Impressive Entries Arriving for Wall Stadium Turkey Derby
Wall, NJ — Entries that have recently arrived at the Wall Stadium office for the upcoming Turkey Derby weekend on November 27 and 28 indicate that this 36th running of the event should be just as exciting as the previous 35. While fans of the third mile paved oval will recognize many of the entries in the track’s support divisions, the entries received thus far for the tour type Modified, Red Bank Sleep Shoppe Modified and the Late Model divisions offer some surprises and interesting competition.
Howell’s Jamie Tomaino was the first driver to enter the tour type Modified field for their 100-lap event and will be joined by other locals favorites Steven Reed of Freehold, Tommy Farrell of Neptune, Justin Gumley of Colts Neck and Anthony Sesely of Matawan. Oakhurst’s Pete Brittain and Howell speedsters Ken Woolley, Jr. and Jimmy Blewett will also attract the attention of local fans. Several invading tour type Modified drivers have also registered for the 100-lapper including Rowan Pennick, Doug Coby, Ken Barry, Eric Goodale and Ed Brunnhoelzl III.
Reed, Farrell, Sesely, Brittain, Blewett and Pennick will be doing double duty as each has also registered for the 100-lap RBSS Modified race. Their competition will come for 2009 champion Chas Okerson of Freehold, Farmingdale’s Billy Cole, Brick’s Robert Geibel and Adam LaCicero, just to name a few.
Jimmy Blewett will perhaps be the busiest man at the Turkey Derby as he plans to compete in Friday’s 75-lap Late Model main event in addition to Saturday’s two 100-lap Modified features. Several top veteran Late Model racers have also registered including Pennsylvania standouts Roger Oxee and Zane Zeiner and Long Island favorite Buzzy Ericksen. Also of interest will be local racer Rob Ormsbee of Belmar who will be attempting to top the field of paved track cars with his dirt track Late Model stock car.
Promoter Jim Morton has announced the time schedule for the 36th annual running of the “Turkey Derby” season ending stock car classic. As has been the case since the outset, Turkey Derby competition is always held during the daylight hours and is presented on Friday and Saturday (Nov. 27 and 28) of Thanksgiving weekend. This year, Sunday afternoon action has been added featuring Enduro style racing.
On Friday, November 27, pit gates will open at 7:00 a.m., with pre purchased ticket holders’ grandstand gates opening at 9:30 a.m. and grandstand seating opening at 10:00 a.m. On the track, all eight divisions that will see competition on the weekend will practice on Friday morning starting at 8:30 a.m. The Garden State Vintage Stock Car Club vehicles will then go 15-laps at 12:15 p.m., before qualifying begins at 12:30 p.m. Friday’s qualifying will consist of time trials for the Red Bank Sleep Shoppe Modifieds and the Late Model stock cars, along with heat races and consolation races as needed for the Flanagan Retail Development Factory Stocks, I.N.E.X. Legend Cars, Street Stocks and the RBSS Modifieds.
Friday main events are set to start at 2:30 p.m. with the Legend Cars in a 25-lapper, the Late Models in a 75 lapper and the Factory Stocks rounding out Friday’s action in a 30-lap feature.
On Saturday, November 28, pit gates will again open at 7:00 a.m., with pre purchased ticket holders’ grandstand gates opening at 9:30 a.m. and grandstand seating opening at 10:00 a.m. On the track, Street Stock, TQ Midget, Calabreeze Pools Sportsman, RBSS Modified and tour type Modified practice will start at 8:30 a.m., while a mandatory drivers’ meeting is set for 9:10 a.m. Qualifying, which will consist of tour type Modified time trials and a “B” main and TQ Midget heat races will be next up at 11:00 a.m.
Saturday’s opening ceremonies will be presented at 12:35 p.m., before the Saturday main events of Turkey Derby XXXVI take the green flag at 1:00 p.m. The Sportsman 30-lapper will be first up, followed by the tour type Modified 100-lapper, Street Stock 30-lapper, RBSS Modified 100-lapper and the TQ Midget 25-lap main event.
For the first time ever, late-November racing action will be carried over to Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend as the shore speedway presents another of it’s popular “$5 Family fun Days.” Heading the Sunday card will be the popular NEETS Enduro Series and the INEX Legend Cars. All gates will open at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, with Legends practice at noon and main event action set for 1:00 p.m.
In the event of a Friday rainout on Turkey Derby weekend, Friday’s three main events will be added to Saturday’s card with qualifying kept to a minimum for only the divisions that absolutely need it. In the event of a Saturday rainout, Turkey Derby Day 2 action will be rescheduled to Saturday, December 5. If Sunday is rained out, that days events will be contested on Sunday, December 6.
Morton also announced that the track will be open for a paid practice session on Saturday, November 21. The paid practice session, which is being offered in preparation for the Turkey Derby, will begin at 11:00 a.m. and run until 4:00 p.m.
Wall Stadium is located on Route 34 in Wall Township, N.J., just one mile north of Garden State Parkway exit 98 and Interstate 195 exit 35B. The speedway office is open from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Information and Turkey Derby entry forms are available by calling 732-681-6400 and at www.wallspeedway.com.
Sources: Wall Stadium PR