Buddy Sload celebrates in VP Racing Fuels Victory Lane with Tommy and Michelle Lane, Brother and Mother of the-late JJ Lane (Sean Case Photo)
STAFF REPORT | Monday, July 29th, 2024
Photography Credit: Sean Case, Eric Storch
WALL TOWNSHIP, NJ - Buddy Sload returned to victory lane this weekend, at Wall Stadium Speedway, winning the prestigious, JJ Lane Memorial for the third time in his career!
The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA fueled by VP Racing Fuels, in conjunction with the Hamer Heating and Cooling Hometrack Shootout, returned to Wall Stadium Speedway this past weekend for the 5th Annual JJ Lane Memorial. A special night, with a special qualifying format, capped off with a popular pre-race autograph session, makes this a continued can’t-miss event for ATQMRA fans and competitors.
Nearly a dozen of the seventeen starters pose with the JJ Lane banner prior to the start of the 30 lap JJ Lane Memorial feature (Sean Case Photo)
Ryan Tidman (#99x Dr. Martha Baker D.M.D, CheckerWon Manufacturing) found himself in a familiar spot, on top of the board after time trials, posting a lap of 13.099 seconds, winning the $100 bonus courtesy of AC’s Lawn Service LLC. To the delight of the fans in attendance, an invert of 8 was drawn by pole sitter Tidman, ensuring an exciting feature. By the pick of a pill, Tidman moved back four rows at the start and Josh Patterson (#02 Bob Hilbert Sportswear, Belfor Property restoration) inherited the pole for the 30-lap feature.
Matt Janisch (#51J), who led early, battles teammate Tyler Wagner (#51) for position (Eric Storch Photo)
Matt Janisch (#51J Yuhas Chassis) made his first start of the year at Wall Stadium Speedway, and third overall on the tour, this weekend. Janisch made the most of his effort in the early going, jumping to the lead over Patterson. By the second lap, Sload (#36 Spitfire Chassis), methodically wrestled his way from fifth to second, while Tyler Ferris (#7 Hamer Heating and Cooling) settled into third.
A blown brake caliper ruined Mark Yoder's (#75) evening prematurely. Josh Patterson recovered from this incident to finish 9th (Eric Storch Photo)
The first and only caution of the evening occurred on lap five, when Mark Yoder (#75 Ames Construction) got together with Josh Patterson for eighth. Yoder unfortunately experienced a brake issue, ending his race early. Yoder earned a $100 bonus courtesy of Motor Cars International, as the Hard Luck award of the race recipient. Patterson continued to race, restarting at the tail end of the field.
Sload wasted no time on the restart, pulling the crossover on Janisch for the lead. As Sload earned the top position, pole sitter and pre-race favorite Ryan Tidman, entered the picture for the lead as well. Tidman worked Ferris on the outside, and Janisch on the inside, as he soon had his eyes set on Sload for the lead.
Buddy Sload (#36) and Ryan Tidman (#99x) battled intently for much of the 30-lap JJ Lane Memorial (Eric Storch Photo)
It was a tight battle to the end, as lapped traffic became a factor in the 17-car field. Relatively speaking, you could have nearly thrown a blanket over the top-5, who all ran their fastest times of the race within less than a tenth of a second of each other.
It was ultimately Buddy Sload, who was able to hang on, scoring the victory in the JJ Lane Memorial! Sload earned a cool $600 to win, which was an increased winner's share, thanks to AC’s Lawn Service LLC.
Ryan Tidman put on a fantastic drive from eighth to second, earning the $100 Hard Charger Award Bonus courtesy of Motor Cars International.
Tyler Ferris earned a strong podium finish for the Hamer Motorsports Group, finishing in third. This was Ferris’ second top-5 finish in consecutive ATQMRA events.
Tyler Ferris (#7) continues to put strong runs together for the Hamer Motorsports Group. Ferris battles eventual winner, Sload (#36), of Spitfire Racing for position. (Eric Storch Photo)
Tyler Wagner (#51 Lindblad Badger) finished 4th. Wagner, who entered the race as the series points leader, now finds himself eight points behind Sload in overall touring standings after Saturday’s event. Furthermore, for the second occurrence this year, Sload and Wagner enter the next race tied in Hamer Heating and Cooling Hometrack Shootout standings.
Kyle Taraska (#22 Boyd Speed Shop), finished in fifth. Taraska was also the recipient of the $100 bonus for being scored fifth on lap-28, honoring the-late Wall Stadium Sportsman Bill Brice Jr. The award was sponsored by NAPA Auto Parts - Brice Auto Supply.
As a note, a private donor sponsored bonus awards to the top-5 finishers as well.
After leading early, Matt Janisch settled into a sixth-place finish. Jeff Kot (#95 Behrents Performance Warehouse) made his return to the ATQMRA this weekend, and back in his own Badger 750cc TQ. Kot gave his freshened build a strong season debut in seventh.
Jeff Kot (#95) and Kyle Herve (#24) battle for position in the closing stages (Eric Storch Photo)
Kyle Herve (#24 CARS Auto Body, Brunswick West Land Surveyors) continues to make gains on his Lafler Chassis, finishing in a competitive eighth. Herve earned a $100 bonus for being the top finisher of all retired quarter midget club racers, courtesy of NAPA Auto Parts - Brice Auto Supply.
Josh Patterson, recovered from his earlier on-track incident, to finish 9th. For the second week in a row, Billy Cole put on another respectable showing, finishing in tenth.
A strong field of 17 TQs in attendance on the grid at Wall Stadium Speedway (Eric Storch Photo)
Anthony Payne and Steve Craig were the last two cars to finish on the lead lap, earning the eleventh and twelfth place finishing positions respectively. For finishing as the last car on the lead lap, Craig earned a $50 bonus courtesy of NAPA Auto Parts - Brice’s Auto Supply.
Don Zrinski, Mike Glaser, Avery Stoehr, Mark Yoder and Robert Burd respectively completed the field of seventeen.
Buddy Sload is now the seventh winner in seven features this season, for the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA fueled by VP Racing Fuels. The defending series champion has his sights set on another, in what has been one of the most competitive ATQMRA seasons on record.
Buddy Sload waves the JJ Lane Memorial Flag to the fans in attendance, celebrating his victory for the third time in five runnings of the event (Eric Storch Photos)
The ATQMRA extends their sincere appreciation to the Lane family, including mother Michelle, Father Ace, and brother Tommy, for providing the blessing to the series and Wall Stadium Speedway. May a heartfelt note be sent out to Ace Lane Jr., who was not able to attend this weekend’s event as he is recovering from a fall that occurred earlier in the week. Please keep Ace in your thoughts.
We continue to honor and remember our friend JJ, and all those who we have recently lost, within our racing community.
The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA fueled by VP Racing Fuels, in conjunction with the Hamer Heating and Cooling Hometrack Shootout, returns to Wall Stadium Speedway on Saturday, August 10th, 2024.
RACE RESULTS:
FEATURE (30 LAPS):
1. #36 Buddy Sload
2. #99x Ryan Tidman
3. #7 Tyler Ferris
4. #51 Tyler Wagner
5. #22 Kyle Taraska
6. #51J Matt Janisch
7. #95 Jeff Kot
8. #24 Kyle Herve
9. #02 Josh Patterson
10. #0 Billy Cole
11. #45 Anthony Payne
12. #55 Steve Craig
13. #75 Don Zrinski
14. #2 Mike Glaser
15. #12 Avery Stoehr
16. #75 Mark Yoder
17. #5z Robert Burd
TIME TRIALS (TOP-8 INVERT):
1. #99x Ryan Tidman 13.099 (8)
2. #22 Kyle Taraska 13.148 (7)
3. #51 Tyler Wagner 13.299 (6)
4. #36 Buddy Sload 13.308 (5)
5. #7 Tyler Ferris 13.322 (4)
6. #95 Jeff Kot 13.330 (3)
7. #51J Matt Janisch 13.413 (2)
8. #02 Josh Patterson 13.420 (1)
9. #55 Steve Craig 13.500
10. #75 Mark Yoder 13.548
11. #24 Kyle Herve 13.557
12. #45 Anthony Payne 13.661
13. #12 Avery Stoehr 13.721
14. #0 Billy Cole 13.839
15. #75z Don Zrinski 14.168
16. #2 Mike Glaser 14.429
17. #5z Robert Burd 16.060
FEATURE FAST FACTS:
Time of Race: 11:34.335
Leader(s): 2
Lap Leader(s): #36 Buddy Sload (24) #51J Matt Janisch (6)
Cautions: 1
Fastest Lap: #99x Ryan Tidman (13.236)
Rookie of the Race: #02 Josh Patterson (9th)
CONTINGENCY AWARDS:
$100 Fast Time: Ryan Tidman
$100 Hard Charger: Ryan Tidman
$100 Hard Luck: Mark Yoder
$100 5th Lap 28: Kyle Taraska
$100 1/4 Midget: Kyle Herve
$50 Last Car Lead Lap: Steve Craig