Sonny Cooke is retiring from Micro Sprint Racing
A Review of the Micro Sprint rules meeting
Blaine Leppo talks about his National Legend Win
Cheaters
“The High Groove” The Split
Hoch: A Champions Run A look at the Len Sammons promotions indoor races
A look at some of the best photos from 2014
Cover Photo: Blaine Leppo on his way to a win earlier in 2014 at Linda’s Speedway (Amy Williams Photo) Index Photo: Justin Riegel in the Chargers at Linda’s Speedway (Amy Williams Photo)
September 2014 ~ 5
As I sat at the U6sa meeting I noticed that one of the biggest parts of each discussion was the track and organizers efforts to make sure that when someone was accused of cheating, there was a way to verify the accusation. Although it didn't totally get clarified, the purpose behind the idea was meaningful to me. So often in racing someone that is doing well is accused of cheating. The old thought is that if you're not cheating you're not trying hard enough. I don't mean to offend you, but that is idiotic. Push the rule yes, but the thinking behind this theory is if you show up to a 358 race with a 410 engine you are trying harder than everyone else. I must have missed the boat on that one. Experience, knowledge, and effort mean little now as it seems in a world where everyone should win, the winner has to be cheating when they accomplish something. If someone has been caught with an infraction, no matter how big or small, they are given the label and every, EVERY, win after that will be tainted. Is it fair? I'm not sure either way. I'm not a fan of cheating, but in that same thought I feel sometimes the crime doesn't match the nature of the torment. I know of a stock car driver that ran a wheel that was an inch to large, he admitted after the race he borrowed it from another driver and never checked the size. His fault in the reality of it all. He took the slap on the wrist with the loss of the win, points, and prize money. A year and half later he was being accused of an illegal engine and so on. All the assumption still based on one illegal tire and that one inch. Fair? You judge but, to me it seems a little over the top considering he never was caught with anything illegal in the engine. At the end of the day, my plea with this article is simple. Please be careful how quick you are to jump to the conclusion. It's been a growing issue because of the social media growth giving a bigger platform with a quicker response time making the dispersal of the indictment process wider spreading as well. Even in instances when it's not true. If you yourself would not want to carry that title, do not be quick to throw around the charge. It sticks with a driver for a long time after, even if for the smallest of things. There is nothing harder than seeing someone who is good at their craft, or puts many hours of their finances into their efforts, just to have someone label them unfairly. 6 ~ The Inside Track
Volume 1 Issue 4 Customer Service and other information: Theinsidetrack@usa.com Publisher:
Michael Batz Copyright 2014 by Mike Co The Inside Track assumes no liability or is not responsible for information contained in advertisements, articles, stories ect. The opinions expressed in this publication reflect those of the individual author and are not necessarily the view of The Inside Track. Reproduction of any content in any form without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Readers should also be made aware that some items listed for sale in advertisements may not be legal on all states. Mike Fry Photo
December 2014 ~ 7
Matt Janisch secured his first Turkey win Novemeber 29th at Wall Stadium and also his first ATQMRA Championship. Second through fifth in the Turkey Derby were Buddy Sload, Joey Payne, Joey Bailey, and Ryan Tidman.
Noah Key won the Restrictor 600 Class feature at the Longhorn Shootout from fifth position. He finished 2nd a year ago.
Anton Hernandez won the 600 Micro Sprint A Class main event at the Longhorn Shootout for the second year in a row! The 50 lap event is held in the MesQuite Arena in Texas.
JD Fry Photo 8 ~ The Inside Track
December 2014 ~ 9
Farm Show Quarter Midget Event in review. (Michael Fry Photos)
Photographers: Supply your Âź Midget pictures for display in the Stars of Tomorrow section of the magazine by sending them to Theinsidetrack@usa.com 10 ~ The Inside Track
December 2014 ~ 11
600cc Sprint Shake-Up…Hehnly Replaces Rutherford in Gary Hunter’s No. 7h The final weekend of November produced a major shake-up in the world of 600cc Sprint racing, as one of the most coveted rides in the 600cc ranks will have a new fanny filling its seat in 2015. Car owner Gary Hunter and his driver of the past four years, Mike Rutherford, have parted ways after a very successful relationship. When the new season begins in the spring of 2015, Manheim’s Heath Hehnly, the four-time champion of the 600cc division at Lanco’s Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway, will buckle into Hunter’s No. 7h. “I want to stress that there are no hard feelings between Mike and me,” said Hunter. “We didn’t have any disagreements or anything like that. It was my decision to make the switch, but it wasn’t because of anything that Mike did or said. Any car owner would be proud to have Mike Rutherford as his driver; I certainly was, and I wish him the best. If there are any good rides available, he’ll find ‘em.” Hunter continued, “it was a tough decision (to switch drivers), but I felt like the time was right and I had to do it. I approached Heath some years ago – before I hired Mike as my driver – because I believed he would be a good fit for me and my operation. But, and I admire this about him, Heath was already driving for Sonny Cooke and he was loyal to Sonny. He said he’d love to drive my car, but he was committed to Sonny.” “But now Sonny has retired as a car owner,” added Hunter, “so I knew that Heath is available. I wanted to make the decision early, like now, to give us time to get things together and so Mike had time to look for a ride. So I called Heath last weekend (November 29 & 30) and he agreed to drive for me. Then I called Mike and told him what I had decided to do. The bottom line is that Heath was available and I’ve always wanted to see what we could accomplish together. I don’t know how much longer I’m going to do this, either, so it’s now or never.” The Hunter/Rutherford combination joined forces in 2010, split for about six months part of the way through that season, then teamed up again and remained together until the last weekend of November. 12 ~ The Inside Track
The pair achieved a great deal of success, winning the Kevin Gobrecht Memorial at Trail-Way Speedway (two years in a row), the Chris Ahner Memorial at Greenwood Valley Action Track, and a big wingless PA 600 Speedweek race at Kutztown’s Action Track USA (in 2013). They also captured the 2012 point title at Lanco’s Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway, and garnered six wins in each of the past two campaigns. Hehnly, the four-time and defending 600cc track champion at the Clyde, will feel right at home when he slides into the seat of the Gary’s CARSTAR No. 7h…because it will be the same car he’s run for Cooke over the past three seasons. “I’m buying Sonny’s car; going to pick it up the first weekend in December,” said Hunter. “Sonny wanted to sell since he’s retiring, and I’m not going to have a whole lot of time (this winter) to put together a new car. Heath is certainly familiar with that car, so it’s a natural fit. I sold my car to someone in New York – part of ending the deal with Mike, I guess – and now I’ll have a proven winner in Sonny’s car. It’s a 2012 Hyper X4, and I’m anxious to go racing with it.” The new combination plans to return to Saturday night competition at Lanco’s Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway, where Hehnly will try for a third consecutive – and fifth overall – point championship in the 600cc Class. They will also take part in the Wingless Wednesday battles at the JeffreyHogueRealtor.com Action Track USA on the Kutztown Fairgrounds. While Hehnly does not have a wealth of wingless experience, he’s anxious for the challenge and knows he can lean on his car owner for advice because the Hunter/Rutherford combo had quite a bit of non-wing success at Action Track USA, winning twice in 2014 along with that big Speedweek victory in ’13.
Michael Fry Photo
Hunter and Hehnly also expect to enter all of the lucrative special shows in the region during the 2015 racing season. December 2014 ~ 13
Shred Racing Photo
U6SA Meeting Review
The U6sa was set up a few years ago to set a motor rules package for the 600 Micro Sprints to follow in Central Pennsylvania to control the cost of the motors that were beginning to climb in cost . Originally, the plan for the rules package was to make it appealing enough that the rest of the country would adapt to the rules so drivers could travel anywhere to race with any group across the map. That part of the plan never really developed as hoped. On November 12 2014, a group of racetracks, chassis builders, and engine builders met to decide what direction the rules would go. Mike Dicely, the acting U6sa director called the meeting to order at 6:30 and discussion began.
There will be no limitations of onboard adjustments and there will not be a mandated tire for weekly competition. The tire rule will again be left up to the tracks. The first four votes were turned down. To brief the voting means ECU's no longer must be stock appearing and the RPM tolerance will not change from the previous rule.
A rule that was voted in was a rule that will state something similar to maps must be contained and secured in the harness. The final wording of the rule will come out with the new edition of the rules. Another rule that was voted through allowed the open throttle bodies and Mechanical Fuel Injection. A rule was also altered to allow titanium on aftermarket rods. The rule previous read no No titanium anywhere in or on the engine, unless it comes stock form manufacturer of engine on the production bike. A final vote was taken that was no connected to the engine specifications. U6sa brought to the attention of those in attendance about transponder location. Transponders will now all be located at a similar spot at any track following the rules package. Previously many of the track asked that transponders be placed 21 inches behind the front axle. After the rules were voted on, the director position vote was taken. Jim Young was voted in as the new director of U6sa. Jim has been racing with the 600 Micro Sprint class for a while and in recent years has bounced back and forth between the 600's and the 1000cc Sidewinder class. Dicely was comfortable with either Young or Light taking over the position as he noted both are knowledgeable, open minded, and passionate about what they are doing. "The rules are set in place and that was my goal from the beginning," said Dicely. "I wanted to lay out a universal engine rule that would save everyone in the long run and now it's just about tweaking them (rules) to keep them relevant and continue to keep things fair. It won't always be easy, but here is a good guy in charge." *Disclaimer*- As of the publication date the new rules have not yet been released. This is not an official citation of any rules changes or alteration of the rules of the U6sa organization. 14 ~ The Inside Track
Steve Koletar catches Jarid Kunkle (left) and his crew preparing for action as well as Toby Blumenshine (Right) taking a quick break before the feature event.
Samantha Bowen Photo December 2014 ~ 15
Amy Williams Photo
Sixteen local (Pa) Legend Car drivers travelled to the 18th Annual US Legends Dirt Nationals last month. This year’s Dirt Nationals were held at Rolling Thunder Speedway in Ararat, Virginia. Spring Grove, Pa native Blaine Leppo set quick time and won the Masters class 40 lap A-Main. Scott Gobrecht and Bill Foster also finished inside the top five for the Pennsylvania guys competing in the Master class. We sat down to talk to Blaine about the accomplishment! MB: You didn't race that much this year, were you worried that was going to affect your performance? BL: Yeah, actually we were a little worried. We tried to attend the final three practice days at Susquehanna Speedway to knock some rust off, but unfortunately, it ended up that they all got rained out. The good thing going into the race for us was this was a new track that no one had run at before so I felt it really equaled the playing field for everyone.
MB: Do you think experience is the biggest factor going to a new track like that? Do you think it was adjustments or knowing to not make adjustments that played the biggest factor? BL: I would say it was a little of everything and a lot of luck. I feel like that a big part of racing on any night. MB: I saw a lot of Pa guys went down, did you guys work together or was it hard to work together with so much racing going on? BL: It is the best thing we do as the Legend group. We all help each other out. I actually was struggling with their scales, they are a lot different from the scales up here and I had to borrow some weight. I ended up borrowing from Jason Rochelle who was running the same class as I was. (Legends are broken into groups at the National events) It just shows the kind of people that were on this trip and their willingness to help. MB: With your past success and going to a new place, do you think its more driver or set up? BL: I think it more set up. If you have ever been around us at the track we very rarely, make changes. My brother and I found something a few years ago and we have just stuck with it. I think being comfortable going to a new track like that makes a huge difference. MB: You're a good driver with many wins, do you still get nervous? BL: Absolutely, I know it was probably going to be my last race in that car since we sold it since I lost my grandfather and I could see a little something in the clouds and that just reminded me of him and gave me a calm feeling and I was able to kind of kick the nerves right before the race started.
December 2014 ~ 19
MB: You're a good driver with many wins, do you still get nervous? BL: Absolutely, I know it was probably going to be my last race in that car since we sold it since I lost my grandfather and I could see a little something in the clouds and that just reminded me of him and gave me a calm feeling and I was able to kind of kick the nerves right before the race started. MB: You mentioned losing your grandfather, going forward what are your plans? BL: I have an old car that my brother used to run and a motor that I ran a few times this year that I think we are going to put together. That car is actually at Vern Housman's house right now and he is going over everything and helping us out with that. If no one comes by to buy that car I plan to run Paul's deal (Klascar Legends) and I am hearing rumors of a race at Action Track so I would defiantly be at that one. MB: Looking a little further into the future than just next season where do you see yourself going and where would you like to go if given the chance? BL: Honestly, I am 42 years old so I see myself on the downward side of the racing hill, we started racing go karts when we were really young and then took a lot of time off and just recently I got into the Legend Cars. We have done that for about six years now. I know it will never be a career or anything like that so I am perfectly content where I am right now. Although I like to watch the Wingless 600's race and hearing that ARDC is coming to Linda's and other small tracks is cool. Something like that would be great, but financially that just isn't in the cards.
MB: Is it ever hard or even sometimes a hindrance to show up at the track and have people connect the Leppo name to other racers and to Sprint Car racing? BL: No, I never thought of it that way. Brian is a little younger than us and I have always been very proud of him and glad to be associated with him. I met a few of those guys through the years and guys like Greg Hodnett are just so nice and pleasant to talk to. 20 ~ The Inside Track
MB: Is there something you do to get away from racing? BL: My wife and I really enjoy snowmobiling. This is actually my favorite time of the year. That's were a lot of my spare time and finances go during the off season. MB: How tight nit of a group is your family? IS there a family rivalry? BL: Yeah (Laughs), my parents have done a pretty good job of keeping that at a minimum. That is part of the reason I wanted nationals as a Master this season because of Harlon being a Pro. IT just doubles our chances of success. MB: Did the experience of the drivers in the Masters class ever worry you?
BL: No, not really. No disrespect, but racing around here with Jason (Rochelle) and Tim (Henry) you kind of get used to the guys that are some of the best in the nation. MB: How much confidence do you have after winning the race going forward? BL: If I still had the car it would be more, but whatever Vern can come up with here will be a good one. I actually felt we were a little better last year. With all the luck and circumstances this year it just ended with some more wins. MB: Is it easier to show up to the track on your schedule rather than running a full schedule for a title? BL: For us it absolutely is. I get stuck in some mandatory overtime once in a while so if we were to run for a central Pa title I would be taking vacation days to race and that's just not why we got into it. MB: How do you feel the Legend Car circuit is in central Pa? Is it ok to have two series? BL: I live pretty close to Lincoln Speedway and this way I am one of the few that lean toward Klascar. My reasoning is things like when the new American Racer tire was released, Paul realized that was going to be an issue for many of us so he discounted the tires. He did little things like that to help out. I also like the smaller race schedule. It fits me better. December 2014 ~ 21
MB: Where is your favorite place to race? BL: I would say Linda's. I like short track racing, but I also like that Klascar uses a handicapping system. I like to race and that makes it fun for me to try to come from a little deeper in the field compared to a pill draw. MB: Is there a track you would like to race at? BL: I tend to shy away from bigger tracks after a bad accident at Susquehanna. I like the smaller track like Linda's and Path Valley. MB: Looking back at the weekend of the win, what is the most memorable moment? BL: It might sound strange and hard to believe, but my favorite part of the weekend wasnt winning the race. It was after the races each night and we would get back to the hotel and a group of us would hang out around a table until one, two in the morning telling stories and talking racing. The win is something I will never forget, but the comradery after the races with the Legend car guys was really cool.
Amy Williams Photo
22 ~ The Inside Track
Asphalt racer Jay Hentrich’s 2015 Helmet from CR Graphics Shown in action in a Tim Krysiuk Photo
December 2014 ~ 23
A Touch of Class Car Owner’s Retirement Is 600cc Sprints Loss
By Barry ANGSTADT
Part One of the Sonny Cooke Story
“After 43 years, I’m tired of washing a race car all by myself on Sunday mornings.” That’s how Sonny Cooke summed up his decision to retire as a car owner, after towing race cars up and down the highway and even halfway across the country for those 43 years, somehow keeping himself awake on the seemingly endless ride home after another long night at the track. And he loved every minute of the experience. Cooke is going out on top, too, retiring after his last “hired gun”, Heath Hehnly, gave his owner a fourth 600cc point championship at Lanco’s Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway in 2014. It was also the second straight title for the Cooke/Hehnly combo, and it was the duo’s final track championship together.
Cooke’s decision to pack it in had more to do with those lengthy trips to and from the race track (he lives in north Jersey) than the fact that he is forced to wash the car by himself. And there are two other reasons that made this the right time to retire…his twin, infant grandsons with whom pop-pop wants to spend as much time as possible. Just about half of his 43 years in racing have been spent as car owner of 270cc and 600cc Micro-Sprints. Those two Classes have taken up the second half of Cooke’s racing career, but the first half was spent with some of the most legendary names in TQ Midget competition wheeling Cooke-owned machines. “My parents used to go to the races at Nutley Velodrome, and they got hooked on Midget racing,” noted Cooke. “They took me along with them, of course, and I got hooked, too.” In 1971, Sonny bought a TQ because they were his dad’s favorite form of race car, “but my dad had a heart attack and passed away before we ever raced the car.” 24 ~ The Inside Track
Cooke persevered, though, and got his good friend, Pat Wohlgemuth, to drive the TQ. “It was a Holmquist Chassis,” says Sonny, “and it was the first car that had a weldedon roll cage rather than a bolt-on cage. I ran that car for 21 years and never won a feature.” Given all his success in the Micro-Sprint ranks, it’s amazing to realize that Cooke never walked to victory lane after his car won a TQ Midget event. Especially with the strong caliber of throttle-jockeys who gassed his mount over the years. And especially since he and Wohlgemuth nearly won in their debut… “Our first race together, we were leading at Freeport, NY,” related Sonny. “I was standing in the pits next to Len Duncan, who was my idol as a driver, and Duncan pointed to my car and said, ‘that thing is going to run out of gas.’ I thought there was no way we’d run out, but sure enough, leading with a couple of laps to go, it ran out. And I never won a TQ race after coming so close in my very first one.” Cooke fondly looks back on those TQ years. “We’d run on a Friday night at Pinebrook, NJ, then on Saturday we’d either go to Riverhead, Islip, or Freeport in New York. Sundays we’d be at Grandview (yup, the TQ’s ran a few races on dirt in those days) or Dorney Park; they’d each run TQ shows about two or three times per year. “We’d bring 48 cars to those shows…48 cars! It was a great group to race with, too…they’d fight each other on the track, then go to the diner together after the races,” says Cooke. “Racing was really fun back then.” Wohlgemuth, Lenny Boyd, and Jon Holmquist Jr. were just a few of the drivers who steered Sonny’s TQ’s from that auspicious debut in ’71 through the 1992 season. In addition to the tracks mentioned above, Cooke also towed his little racer to events at New London and Agawam in Massachusetts, Mahoning Valley and Evergreen Speedways in Pennsylvania, and to Wall Stadium and the old paved oval in New Egypt, NJ. Holmquist convinced Sonny that it was time to do something different in 1993. Cooke bought “about $250 worth of tubing” so he and Holmquist could build a 270cc Micro-Sprint. It was a change that would take Cooke through the second half of his racing career and provide that elusive first victory…in the 270’s maiden voyage. Shred Racing Photo
Part II will appear in the January issue of The Inside Track.
The 2014 All Star Slingshot National Championship came down to the final race which was to be the Fall Jamboree at Grandview Speedway on November 2nd.One of the must attend events for anyone looking to be a part of the Elite 11,Speedway Entertainment's,Rich Tobias makes this race even more important,in that,it is a double points race for all teams entering. During the course of the Elite 11 Championship season,there were a few drivers that at one point were atop the point standings with Demetrios Drellos,using a trip to Canada and the win at Mahoning Valley Speedway,taking the point lead in it's mid-stages.Speedweek champion Larry Raifsnider was also looking at headline status,but a rash of bad luck beginning at the Greenwood Valley Action Track,would now make Raifsnider a challenger and not the leader.Larry could not get headed in the right direction at both the Selinsgrove and Linda's Lebanon Valley 100 and made a late season rebound with a good finish at 5 Mile Point and the win in the No Dirt National at Borgers. With Drellos and Raifsnider suffering a few point setbacks, 3 time defending National Champion,Brett Bieber, was now starting to string some incredible finishes together with wins at Hamlin and Selinsgrove and a top 5 run at both Linda's and 5 Mile Point.Brett was now atop the point ladder but his 10th place run at Borgers dropped Brett back to 2nd entering the biggest points race of the season at Grandview. Brett took the green flag and was setting off as the early race leader of the Fall Jamboree,but looking to overtake Bieber not only for the win,but also the 2014 point crown was Dylan Hoch.Dylan's pass on Bieber heading into turn number 1 would put the Mertztown,PA teenager atop of the 2014 Elite 11 points list. For Hoch,it was not all that easy as crew chief and owner Lance Hoch,had 2 cars at Dylan's disposal with the 35 used for many of the smaller track races and the 7D7 on some of the bigger ovals.Dylan started the season as the opening race point leader after taking the win in Shellhammer's Spring Spectacular and continuing on with a strong 2nd place showing,trailing only Mark Sensenig at the Slide at the Clyde 2,featured at Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway.Dylan's poor showing at the Nostalgia Nationals at the New Reading Fairgrounds,slotted him now 4th in tour points,but better showings were soon to boost the Hoch Racing Team back up the points list. In Dylan's 5 of his last 6 races,he garnered a 2nd at Hamlin,win at the Lebanon Valley 100 at Linda's,3rd place run at 5 Mile Point,a close 2nd place run to Larry Raifsnider at Borgers and to top off the season,the win at the Fall Jamboree. Dylan's father Lance,does give credit to Dylan for relaying information on what the car might need and also for his continued work in the garage during maintenance time.Using the bonus points for his Mid Atlantic Gold Regional championship equaled all the bonus points given to both Bieber and Raifsnider.The team did not make the trip to the Accord national,thus losing 5 event entry bonus points that they would need to find at a later race. With 23 Nationals scheduled over the northeast and at Button Buck Speedway in Minnesota,the win list was quite impressive this season as Hoch ,Jim Chisholm,Evan Reyna,Demetrios Drellos,Raifsnider,Bieber,Sensenig earning tour wins.John Bockhorn put his # 97 into a national event victory lane for the 1st time in his career with a win at Penn Can in the "Battle by the Border' National.The sharp looking 112 Gary Balough look-alike Slingshot of Mike McLaughlin also claimed his 1st National win as he sailed under Galen Kollar's checkered in the Nostalgia National at the New Reading Fairgrounds. Over 150 drivers earned points in the 2014 All Star Elite 11 National Tour as Dylan Hoch's rise from the Junior Slingshots to the All Stars made for a quite impressive and championship season. 26 ~ The Inside Track
Michael Fry Photo
It's time for indoor racing to take center stage of the off season. Racing all across America in arenas and convention centers on dirt or asphalt (or concrete) will pull people from winter like conditions to fumes of racing. The indoor series presented by Len Sammons and the Sammons family as well as Area Auto Racing News has grown to be one of the premier indoor events. An all star like cast battle each year on the coke syrup in Atlantic City and various other venues. This year indoor racing will kick off in Trenton in the battle of Trenton.
AARN Excerpt: The roar of professional auto racing, which had not been heard in New Jersey’s State Capital in over thirty years, were awakened in 2014 with the running of the 1st Annual Battle of Trenton Indoor Auto Race. The event promoted by Len Sammons Motorsports Productions was hosted at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton and featured top drivers from at least ten different States and Canada competing in the Fatheadz TQ Midget Racing Series.
Trenton Speedway, on the grounds of the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds, hosted auto races on tracks of various configurations from the 1930s. A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Bobby and Al Unser, N.J. native Wally Dallenbach Sr., Richard Petty and David Pearson enjoyed some of their greatest career racing successes there. The last race at Trenton Speedway was a NASCAR Modified Stock Car event won by Geoff Bodine, who took the checkered flag on June 19, 1980. Wrecking balls and bulldozers later razed the grounds. Although it's not a NASCAR mile, the indoor event attacks many of the favorites of local racing. In a similar sense to the old International Race of Champions series, drivers climb into similar cars and do battle on a track they rarely have the opportunity to compete on. Borger's Speedway in Saylorsburg is really the only option for short track TQ Midget racing. New for 2014-2015 will be a tire rule requiring all teams to buy tires from one dealer. TQ Midget competitors will run the new Hoosier HIN Series tires, which will be mandatory on all four corners during competition in Trenton and Atlantic City. “We are excited to partner with Hoosier Tires as the exclusive tire provider for our TQ Midgets,” stated series promoter Len Sammons. “I really feel this is a win, win deal for all our competitors. The rule will put everyone on a level playing field, eliminate supply issues and most importantly save the racers money.”As part of a compensation program, the Indoor Series champion will receive a minimum of $2,000 for winning the title. It is believed that the deal will save racers between $50 to $100 per set of tires. Racers will have the option of two compounds for the right rear tire, an HIN3 and a harder HIN4. The tire deal is significant, especially for the Trenton event because it will be the first run on the new tires. The driver that can adjust quickest will obviously stand at a large advantage. The interesting breakdown will be from the remaining competitors as the playing field equals out over the weekend. December 2014 ~ 29
Also added to the freshness of this years indoor racing will be a wheel tether that will be mandatory on the right front of all independent suspension cars starting with this year’s Atlantic City Indoor Race to be held January 30 and 31 is currently being produced by Amick Associates. For this year’s event it is highly suggested that they be used on the left front as well. It is also recommend for safety reasons that if at all possible they be on cars for the event in Trenton, NJ as well. The tethers will be mandatory on both left and right suspension starting with the 2015/2016 Indoor Racing Series. Each tether will be marked and certified by Amick, no other tether system will be allowed. The assumption is most team will use the tethers in Trenton. What about the competitors? Erick Rudolph, the inaugural winner of the battle of Trenton and 2013 AC winner will lead the charge into the indoor season. Rudolph's name is joined by 69 other drivers looking to conquer the TQ crown. The list includes two time and reigning Atlantic City winner Anthony Sesely, Borger's Rumble at the Ridge winner Ryan Tidman, and one of the defending winners of Friday's twin 20's, Buffalo New York's Andrew Jankowiak. Other notable names include Ted Christopher, his new indoor nemesis Tim Iulg, and former indoor winner Lou Cicconi. The indoor season offers a feel that is not often duplicated. A coliseum like feel as driver's race surrounded by fans and other spectators, battling for every inch that can serve the difference between racing on or being one of the on lookers. In addition, considering each spot could mean your last race for another month, it will be the intense racing we have come to know and love.
Photo from the old Niagra Falls indoor series 30 ~ The Inside Track
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Mike Feltenberger grabbed this shot at Bridgeport Speedway
Danielle Dickinson shot some left front carrying at Action Track USA
32 ~ The Inside Track
Stacey Schmick has the Slingshots on the Asphalt Road Course
Brian Antonio has some winged 600 action from the National Open
Amy Williams has the Legends powering off the corner at Linda’s Speedway
December 2014 ~ 33
Some Right Rear Roll in the Stage One Modifieds
Lenny Slemmer Photo
36 ~ The Inside Track