Friesen’s Hundred Lap Providence TQ Win Sets Up Weekend Sweep; Redemption For Daley In Champ Karts
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Stewart Friesen backed up his Saturday night TQ Midget feature win in Providence, R.I.’s Dunkin Donuts Center with a rousing win the Sunday afternoon. The race was halted three times before the 100th lap was put in the books and each time Friesen had to outrun Erick Rudolph and Joe Payne, Jr. to preserve his winning drive.
“The car was perfect and that was the difference,” said Friesen. “I had some help when the outside (of the track surface) got some water on it and it got slick for guys up there.”
Friesen was also the leader of the 50th lap of the race when the field was stopped as designed by race officials to allow for refueling and minor adjustments. Drivers were able to restart in the second segment regardless of number of laps completed in the first half of the race.
March 10
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[Photo Gallery] by Nicholas Teto
March 11
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TQ Midgets
Champ Karts
Ted Christopher, who had been a contender in the first half of the event, pressured Friesen after working by Rudolph and Payne but dropped out of the event late in the going with mechanical problems.
Rudolph and Payne challenged Friesen anew over the final circuits but fell short. Ryan Smith was fourth at the checkered flag and Jon Gambuti was fifth.
Numerous accidents punctuated the 100 lap TQ main event including one on the final lap that sent Chris Stockham and Timex Morgan plunging into the homestretch wall. Despite the spectacular nature of the crash, neither driver was hurt although Stockham openly expressed his displeasure with Morgan’s crew as he was exiting the track.
After enduring the indignity of a disqualification the night before, Champ Kart driver Chris Daley of Pleasant Valley, N.Y. was a man on a mission Sunday afternoon. Bryan Shields, Anthony Colandro and Matt Fenn battled for the lead in the early laps of the event. Daley then from the pack to take the lead by lap nine.
“This is my redemption,” said Daley. “It shows that that little bit of motor infraction the night before didn’t mean a thing.”
As the race reached its midpoint, Glen Meisenhelder moved into third place after Colandro and Shields both fell back and out of the top five. David Putnam was also on the move behind Meisenhelder in fourth spot.
Lapped traffic factored into the picture as Daley was clicking off the mid-race laps rapidly. Meisenhelder and Fenn closed in on Daley but with five laps left, Meisenhelder was ensnared in a three kart accident triggered by lapped traffic, taking him out of the race.
On the final restart, Daley sprinted away. The big gainer was Putnam who passed Fenn on the last lap to take second money as Fenn held for third. Nick Hadden, who was outside the top five for most of the race, gained ground over the final three laps to finish fourth and Ron Midford, Jr. claimed the fifth spot.
This Sunday Indoor meet at ‘The Dunk’ was preceded by a full program of events the night before. Stewart Friesen won the TQ Midget main event and Glen Meisenhelder took the big Champ Kart checkered flag.
TQ Midget Feature (100 Laps): 1. Stewart Friesen; 2.Erick Rudolph; 3. Joey Payne; 4. Ryan Smith; 5. Jon Gambuti; 6. Jonathan McKennedy;7. Tim Buckwalter; 8. Ryan Greth; 9. Paul Lotier Jr.; 10.Pat Bealer ; 11. Timex Morgan; 12. Matt Janisch; 13. Mike Tidaback; 14. Lou Cicconi; 15. Chris Stockham; 16. Frank Fischer; 17. Johnny Benson; 18. Tony DiMattia; 19. Ted Christopher; 20. Mike Lichty; 21 . Billy Pauch; 22. Todd Bertrand; 23. Matt Roselli; 24. Chris Deritis; 25. Chris Allen Jr.; 26. Todd Hoddick.
Did Not Qualify: Scott Kreutter, Eddie Witkum Jr., Marc Rogers, Bruce Leote, Tim Proctor, Ryan Bartlett, BJ MacDonald, Erik Musto, Glenn Heverin, Mark Yoder, Jimmy Carpenter, Rob Vivona, Anthony Sesely, Ryan Tidman, Tim Jedrejek, Shaun Carrig.
TQ Scramble Winners: Ted Christopher, Tony DiMattia.
TQ C Main Winner: Tim Jedrzejek.
TQ B Main Winner: Chris Deritis.
Champ Kart Feature (25 Laps): 1.Chris Daley ; 2. David Putnam; 3. Matt Fenn; 4. Nick Hadden; 5. Ron Midford Jr.; 6 DJ Shaw; 7.Bryan Shields ; 8 Brandon Rusczek.; 9. Brandon Tiezzi; 10. Gavin Soraghan; 11. Andrew Swisher; 12. Stephen Beattie; 13. Steven Midford; 14. Dylan Duhaime; 15. Jordan Dube; 16. Bethany Stoehr;17. Peter Panciocco; 18. Glen Meisenhelder; 19. James Hadden; 20. Justin Bonsignore; 21. Anthony Colandro; 22. Kevin Baird; 23. Mike Panciocco; 24. Stephen Morsillo; 25. Michael Pares Jr.
Did Not Qualify: Carter Levreault, Carl Medeiros, Rob Tefft, Bill Keller, Rob Murray, Frank Duquette, Shawn Johnson, Jeff Wood, Mike Perry, Adam Dion, Frank Perry, Brianna Page, Kevin Marsden, Avery Stoehr, Dion Naples, Kathryn Stoehr, Nathan Tracy, Lauryn Burd, Evan Beaulieu.
Champ Kart Heat Winners: Chris Daley, Kevin Baird, Brandon Rusczek.
Champ Kart Consolation Winners: Stephen Morsillo, Anthony Colandro.
Sources: Ernie Saxton