|
 The
2012 “Coffee Cup Classic” Indoor Race Weekend in Providence, R.I.’s Dunkin
Donuts Center proved to be worth the trip and then some for Stewart Friesen
of Niagara On The Lake, Ontario who swept both TQ Midget events, the 40 lap
2K to win Saturday night and the 100 lap 3k to win on Sunday. Erick Rudolph
and Joey Payne in the Timex Morgan owned TQ Midgets crossed for second and
third.
“It was awesome, we had a great group effort,” said Friesen as he was
walking off the track Sunday afternoon. “My crew chief Kevin Crowley was
awesome. We’ve worked together four times and we’re four for four, that was
cool. Dave Shore from No Regrets Tattoo, Lou Cicconi the owners, they put
together a great team.
In the Sunday afternoon 100 lap feature, Friesen took the lead on lap 38 and
despite the strong challenges from Erick Rudolph and Joey Payne, held on
through several cautions including a string of yellows on lap 99 for the
coveted win. “They are good cars but we were able to get by them early in
the race and through traffic.” Friesen started 8th on the grid after the
re-draw. “On those restarts, you want to be first, that’s the best spot to
be, a clear
 track-
a product of indoor racing, green, checker, everyone is going for it.”
“Fourth time working with Stewie and the fourth time we won,” said crew
chief Kevin Crowley. Crowley met Friesen through Jimmy Blewett, the first
time they teamed up was the Turkey Derby where they won both events there.
“I came up yesterday, we changed the shocks, change the whole car around,
kept tightening it up, tightening it up- he said it was perfect both
nights.” Crowley adding, “He’s a wheel man, such a wheel man.”
Friesen, a dirt modified racer who will be competing in about one hundred
races this year ‘all over the place’ added, “Its game on now every weekend
until November. This is the start of a long season, this is great.”
Nearly fifty TQ Midgets competed in the Saturday night and Sunday afternoon
event with a cross section of drivers and teams that covered a wide span of
talent as well as a wide variety of geographic locations. Erick Rudolph
took down second in both events, “I gave him all I had. If things would have
been different, if we had a stretch of green laps, I was never really able
to go where I wanted to.” Rudolph will be back in action this summer running
a dirt car closer to home in Ransomville, NY.
Crossing third, Joey Payne went in with a thoughtful strategy, “The first
fifty I was just riding, trying to save my tires. Under the yellow, the
break, we lowered the back of the car a little bit, went up on the pan hard
bar to loosen up the car a bit, played with the shock a little bit and it
worked.” Payne will have a full 2012 schedule. “I’m going to be busy. My
12-year old, Anthony, races quarter midgets. I get to race Saturday at
Oswego then drive through the night to come home for Sunday racing at Wall
Stadium. I get about two hours of sleep on Saturday night but I love it.”
 Defending
Coffee Cup Classic winner Ted Christopher and his team made a gallant effort
that resulted in a top five Saturday night. “I’ve got to give it to all my
guys for getting that thing together at the last minute like that, that was
great.” Christopher was involved in an incident in the second heat race.
“One of those guys hit me from behind, hit the left rear tire, jammed the
rear and blew the ring and pinion out of it. That thing unfortunately is a
major job to do the ring and pinion change, but they got it done. They took
the whole rear end apart between the two consi’s and the go-kart feature and
got me out at the last minute to make the TQ feature.” Christopher started
25th and crossed the line 5th, despite not having any power steering.
“Luckily it worked out.” Christopher was well into the hunt in the 100 lap
event but was forced to retire before the checkers.
Glen Reen from Wilbraham, MA, winner of the NWMT World Series event at
Thompson Speedway in the fall claimed a top ten Saturday night in the 40 lap
Coffee Cup Classic. Reen is ready for the 2012 season and is teamed up again
with car owner Donnie Silverman to run for the SK Modified title at Stafford
Motor Speedway.. |
