Staff Report | Monday, November 9th, 2020
BETHEL, NY- Ryan Tidman won a drama-filled Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA powered by VP Racing Fuels feature at Bethel Motor Speedway this weekend.
The ATQMRA made their annual trip to the Catskills this weekend to take part in Bethel Motor Speedway’s Novemberfest Weekend.
While Ryan Tidman and Mark Yoder won their heat races, the drama of the afternoon started well before qualifications. In the first round of practice, it was Tidman’s #51 Linblad Badger that experienced a mechanical issue, ending the team’s efforts for the afternoon. However, as one door closed a new door opened.
After practicing his Dr. Martha Baker D.M.D Spitfire Chassis, Paul Dodorico elected to pull himself out of his car to put Ryan Tidman behind the wheel for the heat and feature. Dodorico became a spectator for the remainder of the evening.
During the second heat race, an on-track incident with Mike Glaser, the #51S of Geoffrey Sutton suffered front-end damage, also ending their afternoon prematurely. Neither Mollot Racing car took the green for the 30-lap feature in a series of unprecedented events.
Glaser, in the newly numbered #2 Aqua Solutions TQ Midget, took advantage of his handicap and led the field to the green for the feature later in the evening.
Tidman, starting from second wasted no time charging to the lead by the time the leaders rounded turn two. Tim Proctor would follow Tidman in the outside lane up to second along with the Behrent’s Performance Warehouse TQ Midget of Jeff Kot in third.
Close quarters racing brought out the first caution of the evening exiting the second turn. A fierce three-wide battle for third between Joey Bailey, Avery Stoehr and Jeff Kot, left Avery getting crossed up and making contact with the outside wall. After repairing a flat right front tire, Stoehr returned to the race. Turn two would remain a trouble-spot for teams for the remainder of the race.
On the ensuing restart, Mike Glaser and Brianna Page came together off of treacherous turn two. Glaser, like Stoehr, also received a flat tire from the contact but did not return to action.
Tidman again would put a hurting on the field, stretching out to nearly a straightaway lead as Kot and Bailey fought to get around Proctor for second. Proctor was unfortunately in the midst of his engine expiring, which would happen a few laps later.
Proctor’s #98 erupted into flames off of once again, turn two. The red flag was displayed due to the severity of the incident. Proctor walked away under his own power and was not hurt during the rupture.
The race would continue with fantastic racing, even with limited cars left in the field. Tidman tried to expand his lead after the red flag but a late charge from Bailey, who won at Bethel earlier this season, brought fans to the edge of their seat.
In the meantime, for the entire second half of the race, you could have thrown a blanket of Kot, Stoehr, and the Chick-fil-A, Personal Comfort TQ Midget of Kyle Taraska as they battled for the final podium spot.
Brianna Page and the A&A Truck Parts team self-spun off of the turn two, to bring out the final caution of the evening setting up a dash to the checkered.
Tidman got a great jump on Bailey, as Bailey began to fade after experiencing a slow leak in his left rear tire.
At one point during the afternoon, Tidman thought his race day would end prematurely. However, it was the five-time ATQMRA Champion Ryan Tidman hoisting the trophy and waving the checkered flag claiming the victory at Bethel Motor Speedway.
Even with a flat left rear tire, Bailey in the Boyd Racing #1B crossed the line second, with Jeff Kot rounding out the podium.
Kyle Taraska put a nice run together to finish fourth, with Brianna Page recovering from her early spin to earn her second consecutive top-five finish.
After fighting some adversity throughout the race, Avery Stoehr finished sixth.
Proctor’s team was the best of the rest, as many teams fought many issues throughout the evening. Proctor after experiencing the noted engine failure was officially scored in seventh. Glaser, Mark Yoder, Bill Force Jr., Sutton and rounded out the field of drivers for the evening.
In the unique driver swap before qualifications, Paul Dodorico humbly took himself out of his own car to put Tidman in his car. The decision, ultimately working out as Ryan Tidman earned his first victory of the season. Furthermore, Dodorico officially earned his first career ATQMRA victory, but this time as an owner.
The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA powered by VP Racing Fuels will close the 2020 season out on Saturday, November 28th, at Wall Stadium’s Turkey Derby XLVII. For rules, scheduling, and registration information, please visit ATQMRA.com.
Race Results:
Heat 1
1. #55 Ryan Tidman
2. #1B Joey Bailey
3. #23 Avery Stoehr
4. #95 Jeff Kot
5. #22 Kyle Taraska
6. #76 Brianna Page
Heat 2
1. #75 Mark Yoder
2. #98 Tim Proctor
3. #51S Geoffrey Sutton
4. #2 Mike Glaser
5. #6 Bill Force Jr.
Feature
1. #55 Ryan Tidman
2. #1B Joey Bailey
3. #95 Jeff Kot
4. #22 Kyle Taraska
5. #76 Brianna Page
6. #23 Avery Stoehr
7. #98 Tim Proctor
8. #2 Mike Glaser
9. #75 Mark Yoder
10. #6 Bill Force Jr.
11. #51S Geoffrey Sutton
*#51 car gets last place owner’s points for attempted start.
