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Chemung practice
Practice time will be available to all teams at the Chemung race from noon to
3pm race day. It is a paid practice for $50.00 per car forthe three hour
session. Practice time for the evening part of the show will be limited to
one round because they have an eight division show with an 11:00pm curfew. If
you want practice arrive early.
ATQMRA debut at
Chemung Speedrome May 17th
The American TQ Midget Racing
Association will make its debut at Chemung Speedrome in Chemung NY on Saturday
May 17th in impressive fashion. This will be the first trip for
the ATQMRA to one of New York’s finest 3/8th mile ovals to race
under the Musco lights at the state of the art Speedway.
After invading the ATQMRA at Mountain
Speedway this past Saturday winning one of the two feature races “Liquid Lou”
Cicconi made plans to continue his foray with the TQ midgets with the ATQMRA
at Chemung. This time he is bringing a number of fellow NEMA competitors.
Cicconi will be racing the Hentrich 57 that he races annually at the Gambler’s
Classic Indoor races at Boardwalk Hall. Joining Cicconi at Chemung will be
Bobby Santos in the Stevie Smith 19 that Cicconi raced to Victory at Mountain
with Jeremy Frankoski racing the DeRitis Team Risque 69, Ben Seitz in the
Cicconi 5, and Erica Santos in the Cicconi 3.
Many time ATQMRA Champion Don Adams will
be making his 2008 racing debut in the Alan Mollot/BJ MacDonald 51 Lindblad
Badger. This is a return home of sorts for Adams teaming up with Mollot since
this is the car he raced to numerous championships earlier in his career.
Adams is looking to ad one more track to his impressive feature win total.
Ryan Tidman will be racing the BJ
MacDonald Competition Classics Dart Chassis 49 at Chemung.
In another homecoming Richie Coy who
raced regularly at Chemung is looking forward to returning to the Speedrome in
a TQ midget.
Racing at 6:30, Pit Gates Open @ 4pm,
Grandstand Gates @ 5pm, Practice@ 5pm
Blu Metz
ATQMRA President
"Liquid Lou" Cicconi and Mike Tidaback Split
ATQMRA Double Features
Tim Behmer Sets fast time in
F1 Style qualifying
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by:
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“Liquid” Lou Cicconi and Mike Tidaback scored the feature wins in the dual
ATQMRA main events.
The
afternoon began with ATQMRA midget qualifying, which was held “Formula One
style”. Tim Behmer ran the fastest lap with a time of 12.759 seconds and Lou
Cicconi was second quickest with a 12.774. Almost half of the field was
inverted for the start of the 20-lap feature, which put Jeff Kot on the pole
position.
Kot
led to the drop of the green, but outside pole sitter, Robin Johnston, made a
pass for the lead before a lap was scored. After three laps of racing, Tim
Behmer was second, followed by “Liquid” Lou Cicconi, Frank Fischer and Chris
Deritis.
Slowly
but surely, Matt Janish moved through the field from his eight starting spot.
Also moving through the field was Ryan Tidman, who found himself in third,
twelve laps into the contest.
Trouble
struck Tidman on the following lap, when he lost an engine in turns two. The
track crew quickly rushed to the scene and extinguished the flames, but Tidman’s
hopes of victory were diminished.
After
the restart, Cicconi shot by Johnston for the top spot and Janisch followed into
second. Cicconi never looked back and cruised on to victory over Janisch,
Johnston, Fischer and Tidaback.
The
ATQMRA midgets took the stage for their second main event of the evening with
Tim Behmer leading the field to the drop of the green flag.
Immediately after the start, Robin Johnston shot out front and appeared to have
the victory wrapped up early, but things changed after he jumped two restarts
following several cautions. On the final lap four restart, Johnston was sent to
the rear of the field, which handed the lead to Chris Deritis.
Deritis led one circuit after the restart before being overtaken by Mike
Tidaback as the two raced out of turn two. Unfortunately for Deritis, the
contact forced him to spin and brought out the caution. He rejoined the tail
end of the field for the restart.
Tidaback led the remaining laps and grabbed his first Mountain ATQMRA win of
the season over Matt Janisch and Robin Johnston, who had worked his way back
towards the front. Dave Williams finished fourth and Frank Fischer rounded out
the top five.
The
Doylestown Quarter Midget Racing Club was on hand for to help promote their
racing efforts and several of the young competitors ran a handful of laps during
intermission. The youngsters also gave the command for the start of the first
ATQMRA feature event.
"Formula 1 Style
Qualifying":1 96Tim Behmer12.759 2 19Lou Cicconi 12.774 3 26Ryan Tidman
12.802 4 46 Zack Martini 12.810 5 43Mike Tidaback 12.901 6 13Robin
Johnston12.920 7 33 Frank Fischer 12.947 8 48 Matt Janisch 13.016 9 66Chris
Deritis13.252 10
95
Jeff Kot 13.258 11 73 Austin Fehr 13.313 1212
Richie Coy 13.344 13 16Dave Williams13.460 14 1B Paul Lotier13.570 15 8 Lew
Ingalls13.893 164
Scott Campbell 14.061
ATQMRA
feature #1 (20- laps) 1. LOU CICCONI 2. Matt Janisch 3. Robin
Johnston 4. Frank Fischer 5. Mike Tidaback 6. Tim Behmer 7. Dave Williams 8.
Chris Deritis 9. Jeff Kot 10. Paul Lotier 11. Scott Campbell 12. Lew Ingalls 13.
Richie Coy 14. Ryan Tidman 15. Zack Martini 16. Austin Fehr
ATQMRA
feature #2 (20- laps) 1. MIKE TIDABACK 2. Matt Janisch 3. Robin
Johnston 4. Dave Williams 5. Frank Fischer 6. Austin Fehr 7. Tim Behmer 8. Scott
Campbell 9. Matt Roselli 10. Ryan Tidman 11. Lew Ingalls 12. Chris Deritis 13.
Richie Coy 14. Paul Lotier 15. Zack Martini
Two ATQMRA Features in One
Night at Mountain
The Saturday May 10th show at Mountain Speedway will be a
double feature race night to make up for the previously rained out show.
The night will feature double features for the Lightening fast TQ midgets as
well as the track hosting the Doylestown Quarter Midget Club. Qualifying
for the first feature will be done "Formula 1 Style." We will use the lap
times from the second round of warm-ups to set the field for the A-Main instead
of heat races. The top 12 or 18 time trialers depending on the size of the
field, will maintain their draw for the feature everyone else will start to the
rear in the order of their best lap time. This format will add an exciting
element to the evenings racing.
In the second portion of the show the heats will be seeded
based on a second draw with a full set of qualifying heats and a 25 lap feature.
The ATQMRA fans and race teams will get two full nights of racing in one.
Come out and see the hot and competitive ATQMRA action at Mountain Speedway in
the Foothills of the Pocono Mountains just outside Hazleton, Pa.
To facilitate a purse for the show the pit pass for TQ teams
will be $50.00.
Ryan Tidman Sweeps Checkered
Flag Night at Mountain
Ryan "The Rocket" Tidman Sets
a New Track Record
Ryan Tidman swept his heat race and feature at Mountain
Speedway breaking his own one lap record at Mountain Speedway in his first race
of the season in the Spitfire Racing 26. Ryan blistered the Mountain third
mile oval in 12.589 seconds for a one lap average of 95.226 MPH.
Mike Tidaback won the first heat race after a race long battle
with early leader Zack Martini the 2007 Checkered Flag Fan Club Open Wheel
Rookie of the Year. Martini jumped out to the early lead over eventual
winner Tidaback before the decisive move in the closing laps that earned
Tidaback the win. Robin Johnston crossed the line third with Matt Janisch
, Chris Deritis and Tim Behmer sixth. Rookies Paul Lotier Jr and Ian
Cumins rounded out the field.
Don Zrinski got the jump on second starting Tidman and lead
for the first three circuits before Tidman made the pass for the lead.
Richie Coy came across the line third with Jim Peruto fourth and Rookies Alison
Cumins and Scott Campbell fifth.
Tidman and Martini paced the field for the ATQMRA four abreast
parade lap before going to battle. Martini got the jump on Tidman at the
start of the race and held the lead until Tidman made an inside move to lead the
fifth lap. Tidman was able to move out to a commanding lead with Mike
Tidaback moving into second. A lap 20 caution flag on lap 20 tightened the
field. Re-assumed the lead over Tidaback and went on to claim the victory
in record setting fashion.
ATQMRA Notes: Four rookies made their debut:
Scott Cambell, Paul Lotier Jr., Ian and Alison Cumens. Cambell finished
11th with Lotier in tow. The Cumins cars suffered engine woes that
shortened their day. The next event fo the TQs is May 10th at
Mountain Speedway. The ATQMRA will be running double features this night
to make up for the rained out opener from April 13th. The TQs will feature
"Formula 1 style" qualifying for their first feature and a standard format for
the second show. Come out to see double TQ midget features.
First Heat Race 1 43Mike
Tidoback2 46Zack
Martini3 13Robin
Johnston4 48Matt
Janish5 66Chris
Deritis6 96Tim
Beamer Jr7 1BPaul
Lotier8 79Ian
Cumers
Second Heat Race 1 26Ryan
Tidman2 75Don
Zrinski3 12Richie
Coy4 35Jim
Perruto5 4Scott
Campbell6 39Alison
Cummins
Checkered Flag Fan Club Feature 1 26Ryan
Tidman BGF Race Engines 2 43Mike
Tidoback3 66Chris
Deritis4 13Robin
Johnston5 46Zack
Martini6 48Matt
Janish7 75Don
Zrinski8 96Tim
Beamer Jr9 12Richie
Coy10 4Scott
Campbell11 79Ian
Cuming12 1BPaul
Lotier13 35Jim
Perruto 14 39 Alison Cumins 15 25 Doug Sherwood
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New Faces and Old coming to
the ATQMRA in 08
The American Three Quarter Midget Racing
Association (ATQMRA) is seeing an influx of both new and old faces for the
2008 season. An impressive rookie class for 2008 will contend for the coveted
rookie of the year honors with the organization. Austin Fehr, Ian and Alison
Cumens, Paul Lotier Jr., Scott Campbell, Kevin Pritchard, and Joey Payne
III will vie for top rookie honors with the ATQMRA in 2008. Returning
veterans Richie Coy and Phil DiMario are excited to compete with the
organization where they got their starts.
16 year old Austin Fehr, Grandson of
Dennis Reider, President of Razor Sharp Grinding will race a brand new
Spitfire number 73. Austin is a many time race winner and currently holds the
track record for half midgets with the Doylestown Quarter Midget Club with a
lap of 5.6169 seconds. He has traveled the
country racing in with the Quarter Midget Association QMA. Austin ran some
impressive laps his first time in the family owned 73 at Mountain Speedway in
a mid-week practice session and is excited to take the next step in his career
and compete with the ATQMRA veterans.
Alison Cumens who recently turned 17 was
the first driver to take to the track in her family owned Spitfire number 79
TQ midget at Mountain Speedway for a practice session and is looking forward
to racing with the ATQMRA in 08. She ran fast smooth consistent laps during
the test session and is looking forward to racing with a full field of ATQRMA
competitors. Alison won championships in two classes at the Doylestown
Quarter Midget Club and has won numerous races during her career in the
quarter midgets. The Cumens family has toured the country following the QMA
Grands tour consistently running up front. She is taking the next logical
step in her racing career in moving up to the lightening fast ATQMRA TQ
midgets.
Allison’s Brother Ian Cumens, fifteen,
is ready for his TQ midget debut in 08. He will race the family 39 Spitfire at
Mountain this Sunday April 27th after making laps in his TQ midget
at a mid-week practice session at Mountain Speedway. Like the other drivers
from the highly competitive quarter midget ranks Ian was smooth and fast
behind the wheel. Ian took top honors in two classes of quarter midgets with
the Doylestown Quarter Midget Club in 07 and has traveled the QMA circuit with
his family.
Paul Lotier Jr. is a new face with the
ATQMRA that comes from the famous Tobias racing family. His father Paul
Lotier Sr. was an outstanding sprint car racer during his driving career.
Paul Jr. will make his assault on the ATQMRA teamed with long time ATQMRA
alums Lenny and Donna Boyd. Lotier has put together an impressive resume of
racing accomplishments in the Tobias Slingshot series and is looking forward
to making his mark in the TQ midgets.
Lenny Boyd won the ATQMRA Championship
in 1987 and the ARDC Championship in 1977 and top rookie honors in 1974
scoring 23 victories with that organization. Lenny was a race winning driver
at Atlantic City’s Convention hall in both a TQ and a full midget. He won in
the Modified division at Wall Stadium and the paved Flemington Speedway.
Lenny and Donna are putting forth a serious effort with the purchase of the
former Kerry Schantz TQ raced to several victories by Steve Buckwalter and
raced at Boardwalk Hall by Stevie Smith in 07. They hope to put Lotier in a
position to win races and take top rookie honors with the ATQMRA in 08.
Newcomer Scott Campbell raced his
recently purchased Competition Classics Campbell Insurance 4 at the Gamblers
Classic in Atlantic City and will be contending for top rookie honors with the
ATQMRA. Scott has a long heritage of speed racing off-shore powerboats and
snowmobile drags. Scott is new to racing on four wheels but his determination
will surely bring him up to speed quickly. Campbell spend the 07 season
working with BJ MacDonald on his NEMA midget program and is looking forward to
competing with the ATQMRA in 08
Another driver transitioning to the
ATQMRA TQ midgets is Kevin Pritchard who moves up from the 270 micro sprints
at Borgers Speedway. Kevin spent several years on the dirt before being bit
by the TQ midget bug at the Gambler’s Classic in 07 in the Bruce Leote TQ
midget. The Pritchard family sold their dirt equipment and purchased the
former Leo DiStefano 87 and reworked the car into the beautiful black and gold
42 that Kevin debut at Boardwalk Hall in 08. After garnering numerous feature
wins on the dirt Kevin is looking forward to learning the ropes of pavement
racing and contending for the coveted ATQMRA rookie of the year honors.
Joey Payne III started his racing career
with the ATQMRA in 07 running a few races at the end of the season in his
Uncle Johnny’s Twin Eagle Racers family 66 car that his father raced to
victory at the fabled Pinebrook Speedway in the 1980s. The Paynes are looking
to build on Joey the third’s racing experience in 08. Joey’s III’s Uncle
Johnny put the 66 car solidly in the Gambler’s Classic Field finishing 16th
in the rough and tumble event.
Also returning to ATQMRA competition in
08 is many time Midget race winner and Champion Phil DiMario. Phil and former
ARDC President and car owner champion have teamed up with a beautiful
Competition Classics Dart Chassis to compete with the ATQMRA in 08. Phil made
his return to the ATQMRA at the 07 Turkey Derby and raced in the Gambler’s
Classic in Atlantic City winning the D-Main. DiMario is planning to run a
limited schedule in 08 but is looking forward to returning to his racing roots
with the organization where he began his career at Pinebrook Speedway in the
80s.
The racing Coy family made their return
to the ATQMRA in 07 with their own design Brat Chassis car on a limited
basis. With Richie Coy driving the Coy team is returning to the ATQMRA full
time with their innovative beautifully prepared Brat Chassis 12 in 08. Richie
has a rich family heritage in open wheel racing with his father John Jr., his
Uncles Billy Coy and many time ATQMRA and Midget Champion Joey Coy, as well as
his legendary, hall of fame midget racing grandfather Johnny Coy Sr. who's
accomplishments are what legends are made of.
Team Zrinski will be returning to
competition with two cars for the 2008 season. Long time veteran and
multi feature winner Don Zrinski will pilot the familiar Zrinski orange GSXR
750 number 75 at select events with the always tough Doug Sherwood in the
second Zrinski GSXR 750 number 25.
The ATQMRA TQ midgets will
see their first action of the season at Mountain Speedway on Sunday April 27th
for a Checkered Flag Fan Club
afternoon
at the races. Pit gates open at
Pits Open 11:00
am, Grandstands Open 12:00 pm, Practice at 12:30 pm. and Heats at 2:00 pm.
I look forward to seeing
everyone at the races
Blu Metz
ATQMRA President
ATQMRA Opener at Mountain
rained out
Wet weather forced the cancellation of the Mountain Speedway
and ATQMRA opener. The TQ midgets will next appear at Mountain on Sunday
April 27th with the Checkered Flag Fan Club day at the races.
NEMA racer
Shane Hammond looses his life in a racing accident
A racing accident Sunday afternoon at the Thompson
International Speedway claimed the life of race driver Shane Hammond of
Halifax,
MA. The accident occurred on the third lap of
a scheduled 25-lap Northeast Midget Association (NEMA) feature event race.
I want to send my most sincere sympathies out to the family and friends of Shane
Hammond on behalf of the ATQMRA and its friends
With our sympathy
Blu Metz ATQMRA President
Mountain Practice Session a Success
The New pavement is sure to yield a new track record when the
ATQMRA returns to the Mountain Speedway Third Mile oval next Sunday for their
opener. Robin Johnston was just a click off the track record during the
practice session in his refurbished 13 car. Ryan Tidman ran some fast laps
in the Campbell Insurance 4 before car owner and ATQMRA rookie driver took to
the track for his first laps outdoors in a TQ midget. Richie Coy also made
some progress in the development of his Brat Chassis car.
The entire third and fourth turn was repaved including the
apron area. One and two were smoothed out and the apron area was paved as
well with a few sections on the rest of the track paved as well. It
will surely make for exciting side by side racing this season.
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Click the above pictures to see the newly paved surface.
Dinner and a Meeting at Lobitz Catering
Stan is putting together a $10.00 a head buffet proceeding our
meeting on Saturday night. After the practice at Mountain head up to
Lobitz' for a meal prior to the meeting.
Mountain Speedway has VP C12
Mountain Speedway has VP C12 in 5 gallon cans for $50.00 and
drums are available.
April 5th Meeting Agenda
We have a number of items on
the agenda for the meeting on April 5th at 6:30 at Lobitz Catering
Hall in Hazleton, Pa. The meeting will follow the practice at Mountain that is
scheduled to end at 5:30. Race Director Bill Brice will be doing a driver/team
orientation meeting covering race day procedures, handicapping, race procedures
detailing qualifying lapped cars etc. Tech Committee Chairman Peter Duchak will
do a presentation about how tech will be done at our races. We will introduce
the members of the committees and officials to everyone and familiarize them
with what they can expect at each of our race events to make them run smoothly.
We are also working on an
amendment to the by laws that will affect the governance of the organization to
change it from a direct democracy to a representative one.
Directions>>>>>http://www.atqmra.com/lobitzcateringdrivingdirections.htm
<<<<< Directions
See you at the Meeting
Blu Metz
ATQMRA President
ATQMRA Great Joey Payne Jr. return to Oswego
in 08
Click below to read the interview with the
Jersey Jet
http://www.oswegospeedway.com/Home/tabid/36/ctl/ArticleView/mid/427/articleId/296/Default.aspx
Mountain Speedway
Tires are in
Contact Joe Callavini
(Track Phone: (570)788-7544
or Office Phone: (570) 384-3215)
Send in Your Membership Applications
Our season is right around the corner and everyone is busy getting prepared
for racing. One thing we need as an organization is for everyone to send in
their membership applications. We need time to process the applications fill
out membership cards deposit checks and send them out to members. Everyone
who has yet to send in their application needs to do so prior to the first
race. It always seems the first race is when many people decide to hand in
their application. Mountain Speedway and the other tracks we race at are
honoring the ATQMRA membership for admission to the pits at $25.00 instead of
the non member price of $35.00. All that is required is a $20.00 associate
membership for reduced pit admission. . You will need to
send in the applications so we can process them and send out membership cards
prior to the first race. Anyone wishing to register as a car owner or driver
at the track on race day will pay $150.00 instead of the $100.00 that it would
normally cost.
Please make checks payable to ATQMRA
and send to:
ATQMRA
c/o Don Adams,
3 Merrick Rd,
Robbinsville, NJ, 08691
ATQMRA General Membership
Meeting
We have a General Membership
meeting scheduled for Saturday April 5th at 6:30 at Lobitz Catering hall in
Hazleton, Pa following the Scheduled practice at Mountain Speedway on that same
day. An agenda for the meeting will be sent out in the next few days. It is
important that everyone make every effort to attend this meeting. It is YOUR
organization. It is up to each individual to do their part to help run the
ATQMRA. We will be discussing some important topics at this meeting. I will
follow up with directions and further details about the meeting in the next few
days.
Wall Township Speedway Rumors are for the
worst
Click the above link to go to the Wall webpage to
read the letter posted by Tim Shinn regarding the closing of the speedway.
This is surely a sad day to hear of the closing of yet another short track.
The ATQMRA has worked hard to put together a full schedule of 17 events for
the 2008 season. We will surely miss racing at Wall Township Speedway. It
was on the schedule the first season the ATQMRA raced and has continuously had
TQ midget races ever since with the Turkey Derby being a premier event for the
TQ midgets across the years. Wall will be missed but the ATQMRA will continue
to grow and prosper at new venues throughout the northeast.
Shinn's signature represented the four partners who own the
speedways — Fred Archer, Joseph Sanzari and the Creamer brothers (Fletch, Glenn
and Dale).
"It is with an extremely heavy heart that I must, at this time, formally
announce the closing of our beloved Wall Township Speedway, formerly known to
the vast majority of us as Wall Stadium," the release said.
Mountain Speedway named official tire dealer for ATQMRA races at
Mountain for 2008
Phillipsburg Mall
Dirt Track
Hero's of Yesterday & Today Show
Show runs
through Saturday March 15th
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Results/Pictures
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
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The ATQMRA at the Phillipsburg NJ Mall
Dirt Track Hero's of
Yesterday & Today show with the Howard Boss 29 driven regularly by Zack Martini
and the Blu Metz owned 46 that he is going to be racing in 08 with the ATQMRA.
Congratulations to part time ATQMRA competitor "Liquid" Lou
Cicconi for adding another indoor race victory to his resume at Mototown USA on
Sunday.
Click the link below to find results from years gone by at
open wheel racers
http://www.openwheeltimes.com/owt_schedule.asp
Atlantic City Race Videos
are in Click below to order yours today
http://www.garysilvermanproductions.com/
ATQMRA is seeking a copy writer
Additionally we are looking for someone to help write press
releases for each of our events and to write a weekly column on our website.
Anyone interested please email Blu4a@rcn.com with
your qualifications and any questions you may have.
Mike Tidaback Victorious in
Gambler's Classic
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Click the above picture to go to the Atlantic
City Page ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
An elated Mike Tidaback and crew begin their celebration in
the Gambler's Classic Victory Lane following his triumph over the best of the
best the northeast had to offer.
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