(Ryan Tidman celebrates with the fans cheering him on after a hard-fought victory at Wall Stadium Speedway; Sean Case Photo)
Staff Report | Monday, June 5th, 2023
Photography Credit: Sean Case
WALL TOWNSHIP, NJ- Ryan Tidman opened the season in thrilling fashion, edging Buddy Sload at the finish line to earn his first Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA fueled by VP Racing Fuels feature victory of the year!
The ATQMRA hosted a field of 16 strong this weekend, prompting a special 4-wide salute to welcome fans back to Wall Stadium Speedway and initiating a new year of racing.
(Joey Bailey, in the debut of the LBII Chassis, leads a field to green under pacing during the second heat race of the evening; Sean Case Photo)
Prior to the 25 lap feature, two 8 lap heat races were run. Buddy Sload (#36 Spitfire Chassis) won the opening heat race of the evening. Joey Bailey (#1B LBII Boyd Chassis) debuted a brand new Boyd Built Chassis, by winning the second heat race of the evening. Ironically, both cars redrew positions at the rear of qualified cars. Both Sload and Bailey would start the feature from the sixth row on the grid. Rookie of the year candidate Kyle Herve (#24 CARS Auto Body) kicked off his ATQMRA full-time campaign with the pole position for the feature.
At the drop of the green it was the “Kyle and Kyle Show” in the first corner, with Kyle Taraska (#22 Personal Comfort) making a daring 3-wide move to the inside of Herve to take the lead. The lead swapped multiple times amongst the front runners early, as Taraska’s lead was short lived. Jeff Kot (#95 Behrents Performance Warehouse) darted to the lead in the third turn by the fourth lap.
(Jeff Kot and Buddy Sload battle for the lead as the feature approached the halfway mark; Sean Case Photo)
As Kot took over the lead, Sload made his charge from the rear of the field and would soon earn the top spot as the leaders approached the halfway mark.
Within the excitement of the battle for the lead, Geoffrey Sutton (#51 Lindblad Badger) brought out the lone yellow of the feature. Sutton experienced rear-end transmission issues through the afternoon, and those issues continued to plague him into the feature. Sutton was able to get out of the racing groove safely without causing damage to other competitors as his car was brought back to the pit area under the caution period, ending his evening prematurely.
Jeff Kot also experienced mechanical issues of his own, as the #95 fought a brake problem throughout the feature. While Kot pulled off just past the halfway mark, he was able to do so safely and a caution was not thrown.
As Sload looked to set sail on the field, Ryan Tidman (#99 Dr. Martha Baker D.M.D) and Joey Bailey continued to slice their way through the field and close in on the top spot. As the laps clicked down, Tidman gained hundredths of a second each lap, slowly reeling in the leader.
As the white flag flew, Tidman was able to get underneath Sload exiting turn two, setting up a drag race down the backstretch! As the leaders entered turn three for the final time, they nudged, they rubbed, but they most importantly kept it clean. Tidman and Sload maintained their side by side battle all the way to the finish line, as Tidman snookered Sload for the victory!
(Ryan Tidman and Buddy Sload battling for the victory, coming off of turn 4 approaching the finish line for the final time; Sean Case Photo)
Ryan Tidman edged out Buddy Sload, capping off an exciting feature with a margin of victory of .071 seconds. Dating back to September of last year, this was Ryan Tidman and Dodorico Motorsports third Wall Stadium feature victory in a row. Dodorico Motorsports acknowledges the support of sponsors Dr. Martha Baker D.M.D and CheckerWon Manufacturing for their continued on-track success.
Buddy Sload earned a hard fought second, and Joey Bailey rounded out the podium after both drivers charged up through the field from the rear.
Kyle Taraska finished fourth, and Mark Yoder (#75 Ames Construction) made a last lap pass on Kyle Herve to earn a 5th place finish.
(Kyle Herve, the top finishing rookie, leading the field during the "4-wide salute" to the fans; Sean Case Photo)
Kyle Herve was the top finishing rookie of the race earning an impressive sixth. Cole Mullen (#73 Tom’s River Heating & Cooling), Brianna Page (#76 A&A Truck Parts, Stavola Co.), Steve Craig (#55 Craig Bulk Carriers) and Tyler Ferris (#7 Hamer Heating & Cooling) rounded out the top-10 finishers respectively.
Wall Stadium Speedway is hosting a “season within a season” at The Hamer Heating and Cooling “Hometrack” Shootout this year. Thanks to Hamer Heating and Cooling, a Wall Stadium Speedway ATQMRA Champion will also be honored alongside our 2023 series champion this October. Founded in 2005, Hamer Heating and Cooling continues to design, install, service and maintain industrial, commercial, and residential heating, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment. For more information, visit hamerheatcool.com.
(Ryan Tidman in a familiar place dating back to September of last year- Wall Stadium Speedway Victory Lane; Sean Case Photo)
The Hoosier Tire Mid-Atlantic ATQMRA fueled by VP Racing Fuels returns to action this Saturday, June 10th, for a special wingless show at Pocono Raceway. The ATQMRA will be supporting this event, where a 1/7th of a mile temporary oval will be constructed on the prestigious Pocono Raceway property. The winner of the TQ Midget feature will earn a $1000 payout! For more information, follow ATQMRA and Snydersville Speedway (event promoters) on social media throughout the week.
RACE RESULTS:
FEATURE (25 LAPS):
1. #99 RYAN TIDMAN
2. #36 Buddy Sload
3. #1B Joey Bailey
4. #22 Kyle Taraska
5. #75 Mark Yoder
6. #24 Kyle Herve
7. #73 Cole Mullen
8. #76 Brianna Page
9. #55 Steve Craig
10. #7 Tyler Ferris
11. #39 Ronnie Mullen
12. #27c Craig Pellegrini
13. #2 Mike Glaser
14. #95 Jeff Kot
15. #723 Mike Turton
16. #51 Geoffrey Sutton
HEAT 1 (8 LAPS):
1. #36 BUDDY SLOAD
2. #75 Mark Yoder
3. #27c Craig Pellegrini
4. #24 Kyle Herve
5. #95 Jeff Kot
6. #76 Brianna Page
7. #2 Mike Glaser
8. #51 Geoffrey Sutton
HEAT 2 (8 LAPS):
1. #1B JOEY BAILEY
2. #73 Cole Mullen
3. #22 Kyle Taraska
4. #55 Steve Craig
5. #99 Ryan Tidman
6. #39 Ronnie Mullen
7. #723 Mike Turton
8. #7 Tyler Ferris
FEATURE FAST FACTS:
Time of Race: 7:40.215
Leader(s): 4
Lap Leader(s): #36 Buddy Sload (20), #22 Kyle Taraska (3), #99 Ryan Tidman (1), #95 Jeff Kot (1)
Cautions: 1
Hoosier Rookie of the Race: #24 Kyle Herve (6th)
Hamer Heating Hot Lap: #99 Ryan Tidman (13.067)
VP Hard Charger: #36 Buddy Sload (+10)