Racing returns to Trenton, NJ (Update)

UPDATE

Three Quarter (TQ) Midgets in action

Auto racing returned Friday night to New Jersey’s State Capital for the first time since the last race at the New Jersey State Fairgrounds in 1980 inside Sun Bank Center and in a rousing program of Three Quarter Midget indoor racing action, two immensely popular first time winners took home the victories in 20-lap main events.

Ryan Preece of Berlin, Ct., gained the lead after a frenetic 17 laps of non-stop action ended with a tangle that took out the top three leaders, Jonathan Reid, Jimmy Blewett and Andy Jankowiak.

Preece then ran out the last three laps to win over Patrick Emerling, Neal Williams, Shawn Nye and Matt Janisch.

“If anyone had told me I would win the first TQ 20-lap feature I would never have thought it possible," said Preece, the 2013 NASCAR Whelen Modified Touring Series champion.

In the second 20-lap TQ Midget feature, an event punctuated with several accidents, Jankiowiak gained a measure of redemption by leading most of the distance. The Cheektowaga, N.Y driver was an emotional winner.

“I knew I had a chance when Lou Cicconi was behind me," Jankowiak said. “Louie raced me clean and it gave me some room to work lapped traffic."

Jankowiak’s ability to work his way through heavy lapped traffic proved to be the critical difference.

Cicconi was second at the end of the second feature with Reid, like Jankowiak, gaining some measure of satisfaction after his issues in the first feature by taking third. Ryan Tidman, who barely qualified into the Twin Twenties, had an outstanding effort to place fourth and Emerling, by earning fifth, was the only driver to gain a top five finish in the twin TQ main events.

The Slingshot 25-lap co-feature was won by Gary Hieber, Jr., of Penndel, Pa., who outran Matt Carman and Tiffany Wambold. Shannon Smith, who ran second to Hieber for the first half of the race, was fourth and Kevin VanValkenburg finished fifth.

Two drivers were transported to area care centers after mishaps during the day. Steve Kemery of Sewell, N.J., crashed heavily in TQ Midget practice after car’s throttle stuck. In the Slingshot feature, Lydia Rueckheim was extricated from her car after complaining of neck pain. Neither driver was believed to have sustained serious injuries.

PC Industries / Angela’s House sponsored the night of action which continues Saturday night as the Battle of Trenton concludes with a 40-lap TQ Midget headliner and a 25-lap Champ Kart main event. Racing starts at 7 p.m. Check for information at www.aarn.com or telephone 609.888.3618.

First TQ Midget Feature (20 Laps): 1. Ryan Preece, 2. Patrick Emerling, 3. Neal Williams, 4. Shawn Nye, 5. Matt Janisch, 6. Rowan Pennink, 7. Tony DiMattia, 8. Lou Cicconi Jr., 9. Rob Neely, 10. Jimmy Blewett, 11. Ryan Tidman, 12. Luke Thomas, 13. Andy Jankowiak, 14. Matt Roselli, 15. Jonathan Reid, 16. Billy Pauch, 17. Erik Musto, 18. Billy Pauch Jr., 19. Zane Zeiner, 20. Paul Lotier, 21. Bobby Butler, 22. Ted Christopher, 23. Mike Lichty, 24. Anthony Sesely, 25. Richie Pratt, Jr.

Second TQ Midget Feature (20 Laps): 1. Jankowiak, 2. Cicconi, 3. Reid, 4. Tidman, 5. Emerling, 6. Blewett, 7. Preece, 8. DiMattia, 9. Thomas, 10. Sesely, 11. Zeiner, 12. Williams, 13. Janisch, 14. Pauch Jr., 15. Butler, 16. Neely, 17. Roselli, 18. Musto, 19. Nye, 20. Pauch, 21. Pratt, 22. Lotier, 23. Christopher, 24. Lichty, 25. Pennink.

Slingshot Feature (25 Laps): 1. Gary Hieber, Jr., 2. Matt Carman, 3. Tiffany Wambold, 4. Shannon Smith, 5. Kevin VanValkenburg, 6. Frank Yankowski, 7. Bobby Dmuchowski, 8. Mike Carman, 9. Jerry Schott, Jr., 10. Robbie Albreada, Jr., 11. Mike Alcaro, 12. Jesse Hartman, 13. Matt Stangle, 14. Jason Ring, 15 Don Boonstra, 16. Nick Shaw, 17. Simon Egan, 18. Dave McCullough, 19. Kurt Bettler, 20. Steve Yankowski, 21. John Gilroy, 22. Lydia Rueckheim, 23. Matt Massone, 24. Ricky Yetter.

The old 1.5-mile Trenton Speedway

02/07/14 Auto racing is scheduled to take place tonight and tomorrow in Trenton, NJ, the first in the city of Trenton since Aug. 19, 1979. Rick Mears, who went on to become a four-time Indianapolis 500 winner, was the winner of the final USAC Championship Car race at the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds.

However, this time it is actually indoor racing in Trenton, N.J.

Billy Pauch, a tested tough racing veteran with nearly 40 years of driving experience and 700 career feature wins to his credit, will lead more than five dozen Three Quarter-Midget drivers into the Battle Of Trenton inside the city’s Sun-National Bank Center. Pauch has won in just about every type of race car he has driven and has won the rich Freedom 76 Classic for Modifieds at Grandview Speedway six times.

Much like George Washington 238 years ago, Pauch is battle-hardened at age 56. That didn’t stop him from winning the 2013 New Egypt Speedway Modified Stock Car driving championship, out-racing many drivers half his age.

Mario Andretti in his first IndyCar race at Trenton Speedway in 1964 in the Dean Van Lines Roadster. The track was still a regular 1-mile oval back then, and was not lengthened to 1.5-miles until 1969. We were there.

Among the many entrants Pauch will need to contend with his son Billy Pauch, Jr., whose fast-rising driving career Pauch Sr. has mentored. Both will drive TQ-Midgets owned and prepared by Colin Martin of Denver, Pa.

The indoor events, a first for Trenton, are produced and promoted by Len Sammons Motorsports Productions. The Sun-National Bank Center’s races are the first in the city of Trenton since Aug. 19, 1979. Rick Mears, who went on to become a four-time Indianapolis 500 winner, was the winner of the final USAC Championship Car race at the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds.

The Battle Of Trenton weekend racing events call for Twin 20-lap features for the TQ Midgets and a complete program of Slingshots tonight, followed by a 40-lap for TQ Midget main event accompanied by Champ Karts on Saturday.

TQ Midgets are smaller, lighter powerful versions of Sprint and Midget cars specially prepared for the rigors of indoor racing. Anthony Sesely, of Matawan, N.J., heads to Trenton as the overwhelming favorite after sweeping the weekend in Atlantic City two weeks ago, winning the TQ Midget features on Friday and Saturday night.

Mike Lichty, one of two Canadians (hailing from Innerkip, Ontario) who have entered the TQ-Midget action inside Sun National Bank Center, finished second to Sesely in Atlantic City’s Gambler’s Classic.

Jimmy Blewett, of Howell, N.J., whose shift from asphalt Modified to dirt Modified racing in 2013, was among the year’s biggest racing stories, is also a popular entry. He came home with a pair of seventh-place finishes in the two nights of racing in Atlantic City, but was a contender for the win each night.

Start of the Trenton 150 in 1967 with Mario Andretti on pole and Lloyd Ruby (L) outside. Andretti led all 150 laps in a romp over Roger McClusky and Bobby Unser.

Slingshots are closed cockpit cars that are identically built and purchased from one central source, Speedway Entertainment in Lebanon. Since the cars are theoretically identical, great emphasis is placed on driving skill.

Simon Egan of Stroudsburg, the winner of the Atlantic City Indoor Slingshot feature two weeks ago, will lead a field of nearly three dozen competitors into Friday’s Slingshot battle.

The “Slingers" will be competing for the Snyder’s-Lance Snack Bowl 25 title Friday night. In addition to being the title sponsor of both races, Snyder’s-Lance, with help and support from Walt Bennett of Bennett Motors, has established a two-race Slingshot point fund.

The Champ Karts are lightning fast, caged versions of go-karts that compete regionally and nationwide on both dirt and paved surfaces and on both ovals and road racing circuits. Karts are agile, have no active suspension and require a precise touch.

Anthony Colandro of Islip Terrace, Long Island, N.Y., the Champ Kart race winner inside Boardwalk Hall two weeks ago, is among more than 30 drivers who will be seeking victory in Saturday’s Kart feature.

One of his key rivals is likely to be Douglas Stearly, the Trappe standout who took the lead on the next-to-last lap in Atlantic City only to spin out, costing him the race.