Buddy Sload salutes the fans from victory lane after a dominating performance; Eric Storch Photography
Staff Report | Monday, July 10th, 2023
Photography Credit: Pete MacDonald, Eric Storch
WALL TOWNSHIP, NJ- Buddy Sload and the #36 Spitfire Chassis Team led wire to wire to earn their first feature victory of the season at Wall Stadium Speedway!
The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA fueled by VP Racing Fuels was invited to open a marquee night at Wall Stadium Speedway, which was headlined by the NASCAR Modified Tour. In front of an electric, near capacity crowd, the ATQMRA delivered a fast, clean, and competitive race.
RYNO Rookie Contender, Kyle Herve earns his first career ATQMRA Heat Race victory; Eric Storch Photography
RYNO Rookie of the Year championship points leader Kyle Herve (#24 CARS Auto Body) earned his first career heat race victory, while Buddy Sload earned a heat race win in the second qualifier. Buddy Sload redrew the pole for the feature with Mark Yoder (#75 Ames Construction) starting to his outside.
1B Joey Bailey and 99 Ryan Tidman battled closely throughout the duration of the ATQMRA Feature; Pete MacDonald, AARN
When the feature began, the top two remained in order right out of the gate until Joey Bailey (#1B Boyd Speed Shop) worked his way up from sixth, passing Yoder for second on the third lap. Ryan Tidman (#99 Martha Baker D.M.D, CheckerWon Manufacturing) followed Bailey into third. Tidman looked to continue his streak of four consecutive Wall Stadium Speedway feature victories in equal attempted starts for Dodorico Motorsports.
75 Mark Yoder leads 7 Tyler Ferris and some of his closest friends in the early going, all chasing down leader 36 Buddy Sload; Pete MacDonald, AARN
Tyler Ferris (#7 Hamer Heating) continued his string of strong runs competing in an intense battle with Kyle Taraska (#22 Personal Comfort) and Geoffrey Sutton (#51 Linblad Badger). The three cars battled for fourth for multiple laps with Taraska eventually settling into the position.
3 WIDE ACTION! 22 Kyle Taraska, 75 Mark Yoder & ATQMRA Sophomore 723 Mike Turton; Eric Storch Photography
While Taraska charged forward towards the leaders, Brianna Page (#76 Stavola Co, A&A Truck Parts) charged through the field towards the top five. Page finished second in her heat but unfortunately redrew 11th for her feature starting position. Page had close battles throughout the race with Kyle Herve and Cole Mullen (#73 Toms River Heating) in the mid-pack.
2 Mike Glaser and Co-VP Racing Fuels Hard Charger 76 Brianna Page drag race down the frontstretch; Eric Storch Photography
In the closing stages as the leaders caught lapped traffic, the battle for the lead intensified as Bailey closed within car lengths of Sload. Tidman remained equal to Bailey looking to take advantage of the leaders battling. Taraska closed in on Tidman to join the party with a handful of laps remaining.
36 Buddy Sload takes the checkered flag after leading all 25 laps at Wall Stadium Speedway; Eric Storch Photography
While you could throw a blanket over the top four finishers, Buddy Sload would not be denied winning the 25-lap feature.
Joey Bailey, Ryan Tidman, Kyle Taraska and Tyler Ferris completed the top five finishing order respectively.
TIGHT racing between 1B Bailey, 75 Yoder, 99 Tidman, 7 Ferris, 51 Sutton and 22 Taraska; Pete MacDonald, AARN
Geoffrey Sutton earned a 6th place finish and Brianna Page, one of the multi-hard chargers of the race finished 7th.
Coming off his heat race victory, Kyle Herve earned 8th in the feature while Mark Yoder finished 9th. Cole Mullen finished 10th and rounded out the lead lap finishers.
51 Geoffrey Sutton gave Alan Mollot Racing a nice run (passing 75 Mark Yoder); Eric Storch Photography
Steve Craig (#55 Craig Bulk Carriers), Mike Glaser (#2 Aqua Solutions), Ronnie Mullen (#39 Mullen Garage Door Services) and Mike Turton (#723 Sayreville P.B.A, PA Racing) rounded out the field of competitors. Turton made his second start of the year and continues to make gains on their racing program over the last season.
Two competitors performed a “double duty” Saturday night with Tyler Ferris competing in his sportsman modified and Ronnie Mullen returning to the factory stocks division to end the evening’s racing program.
Buddy Sload earned his first feature victory of the season ending a winless drought dating back to June of 2022. Buddy extended his points lead over the field in his quest for a second series championship. Sload leads both the overall and the Hamer Heating and Cooling Hometrack Shootout standings.
As announced in the drivers meeting early afternoon, engine tech was conducted at the conclusion of the feature based on predetermined finishing positions by officials and the Race Director. Winner Buddy Sload and sixth place finisher Geoffrey Sutton were selected for further inspection based on their final finishing positions. Both cars met motor specifications per the ATQMRA rulebook.
Some of TQ Midget racing's finest on the grid at Wall Stadium Speedway; Pete MacDonald, AARN
The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA fueled by VP Racing Fuels returns to action this weekend for the first of three trips this summer to Evergreen Raceway in Drums, PA on Sunday, July 16th.
RACE RESULTS:
FEATURE (25 LAPS):
1. #36 Buddy Sload
2. #1B Joey Bailey
3. #99 Ryan Tidman
4. #22 Kyle Taraska
5. #7 Tyler Ferris
6. #51 Geoffrey Sutton
7. #76 Brianna Page
8. #24 Kyle Herve
9. #75 Mark Yoder
10. #73 Cole Mullen
11. #55 Steve Craig
12. #2 Mike Glaser
13. #39 Ronnie Mullen
14. #723 Mike Turton
HEAT 1 (8 LAPS):
1. #24 Kyle Herve
2. #55 Steve Craig
3. #73 Cole Mullen
4. #7 Tyler Ferris
5. #51 Geoffrey Sutton
6. #2 Mike Glaser
7. #39 Ronnie Mullen
HEAT 2 (8 LAPS):
1. #36 Buddy Sload
2. #76 Brianna Page
3. #1B Joey Bailey
4. #22 Kyle Taraska
5. #99 Ryan Tidman
6. #75 Mark Yoder
7. #723 Mike Turton
FEATURE FAST FACTS:
Time of Race: 5:37.039
Leader: 1
Hoosier Lap Leader: #36 Buddy Sload (25)
Cautions: 0
RYNO Rookie of the Race: #24 Kyle Herve (8th)
Hamer Heating Hot Lap: #99 Ryan Tidman (13.156)
VP Hard Charger(s): #1B Joey Bailey, #76 Brianna Page (+4)