Janisch Goes to Pocono Victory Lane In the Tricky Challenge presented by Classic Racing Times

Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic ATQMRA Poweredby VP

Long Pond, Pa; Matt Janisch of nearby Nazareth, Pa made history becoming the first driver to park a Modern TQ Midget in Victory Lane at Pocono International Speedway on Saturday night on a temporary fifth mile oval on the track’s front straight away.  Janisch and Tim Procter were heat race winners with Fellow Lehigh Valley Quarter Midget Graduate Geoffrey Sutton finished second with Ryan Tidman third.   The Acro Rookie of the race was Ronnie the Rocket Mullen in fourth with substitute driver Liquid Lou Cicconi fifth.    Blu Metz winning the companion Vintage 4 stroke race and Mark Pritchard won the Vintage 2 stroke feature.  Next up for the ATQMRA is a trip to Wall Stadium for wingless action on that track’s flat inner oval.  
The luck of the draw set up a front Row of Brandon Azzalina in the George and Marilyn VanVarick 43 Lafler along Side Ronnie the Rocket Mullen in his BFG 39.  Azzalina gained the edge at the drop of the Tom Arntz Green Flag but the caution would fly as the cars entered the third turn with Buddy Sload being the first casualty on the day with left front suspension damage.  

Numerous cautions slowed the race with drivers charging hard from the back of the pack not being patient on the tight confines of the Pocono Layout.  

Matt Janisch and Geoffrey Sutton started the race from the 4th row and quickly put themselves into contention with Janisch slotting himself into second with Sutton Third.  Azzalina held off their charges through numerous restarts when a lap 20 caution slowed the race and officials saw the muffler hanging loose sending Azzalina to the pits.  This put Janisch in front with Sutton and Tidman in his tracks.   When the checkered flag flew Janisch was the winner over a hard charging Sutton followed closely by 5 timer series feature winner and point leader Ryan Tidman.  Ronnie Mullen rolled across the line 4th as the ACRO Rookie of the race in his best finish to date.  Liquid Lou Cicconi who was substituting for Matt Roselli who had to go to a wedding adapted to the tight track and charged to a fifth-place finish after starting shot gun on the field.  

Rookie Cole Mullen posted his best feature finish in sixth at the end him and his father raced side by side with racing legend Cicconi who was the only racer in the field who raced on Pocono’s long shuttered ¾ mile oval in a midget.  Cicconi was the meat in the Mullen Sandwich after charging from the rear twice to post a top five.  

Mark Yoder was seventh with the lone 600 in the field Jesse Mauer rolling across the line 8th with Austin Fehr 9th and Heat Race winner Tim Procter rounding out the top ten.  
The event was a success on all fronts.  The setup of the temporary oval went smoothly with the cooperation of the Classic Racing Times Yellow Shirts and the Logistics Staff at Pocono battling a tight time frame to get the TQ races in on a rain shortened weekend with a tremendous amount of on track activity scheduled for the weekend.  

TQ Racers Eric Corum, Austin Fehr, Chad Parks and Mark Yoder took advantage of Pocono’s ride around program where they were able to take their TQ Midgets for a lap around Pocono’s 2 ½ mile Tricky Triangle.  Close to fifty TQ Midgets were on hand for the event including the modern TQs of the ATQRMA as well as both the 2 and 4 stroke TQ divisions as well as a strong number of TQs that were on display in the car show.  

In a special moment racing legend and ATQMRA alum Mario Andretti became acquainted with the modern TQ midget of Lenny and Donna Boyd following the 2-seater Indy car on track sessions.  Mario graciously sat in the teams 1B car and talked about old times racing TQ Midgets and talked with Lenny about how his Father Audie and uncle Howard helped keep the Triumph in the Andretti Duce running.  

The top two finishers in the TQ feature both had a history at Pocono Raceway.  They are both graduates from the Lehigh Valley Quarter Midget Club that’s on the grounds of Pocono Raceway and won countless races on that Dirt Tri-oval.  It was certainly a strong motivator to both drivers to get another win at Pocono.  

Blu Metz raced the Robert Noll owned Whehrle Slingshot 02 to victory in the First feature race that was run on Saturday in the Vintage 4 Stroke race.  The regular driver in that car is Midget Racing Legend Drew Fornoro who won the last midget race on the long gone ¾ mile oval that hosted races through the late 80s.  Hank Rogers Jr also a veteran of the ¾ mile oval was second followed across the line by Midwest USAC Midget and Sprint veteran Roy Caruthers.  

Mark Pritchard was the winner of the 2 stroke feature race in the Dick Peterman 98 followed across the line by a Billy Hughes and Jason Hentrich who was able to race with his mentor and hero Hughes for the first time.   It was as stellar day for the Metz Racing Driver Development team with Blu winning the 4 stroke race and Pritchard in the team 98 car.  Geoffrey Sutton came one position from bringing all three of the beautiful Acrylic trophies back to the Metz Racing Pit.  The commonality of each of the feature winning drivers in the inaugural event at Pocono including Janisch was that they were all mentored by open wheel legend Bing Metz. 

Next up for the ATQMRA is a trip to Wall Stadium for another round of wingless short track racing on Wall’s flat inner oval on September 9th.

A special Thank you goes out to Gary Mondschein and his staff as well as Pocono Raceway for hosting the first Tricky Challenge event on the grounds of the Historic Pocono International Raceway.  

Tricky Challenge 1.  48Matt Janisch 2.  461 Geoffrey Sutton 3.  1B Ryan Tidman4.  39 Ronnie Mullen 5.  98 Lou Cicconi6.  73c Cole Mullen7.  75 Mark Yoder8.  72 Jesse Mauer9.  73 Austin Fehr10.  98t Tim Procter11.  06 Chad Parks12.  F8 Kerry Irwin13.  67 Joey Payne14.  96 Chris Deritis 15.  01 Eric Corum16.  95Jeff Kot17.  43 Brandon Azzalina18.  32 Dave Gorbatuk19.  20 Joe Keller20.  36 Buddy Sload  

Heat Race 1.  98t Tim Procter2.  1B Ryan Tidman3.  98 Matt Roselli4.  36 Buddy Sload5.  43 Brandon Azzalina6.  75 Mark Yoder7.  Eric Corum8.  20 Joe Keller 9.  (DNS)  96 Chris Deritis

Heat Race 2.  1.  48Matt Jansich2.  461 Geoffrey Sutton3.  73 Austin Fehr4.  39 Ronnie Mullen5.  72 Jesse Mauer6.  73 Cole Mullen7.  32 Dave Gorbatuk8.  F8Kerry Irwin9.  Jeff Kot

Tidman Makes it 3 of a Kind Winning Waterford

Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic ATQMRA Powered by VP

New London, CT.  August 12, 2017

Flying Ryan Tidman won his third race in a row at the Waterford Speedbowl on Wings and Wheels night Saturday.  Under threatening skies Tidman took the feature race win over Matt Janisch with Joey Bailer rounding out the podium.  Geoffrey Sutton and invader Nick Ladyga rounded out the top five.  Mark Yoder and Tidman were the heat race winners.  Next up for the ATQMRA should be a fun racing weekend at Pocono International Speedway for the Tricky Challenge on a temporary fifth mile oval on Pocono's front straight away on Friday and Saturday the 18, and 19th.  Teams can start pitting in on Thursday with practice and qualifying on Friday with feature races on Saturday following Verizon Indy Car Qualifying for the 22 entries and climbing.  A beautiful unique acrylictrophy will be presented to each of the race winners in the Pocono victory Lane following the completion of the modern and Vintage races.  

The feature race saw the front row of Joey Payne III and Ron Mullen bring the field to the green flag.  It was fifth starting Matt Janisch who deftly worked his way to the point to lead the first lap.  Geoffrey Sutton would soon follow into second after Janisch opened up a considerable lead.  Joey Bailey would find himself in second by the half way point in the race with Tidman hot on his tail in third.  The pair would close in on Janisch in the waning laps of the race as Janisch encountered lap traffic.  

Tidman would overtake Bailey and set his sights on Janisch.  Tidman moved around Janisch in the closing laps and walked away to win by 1.287 seconds.  Tidman completed the 25 laps in 6:05 for an average speed of a tick over 92 MPH.    Janisch faced disappointment again in the Mollot red Lindblad Badger 51 car after once again leading laps but failing to pick up the checkered flag.  

Joey Bailey rolled across the line third in the non-stop 25 lapper.  Last years Wings and Wheels Champion Geoffrey Sutton crossed the line fourth with New England's invader Nick Ladyga rounding out the top five after charging from his 10th starting position.  

Jeff Kot in his Behrents performance Badger started last in the feature field after an overheating problem sidelined him in his heat race.  Kot charged to a sixth-place finish without the benefit of a caution.  Mark Yoder followed Kot across the line with the ACRO Rookie of the Race Ronnie Mullen in eighth followed closely by son Cole.  Joey Payne III seems to have turned the corner on his luck finishing tenth in the traditional Payne racing numbered 67 Drinan.  Eric Corum lead Dave Gorbatuk Buddy Sload and Shilo Boyce across the line.  

The first heat race saw Mark Yoder launch in front of the field and get the victory over Joey Bailey and Geoffrey Sutton.  The second heat race victory went to Tidman followed by Janisch with Nick Ladyga in third.

Flying Ryan Tidman in the Boyd Racing 1B was riding a hot streak of two wins in a row and four for the season heading into the first of two races at the Waterford Speedbowl.  His pervious wins in 2017 were all wingless.  The team was winless in winged competition with their Laffler Chassis.  Tidman charged from his 9th starting position to the win in the 25-lap race that went caution free. This gives Tidman a full house of feature wins on the season after having won a pair earlier in the season and adding 3 of a kind leaving Waterford.  Tidman is the odds on favorite heading into the big event at Pocono International Raceway this coming weekend.  

The excitement for the return of Midget style racing at Pocono Raceway is building with the first running of the Tricky Challenge presented by The Classic Racing Times.  22 teams and growing are pre registered for the event.  Teams can start pitting into the Speedway on both Thursday and Friday between 8 am and 4pm.  Teams are encouraged to arrive early Friday to get credentials and move into their put spot that's on a large paved area adjacent to the location of the temporary fifth mile oval that will be set up following the Indy car on track sessions on both Friday and Saturday.  

The mandatory Modern TQ midget Driver's Meeting will be held on Friday at 1 PM.  It is very important for all teams to attend the meeting.  Teams coming to Pocono need to go first to the Credentials office on Long Pond Road.  Please arrive by 12 noon at the latest. Classic Racing Times will be set up to sing in teams in the last building before the tunnel turn.  Signs will be in place to direct teams to the TQ Midget Pit area.   Tickets for fans wishing to see the inaugural TQ Midget Tricky Challenge can purchase Pit/Paddock Passes at the Speedway on race day.  

Additional news can be accessed on facebook.com/ATQMRA and twitter @ATQMRA.

Flying Ryan Tidman Back to Back at Chemung

Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic ATQMRA Fueled by VP

July 29, Chemung Speedrome

Flying Ryan Tidman parked the Lenny and Donna Boyd 1B Laffler in victory lane for the fourth time in 2017 at the Chemung Speedrome to add a victory at another track to Tidman's already impressive TQ Midget resume.  Joey Bailey was in tow in second with Buddy Sload rounding out the podium.  Geoffrey Sutton and Jeff Kot were fourth and fifth.  Heat Races were won by Tidman and Matt Janisch.  Next up for the ATQMRA is a winged affair at the Waterford Speedbowl on Saturday August 12th in conjunction with the ISMA Super Modifieds and the NEMA Midgets.  Fast on the heels of that is the highly anticipated race at Pocono Raceway the weekend of August 18th. 

The front row saw a pair of 2017 BGF Chassis square off with Ron Mullen on the pole with Geoffrey Sutton outside.  On the start Sutton was able to power into the lead entering one.  Matt Janisch was close behind.  Sutton would hold the lead only until the third circuit when Janisch was able to make a pass stick.  The pair swapped the lead several times before Janisch was able to take command in the Alan Mollot Lindblad Badger 51.  Janisch has been able to get to the front in the 51 car leading laps in about every race he has been behind the wheel of the ATQMRA's winningest car but hasn't been able to lead the final lap.  

This race would be no different for Janisch as he was overtaken by Flying Ryan Tidman late in the race.  The two continued to fly in formation with Janisch in striking distance.  Janisch tried to make a move to the inside of Tidman entering turn one in the waning laps but couldn't make it stick and went around in a ring bringing out the caution.  Janisch would charge from the back to a seventh place finish in the final few circuits.  

Tidman would go on to win the race charging methodically from his 9th starting position besting Joey Bailey who started the race in the ninth position.  Buddy Sload and Geoffrey Sutton waged a hard battle across the latter part of the race for the final podium position.  Sutton tried a slider going into the third turn on the last lap getting alongside Sload but Sload's momentum around the top carried him across the line ahead of Sutton with Jeff Kot in his Behrents Performance Badger locking down a top five.  

2016 Rookie of the Year Mark Yoder was sixth just ahead of a resurgent Janisch with Invader Rob Neely in the Bill Pippard Laffler Chassis car eighth with Matt Roselli in his number 98 Laffler nineth.  The Acro Rookie of the race was Eric Corum in the Metz Racing Driver Development Program F8 after carrying them momentum past Fellow Rookie contender Cole Mullen in the waning laps.  Cole's father Ron was behind him with Chad Parks in the lucky thirteen position making his first 2017 ATQMRA start at Chemung which is as close to a home track as Parks has.  Jon Keller was followed across the line by Dave Gorbatuk.  

The heat races were won by Matt Janisch and Flying Ryan Tidman to give Tidman a sweep of the day,.  

Next up for the ATQMRA is a trip east to the Waterford Speed Bowl with for a night of wings in conjunction with the NEMA Midgets and the ISMA Super Modifieds on Saturday August 12th.  Last year's lone Visit to the Speedbowl saw 2014 ATQMRA Rookie of the year Geoffrey Sutton park the Metz Racing 461 in victory lane with brick sideboards on his wing with Janisch rolling across the line second.  Sutton is winless on the season so far and is looking to recapture his winning ways at Waterford.  

The highly anticipated return of Midget racing to Pocono International Raceway on the weekend of August 18th will feature the ATMQRA cars in action on a temporary fifth mile oval on the track's front straight away.  This will be an indoor rules style race where teams are allowed to race their indoor motors and 600 Micro Sprints are encouraged to compete.  The event is being coordinated and promoted by The Classic Racing Times and Gary Mondschein.  Teams are asked to send in their Registration forms and Registration fees as soon as possible.  

Feature Race 25 laps1. 1b Ryan Tidman 2.  02 Joey Bailey3.  36 Buddy Sload4.  461 Geoffrey Sutton 5.  95Jeff Kot6.  75 Mark Yoder7.  51Matt Janisch 8.  38 Rob Neely9.  98Matt Roselli10.  F8 Eric Corum11.  73x Cole Mullen12.  39 Ron Mullen13.  06 Chad Parks14.  20 Jon Keller1532 Dave Gorbatuk16/  67 Joey Payne III(DNS)

Heat 11.  51Matt Janisch2.  02 Joey Bailey3.  461 Geoffrey Sutton 4. 98Matt Roselli5.  20Jon Keller6.  06 Chad Parks7.  73c Cole Mullen 8.  67 Joey Payne III

Heat 2.  1.  1BRyan Tidman2.  38Rob Neely3.  36 Buddy Sload4.  95Jeff Kot5.  73xRon Mullen6.  75 Mark Yoder7.  F8 Eric Corum8.  32Dave Gorbatuk 

Flying Ryan Tidman Makes it 3 Winning Bethel Motor Speedway

Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic ATQMRA Fueled by VP
Bethel, NY

Flying Ryan Tidman Parked the Lenny and Donna Boyd 1B in Victory lane giving Lenny a perfect birthday present.  The day started out with an ATQMRA Picnic in the Parking lot that celebrated Lenny's Birthday.  Heat races were won by Matt Roselli and Jeff Kot.  The Vintage TQ races were won by Gary Mondschein and Rick Casario.  Next up for the ATQMRA is a return to New York's Chemung Speedrome on Saturday July 29th for wingless action.  The August 12th  race at Waterford Speedbowl is followed the next week by the much-anticipated event at Pocono International Raceway in conjunction with the Verizon Indy Car Series the weekend of August 18th.

The front row of Acro Rookie of the Year Candidate Ronnie the Rocket Mullen and last years Rookie of the year Mark Yoder brought the field to the green flag.  Third starting Matt Janisch in the Alan Mollot 51 quickly moved into the lead followed by Jeff Kot in his Behrents Performance Badger.  Kot looked strong challenging for the lead until a lap 9 restart when the drive shaft let go on Kot's mount ending his night early.  The restart saw Janisch power ahead of Tidman who won the Club's first appearance at Bethel only to loose the lead to Tidman on lap 16.  Janisch would hold serve in second until lap 20 when an uncharacteristic fluid leak would put Janisch out of the race.  The resultant melee from the fluid on track would send Hard Luck Dave Gorbatuk for a tumble down the back stretch.  

Joey Bailey would inherit the second position for the restart with five to go with Tidman on the point.  Tidman would retain the lead and go on to win the race by less than 4 tenths of a second over a determined Bailey.  Matt Roselli Charged from his sixth starting position to round out the podiumGeoffrey Sutton would roll across the line fourth followed by Buddy Sload.  Mark Yoder crossed the line ahead of the top Rookie of the race in Ron Mullen who had son Cole in tow.  Returning to competition in a fresh mount was Bill Force Jr.  in ninth.  

Next up for the ATQMRA is a return to the Chemung Speedrome in the southern Tier of New York for wingless action on that high banked track.  The TQs will be in action on Satruday night July 29th at Chemung where Buddy Sload was the winner the last time the ATQMRA visited Chemung Speedrome in wingless action.  The next race will be at the Waterford Speedbowl onSaturday August 12th for competition with the high flying wings atop the lightening fast TQ midgets where Geoffrey Sutton was victorious in 2016.   

The highly anticipated return of Midget Racing to Pocono International Raceway in conjunction with the Verizon Indy Car Series hosted by the Classic Racing Timeswill happen on the weekend of August 18th.  Teams are strongly encouraged to get their entries into the Classic Racing Times. Entry forms can be found at by clicking the link at the top of the ATQMRA website.   

The first heat race saw a front row of Mullen's bring the field to the green flag.  Father and son Acro Rookie of the Year contenders Cole and Ron Mullen got the drop on the field.  Jeff Kot would work his way into the lead and take the heat win over Joey Bailey with Buddy Sload third,  Janisch fourth with Ronnie Mullen fifth and Cole Sixth followed by Bill Force and Dave Williams

The second heat saw Matt Roselli launch from his fourth starting position to lead every lap en route to the heat race win over Mark Yoder Tim Proctor Geoffrey Sutton, Ryan Tidman followed by Rookie candidates Dave Gorbatuk and Eric Corum.  

ATQMRA News and Notes:  The day started out with an ATQMRA Picnic in the Parking lot with teams all pitching in with food and drink that ended up wishing a happy Birthday to Lenny Boyd.  It was a Boyd day all around as Gary Mondschein would win the four stroke feature in the restored rear engine 16 that was originally built by the Boyd family and Flying Ryan Tidman would win the modern TQ feature in the Boyd 1B.  Rick Casario would take top honors in the Vintage 2 Stroke portion of the show.  

Heat Race 1  1.  95 Jeff Kot2.  02 Joey Bailey3.  36 Buddy Sload4.  51Matt Janisch5.  39 Ron Mullen 6.  73 Cole Mullen 7.  6Bill Force8.  01 Dave Williams

Heat Race 2 1.  98 Matt Roselli 2.  75 Mark Yoder3.  98 T Tim Proctor4.  461 Geoffrey Sutton 5.  1B Ryan Tidman5.  32 Dave Gorbatuk6.  F8 Eric Corum   

Feature 1.  1B Ryan Tidman 2.  02 Joey Bailey3.  98 Matt Roselli 4.  461 Geoffrey Sutton 5.  36 Buddy Sload6.  75 Mark Yoder 7.  39Ron Mullen 8.  73Cole Mullen 9.  6Bill Force Jr.  10.  32 Dave Gorbatuk11.  51Matt Jansich12.  F8Eric Corum13.  95Jeff Kot14.  01 Dave Williams15.  98T Tim Proctor

Kris Graver Takes Janisch to Victory Lane at Mahoning

Hoosier Tire Mid Atlantic ATQMRA Fueled by VP

June 24, 2017, Lehighton, PA  

Mahoning Valley Speedway Modified Star Kris Graver doubled his pleasure by winning both the ATQMRA Feature and parked his Modified in Victory Lane for the second week in a row.  This makes Graver only the third driver to win in five different divisions at Mahoning Valley Speedway.   Graver was driving the same car Janisch drove to victory at Riverhead with Buddy Sload finishing second in the 36 Spitfire with Janisch rounding out the Podium in the Alan Mollot 51 Badger.  Heat Races were won by Joey Bailey and Janisch.  Next up for the ATQMRA is a trip to the Speedway by the Shore Wall stadium for some wingless flat track Racing Next Saturday.

The front row of Cole Mullen and Joey Payne brought the field to Bobby Stull's Green Flag but it was Matt Janisch who led the first lap from his fourth starting position.  Janisch would hold serve on the field until lap 6 when he would relinquish the lead to the hard charging Buddy Sload in the Colin Martin 36 Spitfire.  His time at the front would only last until Kris Graver made his was from the 10th starting position to second.  He was able to work his way past Sload to lead lap eleven.  Several cautions bunched the field but Graver was able to power away from the field on a late race restart and win by .664 seconds over Sload followed by Janisch in third.  

By winning the race TQ race graver becomes one of only three drivers to have wins in five different divisions at Mahoning Valley Speedway.  Graver also parked his number 01 Modified in Victory lane in the Companion Modified Feature race.  Graver Gave his car owner what is believed to be his first feature win as a car owner with someone else driving his car.  Graver raced the jansich 48 a number of times at Mahoning the last several seasons and was consistently fast and had finishes near the front.  This time he was able to grab the brass ring and earn his first ATQMRA Feature event win.  

The heat races won by Joey Bailey and Matt Janisch.  

Next up for the ATMQRA is a trip to the Speedway by the Shore at Wall Stadium for some wingless flat track racing on that speedways inner flat oval where Flying Ryan Tidman was the winner the last time the club visited Wall.  The club will be back in action this coming Saturday July 1st at Wall Stadium.  

Feature (25 Laps)  1.  48 Kris Graver 2. 36 Buddy Sload 3.  51 Matt Janisch4.  02 Joey Bailey 5.  95 Jeff Kot 6.  Ryan Tidman 7.  461 Geoffrey Sutton 8.  98 Matt Roselli9.  75 Mark Yoder 10.  32 Dave GorbatukAdvance Suspension Award11.  67 Joey Payne III 12.  39 Ronnie Mullen13.  73c Cole Mullen 14.  F8 Dave Williams 15.  (DNS) Razer Sharp Hard Luck Award 73 Austin Fehr

Heat Race 1 (8Laps) 1.  02 Joey Bailey2.  48 Kris Graver3.  73c Cole Mullen4.  98 Matt Roselli 5.  32 Dave Gorbatuk6.  75Mark Yoder 7.  39   Ron Mullen 8.  73 Austin Fehr

Heat Race 2(8Laps)   1.  51Matt Janisch2.  95 Jeff Kot3.  36 Buddy Sload4.  461 Geoffrey Sutton5.  67 Joey Payne III 6.  F8 Dave Williams 7.  1B Ryan Tidman