Earl Paules Wins TQ Main at Wall Turkey Derby
WALL TWP., NJ — Leading all the way, standout pavement Modified and Late Model driver Earl Paules Jr., won Saturday afternoon’s ATQMRA TQ- Midget feature during the 40th annual Turkey Derby at Wall Stadium Speedway. The Palmerton, Pa., resident was at the wheel of the No. 98x, fielded by Mike Roselli Sr.’s West End Rent-All team from Brodheadsville, Pa.
Paules is a champion and many-time winner in the Modified and Late Model divisions at Mahoning Valley Speedway in Lehighton, Pa. and recently won his second straight Late Model title there. This past July, he won his first ever TQ-Midget main during the ATQMRA event at Mahoning. His victory at Wall was his first at that high- banked, third-mile paved oval.
The Turkey Derby TQ main was originally set for 25 laps, but accidents and lengthy clean-ups from two blown motors led to ATQMRA officials making the decision to end it at lap 15 when the time limit was approaching.
Defending Wall Turkey Derby winner Joey Payne was the first driver eliminated when his Alan Mollot No. 51 developed a driveline problem right at the start. Payne, starting second, could not come up to speed and several cars tangled behind him.
Paules then set the pace until the red was displayed after Zach Burd’s No. F8 went over on its side and then landed on its wheels along the homestretch. As the following cars approached and slowed for the crash, 2013 champion Ryan Tidman and Mike Tidaback tangled off of turn four. Tidman’s No. 1B sustained damage and missed the restart, but his Lenny Boyd-led crew later got him back on the track. Tidaback was able to continue.
Paules stayed in the lead, with Carl Medeiros Jr. (the 2013 NEMA Lights Midget champion), Buffalo, N.Y.-based Modified invader Andy Jankowiak, Buddy Sload and Matt Roselli close behind. Heading toward lap 10, however, the motor in Jeff Kot’s No. 95 let go and caught fire in turns three and four to bring out the red. Kot escaped injury. Due to a large amount of fluid on the track from the motor, a lengthy cleanup resulted. But just as officials were ready to go green, the motor in the Medeiros No. 50 also let go, this time in turn one, for yet another clean-up.
With the pre-determined time limit approaching, the decision was reached by the ATQMRA to shorten the race by 10 circuits.
Paules was not to be denied, maintaining command over the final laps to win, his 15th overall on the season. Modified regulars finished one-two, with Jankowiak getting runner-up honors. Both then competed in the Modified feature that followed.
Sload, the newly-elected 2014 ATQMRA president, finished third, followed by Roselli and Tidaback.
Group time trials, with five to six TQs at a time on the track against the clock, replaced the heat races. Tidman was fastest of the 16 that took time, with a lap of 11.553 sec. (104.3478 mph).
Feature Finish (15 Laps): 1. Earl Paules Jr., 2. Andy Jankowiak, 3. Buddy Sload, 4. Matt Roselli, 5. Mike Tidaback, 6. B.J. MacDonald (Frank Fischer No. 33), 7. Mike Occhipinte, 8. Ryan Tidman, 9. Brianna Page, 10. Carl Medeiros Jr., 11. Jeff Kot, 12. Joey Bailey, 13. Jon Gambuti, 14. Zach Burd, 15. Joey Payne, 16. Kerry Irwin
Additional news can be accessed on facebook.com/ATQMRA and Twitter @ATQMRA.
Sources:Earl Krause/ATQMRA PR