out by December 1st. The meeting will give all those with an interest in continuing the growth of the ATQMRA an opportunity to voice their opinions about the direction of the organization.
ATQMRA News and Notes:The ATQMRA Turkey Derby was a who's who of indoor three Quarter midget racing with cars and stars that frequent the indoor events put on by the Sammons family each year. Countless wins were represented in the field with Liquid Lou Cicconi racing the car that Ted Christopher used to win numerous indoor feature events. The team battled gremlins in the engine management system all day. ATQMRA and ARDC Veteran Steve Craig made a return to the ranks of the ATQMRA after a several year absence. Joey Payne III made laps on the day in the Bruce Leote 26 car making his first Turkey Derby appearance in TQ competition and also marking the first time he was on track in competition with his father Joey Jr. and brother Anthony.
ATQMRA Turkey Derby 2015 Results
1. Eric Rudolph $1,000 2. 38 Ryan Susie 3. 45 Anthony Payne 4. 57 Tom Fraschetta 5. 1B Ryan Tidman 6. 46 Geoffrey Sutton 7. 98x Tim Proctor 8. 17v Shawn McCaughey 9. 75y Mark Yoder 10. 95 Jeff Kot 11. 15a Avery Stoehr 12. 27 Mark Rogers 13. 98 Matt Roselli 14. 11 Steve Whitt 15. 64 Brett Conklin 16. 16 Buddy Sload 17. 17 Pat VanVarick 18. 48 Matt Janisch 19. 55 Steve Craig 20. 71 Chris Allen 21. 75 Lou Cicconi 22. 73B Brett Michalski
DQ 15 Ryan Flores 5 Joey Payne 9 Jonathon Reid 07 Patrick Emerling
48 Matt Janisch set fast time
B-Main 1. 98 Matt Roselli 2. 64 Brett Conklin 3. 66 Rob Vivona 4. 39 Ron Mullen 5. 65 Mike Occhopinti 6. 26 Joey Payne III 7. 49 BJ MacDonald 8. F8 Mike Glaser 9. 33 Brianna Page
MODIFIED STOCK CAR LEGEND WILL CAGLE ENTERS IRONTON TELPHONE INDOOR RACE
Posted by: | CommentsNEWS FROM LEN SAMMONS MOTORSPORTS PRODUCTIONS
INDOOR AUTO RACING EVENTS AT ALLENTOWN, ATLANTIC CITY AND TRENTON
PROMOTER: Len Sammons (609)888-3618
MEDIA CONTACT: Ernie Saxton Communications, Inc.
Esaxton144@aol.com – EMAIL ---- 267.934.7286 – Ernie’s CELL PHONE
Release created by Steve Barrick
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IRONTON TELEPHONE SIGNS ON AS TITLE SPONSOR OF INAUGURAL ALLENTOWN INDOOR AUTO RACE; PLANS FOR TWO CAR TEAM LEAD BY VETERAN DRIVER WILL CAGLE
ALLENTOWN, PA – Ironton Telephone Company with Avaya has signed to become the title sponsor of the inaugural running of the Allentown Indoor Auto Race to be held at the PPL Center on January 2, 2015 in Allentown, PA.
In addition to Ironton’s title sponsorship, company executive Rick Harring has decided to field a two-car Three Quarter (TQ) Midget team for the race bearing his firm’s name. The drivers named are versatile auto racing legend Will Cagle of Tampa, Florida and SpeedSTR, Late Model and Legends driver Steven Nederostek, of Walnutport, Pa.
Known as ‘The Tampa Terror’ during his four decades of racing Modifieds in the northeast, Cagle, 77, last drove in competition in 2012, in a Legends car.
Cagle counts among the many tracks where he has won features as the Allentown Fairgrounds, in 1966.
“I got the jump on Frankie Schneider on a restart,” Cagle said. “I knew he was mad that I got by him so I had to pull away so he wouldn’t spin me.”
Nederostek, an accomplished Legends and Dirt Late Model driver, dedicated most of his racing attention this past year to weekly competition in a SpeedSTR at the Kutztown Fairgrounds.
The excitement surrounding the Ironton Telephone Allentown Indoor Race continues to ramp up with the addition of Cagle and Nederostek to the entry list, now at capacity with 80 drivers registered to compete in the one-day event.
Tickets available at www.pplcenter.com are selling a rapid pace and those looking for premium front row or lower level reserved seats are urged to purchase tickets now before they sell out.
In addition to the support Ironton Telephones, Future Homes has signed on as a presenting sponsors of the inaugural event. With additional support coming from associate sponsors All American Property Maintenance and Bob Hilbert Sportswear.
Ironton Telephone Company, is a reliable telecommunications staple that has served in the Lehigh Valley since 1909. Avaya is a recognized innovator and leading global provider of solutions for customer and team engagement.
Tickets for the event are selling at a rapid pace and available exclusively through PPLCenter online, by phone at 610-347-TIXX, or in person at the Mealey’s Furniture Box Office located on 7th & Hamilton St. at PPL Center.
When the green flag drops, the powerful open-wheel Three Quarter (TQ) Midgets with drivers from throughout the Northeast and Canada competing will be the headline division. Slingshots, identically built cars that resemble Modified stock cars, will also compete in the one-day event.
The Allentown event is the first race of the race Indoor Racing Series fueled by VP Racing Fuels planned for this winter. Following the inaugural event in Allentown the series will head to Atlantic City, NJ on January 29 and 30th for the 14th running the NAPA AUTO PARTS Gambler’s Classic and conclude with the 3rd Annual Battle of Trenton on February 26 & 27 at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton, NJ.
LSMP is currently seeking additional marketing partners for this exciting first time event. Contact 609-888-3618 or visit www.aarn.com for more information.
ERNIE SAXTON COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Public Relations, Sponsorship Consultant
Journalist - Announcer - Publisher
www.saxtonsponsormarket.com
215.752.7797 & 267.934.7286
Esaxton144@aol.com
