Kyle Taraska celebrates with the main grandstand at Wall Stadium Speedway; Sean Case Photo
Robin Ervin, AARN & ATQMRA Staff Report | Monday, June 3rd, 2024
Photography Credit: Sean Case, Eric Storch
WALL TOWNSHIP, NJ - Kyle Taraska earned a thrilling victory, in arguably one of the most competitive ATQMRA features on record this past weekend at Wall Stadium Speedway.
The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA fueled by VP Racing Fuels returned to Wall Stadium Speedway on Saturday for its third race of the 2024 season. This weekend’s event was the second race of the Hamer Heating and Cooling Hometrack Shootout as well.
Ryan Tidman in the Burd Racing #5z entry won the opening heat race of the evening while Buddy Sload earned the victory in the second heat race. Buddy Sload would draw the feature pole while Tidman redrew the 8th starting position.
While Buddy Sload fired off from the pole for the 25 lap showdown, it was everything but a Saturday night drive into the sunset for car 36.
The ATQMRA feature was one for the ages. The race was exciting from the start with Buddy Sload fighting off Tyler Wagner for the lead. Wagner entered the event as the series points leader coming off his first career victory with the ATQMRA at Mahoning two weeks prior.
Jeff Kot (99), Steve Craig (55) and Kyle Taraska (22) battle 3 wide on the opening lap of the feature; Eric Storch Photo
Jeff Kot, with the fastest lap of the day, immediately raced his way to battling for the lead until he suddenly slowed on the backstretch two laps into the race. The caution waved as the rest of the field scattered to avoid him. Kot was done for the night with a broken driveshaft. The incident ended an impressive streak for Paul Dodorico Racing, who prior to this weekend, had not lost a Wall Stadium ATQMRA feature since July of 2023.
Buddy Sload (36), Tyler Wagner (51) and Kyle Taraska (22) battle intently for the lead. Even with the close battling, Sload still led 20 feature laps; Eric Storch Photo
On the restart, Sload and Wagner resumed their intense side by side battle for the lead. Kyle Taraska moved into third place and began closing the gap on the leaders.
By lap five, Taraska was close to the leaders, but staying a car length behind, biding his time to make his move.
Up front it was a real barnburner, as Wagner repeatedly looked both inside and outside of Sload for an opening to take the top spot. Lap after lap, Wagner relentlessly challenged Sload for the lead.
Buddy Sload (36) and Tyler Wagner (51) battle for the lead near the halfway mark; Sean Case Photo
As the race approached the halfway mark, the lead swapped back and forth between Sload and Wagner. Wagner would take the top spot down the backstretch and Sload would regain the lead, back down the frontstretch.
As the lead continued to switch back and forth, Taraska lurked in third. Taraska entered the battle more intently in the closing laps, leaning on Wagner, in a side by side battle with the 51 car.
Kyle Taraska (22) dives under Buddy Sload (36) for the lead in turn 3, in the closing stages of the feature; Eric Storch Photo
As the race came down to the closing stages, Taraska made his move. It was a three-way battle for the lead. Taraska took second from Wagner with eight laps remaining. Four laps later, Taraska dove his #22 Boyd Speed Shop machine low into turn three and stole the lead from Sload.
Sload then raced door to door with Wagner (as they did all race) for second place as Taraska set pace on the field. Taraska went on to lead the final four laps to earn the thrilling feature victory.
Kyle Taraska (22) takes the checkered flag, his eighth career feature victory; Eric Storch Photo
Buddy Sload, a close second and Tyler Wagner rounded out the podium.
Josh Patterson (02) and Ryan Tidman (5z) put on strong top-5 battles together; Eric Storch Photo
Ryan Tidman charged from 8th to 4th and Josh Patterson continued his strong rookie campaign with his second consecutive fifth place finish.
Multi-time NEMA Midget Champion, Avery Stoehr, made the trek from Massachusetts to wheel the #12 MJ Motorsports machine to a sixth place, and Mark Yoder finished seventh. Steve Craig rounded out the field of lead lap finishers in eighth.
Brianna Page (76) and Steve Craig (55) raced hard throughout the early stages of the feature. Contact between both drivers occurred prior to Page’s mechanical retirement; Eric Storch Photo
Attrition impacted multiple drivers this weekend, as mechanical issues plagued Tyler Ferris (9th), Brianna Page (10th) and the noted incident with Jeff Kot (11th).
Afterwards Taraska said “I gave it everything I had. What a phenomenal race. When I took second place from the #51 (Wagner) I knew I had one chance at Buddy (Sload), so I just went for it. I nailed the brakes going into three, dove low and hoped it would stick. It did and I got the win.” Taraska extend his sincere appreciation to the Boyd Speed Shop race team, for their continued support both at the track and in the shop.
Kyle Taraska (22) celebrates with the VP Racing Fuels Checkered flag during his post race victory lap; Eric Storch Photo
The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA fueled by VP Racing fuels returns to racing action this Sunday, June 9th at Evergreen Raceway in Drums, PA.
RACE RESULTS:
FEATURE (25 LAPS):
#22 Kyle Taraska
#36 Buddy Sload
#51 Tyler Wagner
#5z Ryan Tidman
#02 Josh Patterson
#12 Avery Stoehr
#75 Mark Yoder
#55 Steve Craig
#7 Tyler Ferris
#76 Brianna Page
#99 Jeff Kot
HEAT 1 (8 LAPS):
#5z Ryan Tidman
#51 Tyler Wagner
#02 Josh Patterson
#55 Steve Craig
#12 Avery Stoehr
#76 Brianna Page
HEAT 2 (8 LAPS):
#36 Buddy Sload
#99 Jeff Kot
#7 Tyler Ferris
#22 Kyle Taraska
#75 Mark Yoder
FEATURE FAST FACTS:
Time of Race: 13:41.495
Leader(s): 3
Lap Leader(s): #36 Buddy Sload (20) #22 Kyle Taraska (4) #51 Tyler Wagner (1)
Cautions: 2
Fastest Lap: #22 Kyle Taraska (13.330)
Rookie of the Race: #02 Josh Patterson (5th)