Past Indoor Auto Racing Winners Rudolph, Tidaback Among Baltimore, Providence And Atlantic City Favorites; Outdoor Three Quarter Midget Champ Tidman Looks To Improve
TRENTON, NJ — Picking a favorite in any auto race is difficult. Picking the winner of an Indoor Three Quarter (TQ)Midget feature event is almost impossible. Yet three talented drivers, hailing from three different states, figure to be among the competitors with a distinct advantage at 1st Mariner Center on December 8 in Baltimore, Md., December 31 at Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, R.I., and at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on February, 1-2, 2013. The three indoor auto racing events are produced by Len Sammons Motorsports Productions.
Erick Rudolph, of Ransomville, N.Y., won indoors this past year in Atlantic City. Mike Tidaback of Little Falls, N.J., is a past winner in Atlantic City and a past champion of the outdoor American Three Quarter Midget Racing Association. And Ryan Tidman of Levittown, Pa., won the ATQMRA TQ Midget driving
championship in each of the past two years.
Rudolph, 20, will be driving the same Timex Morgan owned, Rochester, N.Y. based car he used to dominate indoor racing last year. “You can’t stand still in racing and even though the car was fast last year, we made some changes it that should make it better,” Rudolph said.
Tidaback, 40. is behind the wheel of the same nearly decade old TQ he has owned and driven effectively both indoors and out. “I’m looking forward to racing in a new building in Baltimore and to coming back to Atlantic City,” Tidaback said. Tidman, 25, struggled indoors with Lenny and Donna Boyd’s No. 1B TQ, actually failing to transfer into the main event in one indoor event last season.
“It was a big disappointment last winter,” Tidman said.
Yet Tidman clinched the 2012 ATQMRA outdoor driving championship before the final race of the season had even started, an indicator of his and his team’s prowess. Other TQ drivers who have entered the Indoor aces are Ted Christopher, Plainville, Ct.; Patrick Emerling, Orchard Park, N.Y., Ken Andreas, Hamilton, NJ., Steve Craig, Levittown, Pa., Tony DiMattia, Malvern, Pa., Paul Lotier, Lebanon, Pa., Erik Musto, Lockport, N.Y., Shawn Nye, Lancaster, N.Y, Mike Osite, Brooklyn, N.Y,, Tim Proctor, Hamilton, N.J., the Quinones sisters Amamda and Ginny from Indian Trail, N.C., and Jonathan Reid, Loekport, N.Y. Entries have been coming in at a steady rate as well for the Baltimore, Providence. and Atlantic Champ Kart class. Heading this list are Glen Meisenhelder, Feeding Hills, Ma., Ron Midford Jr., Tolland, Ct., Brandon Ruszek, Wallingford, Ct., and the Sullivan brothers, Brian and Tom of South Windsor, Ct.
Registration forms, technical rules and race procedures for both events are available on line at www.aarn.com or by calling 609-888-3618. The addition of the Baltimore race to the previous two events provides TQ drivers and Champ Kart racers with three major events in three destination cities.
“Baltimore is a great location for an Indoor race,” said event event organizer Len Sammons. “It is easily accessible from central Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. We expect the event to be as popular as our Atlantic City and Providence races have become in its very first year.” The 1st Mariner Center is near the very popular Camden Yards and is in the middle of Baltimore’s trendy Inner Harbor area, a tourist mecca with dozens of shops, restaurants and attractions. The host hotel will be the Holiday Inn directly across the street from the Center.
The Providence race in Dunkin’ Donuts Center is the fifth Indoor race at that venue promoted by Sammons. The December 31 scheduling – on New Years Eve – has provided race teams and their followers with a rare opportunity to compete against one another, then party the night away and herald the coming of the new year. The Clarion Inn in Seekonk, Mass. will serve as the host hotel for the Providence Indoor race. Located less than ten minutes from the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, Clarion guests will enjoy the ease of parking their vehicles at no charge in a secured area.
Reservations, available at a reduced nightly rate of $89.00, may be made by calling l-508-336-7300. With making reservations, ask for the "Indoor Racing" special rate. Entry forms for two-day Boardwalk Hall Indoor Race, featuring TQ Midgets, Champ Karts and Tobias Slingshots are now available on line.
The 2013 running at Boardwalk Hall will be the eleventh event under Len Sammons Motorsports Productions. Racing indoors in Boardwalk Hall took place for the first time in 1938. Title, associate and race sponsorships are being sought for each of three races. The signing of a major sponsor for the three event Indoor Race Series is anticipated. Advertising is also available in the three event programs. Information is available by calling the LSMP office at 609-888-3618 or by visiting the comprehensive website at motorsports@aarn.com.
Sources: Ernie Saxton/Len Sammons Motorsports Productions