Staff Report | Monday, March 22nd, 2021
WALL TOWNSHIP, NJ- The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA powered by VP Racing Fuels is set to compete for the first time since November in Turkey Derby XLVII at Wall Stadium Speedway this Saturday. After being delayed for over four months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teams and fans alike are anxiously waiting to return to the track and regain normalcy heading into the new year.
Kyle Taraska and the #22 Chick-fil-A, Personal Comfort car were the fastest team in town at Wall Stadium Speedway last weekend. Taraska set himself as a pre-race favorite by posting a blistering 12.973 second lap time in Turkey Derby XLVII on Sunday afternoon.
Taraska has one career feature win to-date in the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA powered by VP Racing Fuels, which happened at Wall Stadium in 2018. While Taraska will have many eyes on him this weekend at his home track, he will not be the only hard charger seeking his first wreath at this premier event.
Jeff Kot and the #95 Behrents Performance Warehouse team will also be a force to be reckoned with. Kot posted the second fastest time of practice, coming in at a 13.099 this past weekend. Kot certainly feels like this race owes him one. In the 2018 running of the event, Kot and Buddy Sload put on a duel for the ages. A poorly timed caution caused Kot to give the lead back to Sload by default after passing him under green. Sload went on to win the race. Expect Kot to seek redemption at Wall Stadium this Saturday.
The feel-good story of the final practice weekend was the #76 A&A Truck Parts Team of Brianna Page. Page was fastest of all teams in Saturday practice which resulted in the third fastest practice time of the weekend. Page ended 2020 with a lot of momentum, most notably earning a top-5 finish at The New London-Waterford Speedbowl last fall in her first attempt at the ATQMRA’s fastest track. Page will look to put on a strong showing and put her name in the record books in Turkey Derby XLVII.
Defending ATQMRA Champion Joey Bailey and the #1B Boyd Racing Team are always expected to be a threat on Wall Stadium’s inner oval. Bailey is another driver also seeking his first Turkey Derby championship. The Boyd family looks to return to victory lane for the first time since another pre-race favorite, Ryan Tidman won the event with them in 2017.
While the Alan Mollot cars were absent from practice this weekend, do not count out either team to hoist a trophy this Saturday afternoon. Although in a different car, Geoffrey Sutton is the defending champion of ATQMRA Turkey Derby. The last car to win at Turkey Derby, the #51, will now be driven by Ryan Tidman whose success has already been noted.
Indoor Series Champion and Atlantic City Gambler’s Classic Champion Ryan Flores will compete in Turkey Derby in the #66 Chris DeRitis owned car as he seeks his first victory in the historic race. With over-the-wall pit crews not required in the NASCAR Cup Series Bristol Dirt Race, Flores will make the most of his off weekend traveling north to his home track of Wall Stadium. What a story it would be for Flores, and his full-time employer, the #2 Penske Team of Brad Keselowski, to sweep this weekend of racing.
Other notables who practiced last weekend include former Wall Stadium feature winner, Tim Proctor, Jackson, NJ’s Mike Glaser, RYNO.co Rookie Contender Tyler Wagner, and ATQMRA regular and Albany Indoor Series Champion Anthony Payne.
The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA powered by VP Racing Fuels will be the opening feature of day two of Turkey Derby XLVII. The action kicks off at 10:30 AM on Saturday, March 27th, 2021 with practice. Qualifying will begin around 12:00 PM with the 30-lap feature to follow at 3:00 PM.
Fans will have many options to spectate Turkey Derby this weekend. While a limited number of grandstand and pit passes are available per New Jersey social distancing guidelines, fans will also have the opportunity to watch a live pay-per-view broadcast of a full day of racing on Dirt Track Digest TV. For more details, visit wallspeedwayracing.com.
Following the conclusion of Turkey Derby XLVII, at ATQMRA will take just over a month off prior to kicking off the 2021 championship points season at Mahoning Valley Speedway on Saturday, May 8th.
Turkey Derby XLVII Unofficial Entry List
1. #09 Nick Keefe, Elinsboro, NJ*
2. #1B Joey Bailey, Monroe, NJ
3. #2 Mike Glaser, Jackson, NJ
4. #12 Anthony Payne, Fair Lawn, NJ
5. #22 Kyle Taraska, Woodbridge, NJ
6. #32 Tyler Wagner, Chester, NJ*
7. #39 Ronnie Mullen, Brick, NJ
8. #44P Chris Pelcher, Pittsburgh, PA*
9. #48 Matt Janisch, Wind Gap, PA
10. #48X Briggs Danner, Allentown, PA*
11. #51 Ryan Tidman, Southampton, PA
12. #51S Geoffrey Sutton, East Stroudsburg, PA
13. #55C Steve Craig, Levittown, PA
14. #67 Joey Payne III, Fair Lawn, NJ
15. #73 Cole Mullen, Brick, NJ
16. #75 Mark Yoder, Ephrata, PA
17. #76 Brianna Page, Brick, NJ*
18. #91 Bob Watkins Whaleyville, MD
19. #95 Jeff Kot, Doyelstown, PA
20. #97 Chris Hirt, Newington, CT*
21. #97K Ken Hirt, Plainville, CT*
22. #98 Tim Proctor, Columbus, NJ
*RYNO.co Rookie Contender