Payne Looks to Capitalize on Rumble Success to Repeat at Upcoming Gambler’s Classic

By admin December 30, 2007

Fairlawn, NJ — Joey Payne, Jr. of Fairlawn, NJ, ushered in the New Year just the way he resolved to do – aboard an open-wheel racing machine. Payne intends to continue his off-season racing by winning his second-straight Atlantic City classic title later this month.

Payne posted a pair of top-five finishes over the weekend of Friday, December 28 & Saturday, December 29, 2007 in a 600cc winged Midget for owner Jim Morgan in the Rumble at the Fort Wayne Memorial Coliseum Expo Center in Fort Wayne, IN. After qualifying sixth in time trials on Friday night, the Northeastern Midget Association (NEMA) regular finished second in his heat race followed by a fourth-place finish in the 50-lap feature. Payne picked it up on Saturday night by turning fast time in 600cc division qualifying and winning his heat race. A third-place finish in Saturday’s feature concluded a very successful weekend.

Payne is no stranger to indoor racing victories. He has captured both the Niagara Falls Indoor and the Atlantic City “Gamblers” championships twice. He looks to carry the momentum over from Fort Wayne to Atlantic City. Payne is in search of back-to-back victories in the “Gambler’s Classic” Indoor Auto Race at the Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall on January 18 & 19, 2008.

The 2007 “Gambler’s Classic” winner will be back with the same package that he had when he beat out Lou Cicconi last January. Payne will pilot a Three-Quarter (TQ) Midget for owner Colin Martin. Crew Chief Allan Mollot will turn the wrenches in search of a repeat. Sponsors of this year’s efforts will come from Spitfire TQ Midgets and Bell Helmets.

During the off-season, Payne has worked closely with Hoosier Racing tires to help develop an improved new indoor tire.

“I owe a lot to Hoosier Racing Tire for their support of my indoor racing in the past,” said Payne. “Recently, I had the opportunity to pay them back a little bit. I worked with product manger Irish Saunders and the engineers with compounds and tire sizes to develop an indoor “Little Car” tire that should prove to be fast and effective for all of us at Atlantic City this year.”

If Payne was a gambling man, he just might put his money on his own team.

“I love coming to Boardwalk Hall to race,” continued Payne. “This place is fun and fast and it has so much history. And I really enjoy racing with Colin, Allan and the guys. I think that we have what it takes to win this thing again.”

Payne will have to best the likes of arch-rival Lou Cicconi, who he has locked horns with on a number of occasions in Atlantic City and otherwise; fellow NEMA contender Randy Cabral and his International Supermodified Association (ISMA) rival Mike Litchey; and up-and-comer Jimmy Broderick III. Along with the likes of Ted Christopher, Rick Eckert, Ken Schrader, Mike Tidaback, and the popular and talented father-son duos of Jeff Heotzler Sr. & Jr. and Billy Pauch, Sr. and Jr., Payne will even have to vie for supremacy against his own brother Johnny Payne.

To learn more about the “Gambler’s Classic” in Atlantic City log on to www.aarn.com.

Sources: Dale Wolbrink/Gambler’s Classic PR

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