Joey Bailey was best able to adapt to the Wall Stadium Aero Package sweeping the night winning his heat race and the feature in exciting fashion. Ryan Tidman rolled across second with Geoffrey Sutton third. Sutton won the other heat race. Next up for the ATQMRA is a trip north to the Steel Palace Oswego Speedway on June 13th.
The day began with a half hour happy hour to give teams an opportunity to adjust to the aero package that is in place for the Wall races. The Alan Mollot 51 driven by Avery Stoehr was the class of the field at that point achieving a balanced setup to click off some impressive lap times. The rest of the field would soon find speed as well.
The early session was marred by a flipping Jimmy Wolcott who made hard contact with the second turn wall ending his nights racing. He walked away from the incident uninjured but his car was finished for the night.
The first heat saw 2014 Rookie of the Year Geoffrey Sutton start from the pole and win his first heat with the organization. It wasn't that easy. Avery Stoehr charged into second and dogged Sutton the entire distance looking like he had the speed to put Sutton away but the 51 loosened up toward the end of the 8 lap heat allowing Sutton to pull away.
The second heat was the beginning of a strong night for 2013 Rookie of the year Joey Bailey. He led every lap to win the second heat run in tight formation with Flying Ryan Tidman in second.
The feature race saw a front row of Geoffrey Sutton and Matt Roselli who were rivals on the dirt at the Lehigh Valley Quarter Midget Track take the green with Sutton winning the drag race into the first turn. Roselli held second until a hard charging Tidman moved into second and began the battle for the lead with Bailey slotting into third by the second lap. The top three cars ran under a blanket until the caution flew on lap nine.
The restart gave Tidman the opportunity he needed. He was able to complete an outside pass on the restart to move into the lead over Sutton with Bailey following into second. This was only the beginning of the excitement. Bailey, determined to get to the front, moved around on the track looking for a way around Tidman. Bailey moved up the track attempting to set up a cross over move to take the lead and was able to get a run off the fourth turn and get under Tidman with two laps to go winning the race by a mere .211 seconds. The top three were within a half second and the entire field finished on the lead lap.
Next up for the ATQMRA is a trip to the Steel Palace Oswego Speedway on Saturday June 13th for the first of two trips to the Indy of the East Oswego Speedway. The ATQRMA will be back in action at Oswego for the second time in 2015 once again for Bud Classic Weekend. Oswego is something to be experienced. It's the only paved track in the east that has a true open wheel heritage and a strong contingent of rabid fans who appreciate close open wheel racing.
Feature Race 20 laps: 1. 02 Joey Bailey 2. 1B Ryan Tidman 3. 46 Geoffrey Sutton 4. 16 Buddy Sload 5. 98 Matt Roselli 6. 53 Alison Cumens 7. 51 Avery Stoehr 8. 39 Ronnie Mullen 9. F8 Mike Glaser 10. 18 Patrick Force 11. 33 Jimmy Wolcott (DNS)
Heat 1. 46 Geoffrey Sutton
Heat 2. 51 Joey Bailey
ATQMRA News and Notes: 2009 ATQMRA Champion Alison Cumens made a return to the ATQMRA at Wall in her Fiancé Buddy Sload's 53 car rolling across the line in sixth. It was Alison's second race of the weekend after earning a top ten in the ISMA SuperModified opener on Friday night she made the trip to Wall from Delaware Speedway in Ontario in time to compete at Wall Saturday. Buddy Sload raced the potent Colin Martin 16 Spitfire that he raced indoors to a strong fourth place finish.
The New aero package tightened up the competition keeping all of the finishing cars on the lead lap. The fastest TQ was about a second slower than the TQ midget track record pace. Drivers commented that the cars behaved much like a wingless car. Teams appeared to experience reduced tire wear as a result of the aero package.
Matt Roselli made his second start of the weekend as well after finishing 19th at Kutztown on Wednesday in the West End Rent All 600 Microsprint in competition against a field of 47 cars. Roselli was able to roll across the line with a top five at Wall.
2014 Rookie of the Year Geoffrey Sutton won his first heat race in ATQRMA competition and earned his first podium finish on a big track with the club leading nine laps in route to the third place finish. Teamed up with Sutton in the Metz Racing Stable was Wall Stadium's most Popular Driver and multi Division Champion Ronnie the Rocket Mullen and NHRA Drag Racer Mike Glaser. Mullen posted an eighth place finish in the renumbered 39 car staying on the lead lap in the TQ feature. Mullen shot out into the lead and pulled his Factory Stock into Victory lane in that division's feature. His bid to earn two features in one night was cut short when the 4 cylinder race was rained out. Glaser made his season debut in the Metz Racing f8 after running a handful of races in 14 at Borgers Speedway and has his eyes on the ATQRMA rookie of the year trophy.
The hard charging Avery Stoehr ran the fastest laps of the day with the new aero package but missed the handle for the feature struggling with a loose handling car to a seventh place finish in the final tally.
Patrick Force is working hard to gain experience running as high as seventh in the main before dropping from competition on lap 13.