Brianna Page Scores First Career ATQMRA Feature Victory at Wall Stadium
Monday, August 1st, 2022 — WALL TOWNSHIP, NJ- Brianna Page has etched her name into the history books by earning her first career Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA fueled by VP Racing Fuels feature victory at Wall Stadium Speedway this weekend!
After a summer break, the stars of the Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA fueled by VP Racing Fuels were back in action at Wall Stadium Speedway for “NAPA Night” presented by Brice’s Auto Supply in Freehold, NJ.
An action-packed first heat with multiple on-track incidents saw “The Jerzy Jet” Joey Payne earn the victory in first heat race racing Alan Mollot’s #51 Lindblad Badger. This was Payne’s first ATQMRA start of the 2022 season.
There was no sophomore slump for any drivers tonight as Tyler Ferris scored his first career heat race victory in the #33 Hamer Heating and Cooling TQ Midget. Ferris held off Jeff Kot (#95 Behrents Performance Warehouse) to earn the 8-lap victory in the second heat race of the evening.
With a new handicap system being introduced, the previous feature’s top-4 finishers can start no better at the rear of the qualified cars who redraw for position. This system will remain enforced for the remainder of the 2022 ATQMRA championship points season.
(#73 Cole Mullen leads the pack early: Sean Case Photo)
Cole Mullen (#73 Geese Patrol, Mullen Garage Services) led the “sweet” field of 16 to green for the 25 lap feature.
Brianna was on a mission jumping to the lead on lap one from the 3rd starting position fighting to get by pole sitter Cole and outside pole sitter Mark Yoder (#75 Ames Construction). Brianna broke away to almost a half straightway lead, but it was Cole Mullen in second who kept Brianna honest. Cole had a career night maintaining a top-2 running position for the majority of the feature. It was certainly one of his best runs since he earned his first career ATQMRA feature victory in 2018.
(#76 Brianna Page leads #73 Cole Mullen and #95 Jeff Kot: Sean Case Photo)
Brianna maintained a fast pace, but there was tight racing throughout the field behind her. The hardest chargers were heat race winner Tyler Ferris and Kyle Taraska (#22 Personal Comfort) who battled their way up through the field from the 9th and 11th respectively.
A late race caution due to the spinning Zack Burd (#5z Burlington Chevrolet) caused by contact from another vehicle. This incident would set the stage for a five-lap shootout to the finish.
Page earned a great jump out of the restart zone taking advantage of the single file order behind her. Taraska was on the hunt diving under Cole Mullen for second in turn one.
Taraska charged hard, closing the gap on Page lap after lap to the finish. His effort was not enough as Brianna Page went on to score her first career feature victory in a thriller of a finish!
Taraska finished 2nd earning the evening’s VP Hard Charger Award.
After experiencing brake issues all afternoon, Jeff Kot put together one of his strongest runs of the season together to round out the podium. Kot maintained great track position after experiencing contact with Taraska while battling for position just past the halfway point of the race.
(#22 Taraska and #95 Kot battle for position: Sean Case Photo)
Speaking of strong runs, enough cannot be said about Cole Mullen running a competitive fourth. This weekend was a statement run for the #73 team. Buddy Sload (#36 Spitfire Chassis) had a relatively quiet evening for their team’s standards, but still earned a great fifth place finish.
Tyler Ferris arguably had a career night in the ATQMRA by backing up his heat race win with a sixth place finish. Matt Janisch (#51J Yuhas Chassis) finished seventh and Joey Payne finished eight, both driving for Alan Mollot Racing.
(Mollot Racing Teammates racing #75 Yoder and #55 Craig for position: Sean Case Photo)
Sprint car star Zack Bealer (#12, MJ12 Motorsports) made his ATQMRA debut this weekend earning a 9th place finish. Zack put together a great run after starting at the rear of the field. Zack was this weekend’s RYNO Rookie of the Race. Steve Craig (#55 Craig Bulk Carriers) rounded out the top-10.
Brianna Page fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a feature winner, particularly at her home-track of Wall Stadium Speedway. Page, a graduate of the Garden State Quarter Midget Club at “Little Wall” received a standing ovation from many in attendance. Page is the second female (Alison Sload being the other) to win an ATQMRA feature event in the over sixty-year history of the organization.
Brianna held off a strong car count and a highly competitive field with over half the teams racing within .262 seconds of each other. Brianna dominated the evening of racing leading all 25 laps, earning her first career feature victory in style. The 2021 RYNO Rookie of the Year has a bright future in the ATQMRA.
The ATQMRA extends their sincere gratitude to the Brice Family and Brice’s Auto Supply for sponsoring all teams in attendance of buckets filled with essential products to help competitors maintain their race cars week in and week out.
The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA fueled by VP Racing Fuels will take one week off before returning to Wall Stadium on Saturday, August 13th, 2022.
(#76 Brianna Page, ATQMRA Feature Winner: Sean Case Photo)
RACE RESULTS:
Feature (25 laps):
1. #76 Brianna Page
2. #22 Kyle Taraska
3. #95 Jeff Kot
4. #73 Cole Mullen
5. #36 Buddy Sload
6. #33 Tyler Ferris
7. #51J Matt Janisch
8. #51 Joey Payne
9. #12 Zack Bealer
10. #55 Steve Craig
11. #39 Ronnie Mullen
12. #75 Mark Yoder
13. #27 Robert Willis
14. #5z Zack Burd
15. #09 Rich Barlow
16. #723 Mike Turton
Heat Race 1 (8 laps):
1. #51 Joey Payne
2. #36 Buddy Sload
3. #39 Ronnie Mullen
4. #75 Mark Yoder
5. #73 Cole Mullen
6. #09 Rich Barlow
7. #27 Robert Willis
8. #723 Mike Turton
Heat Race 2 (8 laps):
1. #33 Tyler Ferris
2. #95 Jeff Kot
3. #22 Kyle Taraska
4. #12 Zack Bealer
5. #76 Brianna Page
6. #55 Steve Craig
7. #51J Matt Janisch
8. #5z Zack Burd
FEATURE FAST FACTS:
Time of Race: 7:45.531
Leader(s): 1
Lap Leader(s): #76 Page (25)
Cautions: 1
RYNO Rookie of the Race: #12 Bealer (9th)
Hoosier Hot Lap: #22 Taraska 13.178
VP Hard Charger: #22 Taraska (+9)
Sources: Kyle Taraska/ATQMRA PR
(#76 Team celebrates in victory lane: Sean Case Photo)