Packed House On Hand For A.C. Gamblers Classic; Rudolph Scores A Double In Three Quarter Midgets And 600 Micro Sprints; Daley Repeats ‘08 Champ Kart Win; Eagan Tops In Slingshot Thriller
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — In front of one of the largest crowds in Boardwalk Hall's Gamblers Classic ten year history, Ransomville, N.Y.'s Erick Rudolph dominated the weekend events. After winning the Micro Sprint features Friday and Saturday, Rudolph saved his best effort for last when he overpowered the competition, winning the Gamblers Classic for Three Quarter Midgets.
The race was a three-man affair from the outset. Front row starters Stewart Friesen and Rudolph paced the field and sparred with each other through a series of double file restarts. In one of those instances, Rudolph seemed to gain the upper hand only to have the start called back by officials who added a two position penalty for the infraction.
Undeterred, Rudolph passed Friesen after challenging for the lead for several laps. Friesen seemed destined for a second place finish but a late race tangle with a surging Billy Pauch saw Friesen spin and Pauch penalized.
Rudolph ruled the roost as the laps ran out. The big mover in the last five laps was Ryan Smith, who was trying to put a 600 Micro in the winners circle for the first time. Smith settled for second place after a sterling drive ahead of Jon Gambuti, ninth starter Mike Lichty and sixteenth place starter Tim Buckwalter.
The 20 lap Micro Sprint feature turned upside down on a mid-race tangle in the midst of heavy lapped traffic. Matt Janisch and Lou Cicconi Jr., running first and second, and pulling away from the field, encountered back markers. Janisch collected one of the lapped cars and nearly flipped. Cicconi clipped Janisch's slowing car and reduced speed himself but was able to keep his car running.
Cicconi thus inherited the lead and a clear track while Janisch restarted at the back of the field. Erick Rudolph, Friday night's 600 Micro feature winner, took up the chase as Cicconi held back all challenges. With three laps to go, Cicconi and Rudolph went at it head to head. On the final lap, Rudolph ducked under Cicconi in turn one, made a clean pass off turn two and took the checkered flag. The exacta of Rudolph and Cicconi was the same finish as the previous night.
In the Champ Karts, Chris Daley, 2008 winner, picked his way through a talent-laden field, avoided the pitfalls of lapped traffic and survived a two-lap shootout to win the 25-lap feature.
Heavy hitters Norman Hynes, Daley and Justin Bonsignore cut their way through the pack in pursuit of Brian Sullivan, who had taken command after Andy Nye had problems.
By lap five, Bonsignore and Daley had assumed first and second; and on lap nine, Daley completed his march to the front with a power pass for the lead as Hynes was just a few kart lengths off the pace.
With five laps left, the top three had pulled away from the pack but a caution flag flew with two laps left, setting up a green-white-checkered finish. Daley never wavered in the final lap as Bonsignore held second. Zac Smith made a key last lap move to assume third place at race's end.
Slingshot expert Simon Egan made a crossover move off the last two turns of the final lap that gave him a remarkable win over Matt Carman.
Neither Egan nor Carman seemed to be likely victors as the white flag waved on the first of three attempts at completing the race.
First, Vern McLaughlin tangled with Shannon Smith when she attempted to pass him on the outside. Smith was spun and went to the back of the pack as did McLaughlin, who was penalized for overly aggressive driving. Brett Biever, who had been among the early race leaders, and Anthony Perrego, who had come back from an early race aggressive driving penalty, lost their chances for a late race victory when they tangled.
This set up the last lap sprint finish that elevated Egan, who had first taken the white flag in sixth place, into the winners' circle. Carman was inches behind with Brandon Azzalina third.
Gamblers Classic TQ Midget Feature (40 Laps): 1. Erick Rudolph; 2. Ryan Smith; 3. Jon Gambuti; 4. Mike Lichty; 5. Tim Buckwalter; 6. Billy Pauch Jr.; 7. Matt Janisch; 8. Stewart Friesen; 9. Steve Craig; 10. Pat Bealer; 11. Jonathan Reid; 12. Mike Tidaback; 13. Lou Cicconi Jr.; 14. Mike Fedorcak; 15. Glen Reen; 16. Frank Fischer; 17. Chris deRitis; 18. Johnny Benson Jr.; 19. Ryan Greth; 20. Jonathan McKennedy; 21. Bobby Holmes; 22. Anthony Sesely; 23. BJ MacDonald; 24. Joey Payne; 25. Todd Hoddick; 26. Ted Christopher.
TQ Consolation Winners: Ryan Greth, Billy Pauch
TQ B-Main Winners: Marc Rogers, Jeff Kot.
600cc Micro Sprint Feature (20 Laps): 1.Erick Rudolph; 2. Lou Cicconi Jr., 3. Brett Michalski; 4. Jason Ormsby; 5. Kyle Hieber; 6. Justin Moench; 7. Rob Vivona; 8. Matt Janisch; 9. Steven Bracall; 10. Steve Walters; 11. Mike Dicely; 12. Greg Smith; 13. Johnny Gearhart; 14. Steve Kemery; 15. Mike Fillbrunn; 16. Timmy Neal; 17. Jack Conover Jr., 18. Randy Oswald; 19. Philip Durham; 20. Jimmy Carpenter; 21. Butch Valley Jr., 22; Sierra Weaver; 23. Steve West; 24. Jimmy Weiss.
Micro Sprint B-Main Winner: Greg Smith.
Champ Kart Feature (25 Laps): 1. Chris Daley; 2. Justin Bonsignore; 3. Zac Smith; 4. Todd Crenshaw, 5. Norman Hynes; 6. Glen Meisenhelder; 7. Ryan Kendall; 8. Brandon Rusczek; 9. Danny Bouc; 10 . Nick Hadden; 11. James Hadden; 12. DJ Shaw; 13. Joey Bruning; 14. Kevin Baird; 15. Joey Milza; 16. Eric Zeh; 17. Brian Sullivan; 18. Jonathan Cash; 19. Wayne Baker; 20. Matt Fenn; 21. Andy Nye; 22. Bryan Shields; 23. Bobby Timmons; 24. Brandon Young; 25. Mike Perry; 26. Carl Medeiros Jr., 27. Gavin Soroghan.
Champ Kart B-Main Winners: Gavin Soraghan, Zac Smith, Todd Crenshaw.
Slingshot Feature (25 Laps): 1. Simon Egan; 2. Matt Carman; 3. Brandon Azzalina; 4.Shannon Smith; 5. Matt Dealaman; 6. Eddie Strada; 7. Ben Witaker; 8. Jesse Hartman; 9. Carl Labonte; 10. Mark Sensenig; 11. Vern McLaughlin II; 12. Brett Biever; 13. Anthony Perrego; 14. Marc Daniels; 15. Jimmy Spellmon; 16. John Bockhorn; 17. Steve Intravaia; 18. Shawna Ingraham; 19. Kurt Bettler; 20. Jim Housworth; 21. Mike Butler; 22. Ryan Raidline; 23. Gary Hieber; 24. Cody Kline.
Slingshot B-Main Winners: Shawna Ingraham, Steve Intravaia
Sources: AARN