Staff Report | Monday, September 13th, 2021
Photo Credit: Eric Storch Photography
WALL TOWNSHIP, NJ- In the wake of the recent passing of his late-father, Buddy Sload out dueled Joey Bailey to earn his 5th victory of the 2021 Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA powered by VP Racing Fuels Season.
For the first time since July 31st, the weather forecast was favorable for the “Premier TQ Midget Racing Division” on the sacred evening of the 20th Anniversary of the 9/11 Terrorist attacks. Wall Stadium Speedway hosted a phenomenal pre-race show to honor those who had fallen, featuring The Garden State Quarter Midget Club. Each of the fifteen ATQMRA vehicles were adorned with an American Flag this weekend.
Kyle Taraska and the #22 Chick-fil-A, Personal Comfort Team won the opening heat race of the evening. Taraska set the Hoosier Hot Lap of both heat races combined. Buddy Sload and the #36 Spitfire Racing Team won the second, 8 lap heat of the evening.
The #55C Craig Bulk Carriers team of Steve Craig led the field to the green flag for the start of the 25 lap feature. After an impressive showing in his heat, RYNO.co Rookie Contender #27 Supreme Manufacturing machine of Robert Willis brought out the first caution. Willis entered turn 3 a little too hard and looped his car around. Willis would continue as he experienced no damage from the incident.
On the complete restart, the RYNO.co Rookie Contenders remained the story. #33 Hamer Heating and Cooling TQ Midget of Tyler Ferris powered around the veteran Steve Craig off of turn two to lead the opening lap. Sload followed close in tow for second. Fellow rookie contender #76 Stavola Companies, A&A Trucking Team of Brianna Page was roughed up a bit as her car came to a stop in turn 4 on the second lap. Page, understandably frustrated after finishing an impressive 2nd in her heat, would continue on inside the top 10 in the laps to follow.
The caution set up an intense battle between Buddy Sload and Championship Points Leader, Joey Bailey. Sload and Bailey raced nerf bar to nerf bar, lap after lap bringing a near capacity crowd to their feet. Right when Bailey stormed his #1B Boyd Built-Chassis to the lead, a caution came out again for a single car incident in turn 2. It was deemed by race officials that the field did not complete a full lap under green after Bailey earned the lead, ultimately handing the lead back to Sload on the restart.
“The Jersey Jet” Joey Payne made a remarkable run from 10th to 3rd and was charging through the field before drive shaft failure ended his night.
The battle for 3rd heated up as multi-time champion #51T Ryan Tidman felt pressure from the #95 of Kot. Tidman, fighting a tight car, opened the door for Kot to take 3rd and join the battle for the lead.
The race remained green to the finish. Joey Bailey kept Sload honest, but Buddy Sload preserved and claimed another Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA powered by VP Fuels feature victory on Wall Stadium’s 1/5th mile inner oval.
Bailey, the biggest mover of the race, finished 2nd. The next biggest mover of the race was the #95 Behrents Performance Warehouse Machine of Jeff Kot. Kot, who ran the Hoosier Hot Lap of the feature with a time of 13.084 seconds continues to knock on the door each week for victories. The #51T of Ryan Tidman finished in fourth, and RYNO.co Top Rookie of the race was Tyler Ferris. Ferris has now finished in the top-5 in back to back feature events.
After what started off as another promising afternoon, Kyle Taraska finished sixth. Mike Glaser and the #2 Aqua Solutions TQ Midget finished comfortably in the top-10 in seventh. Robert Willis and Brianna Page both recovered from early race incidents to finish eight and ninth respectively. Steve Craig rounded out the top-10.
Bill Force Jr. made his second start of the year and brought his car home in 11th, and Ken Moody finished our his birthday weekend bringing the #01 Rez Beverage, Doug Heveron Tribute car in 12th.
#51 Joey Payne finished in 13th. Mark Yoder experienced a braking issue to finish 14th.
Rookie Rich Barlow made his official ATQMRA debut this weekend and rounded out the field in 15th.
Since our last feature event, the ATQMRA lost two of their own. ‘Big Bud’ Sload, father of Buddy Sload, passed away in recent weeks. It was great to have many members of the Sload Family and the entire #36 team at the track this weekend. Buddy and his team raced with a heavy heart, and pulled off a tremendous victory in Big Bud’s honor. The ATQMRA raised over $200 through Memorial Stickers made in Bud’s honor, to be fully donated to the SPCA in Bud’s name.
This week, long-time sponsor and supporter of the ATQMRA Bob Emmons passed away as well. While Mr. Emmons supported many racers throughout the years, his relationship with the Boyd Family was unmatched- a friendship dating back to the mid-1970’s. As Mr. Emmons impact goes well beyond motorsports, he was (and forever will be) an integral part of the Boyd Racing Team and ATQMRA. Bob Emmons will be missed dearly by his peers.
Godspeed Bud Sload and Bob Emmons.
The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA powered by VP Racing Fuels will return to action on Saturday, September 25th at Wall Stadium Speedway for the JJ Lane Memorial.
Race Results:
Heat 1:
1. #22 Kyle Taraska
2. #33 Tyler Ferris
3. #95 Jeff Kot
4. #1B Joey Bailey
5. #27 Robert Willis
6. #26 Bill Force Jr.
7. #01 Ken Moody Jr.
Heat 2:
1. #36 Buddy Sload
2. #76 Brianna Page
3. #51 Joey Payne
4. #51T Ryan Tidman
5. #55C Steve Craig
6. #75 Mark Yoder
7. #2 Mike Glaser
8. #09 Rich Barlow
Feature:
1. #36 Buddy Sload
2. #1B Joey Bailey
3. #95 Jeff Kot
4. #51T Ryan Tidman
5. #33 Tyler Ferris
6. #22 Kyle Taraska
7. #2 Mike Glaser
8. #27 Robert Willis
9. #76 Brianna Page
10. #55C Steve Craig
11. #26 Bill Force Jr.
12. #01 Ken Moody Jr.
13. #51 Joey Payne
14. #75 Mark Yoder
15. #09 Rich Barlo