51st Annual ATQMRA Awards Banquet


 
The Keenan Motors American Three Quarter Midget Racing Association Celebrated its champions at Lobitz Catering Hall in Hazleton, Pa this Saturday November 17th as teams prepare for the Turkey Derby XXXIV at Wall Township Speedway on Friday November 23rd.  the Turkey Derby is the Last Tune up for the TQ Midgets as they prepare for their assault on the Gambler's Classic at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall the weekend of January 18th. 
 
Bob Watkins took top honors as the 2007 ATQMRA driver's champion.  Bob Watkins was consistent during the 2007 season.  He had 8 top 5s with an ATQMRA high 13 top tens and a heat race Victory.  Doing something that isn’t likely to happen in this day and age of racing.  Bobby won the ATQMRA Championship without the help of a feature race victory.  He did it by being consistent.  Bobby raced Quarter Midgets as a kid watched his father race TQs growing up, watched Doug Craig and Larry Michaels win ATQMRA Championships and watched his father win in Atlantic City.  The only one other the ATQMRA Championship was won without a feature win was 1979 when Long Island, NY  “Bad Guy” Will Ford won the Championship.            
 
In gratitude to all those who helped him Bobby,  presented a special awards to Sponsors Hanner Industries and K&M Speed Performance in Bristol, Pa.  He also presented plaques to Donnie "the Hammer" Adams and Brian Skiner for their years of dedication to his racing efforts to help him win his first ATQMRA Championship.   

 

This season’s Driver’s point’s championship wasn’t decided until the last lap of the last race with only 24 points separating the top four in points in the final tally.  Heading into the final race it was up in the air with four drivers vying for the championship all within striking distance.  Ryan Tidman did all he could by winning the race and setting a new track record in his effort to secure the championship.  A multiple car pile up a few laps into the race put the other three contenders to the rear of the field to battle their way back to the front.  Robin Johnston and Bobby Watkins raged a torrid battle through the field with Bobby moving ahead into the position he needed to be in to secure the championship all but locking it up when Robin took a severe hit into the back straight wall when something broke in the front of his car.  Chris Deritis made a hard charge through the field to finish fourth to make this one of the tightest championship battles in the History of the ATQMRA.

 
Top ten in driver points  1. Bob Watkins  2. Chris "Tyro" Deritis 3.Ryan Tidman  4. Robin Johnston 5. Tim Behmer 6. Don Adams 7. Frank Fischer  8. Matt Janisch 9. Zack Martini  10.Tim Buckwalter
 
The Car owner's Championship was won by the co-owners of the 51 Classic Competition Specialties Linblad Badger of Alan Mollot and BJ Macdonald.  This was the first Championship for MacDonald but adds one more trophy to Mollot's extensive championship winning resume.  Driver's Russ Bailey and ATQMRA Mountain Speedway Championship winning driver Ryan Tidman combined to win six races set new track records at both Mountain and Wall Township Speedway earning enough points secure the car championship.  The Mollot/MacDonald 51 car was originally built in 1981 and has won championships in the 80s 90s and another in the first decade of the new millennium.  Mollot won his first ATQMRA championship in 1976 with the great Jack Bertling (who is looking for a ride for Atlantic City for this year) at the wheel.    Keenan Motors ATQMRA Car Owner's final Standings.    #51  Alan Mollet  #91  Bob Watkins  #13  Robin Johnston   #35  Dan deRitis   #69  Dan deRitis #33  Frank Fischer #26  Colin Martin   #96  Dan deRitis  #66  Dan deRitis   #46  Blu Metz.  
 
Lobitz Catering's Stan Lobitz and Gary Martini from Mountain City Transportation presented Ryan Tidman with the trophy for the top honors in the Mountain City Transportation/All About Critters Pest Control, Lobitz Catering Mountain Speedway Points Championship standings for 2007.  Ryan won 6 races and set a new Mountian Speedway track record en route to his first TQ midget Championship.  The Talented young driver thanked car co-owners Mollot and MacDonald for providing him with a top notch car at each race on the schedule. Top Ten Mountain Speedway Driver Points 1.Ryan Tidman, 2.Bob Watkins, 3.Chris "Tyro" Deritis, 4.Don Adams, 5.Robin Johnston,    6.Tim Behmer, 7.Zack Martini, 8.Frank Fischer, 9.Matt Janisch, 10.Tim Buckwalter
 
The ATQMRA Hard Charger award was presented to Tim Buckwalter.  Buckwalter came into the ATQMRA and did something no rookie in ATQMRA history has ever done by winning 3 features and 6 heat races leading 50 laps and battling for the lead just about every time he was on the track in 2007.  He missed a number of races this year but his accomplishments certainly qualify as the ATQMRA hard charger for 2007.
 
The Ray Gastella Sportsmanship award was presented by Bill and Janice Brice in conjunction with Mrs. Gastella to Frank fischer for exemplifying the virtues of the late Ray Gastella.  Janet Brice gave an emotional speech commemorating Gastella.
 
Tim Behmer was named as the ATQMRA Rookie of the year.  Behmer had an impressive season leading 21 laps with 4 top 5s and 10 top 10s and finished the season 5th in points.  He was the picture of consistency all year long and took excellent care of his equipment.  Behmer will surely win his first feature soon.
 
The Wall Township Speedway ATQMRA points Champion for 2007 was Chris "Tyro" deRitis. 

It is impressive that he was able to step into the brand New Keenan Motors Team Risqué Classic Competition Specialties Dart Chassis car and, after a few bumps in the road at the beginning of the season work out the bugs and take his second career win at Wall and win a Championship in the first year of competition for the Dart and be right in the thick of the overall ATQMRA Points battle.

 

See you at the Races

Blu Metz

ATQMRA President   

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Mountain City Transportation /All About Critters Pest Control Lobitz Catering Mountain Speedway Points standings

1.                 Ryan Tidman

2.                  Bob Watkins

3.        Chris "Tyro" Deritis

4.                    Don Adams

5.              Robin Johnston

6.                   Tim Behmer

7.                   Zack Martini

8.                Frank Fischer

9.                  Matt Janisch

10.           Tim Buckwalter

Keenan Motors ATQMRA Car Owners Top ten points standings

 

  1.    #51  Alan Mollet   1092
  2.    #91  Bob Watkins 1020
  3. #13  Robin Johnston  996
  4.      #35  Dan deRitis   980
  5.      #69  Dan deRitis   904
  6.     #33  Frank Fischer 844
  7.    #26  Colin Martin   836
  8.      #96  Dan deRitis   800
  9.      #66  Dan deRitis   724
  10.       #46  Blu Metz      716

 

Keenan Motors ATQMRA Driver Top ten points standings

 

1.                    Bob Watkins

2.          Chris "Tyro" Deritis

3.                   Ryan Tidman

4.                Robin Johnston

5.                     Tim Behmer

6.                     Don Adams

7.                   Frank fischer

8.                    Matt Janisch

9.                    Zack Martini

10.             Tim Buckwalter

ATQMRA 2007 Rookie of the Year                 Tim Behmer

Hard Charger Award

Ray Gastella Memorial Sportsmanship Award

2007 ATQMRA Race Statistics

Track

Date

Winning Driver - Car

Fastest Lap

Cars Attended

Heat 1

Heat 2

Heat 3

Mountain

29-Apr

Russ Bailey - #51

13.086 - Russ Bailey - #51

18

Tim Buckwalter

Russ Bailey

-

Wall

6-May

Robin Johnston - #13

12.191 - Robin Johnston - #13

14

-

-

-

Mountain

26-May

Ryan Tidman - #51

N/A

15

RAIN

Mountain

26-May

Don Adams - #26

13.186 - Ryan Tidman - #51

20

Don Adams

Tim Buckwalter

-

Wall

2-Jun

Joey Payne - #26

12.118 - Ryan Tidman - #51

14

-

-

-

Mountain

9-Jun

Tim Buckwalter - #36

12.935 - Tim Buckwalter - #36

18

Tim Buckwalter

Don Adams

-

Mountain

23-Jun

Ryan Tidman - #51

13.016 - Ryan Tidman - #51

17

Robin Johnston

Matt Janisch

-

Wall

7-Jul

Tim Buckwalter - #36

11.879 - Ryan Tidman - #51

19

Ryan Tidman

Matt Janisch

-

Mountain

14-Jul

Ryan Tidman - #51

13.001 - Ryan Tidman - #51

17

Don Adams

Frank Fischer

-

Mountain

28-Jul

Ryan Tidman - #51

13.100 - Ryan Tidman - #51

19

Bob Watkins

Robin Johnston

-

Wall

4-Aug

Chris DeRitis - #35

12.205 - Tim Buckwalter - #26

18

Mike Tidaback

Tim Buckwalter

-

Mountain

11-Aug

Tim Buckwalter - #26

12.972 - Tim Buckwalter - #26

22

Zack Martini

Ryan Tidman

Tim Buckwalter

Wall

25-Aug

Mike Tidaback - #43

11.879 - Ryan Tidman - #51

14

-

-

-

Mountain

29-Sep

Ryan Tidman - #51

12.798 - Ryan Tidman - #51

34

Ryan Tidman

Don Adams

Tim Buckwalter

Feature Lap Leaders

 

Final Top 10 Drivers

Feature Wins

Top 5

Top 10

Heat Wins

Driver

 

Owner

 

Bob Watkins

0

8

13

1

Name

Laps

 

Car

Laps

 

Chris DeRitis

1

7

11

0

Tidman

68

 

# 51

93

 

Ryan Tidman

5

8

10

3

Buckwalter

50

 

# 26

51

 

Robin Johnston

1

7

10

3

Johnston

39

 

# 46

43

 

Tim Behmer

0

4

10

0

Janisch

35

 

# 13

39

 

Don Adams

1

7

9

4

Bailey

25

 

# 36

35

 

Frank Fischer

0

2

10

1

Panye

25

 

# 69

21

 

Matt Janisch

0

5

8

2

Behmer

21

 

# 43

19

 

Zack Martini

0

1

5

1

DeRitis

21

 

# 35

17

 

Tim Buckwalter

3

6

6

6

Tidaback

19

 

# 29

16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martini

16

 

# 66

4