NASCAR Champion Ted Christopher Wins Providence Indoor TQ Midget Finale

By On March 8, 2009 · Leave a Comment
NASCAR Champion Ted Christopher Wins Providence Indoor TQ Midget Finale
PROVIDENCE, RI – Defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ted Christopher is proving he is one of the best indoor racers.
Christopher, 50, of Plainville, Conn., captured Saturday night’s 30-lap TQ Midget feature event at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, R.I. The race concluded the two-day event, which was the first held in the Ocean State in 50 years.
“I enjoy the opportunity of being part of history,” Christopher said. “I think this race was a success especially with how full the stands were and the racing was incredible.”
The win gives Christopher a pair of indoor TQ Midget events this year. In January, Christopher won the Gambler’s Classic in Atlantic City, N.J.
Christopher had a busy 24 hours in Rhode Island. After Friday’s race, which was won by New Jersey dirt Modified driver Mike Iles, Christopher had to take his TQ Midget to Seekonk, Mass., where it was repaired at Wayne Darling’s race shop.
In his qualifying heat race on Saturday, Christopher b arely qualified after a rear radius mount broke. The team went to work and made the respective repair just in time for the main event.
For the second consecutive night, it appeared as if Iles had the victory in hand.
Iles jumped out into the lead at the start of the race, but his momentum was slowed on lap five after Bobby Santos III spun out his race car in turn three.
Matt Janisch of Nazareth, Pa., moved into the runner-up spot on lap nine and started to challenge the race leader.
But a several car incident slowed the race and took out the front runners on lap 12 as Iles, Janisch and Mike Lichty were involved in a crash in turn two.
Ryan Smith had the lead, but that was short lived as Christopher took over the top spot on the restart.
As expected, indoor master Lou Cicconi Jr., who was substituting for an ill Matt20Roselli, challenged Christopher for the lead spot, but a miscue (he hit the kill switch on a restart) hindered his chances of getting by the race leader.
“Lou raced me real clean and I appreciated it,” Christopher said. “He’s one of the best indoor racers ever.”
Cicconi of Aston, Pa., settled for second, while Timex Morgan of Rochester, N.Y., was third, Smith was fourth and Mike Tidaback of Little Falls, N.J. was fifth.
Heat races went to Iles, Janisch, Mike Stefanik and Licty. Tim Adams and Glenn Heverin won the consolation races.
In the 20-lap Champ Kart main, Chris Daley of Pleasant Valley, N.Y., scored his second consecutive main at the Dunkin Donuts Center.
Daley got=2 0the lead after a close race with John Hillman, who later crashed.
Daley defeated Eric Zeh, George Bark, Justin Bonsignore and Ron Midford Jr. completed the top five.
TQ Midget Feature Finish, 30 Laps: 1. Ted Christopher; 2. Lou Cicconi Jr.; 3. Timex Morgan; 4. Ryan Smith; 5. Mike Tidaback; 6. Joey Payne; 7. Ian Cumens; 8. Matt Janisch; 9. Bobby Santos III; 10. Alex Bright; 11. Paul Lotier Jr.; 12. Mike Lichty; 13. Jeff Kot; 14. Don Zrinski; 15. Jonathan Reid; 16. Glenn Heverin; 17. James Michael Friesen; 18. Mike Iles; 19. Heath Hehnly; 20. Tim Adams; 21. Mike Stefanik; 22. Ryan Barlett.
Champ Kart Feature Finish, 20 Laps: 1. Chris Daley; 2. Eric Zeh; 3. George Bark; 4. Justin Bonsignore; 5. Ron Midford Jr.; 6. Jay Dimond; 7. Bryan Ray; 8. Evan Beaulieu; 9. Nick Hadden; 10. Ryan Arsenault; 11. Tammy Smith; 12. Mike Perry; 13. Clinton Mills; 14. Tyler Robertson; 15. Tim Buckwalter; 16. Adam Gage; 17. Andrew Swisher; 18. John Hillmann; 19. Andrew Hutchinson; 20. TJ Laro.
 

Dirt Modified Racer Mike Iles Wins Providence Indoor TQ Midget Race

By On March 8, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Dirt Modified Racer Mike Iles Wins Providence Indoor TQ Midget Race
 
PROVIDENCE, RI – Mike Iles of Medford, N.J., pulled off a huge upset Friday night at the Dunkin Donuts Center by claiming the 20-lap TQ Midget feature race.
Iles is the defending Modified champion at the dirt 5/8th-mile Bridgeport Speedway.
Iles made history with the win at the Dunkin Donuts Center as the race was the first held in Rhode Island in 50 years.
“It is very cool to win in Rhode Island since the state hasn’t had a race in so long,” Iles said. “It is a real honor.”
TQ Midget star Joey Payne of Fairlawn, N.J., finished second, while Ryan Smith of Kunkletown, Pa., was third, Timex Morgan of Rochester, N.Y., was fourth and Matt Roselli of Broadheadsville, Pa., completed the top five spots.
Although Iles was fast and captured the main event, a crash on lap 16 ultimately changed the complexion of the race itself.
Lou Cicconi Jr., a top name on the20indoor Midget Car racing circuit, was running in the second spot and pressuring Iles for the lead when a water line broke and sent his car and others into the wall in turn one.
Cicconi’s car crashed and collected many other front runners including cars driven by Matt Janisch, multi-time NASCAR Modified champion Mike Stefanik, defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ted Christopher, Mike Lichty and Jeff Heotzler.
Heotzler, a dirt Modified ace, got out of his car under his own power but he was later transported to a nearby hospital for observation.
Prior to the big crash on lap 16, Iles was leading after he passed Janisch for the lead position on the backstretch.
“I love racing this TQ Midget indoors,” Iles said. “We race on the big track on dirt, but this indoor stuff keeps you sharp.”
Iles also praised Cicconi in the post-race interview session.
“Lou and his father helped w ith a lot with the set-up of the car,” Iles said. “Although I own this car, it is a Hyper Chassis that Lou designed so much of the credit has to go to him.”
Heat race action went to Cicconi, Iles, Ian Cumens and Lichty. Jeff Kot and Chris Haskell won the consolation races. Cicconi posted a fast lap speed of 8.6325 seconds.
Chris Daley of Pleasant Valley, N.Y., captured the 20-lap Champ Kart, while Justin Bonsignore, Ron Milford Jr., Eric Zeh and George Bark Jr. completed the top five.
Daley and Bonsignore won the Champ Kart heat races.
Racing action continues Saturday with the second night of action. A complete show of TQ Midget and Champ Kart fills the card.
TQ Midget Car Feature Finish, 20 Laps: 1. Mike Iles; 2. Joey Payne; 3. Ryan Smith; 4. Timex Morgan; 5. Matt Roselli; 6. Jeff Kot; 7. Don Zrinski; 8. Ian Cumens; 9. Ted Christopher; 10. Lou Cicconi Jr.; 11. Matt Janisch; 12. Jeff Heotzler; 13. Mike=2 0Stefanik; 14. Mike Lichty; 15. Alison Cumens; 16. Richie Coy Jr.; 17. Christopher Allen Jr.; 1. Tim Adams; 19. Bobby Santos III; 20. Joe Lord Jr.
Champ Kart Feature Finish, 20 Laps: 1. Chris Daley; 2. Justin Bonsignore; 3. Ron Milford Jr.; 4. Eric Zeh; 5. George Bark Jr.; 6. Tammy Smith; 7. Tim Buckwalter; 8. Jay Dimons; 9. Dennis Perry; 10. Andrew Swisher; 11. Nick Hadden; 12. Clinton Mills; 13. Paul McCollum; 14. Bryan Ray; 15. Evan Beaulieu; 16. Ryan Arsenault; 17. Tyler Robertson; 18. Andrew Hutchinson; 19. John Hillman; 20. TJ Laro.