12/30/2007
PAYNE LOOKS TO CAPITALIZE
ON RUMBLE SUCCESS TO REPEAT
AT UPCOMING GAMBLER'S CLASSIC
Joey Payne, Jr. of Fairlawn, NJ, ushered in the New
Year just the way he resolved to do - aboard an open-wheel racing
machine. Payne intends to continue his off-season racing by winning his
second-straight Atlantic City classic title later this month.
Payne posted a pair of top-five finishes over the weekend of
Friday, December 28 & Saturday, December 29, 2007 in a 600cc winged
Midget for owner Jim Morgan in the Rumble at the Fort Wayne Memorial
Coliseum Expo Center in Fort Wayne, IN. After qualifying sixth in time
trials on Friday night, the Northeastern Midget Association (NEMA)
regular finished second in his heat race followed by a fourth-place
finish in the 50-lap feature. Payne picked it up on Saturday night by
turning fast time in 600cc division qualifying and winning his heat
race. A third-place finish in Saturday’s feature concluded a very
successful weekend.
Payne is no stranger to indoor racing victories. He has
captured both the Niagara Falls Indoor and the Atlantic City “Gamblers”
championships twice. He looks to carry the momentum over from Fort Wayne
to Atlantic City. Payne is in search of back-to-back victories in the
"Gambler's Classic" Indoor Auto Race at the Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall
on January 18 & 19, 2008.
The 2007 “Gambler’s Classic” winner will be back with the
same package that he had when he beat out Lou Cicconi last January.
Payne will pilot a Three-Quarter (TQ) Midget for owner Colin Martin.
Crew Chief Allan Mollot will turn the wrenches in search of a repeat.
Sponsors of this year’s efforts will come from Spitfire TQ Midgets and
Bell Helmets.
During the off-season, Payne has worked closely with Hoosier
Racing tires to help develop an improved new indoor tire.
“I owe a lot to Hoosier Racing Tire for their support of my
indoor racing in the past,” said Payne. “Recently, I had the opportunity
to pay them back a little bit. I worked with product manger Irish
Saunders and the engineers with compounds and tire sizes to develop an
indoor "Little Car” tire that should prove to be fast and effective for
all of us at Atlantic City this year.”
If Payne was a gambling man, he just might put his money on
his own team.
“I love coming to Boardwalk Hall to race,” continued Payne.
“This place is fun and fast and it has so much history. And I really
enjoy racing with Colin, Allan and the guys. I think that we have what
it takes to win this thing again.”
Payne will have to best the likes of arch-rival Lou Cicconi,
who he has locked horns with on a number of occasions in Atlantic City
and otherwise; fellow NEMA contender Randy Cabral and his International
Supermodified Association (ISMA) rival Mike Litchey; and up-and-comer
Jimmy Broderick III. Along with the likes of Ted Christopher, Rick
Eckert, Ken Schrader, Mike Tidaback, and the popular and talented
father-son duos of Jeff Heotzler Sr. & Jr. and Billy Pauch, Sr. and Jr.,
Payne will even have to vie for supremacy against his own brother Johnny
Payne.
To learn more about the “Gambler’s Classic” in Atlantic City
log on to www.aarn.com.
Source: Dale Wolbrink/Joey Payne PR
Posted:
December 30, 2007 |