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1/12/2009
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AMERICAN THREE QUARTER MIDGET RACING
ASSOCIATION
AT ATLANTIC CITY |
The ATQMRA will once again be well represented at the Annual Gambler’s
Classic at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City with over a third of the teams
registered for the event having raced with the ATQMRA in 2008. nearly half
of the field comes into the indoor event with an ATQMRA background.
Mike Tidaback looks to make it two in a row and defend his 2008
Gambler’s Classic victory. Liquid Lou Cicconi is fresh off his triumph over
Tony Stewart in a midget at the indoor races in the Rumble Series in Fort
Wayne Indiana. Joe Payne has finished consistently at the front of the pack
the last few years but has been shut out of victory lane the last two races
at Boardwalk hall. Matt Janisch who kept himself busy racing the R umble
Series this winter is excited to return to the tight confines of Boardwalk
hall. Like Cicconi and Payne, Janisch is on a short list of drivers that
have qualified for the Gambler’s Classic each time he has entered and is
looking for a top finish in 2009.
2008 ATQMRA rookies Alison and Ian Cummens, Matt Roselli, and Paul
Lotier will be trying their luck in the indoor classic.
Ian Cumens will be making his first attempt at the rough and tumble
racing at Boardwalk hall. Alison is also making her first attempt at the
Gambler’s Classic after a successful rookie season with the ATQMRA capturing
a few qualifying races and podium finishes.
Matt Roselli is coming into the Gambler’s Classic with the
experienc e of racing in the Rumble Series of races already this winter.
Roselli gained a wealth of experience in the Dan DeRitis 66 micro sprint in
the indoor races in Ohio and Indiana that should serve him well when the
green flag drops in Atlantic City.
Paul Lotier Jr. comes in after winning the ATQMRA’s final outdoor
event of 2008 the Turkey Derby at Wall Township Speedway in exciting
fashion. Lotier raced the Boyd 1B at the Gambler’s Classic in 2008 and now
has a wealth of experience in the Lenny and Donna Boyd 1B Spitfire TQ
midget. Lotier is also slated to compete in the Slingshot division in AC
Randy Cabral, Neil Blatt, Rudy Boetticher, Zack Martini, Art
Lawshie Jr., Steve Craig, Bob Watkins, Don Zrinski, Jeremy Frankoski, Joey
Payne and Liquid Lou Cicconi are all past and present full Midget drivers
who hop behind the wheel of an American Three Quarter Midget Racing
Association TQ midget from time to time.
2008 NEMA Champion Randy Cabral raced with the ATQMRA in 08
finishing second in the twin fifteen races at Mountain Speedway. He will be
behind the wheel of the Dave Clarke ATQMRA TQ Midget for the races at AC.
Cabral will be a force to be reckoned with when the race cars hit the track.
Neil Blat raced a handful of times with the ATQMRA in 08 and made
his debut in the ultra competitive NEMA midgets in 08.
Ruby Boetticher who has been a consistent competitor indoors at
Boardwalk Hall and the now defunct indoor races at the Niagara Falls
Convention Center under Harry Macy ran a solid schedule of events with the
ATQMRA in 08 winning a heat race at the season ending race at the King of
the Mountain at Mountain Speedway.
The ultra competitive Don Zrinski will once again return to AC for
the indoor Classic. Zrinski was a consistent top finisher in the Niagara
Indoor races and hopes he has the indoor monkey off his back after having
some success in AC in 08.
Zack Martini was one of the most active racers with the ATQMRA in
2008 racing nearly fifty events on the year. He races the TQ midget a dozen
times with a best finish of a close second at Flamboro Speedway in Ontario
against the CanAm organization. Martini raced 14 times in a USAC Sprinter on
dirt, 16 times with the ARDC Midgets, and took a turn at the wheel of a
modified at Mountain Speedway bringing home a top five finish in his first
attempt behind the wheel of a Pavement Modified. The versatile Martini will
be trying his hand at indoor racing at Boardwalk Hall for the first time for
the 2009 edition of the race.
Steve Craig returned to the ATQMRA in 2008 at the annual Turkey
Derby after a decade long hiatus from the organization. He also raced a
limited schedule with the ARDC Midget organization and plans to do double
duty in 09 racing on dirt with the ARDC Midgets and filling in with his TQ
midget when scheduling permits.
2007 ATQMRA Driving Champion Bob Watkins Jr. will once again be
looking to grab the brass ring at the Gambler’s Classic in Boardwalk Hall.
Watkins is an indoor veteran having raced for years at the Macy indoor
series’ in Niagara Falls, NY. Watkins took his turn at Midget racing a few
years ago in the Steve Craig Midget. Watkins raced a limited schedule in 08
to allow him to focus on his family but is always a tough competitor like
his father Bob Sr. who won a race in Atlantic City during the George
Stockinger era.
Jeremy Frankoski raced a handful of shows with the ATQMRA in 08 and
will be at the wheel of the refurbished Dan DeRitis 69 Shadow Sidewinder.
Frankoski finished a competitive 9th in points with the NEMA midgets in 08
with a pair of second place finishes and a third to go along with his Highly
Controversial Big Wheel Race Victory over Blu Metz at Mountain Speedway.
Frankoski’s smooth style should serve him well in Atlantic City.
Ken Hirt, John Holmquist, “Wild Child” Lou Horvath, Bruce Leote,
Jeff Kot, Brent Marks, Robin Johnston, Billy Pauch Sr., Johnny Payne, Frank
Fischer, BJ Di Mascio, Richie Coy and Scott Campbell will all represent the
ATQMRA. Ken Hirt has been on Hiatus from the ATQMRA while racing quarter
midgets with his kids but is always a competitor at AC.
“Wild Child” Lou Horvath of Easton, Pa will make his first start in
a TQ midget at the GamblerE2s Classic in AC. Horvath raced Borger’s Speedway
in 08 in a Micro Sprint having moved up from AMA Pro ATV racing. Horvath has
extensive indoor experience on ATV’s on both dirt and concrete ovals winning
indoor races at the Middletown indoor events and also in Connecticut on the
indoor dirt quarter mile oval. He has resurrected the former Carl Storero 01
now owned by Mark Pell to be the lone 2-Stroke competitor at AC.
Fellow Borger’s racer Bruce Leote has been a consistent competitor
at AC and will hope to use his past indoor and tight confine experience at
Borger’s to his advantage in his GSXR 750 powered RTS Micro sprint he
converted into a TQ midget. Bruce raced a number of events with the ATQMRA
including the season ending Turkey Derby.
Frank Fischer who won the first ATQMRA event at=2 0Chemung
Speedrome in his own 33 car will race the Colin Martin 36 car at Boardwalk
Hall. This car was built in a collaborative effort with innovative mid-West
midget builder Mike Fedorcak and is a TQ midget modeled after the Fedorcak
Munchkin midgets used by Tony Stewart and Liquid Lou Cicconi to win races in
Fort Wayne Ind. in the Rumble Series of indoor races.
Robin Johnston has been close to wining the ATQMRA championship the
last several years. Johnston missed the 08 version of the AC races while his
car was rebuilt after a severe crash at Mountain Speedway in the season
ending race. Johnston is always an aggressive competitor that will work his
way to the front.
ATQMRA officer Richie Coy has been a consistent competitor with the
organization and brings a wealth of racing experience to the show. Coy was
an ATQMRA rookie of the year as well as having raced NASCAR modifieds Late
Models, and has tried his hand behind the wheel of a midget and did some
road racing over the years. Coy is a third generation racer whose father and
grandfather both won at AC during the Stockinger era who hopes to be the
third generation of Coy to bring home a checkered flag from AC.
Johnny Payne was the 89 ATQMRA rookie of the year who has moved on
to race midgets and Supermodifieds and has supported his nephew's aspiration
to be a racer by turning over the controls of his 66 car to Joey Payne III.
Johnny qualified for the A Main at Ac in 08 and hopes to follow in his
brother's footsteps and bring home another checkered flag for the Payne
Family that had a victory in AC with Johnny Coy Jr. during the Stockinger
Era of indoor racing in Atlantic City.
The ATQMRA is well represented at the races at Boardwalk Hall and
has high hopes that one of its cars will win to extend their streak of
winning the indoor classic.
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Source: Blu Metz /
ATQMRA
Posted: January
12, 2009 |
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