ALLENTOWN, PA January 3, 2018. . . Full fields of (Three Quarter) TQ Midgets, Slingshots and Champ Karts are entered for the Ironton Telephone/ Avaya Indoor Auto Racing fueled by VP events at PPL Center in Allentown, Pa., on Friday, January 5 and Saturday, January 6, 2018.
Over 50 TQ Midget teams are entered for two nights of competition. Ryan Flores, of Mooresville, N.C., who swept both races in Allentown last year on route to the Indoor Series championship is among the favorites.
Erick Rudolph, of Ransomville, N.Y., a three time Series champion and winner of eight A Main Indoor TQ feature wins, cannot be counted out as well. Rudolph, coming off a 17 win season and dirt Modified Touring Series title, was the winner of the Allentown inaugural in January of 2016.
Canadian Super Modified ace Mike Lichty is a former series winner who rejoins the series this year with a brand new car Dart chassis TQ Midget. Tim Buckwalter of Royersford, Pa. comes to Allentown driving Lou Cicconi’s famed No. 75 after winning both the SpeedSTR and 600cc Micro Sprint title in 2017 at the Kutztown Action Track.
Top asphalt Modified drivers entered include local favorites Earl Paules and Zane Zeiner. Nationally known drivers in the field include NASCAR stars Ryan Preece, Justin Bonsignore and Keith Rocco as well as Race of Champions series favorite Andy Jankowiak.
Anthony Sesely, of Matawan, N.J., three time Atlantic City winner, will return to his own No. 16 600cc Micro Sprint full-time this season. Despite racing against 750cc powered cars, Sesely has proven to be very successful with the combination.
Dirt Modified ace Danny Bouc of Pipersville, Pa., a three time dirt Modified Stock Car feature winner at New Egypt Speedway in 2017 and the third ranked driver in season standings, has filed an entry. Bouc is experienced in Indoor racing, but with Champ Karts. This will be his first TQ event. His car is identical to Sesely’s Hyper 600 car.
New York state DIRTcar drivers Ryan Bartlett, Mike Maresca and Billy Whittaker are entered. Mike Iles, a former series winner, will also be full-time in his always sharp No. 711.
Eight talented teenagers are among the TQ Midget competitors as well.
They include Briggs Danner, 16, of Allentown, Andrew Molleur, 15, of Shelton, Ct., Tyler Thompson, 17, from Fulton, N.Y., Cole Mullen, 17, from Brick, N.J., the Catalano brothers, Tommy. 19 and Timmy. 17, out of Ontario N.Y., and second generation entrant, Anthony Payne, 18, of Fair Lawn, N.J. who will run as a teammate with his father Joey.
The elder Payne, is a two-time Indoor Auto Racing Series winner, in the Atlantic City Gambler’s Classic.
In addition to the diversity of driving talent entered from across the entire spectrum of short track racing, many new cars, some wholly different others new tweaks on existing, proven designs, have been built.
The January 5-6, 2018 Ironton Telephone Allentown event schedule calls for racing to start at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 7 p.m. on Saturday.
Three Quarter (TQ) Midgets will run a full program of racing with feature events both nights.
On Friday, the TQs will be joined by Champ Karts who will be racing in a complete show. Well over 30 entries have been filed for the first of three Indoor Series events for the Champ Karts sponsored by Hoosier Tire.
On Saturday, the Slingshot class backed by the Action Track, USA Kutztown Fairgrounds, will join the TQ Midgets. A full field of over 30 entrants is poised for the PPL Center Ironton Telephone/ Avaya Slingshot opener.
For choice Ironton Telephone Allentown Indoor race tickets, contact the PPL Center Box Office by phone at 610-347-TIXX (8499), online at pplcenter.com. Those wishing to avoid online fees may purchase directly at the Box Office, but are encouraged to do so in advance to avoid possible box office lines the day of the event.
The series moves next to the NAPA Auto Parts Indoor Auto Racing Weekend in Atlantic City January 26-27. For tickets, contact Ticketmaster, the Boardwalk Hall Box Office, or the Area Auto Racing News office at 609-888-3618.
The finale will be a first annual event in New York State, on February 9-10, 2018 in the Times Union Center in downtown Albany, N.Y. For choice tickets, contact the Times Union Center Box Office, charge-by-phone at (800) 745-3000, or visit online at ticketmaster.com.
Information including ticket and hotel links is available at indoorautoracing.com
