“NAPA Know How” Indoor Auto Racing Weekend on Schedule; Early Week Winter Storm Gives Atlantic City Just an Inch of Snow…..and It is Gone!
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (January 28, 2015) — Despite some region wide weather irritations caused by Winter Storm Juno, all systems are go and on schedule for more than 200 race teams and thousands of fans heading to this year’s NAPA KNOW HOW Racing Weekend inside the cavernous Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall.
The building’s massive storage room that serves as the race’s pit area is expected to be filled to capacity by Thursday afternoon as Three Quarter (TQ) Midget, Champ Kart and Lentini Auto Salvage Slingshot teams will begin moving in at 8am. The intricate process sites race team transporters, one by one, side by side. All cars are then unloaded, inspected, and certified, and will be on the track, practicing, later Thursday evening.
“Everything is right on schedule.” said Len Sammons, event promoter. “The Atlantic City area was only brushed by the storm. While racers from New England had to struggle to get on the road, once here they were amazed how much less snow this area received.”
The two-day Boardwalk Hall race program is set for Friday and Saturday, January 30-31, 2015 and is the latest event under the promotional endeavors of Len Sammons Motorsports Productions (LSMP). The race meet culminates with the thirteenth running of the Gamblers Classic on January 31, a 40-lap TQ Midget test.
WMGM Radio will be broadcast live from the lobby of Boardwalk Hall on Friday beginning at 5:30pm.
With the TQ entry list approaching a record 100 cars, there will be scant margin for error in attempting to qualify for any potential winner.
The impressive TQ field is headed by 2014 ATQMRA TQ Midget champion Matt Janisch of Nazareth, Pa., who dethroned Ryan Tidman of Levittown, Pa., this past year for the ATQMRA championship. Tidman, who had won the last three championships, is also an entry for NAPA KNOW HOW Race Weekend.
Outdoor asphalt Modified specialists dominate the list of TQ race entries. Justin Bonsignore of Holtsville, N.Y., recently filed his entry as a first time TQ driver. Bonsignore will race as a teammate to Ted Christopher of Plainville, Ct., the most prolific TQ Indoor race winner in the history of LSMP-promoted events. Ryan Preece of Berlin, Ct., Jimmy Blewett of Howell, N.J., Anthony Sesely of Matawan, N.J., Erick Rudolph of Ransomville, N.Y., Andy Jankowiak of Buffalo N.Y and Earl Paules of Kunkletown, Pa. all potential winners.
Sesely charges into Boardwalk Hall having won the last three LSMP TQ main events including the previous two Gamblers’ Classics, the climactic race of the two day race weekend.
On Friday, TQs will race in a complete program while two support classes, the Lentini Auto Salvage (LAS) Slingshots and Champ Karts, will complete their qualifying events in preparation for Saturday’s features.
LAS Slingshot favorites include Kurt Bettler of Hellertown, Pa., Brett Bieber of Oley, Pa., Trenton Slingshot feature winner Gary Hieber of Langhorne, Pa. Jim Housworth of Riegelsville, Pa., Vern McLaughlin III of Whitehouse, N.J., Tim Paul of Stony Point, N.Y., Michael Sabia Jr., of Easton, Ct., Nick Shaw of Chatham, N.J., Steve Svanda of Allentown, Pa. and AJ Gerhart of Myerstown, Pa.
Champ Karts, with sixty entries, will be headed by recent Indoor Race winners Anthony Colandro of Albertson, N.Y., and Trenton winners Chris Daley of Pleasant Valley, N.Y., and Justin Gumley of Howell, N.J.
Choice tickets for the event are available at the Boardwalk Hall Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations and online at www.ticketmaster.com.
Advance purchase, lower level ticket holders are invited to Fanfest on Saturday night starting at 5pm, for an opportunity to walk the track and meet the drivers before the racing kicks off at 7pm.
For more event info visit www.aarn.com or call the Len Sammons office at 609-888-3618.
Sources: Steve Barrick/ Ernie Saxton Communications, Inc. PR