Wall Practice Next for Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic ATQMRA Season Opener April 23 at Wall
The American Three Quarter Midget Racing Association had a successful spring General Membership meeting that was well attended to discuss and gear up for the upcoming season. Wall Stadium that is a staple track for the touring open wheel division announced an expanded test and tune schedule due to the poor weather this weekend. Numerous teams are gearing up to be at the opener at Wall on April 23rd as well as to support the ATQMRA’s schedule of events.
With a large amount of cars registered for competition this season wall Stadium speedway officials have decided to offer two days of preseason practice on Saturday and Sunday, April 16 and 17. On both days the pit area will open at 9:00 a.m. with practice running from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. On Saturday the first hour of practice will be reserved for 2016 rookie drivers.
All teams are encouraged to arrive early to have the Track safety inspection completed to maximize track time.
Top Contending dirt Micro Sprint racer Mark Yoder is another driver who has designs on chasing the ATQMRA Rookie of the Year title in 2016. Yoder is another racer who ran a handful of shows with the club in 2015 in his Hyper Hugger TQ Midget and is looking to expand of his experience to help him in his quest to be named 2016 ATQMRA Rookie of the Year.
The Racing Payne Family will have a continued presence with the ATQMRA. Joey Payne III will be debuting his Drinan car at Wall for practice and running the full schedule with the ATQMRA chasing Rookie of the Year honors. His little brother Anthony and Father Joey will also be racing with the ATQMRA when their schedules suit almost guaranteeing another night where Three Paynes will be on track together.
Ronnie the Rocket Mullen raced a handful of races with the ATQMRA in 2015 with the Metz Racing Driver Development team and has acquired his own car to Chase the ATQMRA Rookie of the year title. Mullen who is a multi-Division Titlist at Wall and a winner in every regular division at Wall is looking to add one more division to his list of feature wins.
A number of teams are making plans to race with the ATQMRA in 2016. Long time TQ midget supporter Tim Proctor has grown into a two car team with the acquisition of a Drinan TQ midget from Bill Force Jr. during the off season in addition to his silver and black number 98 that he raced off and on throughout the years. Tim is hoping to have both cars ready for the practice on the sixteenth. He is teaming up with former Quarter midget racer Chris Hirt to be in his second car. Chris will be a second generation ATQMRA Racer following in the footsteps of his father Ken Hirt who was a regular campaigner with the club through the early 2000’s in the Rick Arnold number 78. Chris will be making his Rookie Debut with the ATQMRA in 2016.
Long Time ATQMRA supporter and a racer whose last name is considered Royalty in TQ midget racing, Steve Craig, will be coming back into the ATQMRA fold. Steve, the son of four time club Champion Doug Craig will be coming out to compete with the ATQMRA at most of the shows on the schedule in 2016 beginning with the Wall opener. He will be racing a School Bus Yellow number 55 that mimics the combination his father raced to numerous championships and wins across the years.
Local Racer Kerry Irwin who has been behind the wheel of the Metz Racing Driver Development cars for several years has designs on running the entire series at Wall this season in the Team’s 46 car. Rookie Kyle Taraska will also be behind the wheel in a team car for select events at Wall. Both drivers have Rookie eligibility but aren’t planning to run the full schedule.
Northern TQ Midget Racer Pat Smith has designs on making a handful of shows with the ATQMRA in 2016 with his family’s two cars the 01 and 02 driven by himself and AJ Hessler. Smith is especially excited to take part in the club’s return to New England at Waterford Speedbowl on August 6th. The Smith and Art Hessler families were teamed up with Bobby Meyers during his years of domination of competition with the Can-Am TQ Midget organization in the early 80s winning all but one race during one particular season.
2016 Race Schedule
Saturday, April 23rd Wall Speedway
Saturday, April 30th Mahoning Speedway
Saturday, May 14th Wall Speedway
Saturday, June 4th Wall Speedway
Saturday, June 18th Bethel Speedway
Saturday, June 25th Wall Speedway
Saturday, July 16th Wall Speedway
Saturday, August 6th Waterford Speedbowl
Saturday, August 13th Mahoning Speedway
Saturday, August 27th Wall Speedway
Saturday, September 10th Mahoning Speedway
Saturday, September 17th Wall Speedway
Saturday, October 1st Stafford Speedway Fall Finale*
Saturday, November 26th Wall Speedway Turkey Derby* * Non Points
Sources: Blu Metz/ATQMRA PR