Andy Jankowiak, Tyler Brown And Scott Neary Earn 2020 Indoor Racing Series Titles
TRENTON, NJ – The 2020 Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled by VP Race Fuels championship races scheduled for Friday and Saturday, March 13-14 inside the New York State Fairgrounds Exposition Center in Syracuse, NY were canceled as a result of COVID-19.
As a result of the cancellation, the 2020 BELFOR Property Restoration “Concrete” Series champions were crowned based on the current point standings.
TQ Midget driver Andy Jankowiak, Champ Kart king Tyler Brown and Slingshot ace Scott Neary, who were leading in Series points heading into Syracuse, have been declared champions of Indoor Auto Racing Championship Series fueled by VP Racing Fuels. It is the first championship for each.
Jankowiak earned his first career TQ Midget championship by just two points over Matt Janisch.
“This isn’t the way I wanted to win this championship,” said Jankowiak, who drove over two hours east from his home in Tonawanda, N.Y. to pick-up the award on Friday afternoon at the Exposition Center. He arrived inside the building as the last of the concrete blocks that had made up the indoor track were being loaded on a flatbed trailer.
“I really invested myself in this deal this year, I wanted this championship bad,” emphasized Jankowiak. “That’s why this is so hard. I think we were ready to go prove we deserved it.”
Jankowiak’s prize ‘The TC Cup’ is named after the late two-time champion Ted Christopher who passed away in a plane crash in September of 2017 at the age of 59.
“Ted meant so much to so many of us and the fact I got to race him for this championship and now win the Cup in his name means the world to me,” reflected Jankowiak.
Janisch described himself as being “very disapppointed” at not having had the opportunity to contest for the title he lost by just one position in any of the two events that were held inside Allentown’s PPL Center or the one in Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.
Erick Rudolph, a four time series champion, finished third 14 points behind Jankowiak but within striking distance of the title had the two features scheduled in Syracuse, N.Y. been held.
In the Hoosier Tire Champ Karts Tyler Brown won the title by 45 points over Todd Crenshaw. Scott Neary won the Action Track USA Slingshot title by 35 points over Brett Bieber.
After the crowning of the 2020 series champions, the focus now shifts to the 2021 Indoor Auto Racing Championship Series. The series will return to the same venues with stops in Allentown, PA at the PPL Center January 8 & 9, Atlantic City, NJ at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall on January 29 & 30, Syracuse, NY at the Exposition Center on March 12 & 13. The series will again have a special non-point “Dirt event” on February 19 & 20 at the Cure Insurance Arena in Trenton, NJ.
Plans are also in the works to make-up the cancelled Syracuse Indoor Race, with a possible fourth concrete event in 2020/2021.
Final TQ Standings (Top Fifteen): 1. Andy Jankowiak 256, 2. Matt Janisch 254, 3. Erick Rudolph 242, 4. Tim Buckwalter 235, 5. Briggs Danner 220, 6. Anthony Payne 212, 7. Ryan Barlett 198, 8. Shawn Nye 188, 9. Jeremy Haudricourt 183, 10. Jon Reid 174, 11. Michael Barnes 172, 12. Tyler Thompson 152, 13. Mike Bednar 134, 13. Bobby Holmes 134, 13. Ryan Flores 134.
Final Champ Kart Standings (Top Ten): 1. Tyler Brown 190, 2. Todd Crenshaw 145, 3. Ron Midford Jr., 135, 4. Cale Ross 130, 5. Doug Stearly 128, 6. Mike Perry 126, 7. Ryan Kendall 120, 8. Jeremy Tuttle 107, 9. Cameron Carter 90, 9. TJ Reed 90.
Final Slingshot Standings (Top Ten): 1. Scott Neary 195, 2. Brett Bieber 160, 3. Cody Kline 150, 4. Louden Reimert 140, 5. Dylan Hoch 138, 6. Michael Lapicki 130, 7. Aiden Svanda 122, 8. Jared Silfee 100, 9. Danny Buccafusca 99, 10. Tyler Ulsh 87.
Sources: Ernie Saxton Communications