SJDR - ARDC News and Results

ARDC
The American Racers Drivers Club
Entering its 67th year of presenting Midget Auto Racing!
www.ardcmidgets.com

09/18/2006

NEXT EVENT: Saturday, September 30 @ 3 p.m. Qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature for the wingless midgets at the Home Track of ARDC, Susquehanna Speedway Park in Newberrytown, PA. Gates open at noon. Warm-ups at 2:30.

ARDC GETS INTERACTIVE; FANS CAN VOTE FOR BEST APPEARING

Oley, PA - The American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) has gone "interactive" with its web site once again. Last year, fans could log on to the site and vote for the track at which they would most like to see the mighty midgets. They could also choose their preference in the great "wing vs. no wing" debate.
This year, until midnight on October 31st, race fans can vote for ARDC's Best Appearing Car. The award, in which the winner will be announced at the club's annual awards banquet on Saturday, November 25, is sponsored by PPG Industries.
The procedure for voting is very simple: simply log on to the ARDC web site, www.ardcmidgets.com. Find the PPG link on the home page, and follow the instructions. NOTE: upon submission of each vote, the voter will receive a confirming email. The email MUST be returned in order to validate the vote. Voters must also use a valid email address, and only one vote per valid email address will be allowed.
The choices are numerous for this season's Best Appearing Car, as several awesome looking midgets graced the ARDC pit area at each event.
Feel like you need to take another peek at the cars before you cast your all-important vote? Never fear, because there are still four races remaining on the 2006 schedule, and all four will occur before the October 31 deadline for voting.
The cars and stars of ARDC will return to their Home Track, Susquehanna Speedway Park, on Saturday, September 30, for their next event. Gates open at noon that day, and racing begins at 3 p.m.
Halloween Thunder at the Grandview Speedway will feature five, 25-lap main events, and one of those mains belongs to the ARDC Midgets. That program will be contested on Saturday, October 14, with a 6 p.m. starting time.
It's back to Susquehanna Speedway Park on Saturday, October 21, as the midgets make up an event that was rained out on September 2nd. Racing begins at 3 p.m. on the 21st, and that's not all...
The season finale will take place at SSP on Saturday, October 28, as ARDC participates in the second annual Candy Bowl. Once again, the starting time is 3 p.m. as the curtain falls on a highly successful 2006 season.

NEXT EVENT: Saturday, September 30 at 3 p.m. Competing in the inaugural Susquehanna Showdown at the Home Track of ARDC, Susquehanna Speedway Park. Gates open at noon. Warm-ups at 2:30.

ARDC TO MAKE UP RAINED OUT SHOW AT SSP
Newberrytown, PA - The four drivers involved in the tense dogfight for this year's American Racing Drivers Club Championship will have an extra opportunity to earn valuable points on Saturday, October 21. That's the date chosen by ARDC officials and SSP promoter Todd Fisher to make up the event that was rained out on September 2nd.
Point leader Andy Martin will take a slim advantage over Donnie Trent into the midgets' next race at Susquehanna Speedway Park on Saturday, September 30. Steve Lenig sits third in the point parade, with Eric Heydenreich perched in the fourth position, well within striking distance of the top two. In short, it's a four horse race with four events left on the 2006 ARDC schedule.
The September 30 and October 21 race meets will have a starting time of 3 p.m. The other events that remain on the midgets' agenda occur on Saturday, October 14 at the Grandview Speedway, starting at 7:30, and the second annual Candy Bowl at SSP on Saturday, October 28. The Candy Bowl also has a starting time of 3 p.m.

TIGHT ARDC POINT RACE AS SERIES ROLLS INTO SSP

Oley, PA - It's a four horse race with four events remaining on the 2006 American Racing Drivers Club schedule. The mighty midgets pay another visit to their home track, Susquehanna Speedway Park, on Saturday night, September 2nd. The ARDC tour will be featured in Twin 20's on day three of the York County Nationals, and the focus will be centered squarely on the extremely tight point battle within the ranks of the ARDC.
Two consecutive disappointing outings for point leader Andy Martin have allowed Donnie Trent, Steve Lenig, and Eric Heydenreich to close what once seemed to be an insurmountable gap in the championship standings.
With Martin suffering water pump and ignition problems at Susquehanna on August 4, leaving him unable to start the feature, Trent finished tenth and Heydenreich crossed the line in fifth to nibble away at Martin's advantage.
At the most recent event on August 18 at the Big Diamond Raceway, Martin fell out with ignition troubles once again. Lenig ended the race in fourth, just one spot ahead of Trent, taking a huge bite out of Martin's point lead as the series heads back to SSP this Saturday.
The Martin Racing Team is working overtime in their Gordonville, PA shop, trying to find a solution to the gremlins that have haunted them for the past month. Andy's title hopes now cling to a 36-point advantage over Trent, with Lenig just 95 tallies behind the leader. Heydenreich sits fourth in the standings, staring at a deficit of 110 points. A.J. Ernesto resides in the fifth position, 287 points in arrears. Rookie P.J. Gargiulo is sixth, and still mathematically alive, although he is 300 points behind Martin. Actually, every driver in the top ten still has a shot at the championship, but it will definitely be an uphill battle for Tracy Readinger, Michele Miller, Carey Becker, and Scott Zipp, who currently sit in the seventh through tenth positions.
Realistically, this year's crown will most likely go to one of the drivers who are currently ranked first through fourth in the ARDC point parade. And, with just four events left on the schedule, every lap is going to be important from now until the final race of the season on October 28 at Susquehanna.
Martin has a pair of victories this season, but has been shut out so far at SSP. Trent captured the season opener at Susky on April 14, his lone triumph of 2006. Lenig and Heydenreich have been knocking on the door all season long, but they are still searching for their first checkered flags of the year. Consistent finishes in the top five have kept them in the title hunt.
This Saturday's Twin 20 program at SSP will be nerve-wracking for the teams involved in the close point battle, as both features will pay full points. Gates will open at 5 p.m. this Saturday, with warm-ups at 7:00. Racing begins at 7:30.

ARDC Point Standings as of 8/27/06:
1. Andy Martin 1313
2. Donnie Trent 1277
3. Steve Lenig 1218
4. Eric Heydenreich 1203
5. A.J. Ernesto 1026
6. P.J. Gargiulo 1013
7. Tracy Readinger 983
8. Michele Miller 967
9. Carey Becker 948
10. Scott Zipp 940
11. Ray Bull 836
12. Chris Zrinski 767
13. Jeff Schell 753
14. Mike Miller 710
15. Frank Polimeda 690

NEXT EVENT: Saturday, September 2 at Susquehanna Speedway Park. Twin 20's for the wingless midgets on Day Three of the York County Nationals. Gates open at 5 p.m. Warm-ups at 7:00. Race time is 7:30.

ARDC DIAMOND DASH TO MIKE MILLER

Minersville, PA - There are several reasons why Mike Miller enjoys his visits to the Big Diamond Raceway. The track is only about an hour's drive from his Birdsboro, PA residence, and it has proven to be a very good fit for the ARDC Midgets. But the biggest reason for the smile on Miller's face each time the midgets compete at Big Diamond is this: he has now tasted victory in three of the past four features run by ARDC at the Minersville oval.
Friday night's 25-lap Diamond Dash was an extremely competitive affair, with four drivers taking turns at the front of the pack and a crowd-pleasing, edge of your seat, lead-swapping battle between Miller and Billy Pauch, Jr.
Miller reclaimed the top spot for good with four laps remaining, throttling to his second triumph of the season (both wins coming at Big Diamond). His daughter Tracy nipped Pauch by inches at the stripe to finish second. Steve Lenig and Donnie Trent were fourth and fifth, respectively.
Michele Miller, the younger of the racing Miller sisters, went for a wild, scary looking tumble in the first heat race of the evening. Dicing for the second spot with Jeff Schell, Michele climbed over the front end of Schell's no. 75, launching her Stealth chassis, Ray's Yamaha no. 1 into a series of snap-rolls on the front stretch. While she emerged from the battered car shaken and sore, the two-time winner reported nothing more than a headache at the end of the night. She was able to greet her dad with a hug in victory lane after the main event.
Eric Heydenreich, in the Zrinski Racing no. 10, also flipped in his heat race. The crew was able to make repairs and Heydenreich started the feature, but an oil line came off, resulting in a fire that forced the Bloomsburg Bullet to retire from the 25-lapper.
A strong field of 28 cars were divided into three heats, with Dave Ely, P.J. Gargiulo, and Donnie Trent taking the victories in the preliminaries.

RESULTS:
ARDC MIDGET 25-LAP FEATURE: 1.Mike Miller 2.Tracy Miller 3.Billy Pauch, Jr. 4.Steve Lenig 5.Donnie Trent 6.Paul Kline 7.Shawn Burke 8.Carey Becker 9.Randy Monroe 10.Jim Jackson 11.Lew Blair 12.Steve Craig 13.Pete Pavlick 14.Mike Krause 15.Tracy Readinger 16.Bobby Goerner 17.Eric Heydenreich 18.A.J. Ernesto 19.Chris Zrinski 20.Jeff Schell 21.P.J. Gargiulo 22.Doug Rose 23.Andy Martin 24.Scott Zipp DNS: Dave Ely, Kathy Kurtz, Ed Stimely, Michele Miller.

NEXT EVENT: Friday, August 18 @ 7:30 p.m. The ARDC Diamond Dash at the Big Diamond Raceway, Minersville, PA. Qualifying heats and a 25-lap Feature for the wingless midgets. Gates open at 5 p.m. Warm-ups at 7:00.

ERNESTO WINS WILD ARDC MAIN AT SUSKY

Newberrytown, PA - The law of averages catches up with everyone at some point, doesn't it?
The first ten events on the ARDC midget schedule were highlighted by crowd pleasing, intensely competitive action, but with very few caution-filled races. Unfortunately, that guy named Murphy (as in Murphy's Law) caught up to the lightning quick midget racers on Friday evening at Susquehanna Speedway Park.
A.J. Ernesto didn't have any problems, though, in winning his second main event of the season, and his first at the Newberrytown oval.
Ernesto, of Reading, PA, snatched the lead away from Scott Zipp before five laps were completed. The chauffeur of the RT Racing/Cafe Waldorf/D&G Services no. 14 then survived numerous restarts to register the victory over Ed Stimely, Jr.
Perhaps the best way to describe the bizarre feature race is in a summary of notes...
*Due to time constraints (the track is not allowed to start a race after 11:30 p.m.) and the fact that there were still two features to run, speedway officials decided to shorten the ARDC event to 15 laps (it was originally scheduled for 20). Another yellow, for a multi-car incident in turn four, with 13 complete, forced the decision to end the race at that point.
*Ernesto had to fight off several challenges from rookie P.J. Gargiulo. The former micro sprint ace from Ridly Park, PA, made repeated, albeit unsuccessful, attempts to dive under the leader on restarts in turns one and two.
"I saw him down there," stated Ernesto after the feature, "but I knew that I could pull him off the corner because I had lots of momentum coming off the top."
*Stimely was involved in an early-race incident, but roared back through the field as his car got better and better. He wasn't sure if he had enough to get by Ernesto, but felt that it would have been very interesting had the event run to its scheduled conclusion.
*It was a tough night for the top three in ARDC points. Andy Martin, who sits atop the standings, was leading his heat by a comfortable margin when he heard a loud "pop" going into turn three on the final lap. His engine died a few feet before the flagstand, and Gargiulo zipped under him to record the win. Martin's problems were terminal, and he was not able to start the feature.
*Donnie Trent and Steve Lenig, currently second and third in points, stood to gain the most from Martin's untimely misfortune. Ironically, they were both involved in a scary looking crash that eliminated their chances to overtake Martin in the championship standings.
While running second to Ernesto, Lenig charged into the first turn. His mount jumped the cushion and floated into the wall, instigating a violent series of flips. Trent, who was right behind Lenig at the time, tried to duck underneath the Vortex Truck Bed Liner no. 9, but his right-rear struck Lenig's machine. The contact produced a flat tire on Trent's no. 18. Quick work by his crew enabled the Honeybrook leadfoot to get back out before the green reappeared. He finished tenth.
Thankfully, Lenig was okay after his nasty ordeal. "The only thing that hurts is my pride," he noted, managing a weak smile. "I should have been satisfied with second, because I don't think I was going to catch A.J. But I was trying, and just ran into the corner too hard."
*Ernesto's teammate, Carey Becker, also had a good night. Steering his Becker Painting/Stealth no. 20 into the top five during the early stages of the race, Becker remained there, ending up a solid fourth at the finish.
*A couple of young lions ran impressively, with one of them finishing seventh in his ARDC debut. Randy Monroe, a 16 year-old from Hampton, VA, made his first start in a midget. The southern karting champion displayed great poise, along with a heavy right foot, as he navigated through all the mahem to record the top-ten finish.
Sammy Hemhauser, the 600cc micro sprint jockey from East Stroudsburg, PA, strapped into Shawn Burke's no. 54 for the second time this season. Hemhauser also stayed out of trouble until he was collected in the turn four melee that finally ended the race.
*As Burke stepped into the role of car owner, he also decided to bolster the purse through his business, Burke Trucking, Dump Truck and Refrigerated Service. The result of his generosity was an increase of $200 to the winner's share (meaning Ernesto earned $1,000 for the triumph), and additional money to the second, third, and eighth place drivers.
*There were 26 midgets on hand at SSP, providing another solid car count.
*Friday was Camera and Autograph Night at Susquehanna. Before the first feature, all of the racecars in attendance were parked on the front stretch, and fans were allowed to visit with the drivers and get an up-close look at the cars.
*The mighty midgets will return to the Big Diamond Raceway on Friday, August 18, to make up the show that was rained out on July 21. The program will include qualifying heats and a 25-lap feature beginning at 7:30.

RESULTS:
ARDC MIDGET FEATURE: 1.A.J. Ernesto 2.Ed Stimely, Jr. 3.P.J. Gargiulo 4.Carey Becker 5.Eric Heydenreich 6.Mike Miller 7.Randy Monroe 8.Jeff Schell 9.Doug Rose 10.Donnie Trent 11.Scott Zipp 12.Michele Miller 13.Tracy Readinger 14.Steve Craig 15.Dave Ely 16.Pete Pavlick 17.Lew Blair 18.Paul Kline 19.Steve Lenig 20.Kathy Kurtz 21.Sammy Hemhauser 22.Bobby Goerner 23.Chris Zrinski 24.Mike Krause 25.Ted Schmid DNS: Andy Martin.

NEXT EVENT: Friday, August 4 @ Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA.
Gates open at 5 p.m. Warm-ups at 7:00 and racing at 7:30. Qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature for the wingless midgets.

IT’S M&M NIGHT AT NEW EGYPT; (MICHELE) MILLER AND MARTIN WIN ARDC MAINS

New Egypt, NJ - “This one was better than the first one because my dad was here this time!” Those were the words of victorious ARDC midget driver Michele Miller, after she captured her second main event of the 2006 season on Saturday night at the New Egypt Speedway. Standing off to the side of the victory lane celebration, her smiling father, Mike, nodded in agreement. Michele was referring to an event four weeks prior, in North Carolina, when she became the first female to win an ARDC main event. Mike was on a business trip to Las Vegas and had to hear about that triumph via cell phone. But not this time.

In the second of the Twin 20’s, point leader Andy Martin was in a time zone of his own, winning his second feature of the year in a green-to-checker, non-stop 20-lap romp.

Jeff Schell paced the first five circuits of the opening event as fifth-starting Michele Miller streaked into second on lap one.

She stalked the leader for the next five trips around the half-mile, then made her move, darting off the bottom of turn two to grab the point.

Some great action was taking place behind the front running duo as the race remained clean and green for the initial 16 revolutions. Andy Martin (from 17th), Donnie Trent (from 12th), Doug Rose (from 19th), and Billy Pauch, Jr. (from 23rd), were navigating their way through heavy traffic and into the top five.

Martin and Trent waged a side-by-side duel for the runner-up spot as they closed in on Michele. When the lone caution appeared, for a Kathy Kurtz spin with 16 complete, it provided some anxious moments for the eventual winner.

Pushing the accelerator through his car’s belly pan, Martin picked up a head of steam down the backstretch. He tried to execute a slide job in three and four, but as he skated up in front of Miller’s Ray’s Yamaha no. 3, Michele simply turned left, nailed the gas, and scooted right back in front of him as they charged to the white flag.

Martin washed up into the loose stuff in turn two on the final tour, enabling Michele to take the checkered without a final challenge from the Stauffer’s Brochure Service no. 21. Rose maneuvered by Trent to finish third, with Pauch, Jr. rounding out the top five.

After chasing the younger of the Miller sisters to the finish line once again (Martin also finished second to Michele at County Line Raceway in North Carolina), the 2005 Rookie of the Year was not to be denied in the nightcap.

Rolling off the starting grid in the seventh position, Martin steered his Stealth chassis to the high groove and began to steamroll his way toward the head of the pack. With rookie P.J. Gargiulo out front, Eric Heydenreich and Trent battled for the runner-up slot during the early stages of feature number two.

Suddenly Martin entered the picture, powering his way around Heydenreich and Trent in a three-wide move in turns one and two. His momentum carried him right by Gargiulo as well, propelling the Gordonville Flash to the top spot as the leaders hit the backstretch on lap five.

From that point on, the race belonged to the former micro sprint chauffeur. He built a huge advantage, deftly steering his mount by the back markers, with no yellows to slow his pace.

Trent claimed the runner-up position, then tried gamely to run down the leader. As he drove into heavy lapped traffic, however, Pauch, Jr. moved up to challenge him for second.

Blasting down the homestretch with the white flag waving, Trent stayed high in an attempt to get by some slower cars. Pauch ducked to the bottom, found the opening he needed, and whisked by Trent to claim the runner-up spot.

Martin flew under Warren Alston’s black-and-white silk, comfortably ahead of Pauch and Trent. Carey Becker ran a good, steady race to end up fourth, with Rose picking up fifth place money.

NEW EGYPT NOTES:
A solid field of 24 cars entered the Twin 20’s event on Saturday.
ARDC wishes to thank D Star Carriers Moving & Storage for sponsoring the first feature at New Egypt, and Century 21 B&R Realty for presenting the second of the 20-lappers.
At the end of the first feature, Martin dejectedly wondered if he would even be able to run the next race. “I had one eye on my temperature gauge the whole time,” he explained. “This thing was hot, and I was afraid I was going to cook it. During the caution, I realized that I was running second, so I decided to stay out. But I was really nervous. I have no idea what caused the over-heating condition.”
Upon examination back in the pit area, Jeff Martin (Andy’s dad) could not come up with a reason for the high temperature readings. He felt that maybe the gauge was bad, and told his son “not to worry about it; just go out and run hard and not even look at the gauge.”
“I guess maybe it was the gauge, because the engine ran fine in that second feature,” understated a grinning Martin in the winner’s circle. “And I probably shouldn’t have said anything about it during that (first) on-track interview. I guess it sounded like I was making excuses about losing to Michele. But there were no excuses…she ran a great race and certainly deserved to win that one. Just like County Line; she was just faster than me.”
Six-time and defending ARDC Champion Ray Bull had an unusually tough night at New Egypt. He finished a very quiet sixth in the opener, then fell out of the nightcap with rocker arm problems.
Mike Miller, while elated over his daughter’s triumph, also had a frustrating night behind the wheel. He was forced to retire prematurely from both races, fighting a balky power plant in his Victory Motorcycle no. 7.
Former champion Ed Stimely, Jr. had a productive evening on Saturday. Stimely is making infrequent appearances this year, due to a tremendously busy work schedule at his business, TQ Fiberglass. He picked up a pair of top-ten finishes at New Egypt, taking the checkered in tenth in the first feature, then backing it up with a sixth place effort in the second race.
A large and extremely enthusiastic crowd offered a positive response when asked if they preferred wingless midget racing. They also answered affirmatively when surveyed as to whether they wanted to see more than one midget race per year at New Egypt.
Friday, August 4 is the next event on the ARDC calendar. The mighty midgets return to their home track for 2006, Susquehanna Speedway Park. Gates open at 5 p.m. Racing begins at 7:30.

RESULTS:
FIRST 20-LAP FEATURE: 1.Michele Miller 2.Andy Martin 3.Doug Rose 4.Donnie Trent 5.Billy Pauch, Jr. 6.Ray Bull 7.P.J. Gargiulo 8.Eric Heydenreich 9.Steve Lenig 10.Ed Stimely, Jr. 11.Carey Becker 12.Jeff Schell 13.Tracy Readinger 14.Frank Polimeda 15.Paul Kline 16.A.J. Ernesto 17.Steve Craig 18.Chris Zrinski 19.Kathy Kurtz 20.Scott Zipp 21.Mike Miller 22.Dave Shirk 23.Bobby Goerner 24.Ted Schmid.

SECOND 20-LAP FEATURE: 1.Andy Martin 2.Billy Pauch, Jr. 3.Donnie Trent 4.Carey Becker 5.Doug Rose 6.Ed Stimely, Jr. 7.Eric Heydenreich 8.Steve Lenig 9.P.J. Gargiulo 10.Tracy Readinger 11.Michele Miller 12.Steve Craig 13.Jeff Schell 14.Paul Kline 15.A.J. Ernesto 16.Dave Shirk 17.Frank Polimeda 18.Chris Zrinski 19.Kathy Kurtz 20.Ray Bull 21.Scott Zipp 22.Mike Miller 23.Ted Schmid. DNS: Bobby Goerner.

NEXT EVENT: Friday, July 21 @ 7:30 p.m. The Big Diamond Raceway, Forestville, PA. Qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature.
COMING SOON: Saturday, July 29 at the New Egypt Speedway, New Egypt, NJ. Twin 20's for the wingless midgets!

IT'S NOT A RUMOR ANYMORE... YELEY TO RACE WITH ARDC

Oley, PA - Officials of the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) have confirmed the entry of NASCAR Nextel Cup rookie J.J. Yeley for the Friday, July 21 event at the Big Diamond Raceway near Minersville, PA.
The former USAC Triple Crown Champion who now drives for Joe Gibbs Racing in NASCAR'S premier division will pilot an ARDC midget on the 3/8-mile oval. Yeley may strap into a car out of the Miller Racing Team stable, or one of Lou Zrinski's potent Stealth-chassied midgets.
Ironically, if Yeley steers one of the Miller cars, it will be the one that captured the main event at Big Diamond on June 16. The number 7 was driven by Mike Miller that night, and he was harassed during the latter stages of that feature by one of Zrinski's cars, driven that evening by Eric Heydenreich. The two throttle-jockeys traded slide jobs several times, as Heydenreich tried without success to unseat Miller from the top spot.
Yeley, who drives the no. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet on the Cup circuit, will join Badger Midget invader Danny Stratton and a host of ARDC regulars at Big Diamond. Warm-ups begin at 7 p.m. The first heat race goes green at 7:30.

STRATTON AND (POSSIBLY) YELEY TO RUN WITH ARDC AT BIG DIAMOND

Oley, PA - A couple of nationally known drivers are working out the details to race with the ARDC midgets on Friday night at the Big Diamond Raceway near Minersville, PA.
One of those chauffeurs is already confirmed. Danny Stratton, of Riverside, CA, will strap into Mike Miller's no. 1 at Big Diamond. Stratton will make his third start of the season with ARDC, having previously competed with the club at Williams Grove and Grandview in May of this year.
Running mainly with the Badger Midget Racing Association, Stratton is having another fine season in the midwest, winning several times at Wisconsin's Angell Park Speedway. In 2005, Stratton was victorious in the King Doodlebug Classic at Knoxville, IA, as well as the midget portion of USAC's Four Crown Nationals at Eldora.
Plans are also being formed to bring NASCAR driver J.J. Yeley to Big Diamond on Friday. Yeley, a former Triple Crown Champion with USAC, will either drive another of the Miller Racing Team cars, or one of Lou Zrinski's Stealth-chassied mounts.
Yeley is testing his Interstate Batteries Chevrolet at Martinsville, VA on Thursday in preparation for the upcoming Nextel Cup event at the grand old half-mile. He will be in Lyons, PA to sign autographs on Thursday evening, before reporting to Pocono on Friday. If all the details can be worked out, the Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year candidate will then travel the relatively short distance to Big Diamond on Friday evening to compete with the ARDC midgets.
URC Sprint Car and part-time ARDC midget racer Dave Ely is friends with Yeley, and he is attempting to coordinate the appearance of the Joe Gibbs Racing Team driver.
As soon as the ARDC receives confirmation of Yeley's appearance at Big Diamond, the club will post the news on its web site, www.ardcmidgets.com. The confirmation will also be sent to other motorsports-related web sites, such as www.Hoseheads.com; www.midgetmadness.com; www.pitsideracing.com; www.paposse.com; and the South Jersey Dirt Racing site.
Please stay tuned to these web sites on Thursday evening and throughout the day on Friday for confirmation of Yeley's appearance at Big Diamond.

CLOSE POINT CHASE HIGHLIGHTS ARDC RETURN TO BIG DIAMOND

Forestville, PA - While Andy Martin is enjoying a 125-point lead over Steve Lenig in the battle for the 2006 American Racing Drivers Club championship, he knows that one bad outing could wipe the smile right off of his face.
A rough night probably would not cost the Gordonville, PA leadfoot the point lead, but Martin is not taking any chances as the mighty midgets of the ARDC roll into the Big Diamond Raceway on Friday, July 21. This will be the second visit of the season for ARDC at the Forestville, PA oval.
With an 18-day break between events, Martin pulled the engine from his Stauffer's Brochure Service/ Overhead Door Company of Lancaster/ Fin Chaser Sport Fishing/ Stealth no. 21. He delivered it to engine builder Kim Trout for inspection and freshening in order to have a healthy and strong powerplant for the second half of the ARDC season.
When the midgets last raced at Big Diamond, on June 16, Martin finished a respectable sixth after starting 11th. But he really didn't challenge for the win, as Mike Miller, Eric Heydenreich, and Billy Pauch, Jr. waged a crowd-pleasing, nip-and-tuck fracas throughout the 20-lapper, with Miller prevailing for his first victory of the year. The Gordonville Flash wants to join the party at the head of the pack this time, knowing full well that the most points are awarded to the winner. And he's out to gain all the points the he possibly can get.
Lenig's runner-up position in the standings is a bit more tenuous, as the Selinsgrove resident is just 14 tallies ahead of Heydenreich. And Eric is only a queezy four points in front of Honeybrook's Donnie Trent. A calculator will tell you that the top four are separated by just 143 points with plenty of racing still to come in the 2006 campaign.
Positions five through eight are also very tight, with one-time winner A.J. Ernesto in fifth, a mere two points ahead of Scott Zipp. Midget rookie Tracy Readinger is seventh, just 23 markers behind Ernesto, and Ray Bull, winner of the past six titles, sits eighth, trailing Ernesto by only 34 points.
Big Diamond, with a size and shape that is perfect for the wingless, broadsliding midgets, begins racing at 7:30 p.m. Warm-ups are scheduled for 7:00.

ARDC POINTS (As of 7/2/06)
1. Andy Martin 1011
2. Steve Lenig 886
3. Eric Heydenreich 872
4. Donnie Trent 868
5. A.J. Ernesto 750
6. Scott Zipp 748
7. Tracy Readinger 727
8. Ray Bull 716
9. Michele Miller 684
10. P.J. Gargiulo 670
11. Steve Buckwalter 669
12. Frank Polimeda 604
13. Chris Zrinski 600
14. Carey Becker 568
15. Kathy Kurtz 518

NEXT EVENT: Friday, July 21 @ 7:30 p.m. Big Diamond Raceway in Forestville, PA. Qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature.

SECOND ARDC WIN FOR BUCKWALTER AT SSP

Newberrytown, PA - Steve Buckwalter began his Independence Day celebration a few hours early, winning the 20-lap ARDC main event at Susquehanna Speedway Park on Monday, July 3. The victory was Buckwalter’s second in a row at SSP, as the Royersford Rocket also triumphed at the 4/10-mile Newberrytown oval on May 5, the last time the mighty midgets raced there.

Buckwalter started ninth in the 27-car field, but quickly threaded his way toward the front, barreling into third as they completed lap two.

With Michele Miller fighting off the advances of Tracy Readinger, Buckwalter joined the party and the trio ran three-wide in one and two in a ferocious battle for the top spot. Buckwalter zipped under Readinger for second, then blasted to the low side of Miller off turn four to snatch the lead at the completion of lap four.

The remainder of the event was highlighted by two and three-wide action from the second through tenth positions, as the midget wheel-twisters took full advantage of the super smooth and tacky track conditions at SSP.

As Buckwalter, last year’s runner-up in the point standings, motored away on each of the five restarts during the wildly entertaining feature, Ray Bull (from 12th) and Doug Rose (from 11th), staged a fast and furious duel for the fourth spot, right behind the battle for second between Michele Miller and Tracy Readinger. Miller lost her brakes and had to retire with six to go, leaving Readinger to deal with Bull, Rose, and then Dave Ely.

Point leader Andy Martin, Bull, and Rose took turns running fourth in a crowd-pleasing tussle before Martin and Rose made contact in the fourth corner, causing both to get out of shape and lose several positions. That incident enabled Ely to move up, and his Shuttlesworth no. 77 was flying, getting better and better as the race neared its conclusion.

The URC Sprint Car standout from West Lawn, PA, slid under Bull to claim third with two circuits remaining. He chased Readinger, who finished a distant second to Buckwalter, to the finish line. Bull finished fourth, and Martin recovered to score a fifth place effort.

The three heat race victories went to Michele Miller, Donnie Trent, and Eric Heydenreich.

ARDC AT SSP NOTES
The runner-up finish was Readinger’s best, as the first year midget chauffeur improved upon his third place effort at Grandview on May 16.
Eric Heydenreich was running fourth and challenging Readinger when he looped his Statewide Furniture no. 11 in turn two. The Bloomsburg Bullet wound up 11th in the final rundown.
Steve Craig notched his best finish of the season, taking the checkered in tenth. Craig, who is also an avid cyclist, broke his collarbone in a training accident in the spring, forcing him to miss several ARDC events. At Susquehanna, Craig shook off the mechanical problems that plagued his return to the driver’s seat in North Carolina. He finished fourth in his qualifying heat and followed it up with the impressive run in the 20-lap main.
All three heats went green-to-checker, with Michele Miller setting a new SSP eight-lap track record in winning the first qualifier in 2:32.93.
The American Racing Drivers Club now has a short break in its schedule, with the next race coming on Friday, July 21 at the Big Diamond Raceway in Forestville, PA.

RESULTS:
ARDC 20-LAP FEATURE: 1.Steve Buckwalter 2.Tracy Readinger 3.Dave Ely 4.Ray Bull 5.Andy Martin 6.Ed Stimely, Jr. 7.Steve Lenig 8.Doug Rose 9.Donnie Trent 10.Steve Craig 11.Eric Heydenreich 12.Dave Shirk 13.Scott Zipp 14.Carey Becker 15.Sammy Hemhauser 16.Lew Blair 17.Kathy Kurtz 18.Chris Zrinski 19.Jeff Schell 20.Michele Miller 21.Bobby Goerner 22.A.J. Ernesto 23.Bill Case 24.Ted Schmid 25.P.J. Gargiulo 26.Mike Miller. DNS: Frank Polimeda.

THE THUNDER ON THE HILL MIDGET EVENT HAS BEEN RAINED OUT 6/27

The event scheduled for the Grandview Speedway on Tuesday, June 27, has been rained out.

The next race for the ARDC Midgets will be Monday, July 3, at Susquehanna Speedway Park. Gates open at 5 p.m. Warm-ups at 7:00, and race time is 7:30.

Barry Angstadt
Media Information Director/Announcer
ARDC Midgets

NEXT EVENT: Tuesday, June 27 @ the Grandview Speedway. Racing begins at 7:30 p.m., with warm-ups at 7:00. Qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature.
Monday, July 3 @ Susquehanna Speedway Park. The Super Show, featuring the ARDC Midgets, 600cc Micro Sprints, and Legend Cars. Starting time is 7:30 p.m.

HISTORY IN DIXIE...
ARDC ENJOYS AN INCREDIBLE WEEKEND IN NORTH CAROLINA

Rocky Mount, NC - It was a history-making weekend in North Carolina, as the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) presented a pair of incredibly competitive events on Friday night (at the Dixieland Speedway) and Saturday (at County Line Raceway).
Michele Miller became the first female to win an ARDC feature race, as she smoked the field on Friday at Dixieland. Although the attractive young woman from Reading, PA won by a comfortable margin, she had to work hard for the victory. And she also proved that she's got a ton of determination behind the wheel, because she had the lead, lost the lead, and then got it back from point leader Andy Martin.
"Jeff (Kuhns, her crew chief) told me not to give up, no matter what happens. He made me more determined tonight; there was no way I was going to give up," noted an emotional victor. "Yeah, I was mad as soon as Andy passed me, and it just made me more determined to get him back.
I thought about switching lines and running up high, but the car was working so good down low that I kept telling myself to stay down there! And it paid off."
Michele's dad, Mike Miller, was away on a business trip and could not make the trip to NC. As soon as Michele climbed out of her Stealth Chassis/ Ray's Yamaha no. 3 (which is normally driven by her sister Tracy) in victory lane, she was handed a cell phone so she could inform her dad about her history-making triumph.
Another first-time winner posed in the winner's circle on Saturday night at County Line, as A.J. Ernesto, also from Reading, scored one for the R.T. Racing Team.
Ernesto and Eric Heydenreich waged a nail-biting, bring the fans out of their seats duel for the lead, running side by side and trading slide jobs for several laps during the middle stages of the 25-lapper.
"I had a real hard tire on the right-rear, and I was worried about it on restarts. I thought it would cool off too much, and then it would take a few laps before it would hook up again. But that didn't happen; the tire was working the whole time."
Ernesto, along with most of the field, ran an "Eldora line" into the corners, planting the right-rear up against the wall as they entered the turn, then slicing down to the bottom on the exit of two and four. It was wickedly entertaining to watch, as a few of the drivers, including the winner and runner-up, bounced their tail tanks off the wall on a few occasions.
"It was fun, and Eric (Heydenreich) was really running well. I enjoyed our battle for the lead, but I was determined to get my first win tonight. The car was too good - I changed everything and went back to a basic set-up before we came down here - and I wasn't going to let this one slip away," smiled A.J.
Runner-up Donnie Trent enjoyed his ride in the 25-lapper on the smooth 3/8-mile at Dixieland. "That was a lot of fun...running so close, almost three-wide, with Andy and Michele. I know I can run that close with them, and not have to worry. Michele had us all covered tonight, though. Congratulations to her."
Martin was disappointed with the outcome, but found a couple of positives in his third-place effort. "I certainly didn't want to get into Michele (they banged wheels as Andy tried a slide job in turns one and two on a lap seven restart), but I knew I had to try something on that restart. She was really fast. I should have dropped down; I didn't realize the bottom groove was coming in like it did. But you know me...I like to wear out the top before I give up on it. But hey, we had a good points night, and that's important."
On Saturday evening at Rocky Mount's County Line Raceway, Martin did not have a good points night. On the first lap of the feature, as the racers in the back of the pack bunched up coming off turn two, Martin (who was charging on the outside, as usual), suddenly found Steve Lenig cutting into the same piece of real estate that Martin was aiming for...
Andy got into the wall, found himself staring at the night sky with his front end point straight up in air, then tumbled once or twice along the backstretch barrier. He was okay, immediately climbing from his injured racecar to inspect the damage. The car was too hurt to continue, and Lenig chopped into Martin's point lead with his sixth-place finish.
"I probably should have been more patient, and not tried that outside move so early," Martin theorized after it was too late. "But I was following Donnie (Trent), and he squeezed through that hole on the outside, and it seemed like there was plenty of room up there. But then Steve (Lenig) must have gotten turned or something, because he came across the track right in front of me, and I got pinched into the wall."
Martin's dad and crew chief, Jeff, felt fortunate that the damage was not as severe as it could have been. "Mostly bolt-on stuff, and we had to replace the front axle," he explained as the team put the no. 21 back together for the long ride back to PA. "Watching the car flip, I thought it was going to be a lot worse."
The large crowd at Dixieland was extremely enthusiastic, and they were united in their support for Michele Miller. She received a huge cheer as she removed her helmet in victory lane.
ARDC officials also wish to thank the management at County Line for revising the running order on Saturday night as lightning moved closer to the race track. James Upchurch, the promoter, allowed the midgets to run their feature first, ensuring that the club would be able to complete both of its Southern Swing events. The lightning actually passed by the raceway, and the rain stayed away, too, allowing the full program to be completed.
Carey Becker spun in warm-ups at Dixieland. Sounds harmless, but Becker's no. 20 slid up the track in turn three, getting into the slick, slimy clay at the top, which actually prevented the car from stopping. With no wall or fence in that area of the track, Becker continued to slide, backing over the outside berm and flipping.
The car was pushed, not towed, back to the pit area. As the crew examined the midget, however, they found more and more damage that was not immediately visible. The frame was bent behind the right-front wheel, the motor actually pushed back into the driveshaft, and the rear suspension was damaged. After the long haul from Pennsylvania, Becker's weekend was over very quickly.
"Yeah, we're done for the entire weekend," noted Becker, who had his bell rung and suffered a sore shoulder from the crash. "It's too much to fix, and I could use a few days to heal up. We'll be ready for Grandview, though." The midgets compete in a Thunder on the Hill event at Grandview on Tuesday, June 27, just three days after the jaunt to North Carolina.
Ernesto's victory helped ease Becker's pain, however, as both of the Berks County wheel-twisters, along with Dyke Becker, own the R.T. Racing midgets.

RESULTS:
FRIDAY, JUNE 23, AT DIXIELAND SPEEDWAY IN ELIZABETH CITY, NC:
HEAT WINNERS: Scott Zipp and Michele Miller.
FEATURE (25 LAPS): 1.Michele Miller 2.Donnie Trent 3.Andy Martin 4.Eric Heydenreich 5.Tracy Readinger 6.Scott Zipp 7.Bryan Kobylarz 8.P.J. Gargiulo 9.Jeff Schell 10.A.J. Ernesto 11.Chris Zrinski 12.Kathy Kurtz 13.Steve Lenig 14.Steve Craig DNS: Carey Becker.

SATURDAY, JUNE 24 AT COUNTY LINE RACEWAY IN ROCKY MOUNT, NC:
HEAT WINNERS: Jeff Schell and Michele Miller.
FEATURE (25 LAPS): 1.A.J. Ernesto 2.Eric Heydenreich 3.Michele Miller 4.Bryan Kobylarz 5.Scott Zipp 6.Steve Lenig 7.Donnie Trent 8.Chris Zrinski 9.Tracy Readinger 10.Kathy Kurtz 11.Jeff Schell 12.P.J. Gargiulo 13.Andy Martin.

NEXT EVENT: Tuesday, June 27 @ Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, PA. Warm-ups and time trials for sprint cars is 7 p.m. First heat race at 7:30.

ERNESTO SCORES FIRST ARDC VICTORY IN NORTH CAROLINA

Rocky Mount, NC - It was the perfect end to a not-so-perfect weekend for the RT Racing Team and driver A.J. Ernesto.
Ernesto, of Reading, PA, registered the first victory of his ARDC career last Saturday night at the County Line Raceway near Rocky Mount, NC.
The win capped a big week for Ernesto, who will celebrate his birthday this Thursday, June 29. He also became an uncle for the first time, as his sister gave birth to a baby boy just a few days before the team loaded up and headed for NC.
Ernesto's teammate, Carey Becker, had to sit out the race at County Line. Becker flipped his car at Dixieland on Friday, and the damage was more severe than first believed, so Becker had to watch the program at the Rocky Mount oval.
As he was running toward the track to check on his brother at Dixieland, Dyke Becker may have torn his groin muscle. Becker was in a great deal of discomfort after the incident and for the rest of the weekend.
"I was worried when that caution came out, "state the jubilant viicto. "We had a real hard tire on the right-rear; fortunately, it came in very quickly again.
"I knew, when he got by me, I had to try something quick or he would get away."
The car to which Ernesto is referring is that of Eric Heydenreich, the Bloomsburgh , PA Bullet. Heydenreich moved into second on lap two, the same time that Ernesto was stealing the lead from Kathy Kurtz.
Ernesto was running away with the feature when a caution appeared for a spinning Kurtz with 11 trips remaining.
When green flag racing resumed, Heydenreich went on the attack, diving to the inside of the leader on numerous occasions. The front-running duo zig-zagged their way through slower traffic, with Ernesto up high and Heydenreich hugging the bottom.
The two young lions authored an outstanding battle for the top prize, with Heydenreich constantly dipping down low to try and overtake Ernesto.
They ran side by side for the next six tours of the oval. Heydenreich even pulled in front one time, but Ernesto got him back with a slide job..
Ernesto pulled away a bit over the final fiour circuits. Heydenreich, who stated that his car was "loose off" also had problems with his brakes. Coming on like gangbusters over the last laps was Michele Miller. Bryan Kobylarz and Scott Zipp rounded out the top five.
Jeff Schell and Michele Miller were victorious in the two heat races.
/
RESULTS:
SATURDAY, JUNE 24, AT THE COUNTY LINE RACEWAY,
ARDC MIDGET FEATURE (25 LAPS): 1. A.J. Ernesto 2. Eric Heydenreich 3. Michele Miller 4. Bryan Kobylarz 5. Scott Zipp 6.Steve Lenig 7. Donnie Trent 8. Chris Zrinski 9. Tracy Readinger 10. Kathy Kurtz 11. Jeff Schell 12. P.J. Gargiulo 13. Andy Martin.

NOTE: Further notes and a complete press release will follow later in the day on Sunday, June 25. Thank you.

MICHELE MILLER BECOMES FIRST FEMALE TO WIN AN ARDC FEATURE; TAKES FRIDAY NIGHT MAIN IN DIXIE

Elizabeth City, NC - A piece of history was written on Friday night at the Dixieland Speedway in Elizabeth City, NC, as Michele Miller became the first female to win an ARDC Midget feature. This fact is still being investigated to ensure complete accuracy, but long-time members of the American Racing Drivers Club are almost 100% certain that Michele is the first woman to accomplish the feat.

The full press release will follow later in the weekend, and it will provide all the details of the most exciting ARDC feature race of the season, run in front of a packed grandstand of extremely enthusiastic fans. And the large crowd was united in its support of Michele's drive to victory.

The young lady from Reading, PA, grabbed the lead from Kathy Kurtz at the end of the backstretch on lap one. This was also the first feature in the storied history of the ARDC in which two females started on the front row.

Point leader Andy Martin banged wheels with Miller in turns one and two, then gassed his no. 21 into the lead on a lap seven restart.

The pass only increased Michele's determination, and the former micro sprint stand-out came roaring back to reclaim the top spot with an inside pass of Martin on the frontstretch as they saw the crossed flags.

Martin and Donnie Trent made several attempts to overhaul the leader during the second half of the event, but to no avail.

Michele blazed under the checkered to complete lap 25, winning by several car-lengths. Trent finished second, with Martin pulling off a last-lap pass of Eric Heydenreich to record a third-place effort.

RESULTS: 1. Michele Miller 2. Donnie Trent 3. Andy Martin 4. Eric Heydenreich 5. Tracy Readinger 6. Scott Zipp 7. Bryan Kobylarz 8. P.J. Gargiulo 9. Jeff Schell 10. A.J. Ernesto 11. Chris Zrinski 12. Kathy Kurtz 13. Steve Lenig 14. Steve Craig DNS: Carey Becker.

NEXT EVENT: Friday, June 23 at the Dixieland Speedway in Elizabeth City, NC. Saturday, June 24 at the County Line Raceway in Rocky Mount, NC.
Qualifying heats and 20-lap features highlight both programs.

MILLER WINS ARDC THRILLER AT BIG DIAMOND

Forestville, PA - Mike Miller, the veteran racer from Birdsboro, PA, is used to passing other drivers at speed in order to work his way to the front. On Friday night at the Big Diamond Raceway near Minersville, PA, Miller inherited the lead in a rather unusual way. He made the most of his opportunity, however, and won his first ARDC Midget feature of the season.
Michele Miller set the pace for the first seven trips around the racy oval before Donnie Trent powered around the outside of both Mike and Michele to grab the lead on lap eight. Two circuits later, though, Trent had the back end of his Spike chassied, Equipment Service Company no. 18 snap around on him in turn two. Michele Miller ducked low to avoid the spinning Trent, but clipped his car with her right-rear tire. The contact broke the W-link and bent the right-rear wheel on Michele's Ray's Yamaha no. 1, forcing her to drop out under the yellow brought on by Trent's spin.
That gave Mike Miller the top spot for the restart. Eric Heydenreich made life miserable for the leader by repeatedly diving to the inside of Miller's Victory Motorcycle no. 7. Heydenreich could pull even, and actually nose ahead at times in the corners, but Miller always pulled back in front as they charged down the straightaways. The two throttle-jockeys also traded a few slide jobs during the crowd pleasing duel before Miller assumed command for good.
Miller eventually opened up a comfortable cushion over Heydenreich, taking the checkered with room to spare. Heydenreich, from Bloomsburg, PA, finished as the runner-up (the best finish of his short ARDC career). Twelfth-starting Billy Pauch, Jr. wound up third, with Steve Lenig finishing fourth. Hard-charging Dave Ely, who started dead last, 25th, came on like gangbusters during the final laps and took the checkered in the fifth position. It was Ely's first ride in a midget since January's Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, OK.
Scott Zipp captured the first heat race by inches over Heydenreich, and Mike Miller began his big night by winning the second qualifier.
NOTES FROM BIG D:
Seltzer Insurance Agency sponsored the night of racing at Big Diamond on Friday, which meant the track did not have to increase ticket prices, despite the addition of the midgets to the racing program. The American Racing Drivers Club salutes both Seltzer and the management of Big Diamond for this fan-friendly gesture.
A strong field of 25 midgets entered the event at Big Diamond.
It was hard to tell if Mike Miller was elated or simply relieved after his victory. It's been a tough start to the season for the highly successful owner/driver, because he's been on his head three times this year. The 20-lapper at Big Diamond was just the second time he's finished a feature in 2006. So his triumph on Friday provided some much needed tonic to help cure his racing ills.
"I've been racing long enough that I didn't lose confidence in my ability," noted Miller after his win. "But I've never flipped this often, even in micros. You start to wonder if this trend will ever stop."
With this race coming just 48 hours before Father's Day, Miller was asked if he would have been okay with Michele beating him. "For a while, I really thought that was going to happen. She was fast, and that's the car I normally drive, so it was weird watching that car pull away from me. But yeah, I would have been very happy if Michele had won tonight."
Scott Zipp finally had a good night, winning his heat race by inches over Heydenreich and finishing eighth in the feature. Zipp had been involved in hard crashes in the previous two events, so he was thrilled to load the car in the trailer at Big Diamond with all four wheels on it and no damage to his 3D Auto Parts, BRB Contractors no. 99.
After all the early season talk of Big Diamond's surface being extremely abrasive, most of the midget teams reported little to no tire wear after Friday's feature. The ARDC returns to the Minersville clay on Friday, July 21.
Next weekend will find the tour heading to North Carolina. The series' annual Southern Swing will make a stop at the Dixieland Speeway in Elizabeth City, NC on Friday, June 23rd. The following night, the mighty midgets will jump down to Rocky Mount's County Line Raceway. Both shows will feature qualifying heats and 20-lap main events. Three days later, the traveling club will pull into the Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, PA for another exciting Thunder on the Hill program on Tuesday, June 27.

RESULTS:
FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY:
ARDC MIDGET FEATURE (20 laps): 1.Mike Miller 2.Eric Heydenreich 3. Billy Pauch, Jr. 4.Steve Lenig 5.Dave Ely 6.Andy Martin 7.Ray Bull 8.Scott Zipp 9.Ryan Smith 10.Tracy Miller 11.P.J. Gargiulo 12.Dave Shirk 13. Kathy Kurtz 14.Bobby Goerner 15.Jeff Schell 16.Chris Zrinski 17.Doug Rose 18.Donnie Trent 19.Lew Blair 20.Michele Miller 21.Steve Craig 22. Carey Becker 23.Tracy Readinger 24.A.J. Ernesto 25.Bill Case

RESULTS WITH DRIVER'S HOMETOWN:
FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE BIG DIAMOND RACEWAY:
ARDC MIDGET FEATURE (20 laps):
1. Mike Miller Birdsboro, PA
2. Eric Heydenreich Bloomsburg, PA
3. Billy Pauch, Jr. Frenchtown, NJ
4. Steve Lenig Selinsgrove, PA
5. Dave Ely Sinking Springs, PA
6. Andy Martin Gordonville, PA
7. Ray Bull Bloomsburg, PA
8. Scott Zipp Bridgeport, NJ
9. Ryan Smith Kunkletown, PA
10. Tracy Miller Rancho Cucamonga, CA

NEXT EVENT: Friday, June 16 at the Big Diamond Raceway in Forrestville, PA. Qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature. Gates open at 5 p.m. Warm-ups at 7:00. Racing begins at 7:30.

ARDC RAINED OUT AT SUSKY; RACE AT BIG DIAMOND IS NEXT

Oley, PA - For the first time this season, the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) Midgets were rained out on Friday night at Susquehanna Speedway Park. While the club's first five events of the 2006 racing season were not affected by weather, this highly anticipated show - where the mighty midgets were to share the bill with the National Sprint Tour - was wiped out by strong thunder storms throughout the day on Friday.
Now in its 67th year, the ARDC series moves to the Big Diamond Raceway, near Minersville, PA, for an event next Friday, June 16th.
The midgets competed at Big Diamond in August of last season, staging a wildly competitive Twin 20's affair, with Mike Miller and Steve Buckwalter emerging victorious. With Big Diamond's extremely racy new clay surface, the wingless midgets should put on an even more exciting show next Friday. The cars and stars of the ARDC will broadslide their way through qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature at the spruced up facility.
Gates will open at 5 p.m. Warm-ups take place at 7:00, and the first heat goes green at 7:30.
Current point leader Andy Martin, who waged a stellar battle with Buckwalter in last year's nightcap at Big Diamond, will lead the troops into battle next Friday. Martin, driving a car out of Mike Miller's stable at Diamond, actually flipped in the first 20-lapper but came back to finish 6th in that race. In the second feature, the Gordonville Flash led early, then traded slide jobs with Buckwalter before settling for runner-up honors.
Martin, who raced his way to last year's ARDC Rookie of the Year title, has one victory so far in 2006. Buckwalter and Donnie Trent have also scored single triumphs this season, trailing the six-time and defending ARDC Champion, Ray Bull. Bull has won twice in the first five events, at Williams Grove and Orange County.

NEXT EVENT: Friday, June 9 at Susquehanna Speedway Park. Qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature. Also on the card: the National Sprint Tour featuring Steve Kinser and Danny Lasoski. Gates open at 5 p.m. Warm-ups at 7:00. Racing at 7:30.

ARDC HISTORIAN RON HEDDENDORF PASSES AWAY
By Barry Angstadt

Oley, PA - Long-time ARDC Midget fan, statistician, and historian Ron Heddendorf passed away on Tuesday, June 6, after a lengthy illness. Heddendorf was the father-in-law of current ARDC President Ron Lauer.
Heddendorf, 80, worked behind the scenes for many years, performing numerous administrative duties. A native of the Philadelphia area, he took care of things like membership cards, creating and editing the ARDC Newsletter and annual Yearbook. And he was meticulous, paying strict attention to every detail and striving for total accuracy. "Those newsletters were extremely well done, given the technology of that time," stated Area Auto Racing News Editor Earl Krause.
Heddendorf, who started going to racing events at the Yellow Jacket Speedway in Philadelphia at an early age, was also an accomplished photographer. His work appeared in publications such as Area Auto Racing News, Illustrated Speedway News, and National Speed Sport News. "He traveled all over the country to races, but he really loved ARDC and the midgets," noted Krause.
When the computer age dawned, Heddendorf embraced it. He spent many hours during his final years sitting at the keyboard, scanning old racing photos into his hard drive, then downloading them onto CD's. His computerized slide show of past ARDC Champions can be seen on the homepage of the club's website, www.ardcmidgets.com.
That passion for midget racing was developed at Philly's Yellow Jacket Speedway. Heddendorf combined his love of the midgets with another passion; preserving the rich history of the little cars and especially the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC).
He wrote a book, detailing the statistical history of ARDC. Employed for many years by Bell Telephone, Heddendorf compiled the information for his book upon his retirement from the communications giant. His exhausting research dug up statistics and old photos dating back to 1955. The book was not only entertaining reading, but a tool as well. "We found out that speedway announcers used the book as a reference tool during ARDC events," pointed out former club president Ray McCabe. McCabe was a close friend of Heddendorf and helped him with the book. The original publication featured statistical race summaries from every ARDC event beginning with the 1955 season, and continued through the year 2002. Heddendorf then distributed updates to the book, highlighting the 2003 through 2005 seasons.
"He did so much work on behalf of the club. He was remarkable, and the results of his efforts were appreciated, even though most people had no idea who did the work," explained McCabe. "And the best thing I can say about Ron is that no one, and I mean no one, ever said a bad word about him. And he never bad-mouthed anyone, either. And I don't ever remember him saying a negative word about ARDC. He was one of the truly good people; a great person who insisted on accuracy and paying attention to details. He always did things the right way."
A two-time recipient of the Galen Halteman President's Award, Heddendorf also received a Lifetime Membership in the American Racing Drivers Club. He is survived by his daughter Cheryl, son-in-law Ron Lauer, and grandaughters Stevie and Krissy.
Funeral arrangements will be announced in the next few days, although it is known that Heddendorf will be interred in Langhorne, PA.
Cards and expressions of sympathy can be sent to the following address:
The Lauer Family
529 Old Mill Road
Millersville, MD 21108.

NEXT EVENT: Friday, June 9 at 7:30 p.m. Qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature at Susquehanna Speedway Park. The National Sprint Tour is also on the menu this Friday at SSP.

MARTIN HEADS TIGHT POINT RACE AS ARDC HEADS BACK TO SSP

Oley, PA - Andy Martin leads the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) back to Susquehanna Speedway Park this Friday, June 9. Why is Martin showing the way back to the Newberrytown, PA oval? Because it is Martin's name at the head of an extremely tight point race as the mighty midgets prepare for their third event of the season at SSP, and their sixth race overall.
Fresh off a trip to the Pepsi/ Mountain Dew Midget Nationals in Knoxville, Iowa last weekend, Martin is pacing the point parade with a total of 586 markers. He is just 16 points in front of Frank Polimeda of Fort Lee, NJ. While Martin has one victory in 2006 (on May 16 during a Thunder on the Hill event at the Grandview Speedway), the versatile Polimeda, who drives the Zrinski Racing no. 10, is still searching for his initial ARDC triumph.
Steve Buckwalter (one win), Ray Bull (a pair of victories), and Steve Lenig make up the top five in driver's points heading into this Friday's event. The first five chauffeurs are separated by just 99 points, and Donnie Trent (the opening night winner at SSP) is only ten points behind Lenig.
Teammates A.J. Ernesto and Carey Becker of the R.T. Racing Team are sitting seventh and eighth in the championship chase, with Eric Heydenreich and rookie P.J. Gargiulo rounding out the top ten.
This Friday, June 9, the gates at Susquehanna will swing open at 5 p.m. Racing begins at 7:30, as the ARDC Midgets share the bill with the National Sprint Tour. Steve Kinser, Danny Lasoski, and all the stars of the NST will make their SSP debut the night prior, then return for a grand finale on Friday.

NEXT EVENT: Friday, June 9 @ 7:30 p.m. Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA. Qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature. Also on the card: the National Sprint Tour.

NO BULL...RAY WINS ARDC MAIN AT ORANGE COUNTY

Middletown, NY - Ray Bull, the defending champion of the American Racing Drivers Club from Bloomsburg, PA, captured his second victory of the 2006 season on Saturday night at the Orange County Fair Speedway. The win was the 46th of Bull's ARDC career, tying him for fourth place on the modern-era's all-time feature win list. That list has been compiled since 1955.
Bull, who also triumphed in last season's midget feature at Orange County, zipped under Eric Heydenreich to take command on lap nine. The chauffeur of the Mega Motorsports, Lausch's Moving & Storage, Lobitz Catering no. 22 immediately opened up a huge cushion over his pursuers.
With Bull comfortably in the lead, a five-car battle ensued for the runner-up spot. Steve Buckwalter powered his way past Heydenreich with five to go, but the Royersford, PA Rocket could not close the gap between himself and the leader.
Buckwalter finished second, followed by Heydenreich, Carey Becker, and point leader Andy Martin.
OCFS NOTES:
In victory lane, Bull noted that the team utilized last year's Orange County set-up for this season's event. "It worked so well last year, we came back with the same set-up for this race. And it worked again."
Bull is now tied with Leigh Earnshaw, Jr. for fourth on the "Modern Era All Time Win List" for ARDC. The winner's list is accurate back to 1955; only sketchy statistics are available prior to that year.
Buckwalter thought he may have waited too long to make his move. "Maybe I was too patient," he explained afterward. "There were some ruts on the bottom, so you had to make sure that you ran the same line every time. By the time I got into second, Ray was gone and it was too late to catch him."
After engine problems prevented him from starting his heat race and the feature at Grandview, Heydenreich was thrilled with his third-place finish. "We were disappointed at Grandview because we need to make laps. After we finished fourth at Susky (on May 5), we know we can do this. We just need to get some laps, and maybe we can win one of these things."
While she was leading the first heat race, Michele Miller's black and pink no. 4 went up in smoke. The blown engine forced her to be a spectator for the rest of the night.
A three-car mishap with five laps complete actually ruined the night for several drivers. Donnie Trent, Scott Zipp, and Steve Lenig collided in turns three and four. A.J. Ernesto and Frank Polimeda were indirectly involved, suffering damage as the other three cars bounced off one another and into them.
Ernesto's Cafe Waldorf/ Fromm Electric/ Wide Open Energy Drink no. 14 was nailed by Lenig's car. A right-rear flat tire, along with bent radius rods and W-link, ended the evening for the Reading, PA throttle-jockey.
Polimeda was able to continue, but his shot at victory was gone. He reported that his Zrinski Racing/ Expert Collison/ Shadow Racing Products no. 10 was fantastic prior to the incident, and the Fort Lee, NJ chauffeur felt he had an excellent chance to win. But the glancing blow from one of the midgets involved in the crash broke the shock mount on Polimeda's right-rear, and he soldiered on to a sixth-place finish.
Lenig and Zipp were knocked out of the race immediately; Trent restarted but fell out a few laps later. This was the second consecutive main event in which Zipp's no. 99 suffered major damage to the front and rear suspension.
RESULTS:
SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE ORANGE COUNTY FAIR SPEEDWAY:
ARDC MIDGET FEATURE (20 laps): 1.Ray Bull 2.Steve Buckwalter 3.Eric Heydenreich 4.Carey Becker 5.Andy Martin 6.Frank Polimeda 7.P.J. Gargiulo 8.Dave Shirk 9.Chris Zrinski 10.Jeff Schell 11.Donnie Trent 12.A.J. Ernesto 13.Scott Zipp 14.Steve Lenig DNS: Michele Miller, Shawn Burke, Kathy Kurtz.
RESULTS WITH DRIVERS' HOMETOWN:
SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE ORANGE COUNTY FAIR SPEEDWAY:
ARDC MIDGET FEATURE (20 laps):
1. Ray Bull Bloomsburg, PA
2. Steve Buckwalter Royersford, PA
3. Eric Heydenreich Bloomsburg, PA
4. Carey Becker Reading, PA
5. Andy Martin Gordonville, PA
6. Frank Polimeda Fort Lee, NJ
7. P.J. Gargiulo Ridley Park, PA
8. Dave Shirk Mohnton, PA
9. Chris Zrinski Forked River, NJ
10. Jeff Schell Terre Hill, PA
11. Donnie Trent Honeybrook, PA
12. A.J. Ernesto Reading, PA
13. Scott Zipp Bridgeport, PA
14. Steve Lenig Selinsgrove, PA
DNS:
Michele Miller Reading, PA
Shawn Burke Saylorsburg, PA
Kathy Kurtz Robesonia, PA

NEXT EVENT: Friday, June 9 @ 7:30 p.m. Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA. Qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature. Also on the card: the National Sprint Tour.

ORANGE COUNTY ARDC MAIN TO RAY BULL

Middletown, NY - Ray Bull, the defending champion of the American Racing Drivers Club from Bloomsburg, PA, captured his second victory of the 2006 season on Saturday night at the Orange County Fair Speedway. The win was the 46th of Bull's ARDC career, tying him for fourth place on the modern-era's all-time feature win list. That list has been compiled since 1955.
Bull, who also triumphed in last season's midget feature at Orange County, zipped under Eric Heydenreich to take command on lap nine. The chauffeur of the Mega Motorsports, Lausch's Moving & Storage, Lobitz Catering no. 22 immediately opened up a huge cushion over his pursuers.
With Bull comfortably in the lead, a five-car battle ensued for the runner-up spot. Steve Buckwalter powered his way past Heydenreich with five to go, but the Royersford, PA Rocket could not close the gap between himself and the leader.
Buckwalter finished second, followed by Heydenreich, Carey Becker, and point leader Andy Martin.

RESULTS:
SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE ORANGE COUNTY FAIR SPEEDWAY:
ARDC MIDGET FEATURE (20 laps): 1.Ray Bull 2.Steve Buckwalter 3.Eric Heydenreich 4.Carey Becker 5.Andy Martin 6.Frank Polimeda 7.P.J. Gargiulo 8.Dave Shirk 9.Chris Zrinski 10.Jeff Schell 11.Donnie Trent 12.A.J. Ernesto 13.Scott Zipp 14.Steve Lenig DNS: Michele Miller, Shawn Burke, Kathy Kurtz.

RESULTS WITH DRIVERS' HOMETOWN:
SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE ORANGE COUNTY FAIR SPEEDWAY:
ARDC MIDGET FEATURE (20 laps):
1. Ray Bull Bloomsburg, PA
2. Steve Buckwalter Royersford, PA
3. Eric Heydenreich Bloomsburg, PA
4. Carey Becker Reading, PA
5. Andy Martin Gordonville, PA
6. Frank Polimeda Fort Lee, NJ
7. P.J. Gargiulo Ridley Park, PA
8. Dave Shirk Mohnton, PA
9. Chris Zrinski Forked River, NJ
10. Jeff Schell Terre Hill, PA
11. Donnie Trent Honeybrook, PA
12. A.J. Ernesto Reading, PA
13. Scott Zipp Bridgeport, PA
14. Steve Lenig Selinsgrove, PA
DNS:
Michele Miller Reading, PA
Shawn Burke Saylorsburg, PA
Kathy Kurtz Robesonia, PA

NEXT EVENT: Saturday, May 20 at the Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, NY. Qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature.

MARTIN WINS WILD ARDC MAIN AT GRANDVIEW

Bechtelsville, PA - Andy Martin thought he was going to finish third in Tuesday night's ARDC Midget feature at the Grandview Speedway. As he rode around under caution, preparing for a restart with one lap to go, he said to himself, "I'm running for points, trying to win the championship, so finishing third is good." Little did he know that events were about to transpire that would produce a victory for him in the 20-lap Thunder on the Hill event.
Mike Miller, who had been out front for the first 19 circuits, had to fend off the challenge of Steve Buckwalter on what everyone thought was the final restart. Buckwalter nosed underneath Miller in turn three, and the two cars made contact, with Miller spinning, then flipping. Buckwalter continued on, and the red flag was thrown for Miller's crash. The Birdsboro, PA wheelsman was uninjured, but ARDC officials decided the contact was initiated by Buckwalter, and put him to the rear.
That handed the lead to Martin, and the Gordonville Flash remained at the head of the pack over the final lap, taking the second checkered flag of his ARDC career ahead of Frank Polimeda and Tracy Readinger.
Readinger and Miller captured the two heat races as 26 midgets signed in for competition at Grandview.
Thunder Notes:
Seventeen year-old Dustin Morgan, from Brownsburg, IN, made the haul to Grandview on Tuesday to run with ARDC. Morgan quietly picked his way from 22nd on the grid to a fifth-place finish. He had never seen Grandview, much less run there, before Tuesday. Morgan, a native of Oklahoma, has an ambitious 71-race schedule planned for this season. "I just want to get as much seat time as possible," he noted.
It may be hard to tell by her 18th place finish, but Kathy Kurtz ran extremely well. The former Rookie of the Year and Most Improved Driver started on the pole and ran second to Miller for much of the distance. She spun to avoid the flipping no. 7 of Miller, forcing the Robesonia, PA resident to go to the rear of the field for that one lap dash to the checkers.
Six-time and defending ARDC champion Ray Bull started 12th, weaved his way into the top five by the halfway point, then spun in turn four. Bull came from the back to finish tenth.
After a disappointing outing at Williams Grove on May 12, Tracy Readinger "changed everything on the car's set-up" for the race at Grandview. Those changes, combined with Readinger's knowledge of the Bechtelsville track (he runs a NASCAR Modified there every Saturday), produced a heat win and a terrific third-place finish in the feature.
Polimeda had been plagued by nagging problems in the tour's first three events. At Grandview, however, he was in the thick of the battle all night long. Car owner Lou Zrinski hopes that Polimeda's runner-up effort will turn the team's fortunes around.
Rookie P.J. Gargiulo was running well until a rear axle broke with 17 tours in the books.
BMARA midget hot shoe Danny Stratton was climbing through the field from his 13th starting spot. With five trips complete, Stratton's car broke, coasting to a halt in turn one. Scott Zipp was flying into the corner right behind Stratton, and Zipp clobbered the disabled Miller Racing Team no. 3. Zipp's no. 99 suffered extensive rear-end damage in the mishap.
Four USAC Ford Focus Midgets competed with the higher-horsepowered ARDC cars at Grandview on Tuesday. Ryan Smith, Nick Wean, Stephanie Stevens, and Ginny Quinones entered the event. Wean fared the best, winding up 14th in the final rundown. Smith was running with Wean near the end of the race, but a line blew off of the fuel pump, forcing him to the pit area. Stevens and Quinones were right behind Wean in the finishing order.

RESULTS:
ARDC MIDGET FEATURE (20 laps): 1.Andy Martin 2.Frank Polimeda 3.Tracy Readinger 4.Billy Pauch, Jr. 5.Dustin Morgan 6.Dave Shirk 7.Donnie Trent 8.A.J. Ernesto 9.Carey Becker 10.Ray Bull 11.Steve Lenig 12.Shawn Burke 13.Bobby Goerner 14.Nick Wean 15.Stephanie Stevens 16.Ginny Quinones 17.Chris Zrinski 18.Kathy Kurtz 19.Steve Buckwalter 20.Michele Miller 21.Mike Miller 22.P.J. Gargiulo 23.Ryan Smith 24.Danny Stratton 25.Scott Zipp DNS: Eric Heydenreich.

NEXT EVENT: Tuesday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. Thunder on the Hill at the Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, PA. Qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature. Also on the program: the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars. Rain date is Wednesday, May 17.

BULL “GOES HOME” & WINS ARDC MAIN AT THE GROVE

Mechanicsburg, PA - A current and very popular song asks the question, “Who says you can’t go home?”. Six-time and defending champion of the American Racing Drivers Club Ray Bull knows that you can, in fact, go home AND be successful.

Bull, the veteran midget racer from Bloomsburg, PA, is not competing full-time with ARDC this year. But, in his second start of the season, the Raging Bull proved that he’s still a formidable force anytime he shows up at a racetrack by winning the 20-lap main event at Williams Grove Speedway on Friday night.

It was a homecoming of sorts, as Bull noted in victory lane. “I remember coming here as a kid, and my dad and I had season tickets. My brother used to help on Chris Eash’s sprint car, too, and Chris was here with us tonight. So this is pretty special; to win at Williams Grove, with all the memories I have of this place, is really neat.”

The race, the first wingless midget race at the Grove since the ‘80’s, was a good one. Pole-sitter Carey Becker jumped out front, but his R.T. Racing teammate, A.J. Ernesto, quickly moved up to challenge.

The Reading, PA residents dueled for several laps, with Becker running the middle groove and Ernesto down along the inside guardrail. The Caf� Waldorf/ Becker Painting/ Wide Open Energy Drink no. 14 of Ernesto finally pulled off the pass, shooting off the bottom of turn two to grab the lead with five laps complete.

With Ernesto, gunning for his first career ARDC triumph, speeding to a comfortable advantage over Becker, the red flag appeared for a flipping Mike Miller just before the halfway point. Miller jumped the cushion in turn three, plastered the outer guardrail, and tumbled back down the track. His daughter, Michele, cut left in an attempt to avoid her dad, but she clipped Mike’s two race-old Stealth chassied no. 1 as he was flipping. Mike was okay, and Michele was able to restart. Last week’s winner, Steve Buckwalter, was also involved along with Kathy Kurtz. Both of them were able to restart as well.

Bull, who started tenth, was the man on the move as the green waved. He disposed of Andy Martin and Frank Polimeda to enter the top three, then blasted around Becker to become the runner-up. Ducking to the low side in turns three and four, the Mega Motorsports no. 22 screamed off the corner to assume command as the field completed the 14th tour of the speedway.

Bull motored away to the 45th victory of his ARDC career, with Ernesto placing second, matching his career best finish. Becker was third, which is the highest finish he’s recorded in two-plus seasons with the midgets.

NOTES FROM THE GROVE:
Heats for the 23 ARDC competitors were captured by Mike Miller and Steve Buckwalter.
Ernesto had mixed emotions after the race. He was disappointed because he’d come very close to his first win, but pleased over the performance of both of the R.T. Racing midgets. “I admit, I was thinking that this might be my race. But then I looked at the scoreboard and I saw the no. 22 was third, and I knew that I was in trouble. Then I lost my brakes, not that Ray needed any help to pass me, but it made things a little easier for him. I am so happy for us as a team, though. To finish second and third at Williams Grove…this is great.”
Badger Midget ace Danny Stratton joined the ARDC competitors at the Grove. He drove a Miller Racing Team Stealth, running as high as fifth on lap 15 before falling out due to a nerf bar that was pushed in on the right-rear tire. “Just a racing deal,” explained the Riverside, CA native. “Got together with another car, and the nerf bar got pushed back and into the tire. It was rubbing pretty good, so I had to pull off.”
Stratton enjoyed racing at Williams Grove, a track he had never seen before Friday night. “It seems like a driver’s track; I’d compare it to Terre Haute (the half-mile in Indiana). It was fun, though, and I hope I can come back here and run again in the future.”
Stratton, winner of the midget portion of the Four Crown Nationals at Eldora last September, planned to hang around eastern Pennsylvania and compete with ARDC at the Thunder on the Hill show at Grandview on Tuesday, May 16.
Steve Craig, a regular on the tour, broke his collarbone in a cycling mishap a few days before the Williams Grove race. Craig, who races bicycles as well as midgets, will be sidelined for about six weeks. He hopes to travel to North Carolina on June 23 and 24 to race in ARDC’s Southern Swing at Dixieland Speedway and County Line Raceway.
Doug Rose made his initial start of 2006 at the Grove. Driving his bright orange F1 Chassis powered by an Esslinger engine, Rose looked good, finishing third in his heat race. He was running well in the feature, too, steering his way into the top ten, before spinning into the outside rail in turn one. The incident left his Amrose Homes/ www.How2RealEstateInvest.com no. 17 with too much damage to continue.
Ed Stimely, Jr., the 1997 ARDC champion, also made his first start of the year last Friday. Stimely was caught up in Rose’s crash, forcing his retirement from the event.

RESULTS:
ARDC MIDGETS 20-LAP FEATURE: 1.Ray Bull 2.A.J. Ernesto 3.Carey Becker 4.Steve Buckwalter 5.Frank Polimeda 6.Andy Martin 7.Steve Lenig 8.Tom Hessert 9.Dave Shirk 10.Scott Zipp 11.P.J. Gargiulo 12.Bobby Goerner 13.Chris Zrinski 14.Kathy Kurtz 15.Danny Stratton 16.Tracy Readinger 17.Michele Miller 18.Donnie Trent 19.Eric Heydenreich 20.Ed Stimely, Jr. 21.Mike Miller 22.Doug Rose DNS: Jeff Schell.

NEXT EVENT: Friday, May 12 at 7:45 p.m. Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, PA. Qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature.

BACK TO BASICS: BUCKWALTER WINS ARDC MAIN

Newberrytown, PA - "The first race of the season, back in April, we were experimenting." Those were the words of Ed Heffline, crew chief on the ARDC Midget for driver Steve Buckwalter. "Tonight, we went back to basics. We went with our set-up from last year," noted a smiling Heffline.

And he was smiling for good reason...Buckwalter, after an unusual 11th place finish in the season opener on April 14, roared to victory in the 20-lap main event at Susquehanna Speedway Park on Friday night.

Carey Becker jumped from his pole starting spot to lead the first three circuits. Michele Miller and Eric Heydenreich were nipping at Becker's heels, while Buckwalter quickly threaded his way from seventh to fourth in the opening laps.

On the fourth trip around the tabletop-smooth oval, just as Heydenreich slipped under Becker for the top spot, Buckwalter made his move. The Royersford Rocket shot to the low side as the leaders rumbled down the backstretch. The Miller Racing Team, All Seasons Motorsports no. 5 vaulted by Miller, Becker, and Heydenreich at the end of the chute, going from fourth to first by the time they exited turn four.

A couple of yellow flags put Heydenreich and the defending and six-time ARDC champion, Ray Bull, on Buckwalter's tail after Steve had built huge leads. Bull took a shot on the final, lap 12 restart, diving under the leader in turns one and two.

Buckwalter, running up high, had a ton of momentum coming off the second corner, and he motored away from Bull and on to his first victory of the 2006 season.

Bull, who had a spirited battle for the runner-up slot with his fellow competitor from Bloomsburg, Heydenreich, settled for second at the finish. USAC Sprint Car and Midget chauffeur Tom Hessert was third, followed by Heydenreich and Steve Lenig.

Frank Polimeda and Hessert were victorious in the eight-lap qualifying heats, as 24 took part in the evening's program.

SUSKY NOTES:
In the only serious incident of the night, A.J. Ernesto flipped his Stealth midget on the backstretch during the second heat race. Ernesto was okay, and the car was pushed, rather than towed, off the track. The Cafe Waldorf, Fromm Electric, Wide Open Energy Drink no. 14 was repaired in time for the feature, and Ernesto took the green at the tail end of the pack. He spun in the fourth turn to bring out the first yellow of the main event, and this time he needed assistance from a wrecker to get back to his pit.

Jeff Schell had to scratch after warm-ups, due to a broken rocker arm stud that pulled out of the head of his Pontiac engine.

After his wild flip out of the ballpark on April 14, Mike Miller was back in a brand new Stealth chassis. The motor and a few other components were saved from his trashed racer, but the frame, seat, and most of the other parts on the car were junk after the flip. Miller finished second in his heat race on Friday, but missed the set-up in the feature and ended up 16th.

Opening night winner Donnie Trent was trying to give himself a belated birthday gift on Friday. Trent celebrated his 37th birthday two days prior to the event, and was slicing through traffic when the handling went away on his Equipment Service Company, Spike chassied no. 18. "We just missed it tonight," explained the Honeybrook, PA pilot about the set-up on his car.

The second heat turned out to be the best race of the night. Michele Miller paced the field for seven of the eight laps, but Tom Hessert was coming on like gangbusters during the final few revolutions. Hessert was wearing out the inside groove, while Miller stayed up high. On the final lap, coming off turn four, Hesset made the low line work, and he won the drag race down the front stretch to capture the victory by half a car-length. A few seconds later, Buckwalter just nipped Bull for third position as they crossed the finish line.

Two-time ARDC champion Bryan Kobylarz had a good run in the feature in a car he had never driven before Friday's event. Josh Richards drove a Spike chassis no. 27 in January's Chili Bowl in Oklahoma as part of Tony Stewart's three-car effort. Kobylarz' car owner, Doug Starrett, along with representatives from H&B Railroad, were so impressed with the performance of the car that they bought it on the spot and brought it back with them to Pennsylvania. Kobylarz went over the midget and steered it to an eighth place finish in its ARDC debut on Friday night.

This Friday, May 12, the American Racing Drivers Club invades the historic Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA. Qualifying heats and a 20-lap feature are on tap as Buckwalter attempts to match his Grove triumph of one year ago. Buckling into a Miller Racing Team midget at Williams Grove will be midget ace Danny Stratton, from Riverside, CA. Stratton will stay in the area to compete with ARDC on Tuesday, May 16, at the Grandview Speedway as part of the Thunder on the Hill program. The midgets will share the card at Grandview with the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars.

RESULTS:
SUSQUEHANNA SPEEDWAY PARK,
ARDC MIDGETS 20-LAP FEATURE: 1.Steve Buckwalter 2.Ray Bull 3.Tom Hessert 4.Eric Heydenreich 5.Steve Lenig 6.Andy Martin 7.Michele Miller 8.Bryan Kobylarz 9.Donnie Trent 10.Frank Polimeda 11.Tracy Readinger 12.P.J. Gargiulo 13.Steve Craig 14.Tracy Miller 15.Carey Becker 16.Mike Miller 17.Dave Shirk 18.Scott Zipp 19.Bobby Goerner 20.Chris Zrinski 21.Bill Case, Jr. 22.Kathy Kurtz 23.A.J. Ernesto. DNS: Jeff Schell.

MIDGET ACE DANNY STRATTON TO RUN WITH ARDC

Oley, PA - When the cars of the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) take to the track at two upcoming events, one of the best midget racers in the country will be among them.
Danny Stratton, winner of two races already this season, will pilot one of the Miller Racing Team's Stealth midgets at Williams Grove on May 12, and then join the field once again just four days later at the Grandview Speedway.
Stratton, a native of Riverside, CA, brings strong credentials with him as he prepares to take on the ARDC regulars. In 2005, campaigning with the BMARA (Badger Midget Racing Association) organization, Stratton finished a strong second in points while racking up four feature wins. He also topped the King Doodlebug Classic at Knoxville in July, MARA's Tom Knowles Memorial at Spoon River Speedway in Illinois in September, and capped his big year by winning the midget portion of USAC's Four Crown Nationals at Eldora on September 24.
Cherry Hill, NJ chauffeur Tom Hessert, coming off a sixth-place finish in last season's USAC National Midget point standings, also plans to be in attendance at the Grove. He will be joined by another USAC hot-shoe, Indianapolis, IN resident Jimmy Light.
The three midget aces will compete against the winner of ARDC's opening race, Donnie Trent of Honeybrook, PA. Steve Buckwalter, who won the ARDC race at Williams Grove in 2005, will be in the field as will Steve Lenig, Mike and Michele Miller, Andy Martin, and a strong contingent of the club's regular competitors.
Mike Miller, who flipped over the third turn wall during the April 14 season opener at Susquehanna Speedway Park, will be strapped into a brand new Stealth midget for the events at Williams Grove and Thunder on the Hill at Grandview. His crew is burning the midnight oil to prepare the new mount, which he hopes to debut during ARDC's second event of the season on May 5 at Susquehanna.

ARDC OFFICERS, OFFICIALS, AND BOARD OF GOVERNORS STRONGLY RECOMMEND

THE ARDC OFFICERS, OFFICIALS, AND BOARD OF GOVERNORS STRONGLY RECOMMEND that all teams competing with the American Racing Drivers Club implement one or all of the following safety measures for the 2006 season and beyond.

1) Install nets on BOTH sides of the roll cage.

2) All drivers should use either a HANS or Hutchens device every time he/she goes out on the track.

3) Utilize a "wrap around" style seat that offers protective bars for both sides of the head.

After Mike Miller's nasty crash at Susquehanna Speedway Park in the season opener, his seat (one of those "wrap around" styles) was twisted and distorted, but it did its job. Mike was a bit sore, but otherwise uninjured, and he credits the design and construction of his seat as the reason that he was able to climb out of his crumpled midget and walk back onto the track.
With this year's rules already set, these three safety measures are not mandatory, but are STRONGLY RECOMMENDED by the American Racing Drivers Club.
If you have any questions and/or concerns regarding these recommendations, please call Mike Miller at 610-582-2700. Thank you.

Submitted by Barry Angstadt on behalf of the Board of Governors of the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC).

NEXT EVENT: Friday, May 5 @ Susquehanna Speedway Park. Gates open at 5 p.m. Racing at 7:30.

TRENT WINS THRILLING ARDC OPENER

Newberrytown, PA - Even some recent reconstructive knee surgery could not slow Donnie Trent, as the Honeybrook, PA veteran captured the 20-lap season opener for the ARDC Midgets last Friday night at Susquehanna Speedway Park.

Unfortunately for his competitors, the surgery took place on Trent’s left knee, and not the one he needed to mash the throttle.

Coming off a three-win season in 2005, Trent left no doubt that he will be a serious contender for this year’s championship. He won the first heat race in dominating fashion, then streaked from his 12th starting spot to fifth within the first four laps of the feature.

“I wasn’t concerned about starting 12th because the car was so good,” noted the winner. “We didn’t touch a thing between the heat and the feature. I decided take my time and pick my spots in the first half of the race, and then put the pedal to it after lap ten.”

Safely in the top five well before the halfway point, Trent watched as an entertaining battle ensued up front. Steve Lenig, Billy Pauch, Jr., Frank Polimeda, and Tracy Miller wrestled for the top spot, often running three-wide.

Pauch pulled a slider on Lenig to grab the lead on a lap seven restart, only to have Lenig rim-ride around him just one circuit later. Trent then motored forward to duel with his Two Dogs Racing teammate, Pauch, for the runner-up spot.

With 11 trips in the books, the only red flag of the night occurred for a scary flip in turn three. Mike Miller, suffering from fuel pick-up problems, suddenly had his engine run at full power heading into the corner. With no time to set the car for the left turn, Miller began a series of violent end-over-end tumbles, bouncing out over the turn-three wall. He landed in a briar patch, but was able to climb out of the car. Miller was sore, but otherwise unhurt.

As the race went back to green, it appeared that Lenig was headed for the second triumph of his ARDC career. Trent had other thoughts, though, and his Equipment Service Company/Spike Chassis no. 18 steadily closed in on the leader after disposing of Pauch.

Lenig rode the cushion in three and four as Trent dove to the bottom on lap 19. Accelerating off the corner, Trent surged ahead, grabbing the lead as the white flag waved.

Trent paced the final tour of the smooth and tacky 4/10-mile oval, taking the checkered over Lenig, a fast-closing Andy Martin, Pauch, and Polimeda.

Trent and Polimeda were victorious in a pair of eight-lap heat races, as 25 teams signed in for the ARDC opener.

NOTES FROM OPENING NIGHT AT SUSKY:
“I was actually running out of fuel,” Lenig disclosed afterward. “Donnie may have gotten me, anyway, because he was really fast. But my engine was starting to flutter coming off the corners, probably because the fuel was sloshing away from the pick-up in the turns. But I’m happy; we ran real good and it was a fun race.”
Two USAC invaders competed with the ARDC regulars at Susky on Friday. Tom Hessert, from Cherry Hill, NJ, had a good night, finishing sixth. “We missed a little on the set-up,” he explained after his first career start at the Newberrytown track. “But it’s a great track, and we had a good time. We’ll be back for the next one.” The ARDC midgets return to Susquehanna on May 5 for their second of eight events there in 2006.
Jimmy Light made the long tow from Indianapolis, and finished ninth in the main event. Like Hessert, he had never even seen the track prior to his arrival on Friday. “Well, we found the place with no problem, so that’s a good start,” noted the 22 year-old.
Polimeda was subbing for three-time ARDC champion Hank Rogers, Jr. A few months ago, Rogers slipped and fell on some ice, injuring his right shoulder. The veteran wheel-twister from ScotRun, PA, attempted to drive the car during practice night on April 9, but was unable to use his right arm sufficiently. “I don’t know if I could have made it through a heat race, much less a feature. I had an MRI last week, and the rotator cuff is torn. I’ll probably have surgery in about two weeks, and then a long rehab. It really stinks,” stated an obviously disappointed Rogers.
Steve Buckwalter, who led the tour with eight victories in 2005, never really got going in the 20-lap feature. Buckwalter started seventh, but struggled with heavy traffic that continuously broke his momentum. “I’d start to go, but then someone would slide up in front of me and I’d have to hit the brakes. Early in the race, someone washed up the track in one and two, and when they came back down, it was right in front of me. We both lost several positions, and I just never recovered.” The Royersford Rocket ended up an uncharacteristic 11th.

RESULTS:
FEATURE (20 LAPS): 1.Donnie Trent 2.Steve Lenig 3.Andy Martin 4.Billy Pauch, Jr. 5.Frank Polimeda 6.Tom Hessert 7.Tracy Miller 8.A.J. Ernesto 9.Jimmy Light 10.Scott Zipp 11.Steve Buckwalter 12.Tracy Readinger 13.Eric Heydenreich 14.Steve Craig 15.P.J. Gargiulo 16.Bobby Goerner 17.Jeff Schell 18.Ryan Smith 19.Chris Zrinski 20.Michele Miller 21.Mike Miller 22.Kathy Kurtz 23.Pete Pavlick DNS: Ted Schmid, Carey Becker.

CONTINGENCY AWARD WINNERS:
Caf� Waldorf: Scott Zipp
DMI: Bobby Goerner
Keizer Wheels: Steve Buckwalter
Kreitz Oval Track Parts: Andy Martin
Mason Racing Ignitions: Ryan Smith
Saldana Racing Products: Ted Schmid
Weiland Racing Ent.: Eric Heydenreich

NEXT EVENT: Friday, April 14 @ 7:30 p.m. The 2006 Season Opener at Susquehanna Speedway Park!

ARDC NOTES FROM PRACTICE NIGHT AT SSP

Newberrytown, PA - Sunday’s sunshine and spring-like temperatures lured 158 racecars to the open practice session at Susquehanna Speedway Park in Newberrytown, PA.

Among the plethora of beautiful paint schemes and shiny chrome bumpers were 15 members of the American Racing Drivers Club. Due to the multitude of racing machines that turned out to get some track time, the ARDC midgets managed three sets of practice laps, as did the other divisions.

The sessions were lengthy enough, however, to provide plenty of feedback to the drivers and crews. After the initial set of hot laps, run on a tacky surface that was a bit choppy in the corners, several teams were changing gears and shocks.

Ridley Park, PA’s P.J. Gargiulo had a much more serious problem, though. P.J., who is making the jump from micro sprints into the midgets this year, never got his Sperr’s Fuel Oil/ Beast no. 51 rolling during the first session. He and his crew went to work in the pit area, taking the rear out of the car in an attempt to find and solve the problem. Gargiulo never made it back onto the track, unfortunately, costing the ARDC rookie some much-needed seat time. Gargiulo does expect to be back at Susky for this Friday’s season opener.

Bobby Goerner, from Myerstown, PA, found a simple solution to avoid the ruts in that first warm-up. As the green flag dropped, Goerner went rim-riding around the top of the 4/10 mile oval, putting on a show for the fans who assembled to watch practice.

“I got a little closer to the fence than I wanted on one occasion,” commented a smiling Goerner afterward. “But other than that, I had fun. The bumps didn’t bother me at all. I ran sprint cars here in the past, so I know how to run the top at this place.”

Scott Zipp was getting around the new clay in fine fashion until a breather problem slowed his pace. “Nothing major,” he reported between sessions. “Just a little breather problem in our new Fontana engine. We got it corrected and we’re ready to go back out.”

A.J. Ernesto, strapping into a midget for the first time in about four years, had a different kind of adjustment to make after his first time on the track. “I have to get used to this HANS device…I’ve never worn one before. With the rough track, it was rubbing the heck out of my shoulders.”

As the sprint cars and late models smoothed out the rough spots, the midgets took to the speedway for their second session. Ernesto, in a new Stealth chassied machine, looked pretty quick as did his teammate, Carey Becker. The two red-and-white midgets are part of the RT Racing stable out of Reading, PA.

Despite a much smoother surface, the second set of hot laps produced the only flip by a midget on this practice night. Mike Miller was gradually moving up the track, and as he attacked the outside groove heading into turn one, hooked a small rut with his right-rear. His Ray’s Yamaha no. 1 took a sharp right and rolled lazily onto its cage. The only damage was a bent W-link, and Miller returned for the final session in Kathy Kurtz’ no. 72.

At least eight to ten additional cars are expected to participate in this Friday’s opener at Susquehanna.

Donnie Trent was a spectator at the practice session, but the Honeybrook, PA veteran will have his no. 18 ready for action on Friday.

Bryan Kobylarz reported that Billy Pauch, Jr. will be behind the wheel of Doug Starrett’s no. 49 for the opener.

Steve Buckwalter, who led the tour in victories in 2005 with eight checkered flags, showed up at practice without his racecar. Buckwalter took part in the micro sprint program at Path Valley Speedway on Sunday afternoon, which caused a late arrival to Susky. Rest assured that his black-and-silver no. 5, an A-Main starter at this year’s Chili Bowl, will be in the pits on Friday as Steve takes aim on his first ARDC championship.

Others expected to sign in on Friday night are USAC invaders Jimmy Light and Tom Hessert, along with the Ford Focus Midget team of Ryan Smith.

Entries for practice night at Susquehanna on April 9: #1 Mike Miller; #4 Michele Miller; #9 Steve Lenig; #10 Hank Rogers, Jr.; #11 Eric Heydenreich; #14 A.J. Ernesto; #20 Carey Becker; #21 Andy Martin; #25 Chris Zrinski; #38 Bobby Goerner; #51 P.J. Gargiulo; #72 Kathy Kurtz; #75 Jeff Schell; #86 Tracy Readinger; #99 Scott Zipp.

NEXT EVENT: The 2006 season opener at Susquehanna Speedway Park on April 14. Gates open at 5 p.m. Racing at 7:30.

ARDC SETS ENGINE RULES; CURTAIN WILL RISE ON APRIL 14

Oley, PA - Friday night, April 14, will mark the 67th time that the curtain has risen on another season of midget auto racing presented by the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC).
Susquehanna Speedway Park will be the site of this year's ARDC lid-lifter, with gates opening at 5 p.m. Racing gets underway at 7:30, as the midgets join the Super Sportsman in qualifying heat and feature race action.
With six-time and defending champion Ray Bull committing to just a part-time ARDC schedule in 2006, the battle for the championship appears to be wide open. Bull, who will do some USAC Silver Crown dirt track racing, also plans to tow his midget to USAC venues for most of the season. With the Bloomsburg, PA hot shoe out of the way, and taking his teammate Dave Shirk to the midwest with him, the door to the title is ajar, and many of the ARDC competitors are prepping for an all-out assault on the championship.
Last year's runner-up in points, and the circuits leading winner with eight triumphs, Steve Buckwalter might be the odds-on favorite to capture his first ARDC point crown. The Royersford Rocket will have plenty of challengers, though. The 2005 Rookie of the Year, Andy Martin, has made no secret of the fact that winning the championship is his team's primary focus in 2006. Martin ended up third in last year's standings.
A host of others are primed and ready to stake their claim as contenders for the title, too. With a new Spike Chassis under him for 2006, Donnie Trent is chomping at the bit and ready to go. Steve Lenig has a pretty new paint scheme on his no. 9, and Steve Craig is planning to run all the races on the schedule in '06. The Miller Racing Team, with father Mike and daughter Michele, are rarin' to go. Michele's sister, Tracy, is expected to fly in from California to run the opener.
The RT Racing Team, with drivers Carey Becker and A.J. Ernesto, is pumped up about its chances of winning races and contending for the championship. The 1997 ARDC point champion, Ed Stimely Jr., will be back along with consistent top-ten finisher Scott Zipp.
The club recently held a meeting with its members to discuss possible changes to the engine rules for 2007 and beyond. The discussion brought the current season into play as well, and after a couple of thorough presentations on some new midget engines that are available, the membership and the Board of Governors reached an agreement on this year's engine rules package. The rules governing engines will remain the same, with the following exception: The new Esslinger ST Spec Engine will be allowed by ARDC in 2006, but on a one-year probationary basis. This means that anyone running the Esslinger ST (a motor developed by the noted engine builder to retain horsepower and reliability, while keeping the cost reasonable) will not be eligible for point fund money or post-season awards. NOTE: this is not the $27,800 engine that is being allowed by USAC this season. The Esslinger ST engine is priced at $15,800 and is designed for use on short tracks.
ARDC also made some slight revisions to its handicapping system. Teams should note that drivers will draw for their starting positions at the April 14 opener.

NEXT EVENT: Friday, April 14...Season Opener at Susquehanna Speedway Park. Gates open at 5 p.m. Racing at 7:30.

USAC & FOCUS INVADERS TO RUN WITH ARDC AT SUSKY

Oley, PA - When the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) opens its season on April 14, there will be some new names on the entry list. Along with those new faces, a few members from seasons past will be returning to the fold. And, to put the icing on the cake of northeastern midget fans, there will be a couple of invaders trying to steal the glory from the ARDC teams.
When the first green flag of 2006 drops on the midget field at Susquehanna Speedway Park, Jimmy Light of Indianapolis, IN will do battle with the cars and stars of ARDC. Light, who was born in West Springfield, PA, is set to twist the steering wheel for veteran car owner John Givens, from Poughkeepsie, NY.
This will be the second full season of midget racing for the 22 year-old Light. His racing career began on two wheels, doing stunts and jumps on a dirt bike. He was a Go-Kart champion in 2002, then concentrated on the Ford Focus Midget series in 2003 and 2004.
Last season, in addition to winning a pair of Ford Focus events and piling up 16 top-ten finishes in that division, Light made his debut in the seat of a full sized midget. Running with USAC and BMARA, he racked up two finishes inside the top-five.
The 2006 season will find the Givens/Light combo in the pits at four ARDC events to go along with a very ambitious diet of USAC, BMARA, and POWERi races.
Light's Spike/Esslinger no. 49 is sponsored by Hal's Speed Shop, Horsepower Inc, Spike, Esslinger, and Simpson.
And there will be a Ford Focus Midget in the field when ARDC begins its 67th year of presenting exciting midget auto racing on April 14.
Young lion Ryan Smith, who has already tasted victory in February's Tangerine Bowl events in Florida, will attempt to qualify for the first ARDC feature of 2006 at Susquehanna. Smith, who won twice at East Bay Speedway and captured the overall Tangerine Bowl title, is ready to throttle his S&S Speedways Focus Midget against the higher-horsepowered cars of the American Racing Drivers Club.
The kid from Kunkletown has a busy schedule mapped out for this year. He is planning to enter more than 30 events, with several additional ARDC races on the docket in addition to his Ford Focus race meets.
ARDC, one of the oldest sanctioning bodies in the country, is also proud of another newcomer to the club this year. For the first time in the group's long and storied history, there will be an "official push truck of the ARDC Midgets".
Long-time fan of midget racing Vaughn Rockney will pilot the Suzuki Samurai that he affectionately named "Sammy Sapling". Rockney wanted to be more involved, so he purchased the vehicle last fall, rebuilt it and beefed it up over the winter, and recently added some terrific looking graphics to spruce up Sammy's appearance. After a few "test sessions" at Trail Way Speedway, Rockney has pronounced his creation "ready to push the midgets".
On April 14, Susquehanna Speedway Park, the Home Track of ARDC in 2006, will open the gates at 5 p.m. Racing gets underway at 7:30.

ARDC SETS IMPORTANT SPRING MEETING FOR APRIL 2ND

Oley, PA - The American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) has scheduled its annual Spring Meeting for Sunday, April 2nd, at the Lobitz Catering Hall in Hazleton, PA.
This very important meeting, set for 1 p.m., is open to all ARDC members and discussions will focus on plans for the 2006 season as well as possible engine rules for 2007 and beyond. It is imperative that all ARDC Midget car owners attend this meeting to voice their opinion(s) on future engine rules for the club.
Only those who have paid their membership fee for 2006, and are members in good standing with ARDC will be allowed to vote on any proposed motions at this meeting.
The General Membership gathering will follow a meeting of the club's Board of Governors, which is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.
Information on technical inspection of cars and engines will be forthcoming in the next week or two. Technical Inspector Butch Zipp has announced that he will be at the practice session at Susquehanna Speedway Park on April 9 if anyone would like to have their car/engine inspected at that time. The open practice session at SSP will be held from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. on the ninth of April. Gates open at 5 p.m.
The season opener for the ARDC Midgets is scheduled for Friday, April 14, at the club's home track for 2006, Susquehanna Speedway Park. Gates open at 5 p.m., with the first green flag set for 7:30.

NEXT EVENT: The Reading Racing Reunion at the Fairgrounds Square Mall, Reading, PA. Sunday, February 26 through Saturday, March 4.

NEW AND FAMILIAR FACES TO COMPETE WITH ARDC IN 2006; SEE THE MIDGETS AT THE READING RACING REUNION

Oley, PA - Some new and familiar faces will grace the ranks of the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) roster in 2006. While some drivers will be making their debut in a midget, others are returning to the fold after a few years' absence.
      Tracy Readinger, the Oley, PA modified and sprint car talent, is one of those who will make his maiden voyage with the club in the April 14 season opener at Susquehanna Speedway Park.
      Readinger, who owns a victory at the Grandview Speedway in a NASCAR 358 Modified, purchased the Stealth midget that was driven to three wins last year by Donnie Trent. Readinger also bought an engine and other parts and pieces from the inventory of long-time ARDC campaigner Walt Stearly.
      Despite his wealth of experience behind the wheel, Readinger knows he must learn about racing midgets from the ground up. "I wanted a good car; a proven winner. I got that when I bought Donnie's Stealth chassis. That way, if I'm struggling, I'll know that it's me and not the car," he chuckled. "And, with the load of stuff I brought home from Stearly's place, I have enough parts and pieces to almost build another car. So I'll have plenty of stuff with which to get started and keep going."
      Readinger's backing will come from his sponsor of many years, D&S Archery of Barto, PA.
      Tracy plans to compete with ARDC at all of the club's events except those that occur on Saturday nights. He is still committed to Grandview's NASCAR-sanctioned events with his modified.
      Making his long-awaited comeback with ARDC is A.J. Ernesto of Reading, PA. The former micro sprint chauffeur began his midget career back in 1999, wheeling a MEGA Motorsports entry. In 2006, Ernesto will strap into an RT Racing Stealth/Gaerte as a teammate to Carey Becker.
      Ernesto piloted the MEGA team's car for two seasons, placing seventh in ARDC points in '99, then improving to fourth spot in driver's points during the 2000 campaign.
      His rookie year was highlighted by a runner-up finish at Dixieland Speedway in North Carolina, along with a seventh-place tally in his first time on pavement at the famed Flemington Speedway in Flemington, NJ. In 2000, he recorded a pair of top-fives in back to back races at Oswego, NY and Flemington.
      Sponsorship for the RT Racing Team and Ernesto will be provided by Cafe Waldorf of Reading, PA and Becker Painting. The team has also secured Wide Open Energy Drink as a 2006 sponsor.
      Ernesto will be part of a group of ARDC drivers on hand at the upcoming Reading Racing Reunion at the Fairgrounds Square Mall in Reading, PA. On Monday night, February 26, the drivers will take part in the live remote broadcast of the popular Gasoline Alley radio show. The show will take place from 5 to 9 p.m., and it can be heard on WALN Radio and also on the Internet.
      The drivers will be back on Thursday, March 2nd, for live interviews from the Reading Racing Reunion as part of Thunder on the Hill/ARDC Night at the show. Those interviews begin at 7:15 p.m.
       There will also be midgets on display throughout the week-long show. Cars expected include those of the Miller Racing Team, Donnie Trent's new Spike Chassis no. 18, the Starrett Racing no. 49 that was driven by Billy Pauch, Jr. at the recent Chili Bowl, and the Martin Racing no. 21 of 2005 Rookie of the Year Andy Martin.

ARDC HIRES ALSTON; EXCITING SCHEDULE SHAPING UP

Oley, PA - The American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) is proud to announce the hiring of noted flagger and race official Warren Alston. Alston's duties will be that of Race Director/Chief Starter for the midget series that will celebrate its 67th birthday in 2006.

"We are very excited about Warren's decision to accept our offer and work with ARDC this year," exclaimed club president Ron Lauer. "He brings a very extensive and well-rounded knowledge of flagging and directing an event, and we know he'll do a great job. We've been looking for a race director for over a year now, and I'm confident that Warren is the man for the job."

Alston has flagged at many area speedways, with Bridgeport Speedway as his most recent stop. He has also worked as chief starter for the NASCAR Busch North Series (now called the Busch East Series), and has long been hailed as someone who takes charge of an event, yet is easy to work with as he carries out his duties.

As Alston and the ARDC teams prep for the new season, the schedule remains a work in progress. It is growing by the week, however, and promises to provide one of the most exciting slates of midget racing in recent years.

Susquehanna Speedway Park will be known as the club's home track in 2006, hosting a total of eight ARDC events including the season opener on Friday, April 14.

Other highlights on the current schedule include three dates at the Grandview Speedway as part of Bob Miller's 2006 Thunder on the Hill Series. The midgets' first date at Grandview will be Tuesday, May 16, sharing the card with the World of Outlaws Sprint Series as they did in 2005. ARDC returns to the Bechtelsville, PA oval on Tuesday, June 27, as part of the Central PA Sprint Speedweek show at Grandview.

Two dates have been confirmed at the Big Diamond Raceway on June 16 and July 21. Last August, the ARDC midgets drew rave reviews for the action they presented at the Minersville, PA track, and new promoters Buddy Biever, Barry Bashore, and Dave Dissinger acted quickly to book them for 2006.

Additional stops on the ' 06 calendar include return visits to Williams Grove Speedway, the Orange County Fair Speedway, New Egypt Speedway, and the highly anticipated Southern Swing in North Carolina. Once again this year, the midgets will compete at the Dixieland Speedway in Elizabeth City, NC, then journey west for a race at the County Line Raceway in Rocky Mount. The Southern Swing will take place on Friday, June 23, and Saturday, June 24.

Negotiations are underway with several other race organizers as the schedule continues to grow.

The ARDC Board of Governors also wishes to thank all of the members who gave of their time at the recent car shows. The club had displays set up at Motorsports 2006 presented by VP Racing Fuels in Fort Washington, PA, and also at the Dirt Trackin' Show in York, PA. Special thanks go out to Lew Blair, the Martin Racing Team, Steve Lenig, and Dick Briggs, for providing their cars to enhance the ARDC display at these shows.

NOTE: the entire 2006 schedule appears below.

THE AMERICAN RACING DRIVERS CLUB
ARDC
PRESENTING MIDGET AUTO RACING SINCE 1939
2006 RACING SCHEDULE

These are the dates that have been confirmed for 2006 (as of January 23, 2006). Please log on to the club's web site, www.ardcmidgets.com for scheduling updates.

APRIL:
FRIDAY, APRIL 14: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA

MAY:
FRIDAY, MAY 5: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA
FRIDAY, MAY 12: Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, PA
TUESDAY, MAY 16: Grandview Speedway, Bechtelsville, PA
SATURDAY, MAY 20: Orange County Fair Speedway, Middletown, NY

JUNE:
FRIDAY, JUNE 9: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA
FRIDAY, JUNE 16: Big Diamond Raceway, Minersville, PA
FRIDAY, JUNE 23: Dixieland Speedway, Elizabeth City, NC
SATURDAY, JUNE 24: County Line Raceway, Rocky Mount, NC
TUESDAY, JUNE 27: Grandview Speedway, Bechtelsville, PA

JULY:
MONDAY, JULY 3: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA. The Super Show.
FRIDAY, JULY 21: Big Diamond Raceway, Minersville, PA
SATURDAY, JULY 29: New Egypt Speedway, New Egypt, NJ [Twin 20’s]

AUGUST:
FRIDAY, AUGUST 4: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA

SEPTEMBER:
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA.
Day 3 of the York County Nationals. [Twin 20’s]
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA

OCTOBER:
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14: Grandview Speedway, Bechtelsville, PA
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA. Candy Bowl.

**All events will be wingless heats and feature, unless noted otherwise.

ALPHABET SOUP AT THE CHILI BOWL & ARDC RESULTS
By Barry Angstadt

Tulsa, OK - Racing your way through the "alphabet soup" of main events at the Chili Bowl can be extremely difficult, as many drivers found out on Saturday. A few of them, however, provided some tremendous excitement for the assembled throng of fans in the grandstands.
Finding the most success was Wayne Johnson, from Oklahoma City, OK. Johnson, piloting an F5 Chassis, lined up sixth in the second F-Main. He finished third in that one, earning a spot in E-Main number two, where he finished in the fourth and final transfer position. In the second D-Main, Johnson again weaved his way into the final qualifying slot, placing third. He finished fifth in C-Main number two, advancing to the second B-Main. His midget was up to the task once more, as Johnson took the checkered flag in fifth position to qualify for the 50-lap Championship race. Unfortunately, his long day ended prematurely, as mechanical ills forced him to the sidelines midway through the event.
After the races on Saturday, Johnson sold his car, minus the engine, to Doug Rose of Reading, PA. Rose plans to campaign the car on the ARDC Midget tour.
Joe Walker, from Harrisonville, MO, competed in the day's first race, the K-Main. Walker transferred from K-1 to the first J-Main, followed by the initial I-Main, the H, and the G-Main. His Chili Bowl ended in the first F-Main, but it was quite a run for the driver of no. 31x.
The first J-Main is where Tyler Brown's Saturday of racing began. Brown, utilizing an exciting, rim-riding style, advanced all the way to the first of two G-Mains. He flipped in that one, but not before he rocketed into a qualifying spot. The large crowd gave Brown, of Norco, CA, a huge ovation in appreciation of his efforts.
Attesting to the strength of the 269-car Chili Bowl field, NASCAR Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year contender J.J. Yeley, a former USAC triple crown champion, could not qualify for the 50-lap A-Main. Yeley, who flipped in his preliminary night feature, advanced from the first C-Main to B-Main number one. The handling on his Bondio no. 47x seemed to go away in the B-Main, and Yeley had to watch the Chili Bowl finale from the stands.
ARDC COMPETITORS HAVE LIMITED SUCCESS
With Steve Buckwalter locked into Saturday's 50-lap Championship, the other ARDC teams tried their best to join him in the big race. Despite some limited success, no one was able to make it to the big dance with Buckwalter.
Dave Shirk and Kathy Kurtz did not make it out of the second J-Main. Both drivers felt they gained valuable experience during the week at the Tulsa Expo Center, and they are anxious to return next year.
Donnie Trent, a three-time winner on the ARDC trail in 2005, transferred out of the second I-Main to H-Main number two. His brand new Spike Chassis performed well, but Donnie did not make the cut in the H-Main (he finished seventh), ending his Chili Bowl adventure.
Brian Mater, from Pueblo, CO, was the successful bidder in the Miller Racing Team's Ebay auction to rent a ride for the Chili Bowl. Mater, who had never run on dirt before, handled himself well on the fast but tight oval. He did not transfer out of the second I-Main, but loved his experience in Tulsa.
Carey Becker also concluded his Chili Bowl by finishing right behind Trent in the second H-Main.
Billy Pauch, Jr. took the checkered flag in the runner-up spot in F-Main number one. Pauch was bottled up in traffic throughout the first E-Main, though, and did not advance to the D's.
Tracy Miller did not make it out of the second E-Main.
Michele Miller and Dave Ely were entered in the second C-Main. Michele took a nasty flip in turn three during that event, ending her week at the Bowl. Ely finished 11th and did not transfer into one of the B-Mains.
Andy Martin continued to struggle at his first Chili Bowl. Fuel mixture problems knocked him out of Friday's prelim, and a faulty coil ruined his day on Saturday. Martin was scheduled to start the second F-Main on the outside of the front row, but his engine was sputtering and popping due to the faulty coil, forcing Martin to the pit area before the green waved.
Six-time ARDC Champion Ray Bull got pinched into the backstretch wall during the first B-Main. Bull continued on, but could not advance through the star-studded field. He finished 17th in the B.
Late Model hot shoe Rick Eckert buckled into Mike Miller's no. 1x for this year's Chili Bowl. Eckert won the first H-Main, but he did not transfer out of the G.
That left Buckwalter as the lone ARDC member to start the 20th Annual O'Reilly's Chili Bowl Midget Nationals. By virtue of his fourth place finish on Thursday night, the Royersford Rocket started 11th in Saturday's A-Main. Buckwalter ran as high as fifth in the early stages, then slipped back to ninth. He worked his way back up to seventh before a fuel line came off in the cockpit of his Ray's Yamaha/All Seasons Motorsports no. 5m. Buckwalter had to drop out at that point, and was left to wonder what he has to do in order to finish this great event. This was Buckwalter's second A-Main start at the Bowl.
ALPHABET SOUP WINNERS:
K-MAINS: Joe Walker and Jesse Hockett
J-MAINS: Jay Mounce and Terry Tarditi
I-MAINS: Jonathan Henry and Stevie Sussex III
H-MAINS: Ron Kuhn and Rick Eckert
G-MAINS: Audra Sasselli and Bryan Gard
F-MAINS: Levi Jones and Damion Gardner
E-MAINS: John Wolfe and Damion Gardner
D-MAINS: Daniel Adler and Trey Robb
C-MAINS: Josh Wise and Donnie Lehman
B-MAINS: Justin Allgaier and Mike Goodman

T-MAC WINS THE CHILI BOWL
McCreadie uses Late Model tactics to score huge victory
By Barry Angstadt

Tulsa, OK - Five days prior to the 20th Annual O'Reilly's Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, Tim McCreadie was telling the media that he had a car that was capable of winning the Super Bowl of midget racing. Due to his lack of experience in driving the nimble little cars, though, the Watertown, NY wheel-twister wasn't sure that he would be able to drive the car to victory.
Last Saturday night, McCreadie proved that his natural talent could overcome any lack of seat time in a particular type of racecar as he defeated a stellar field in the Tulsa Expo Center. Even Jay Drake, the 2001 winner of this prestigious event and a sprint car and midget veteran, admitted that McCreadie "simply out-drove us tonight."
McCreadie lined up on the outside of row five as the 24 starters took the green flag in front of a standing room only crowd. He gained a few positions in the early going as four yellows flew in the first ten laps. The World of Outlaws Late Model star entered the top five on the ninth circuit, passing ARDC hot shoe Steve Buckwalter.
Pole-sitter Jay Drake and Cory Kruseman dueled for the lead during the early stages of the 50-lap A-Main, with Drake eventually easing out to a sizable margin. USAC star Jon Stanbrough chased Kruseman, with Danny Lasoski, and then Steve Kinser, in hot pursuit.
There was one negative incident in McCreadie's triumphant run, and it occured on lap 15 when he got into the back of Kinser in turns one and two, causing the King to spin. Kinser also suffered a flat left-rear tire in the process, forcing him to pit. His Keith Kunz crew replaced the tire and got the Bloomington, Indiana sprint car ace back onto the track before the green reappeared.
"I really feel bad about that," said McCreadie afterward. "Steve had to check up, and I was right behind him. I couldn't help hitting him, but I hate it."
T-Mac was now fourth, but not for long. He quickly disposed of Stanbrough, then slipped by Kruseman for the runner-up spot on lap 17. McCreadie set off to try and catch Drake, but Kruseman powered around Tim's no. 1a to reclaim second just before the halfway point. Four-time Chili Bowl champion Sammy Swindell was now lurking just behind the leaders in fourth, and a fantastic battle for the top spot was shaping up.
Lasoski rolled to a stop in turn two with 25 complete. On the restart, McCreadie used the low groove to skate by Kruseman for second. He began to apply pressure on Drake, with Kruseman, Swindell, and 21st starter Josh Wise joining the party at the head of the pack. The five open wheel jockeys waged a tremendous five-car tussle for the lead until Buckwalter coasted to a halt in turn four with 32 tours complete.
Twisting his Steve Smith Spike/Hawk on the bottom of the corners at both ends of the quarter-mile, McCreadie ducked under Drake to snatch the lead on lap 36. With 12 to go, the yellow flag waved for a spinning Bud Kaeding. Swindell was now the runner-up, coming out ahead of Drake and Kruseman in a terrific skirmish between the three battle-tested drivers. During a subsequent caution, however, Sammy had to pit with a flat left-rear.
Riding the cushion, Drake roared back into second in the waning laps. He could not catch McCreadie, though, and hd to settle for a distant second when the checkered fell. The Kruser held on for third in his Andy Bondio no. 47, with last year's Nationl Midget Drive of the Year, Brad Kuhn, racing home in fourth. USAC National Midget Champion Josh Wise rounded out the top five.
"Who the hell would have thought I could come here and do this?", stated a jubliant McCreadie in the winner's circle. I just got this ride two weeks ago. I kew the car was good enough to win, but I didn't know if I was. I have to thank Greg Wilke for hooking me up with Steve Smith. We changed bars right before the feature, and I was nervous. The guys told me not to worry; they said it wouldn't be tight. I also have to thank my dad...he's the reason I'm here, an d he's a helluva talent himself."
Drake noted that "he (McCreadie) was used to running the bottom because of his Late Model efforts. "He runs down there about 150 times a year (in his Late Model), while I am used to running up top. This is not tough to take, because Timmy was really good tonight. He just out-drove us."
Kruseman echoed those sentiments. "I believe we just got beat by someone who had more patience tonight," suggestd the Kruser. We were searching for some race track, but he just went right around the bottom."
NOTES:
Wayne Johnson, from Oklahoma City, OK, advanced from the second F-Main all the way to the A-Main. Unfortunately for Johnson, mechanical ills forced him to retire from the finale.
NASCAR Nextel Cup star Kasey Kahne flipped in turn four on the fifth circuit. Kahne was able to restart, but he was involved in another mishap with Johnny Rodriguez with nine to go. Kahne managed to limp to a 13th place finish.
Tony Stewart, the 2002 Chili Bowl winner and current Nextel Cup Champion, was unable to drive on Saturday. Stewart flipped for the second time on Friday evening, duplicating the crash he had on Wednesday night. Friday's tumble produced a very sore right arm which was placed in an immobilizer. Tests taken at a local hospital indicated that Stewart did not suffer any broken bones.
A total of 55 flips were recorded during the week.
CHILI BOWL A-MAIN RESULTS (50 LAPS):
1.Tim McCreadie 2.Jay Drake 3.Cory Kruseman 4.Brad Kuhn 5.Josh Wise 6.Jon Stanbrough 7.Tracy Hines 8.Shane Cottle 9.Jerry Coons, Jr. 10.Dave Darland 11.P.J. Jones 12.Steve Kinser 13.Kasey Kahne 14.Jason Leffler 15.Bud Kaeding 16.Garrett Hansen 17.Mike Goodman 18.Sammy Swindell 19.Johnny Rodriguez 20.Steve Buckwalter 21.Danny Lasoski 22.Don Droud, Jr. 23.Wayne Johnson 24.Justin Allgaier.

CORY CRUISES TO THRILLING FRIDAY NIGHT WIN AT THE CHILI BOWL
By Barry Angstadt

Tulsa, OK - Friday the 13th proved to be lucky for Ventura, CA's Cory Kruseman, as the Kruser captured his preliminary main event on Warren CAT Qualifying Night at the Chili Bowl. Actually, the 2000 and 2004 Chili Bowl champion didn't need any luck, he just needed the top groove to come in for him, which it did.
"The top got better and the bottom got worse, and that helped me to get him (runner-up P.J. Jones)," explained the pilot of one of Andy Bondio's creations. "P.J. was really strong."
Wednesday and Thursday's features were exciting, but Friday's was absolutely spine-tingling. Kruseman jumped from the pole position to lead lap one, but Jones shoved his TCR/Minarik Chevy no. 17J under the Kruser in turns one and two to snatch the top spot on the second circuit. Jones would set the pace for the next 11 trips on the Tulsa Expo Center's clay surface, as six yellow flags plagued the first half of the race.
Kruseman turned up the pressure as the event neared its halfway point. He rolled around the bottom of turns three and four, then blasted out of the corner ahead of Jones. P.J. pulled a slider in one and two to retake the lead. Kruseman decided to try the high line, and powered around Jones in turn four to reclaim the point as they charged to the crossed flags.
Three more caution periods dotted the second half of the 25-lapper. The restarts allowed Mike Goodman, Sammy Swindell, and high-flying Kasey Kahne to join the party at the head of the field. On one restart, Goodman went to the top in one and two, and made it a three-wide battle for the lead. Jones, running the low side, motored into the top spot on the backstretch, with Kruseman fending off the challenge by Tulsa's own, Goodman. But the fun was just beginning...
The Bondio/Barnes Oil Pumps/Axtell Cams no. 47 of Kruseman swept by Jones as Swindell, sneaking through the pack on the extreme inside groove, moved into fourth. A four-car wrestling match ensued as Jones, Goodman, Swindell, and Kahne battled for the runner-up position. Kruseman pulled away as the fans roared their approval over the incredible fight behind him.
A final yellow flag with two to go set up a fantastic finish. Kruseman shot out in front, with Kahne riding the cushion in one and two to rocket around Swindell. As soon as he cleared the Venture Racing no. 1, Kahne dove to the inside in an attempt to get under Jones. Kruseman flew to the checkered ahead of Jones, who nosed out Kahne for second. Swindell was a very close fourth, with Goodman valiantly chasing the top four to the finish line.
In the press conference following the race, Kruseman was asked to announce the night's attendance figure to the assembled media. "There were 13,622 people here tonight," pronounced the winner. "Are you sure that you are paying us enough?", he asked the Chili Bowl officials who were in the room.
NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion Tony Stewart, coming off a nasty flip in Wednesday's warm-ups, appeared to be primed and ready to qualify on Friday, winning his heat race by a comfortable margin. In the fourth A Qualifier, however, the Columbus, IN chauffeur flipped his Coca Cola no. 20 again. Stewart was flying down the backstretch on the opening lap of the event when he ran out of racing room, hit the wall, and launched into a frightening series of tumbles along the wall. He may have suffered an injury to his arm in the crash, and was reportedly dazed as he left the Tulsa Expo Center to seek treatment. His crew went to work on the car immediately, but it was not known if the 2002 Chili Bowl winner would be physically ready for competition on Saturday.
It was a difficult evening for the three ARDC competitors entered in Friday's prelim. Andy Martin, the Gordonville Flash, started last (9th) in his heat race. The 2005 ARDC Rookie of the Year earned plenty of passing points in the eight-lapper, finishing in the fourth position. But Martin's night worsened from there, as the engine in his no. 21m began to sputter in A Qualifier #2. Martin started seventh in that race, and was beginning to work his way through traffic in spite of his engine woes. He blasted into turn one a bit too high on one occasion, though, catching the wall and laying his midget on its side.
Andy was able to restart, but dropped out on the final lap due to the nagging motor problem. That put him into the second B Main, where he was also forced to retire (while running eighth), due to the same blubbering motor, with a few laps remaining.
Reading, PA's Tracy Miller took the green in third spot in the night's final heat race. Tracy fell back, but managed a third place finish when the two cars in front of her got together in turn four on the last lap.
In A Qualifier #1, Miller was collected in a first turn mishap on the initial start. She finished ninth in that one, placing her in B Main number one. Tracy, with nowhere to go, plowed into Damien Gardner, who spun in turn three. Her crew quickly replaced a flat tire, and her night ended with a tenth place finish.
Colorado's Brian Mater, who gained a Chili Bowl ride in the Miller Racing Team no. 7x via an Ebay auction, wound up fifth in the same heat race as Tracy. He started on the pole in Last Chance Race #3, but immediately faded to the back of the pack. It was Mater's first dirt track experience; he competes in the Super Stock division at I-25 Speedway in his home state. I-25 is a quarter-mile asphalt track.
FRIDAY NIGHT RESULTS:
HEAT RACE WINNERS: 1.P.J. Jones 2.Wally Pankratz 3.Alan Ballard 4.Cory Kruseman 5.Sammy Swindell 6.Daniel Adler 7.Tony Stewart 8.Mike Goodman 9.Joe Boyles 10.Travis Berryhill
LAST CHANCE RACE WINNERS: 1.Davey Camfield 2.Matt Sherrell 3.Casey Shuman 4.Damien Gardner
A QUALIFIER #1: 1.Dave Darland
A QUALIFIER #2: 1.Josh Wise
A QUALIFIER #3: 1.Mike Goodman
A QUALIFIER #4: 1.Teddy Beach
B-MAIN #1: 1.Brad Loyet
B-MAIN #2: 1.Shane Cottle
A-MAIN FINISH (25 LAPS) - TOP FOUR ADVANCE TO SATURDAY'S 50-LAP CHAMPIONSHIP A-MAIN:
1.Cory Kruseman 2.P.J. Jones 3.Kasey Kahne 4.Sammy Swindell 5.Mike Goodman 6.Bryan Clauson 7.Teddy Beach 8.Shane Cottle 9.Rich Camfield 10.Dan Boorse 11.Josh Richards 12.Dave Darland 13.Brad Loyet 14.Casey Shuman 15.Alan Ballard 16.Keith Rauch 17.Wally Pankratz 18.Josh Wise 19.Paul McMahan 20.Joe Boyles 21.Jimmy Sills 22.Shane Hollingsworth 23.Travis Berryhill 24.Mat Neely.

LOVE'S THURSDAY NIGHT THUNDER AT THE BOWL: JAY DRAKE WINS; BUCKWALTER IS LOCKED IN TO SATURDAY'S CHILI BOWL FINALE
By Barry Angstadt

Thursday's A-Main (25 Laps; top four finishers advance to Saturday's 50-lap Championship Main Event):
1.Jay Drake 2.Jon Stanbrough 3.Garrett Hansen 4.Steve Buckwalter 5.Justin Allgaier 6.Jason Leffler 7.Kevin Swindell 8.Tracy Hines 9.Brad Kuhn 10.Michael Trimble

A Qualifier 1: 1.Justin Allgaier
A Qualifier 2: 1.J.J. Yeley (NOTE: Yeley started on the pole in the A-Main, but got out of shape on the opening lap, flipping on the homestretch. He blamed Stanbrough, stating that Jon "missed the bottom in one and two, and got into me on the backstretch." Yeley's car, sporting a left-front bicycle tire, became a pinball as the top runners bounced into and off of him, pinching his no. 47x into the front stretch wall.)
A Qualifier 3: 1.Steve Buckwalter
A Qualifier 4: 1.Jay Drake

ARDC Results: Buckwalter finished 2nd in his heat race (started fourth). Started 3rd in A Qualifier #3, which he won. Started fifth in the A-Main and finished fourth to transfer directly into the 50-lap Chili Bowl finale on Saturday night.
Dave Ely also qualified for Thursday's A-Main. Ely finished 3rd in the second B-Main. Dave had to run in one of the Last Chance Races, where he finished 2nd. Ely placed fifth in his heat race. In the 25-lap feature, he was collected in the Yeley flip, but was able to restart. A few laps later, he dropped out, finishing 22nd.
Donnie Trent was not happy with his car's performance in heat race no. 3, where he ended up 6th. He looked much better in the second Last Chance Race, but spun while going for the lead with two laps complete. Trent soldiered on, but his evening came to an end in that race as he finished 7th.
Dave Shirk started eighth (last) in the final heat race of the night. He took the checkered in sixth spot. He also ran in the second Last Chance Race, finishing 9th.
Rick Eckert, the World of Outlaw Late Model star, rolled off in 9th (last) position in heat race no. 9. He advanced to sixth in that eight-lap event which placed him on the outside pole for Last Chance Race no. 3. Eckert took the lead and appeared to be headed to victory when the engine in the Miller Racing Team no. 1x loaded up with fuel and shut off. In a heads-up move, Eckert shut off the fuel, then turned it back on and the car re-fired. But he lost several positions in the process, winding up in 6th when the checkered flag fell.
The full press release will be sent later on Friday morning.

LASOSKI WINS, STEWART FLIPS ON OPENING NIGHT AT THE CHILI BOWL;
BULL AND MICHELE MILLER LEAD ARDC ASSAULT
By Barry Angstadt

Tulsa, OK - Danny Lasoski went two-for-three during Wednesday's Creek Nation Casino Qualifying Showdown at the Tulsa Expo Center, as the 20th Annual O'Reilly's Chili Bowl Midget Nationals got underway. The Dover, Missouri sprint car ace captured his heat race, finished second to Tim McCreadie in the fourth A-Qualifier, then led every lap of the A-Main to lock himself into the 50-lap finale on Saturday night. The King, Steve Kinser, finished as the runner-up to Lasoski, with midget hot-shoe Jerry Coons, Jr. and McCreadie racing home third and fourth, respectively. The top four finishers from each of the three qualifying nights automatically transfer int o the A-Main on Saturday.
"I come here because I love this sport," stated the former World of Outlaws sprint car champion. "And because here at the Chili Bowl, you are racing against the best of the best, not only the best midget drivers but the best from many other classes of racing."
The man who used to be Lasoski's sprint car boss, NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion Tony Stewart, provided some early excitement when he flipped violently in turn three during the first lap of warm-ups on Wednesday. Stewart's Venture Racing/ Coca Cola/ Spike Chassis no. 20 sustained heavy damage, forcing him to withdraw from the evening's competition. Stewart, who quickly climbed from his crippled car, will come back and attempt to qualify for the O'Reilly's Chili Bowl Midget Nationals on Friday.
Because he earned more points than anyone else in Wednesday's 88-car field, Lasoski started on the pole in the 25-lap feature. He put his Jerry Russell Eagle/Esslinger no. 33d out front at the drop of the green, with Kinser immediately darting into second ahead of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma's Brady Bacon.
Lasoski planted his left-front wheel on top of the inside berm in turns three and four while riding up on the cushion in one and two. He held the top spot throughout the race, which was slowed by four yellows. Kinser ducked under the Dude on a couple of occasions, but could not pull off the pass. "Until I saw Steve's nose, I had no idea how close anyone was," noted the winner. "I only knew that I was not coming off the bottom in three and four, no matter who was back there."
In the waning laps, Kinser had to fight off a strong challenge by Coons, with McCreadie and Bacon in attack mode as well. Coons appeared to get a run on the King with two to go, but Kinser drifted up the track in turn four to squash his momentum. "I've run with Danny often enough to know that he will not give up the bottom, so I had to try the high side," explained the Bloomington, Indiana veteran. "I'm just relieved that we're running so well, and we're locked into Saturday's A-Main. Now I can go home and watch my boy's wrestling match, and then co me back ready to go on Saturday.
At the checkered, it was Lasoski winning comfortably over Kinser, Coons, McCreadie, and Bacon.
ARDC Champion Ray Bull had a rough start on opening night. As his heat race was about to go green, pole-sitter Joe Zierolf spun in the fourth turn, collecting most of the field, including Bull. The result was a bent front axle on the Mega Motorsports no. 22, but the Bloomsburg, PA chauffeur was ready for the restart. A few laps later, while running third (only four cars were able to restart after the initial pile-up), Bull spun and was hit by another car. He tried to resume, but his front end collapsed, knocking the Raging Bull out of competition. He was credited with a third-place finish, however, as only two cars were able to finish the race.
Bull chased Coons to the checkers in the first A-Qualifier, putting him on the inside of row four for the A-Main. The Lausch's Moving and Storage/Lobitz Catering Stealth/Gaerte no. 22 worked the inside lane during the 25-lapper, moving to fourth before the halfway point. As the bottom groove went away, though, Bull was gobbled up by McCreadie and Bacon, and eventually settled for a ninth-place finish. "The right-rear tire sealed over, and the engine quit twice near the end of the feature," Bull stated afterward. "We don't know why the engine quit, b ut we'll figure it out before Saturday."
Michele Miller also qualified for Wednesday's main event, but she had to run several races in order to do so. She finished fifth in the evening's tenth and final heat race, then ran second in Last Chance Race no. 3. She was leading that one, but Kyle Rayburn slipped under her coming off the second corner on the last trip around the quarter-mile oval. Michele appeared to finish fifth in the first B-Main, one spot away from a transfer to the feature, but she was scored as the fourth and final qualifier after Greg Schaefer was put back two positions for an infraction. Miller ended her long night of racing with an 18th in the A-Main.
The heartbreak of the night belonged to Frenchtown, NJ's Billy Pauch, Jr. Making his Chili Bowl debut, Pauch finished an impressive third in his heat race. Starting seventh in the first of two B-Mains, Pauch deftly steered the Starrett Racing no. 49 into third (the top four qualified for the feature). On the final circuit, Pauch darted to the low side, trying to pass USAC standout Tony Elliott. Charging through turns three and four, they got together, with Pauch pushing Elliott's car to the top of the race track. Both cars stalled as the rest of the field zipped by them, ending their chances of making the main event.
Other ARDC drivers who competed on Wednesday were Carey Becker in the RT Racing no. 20c, and Kathy Kurtz, who was making her maiden voyage at the Chili Bowl. Becker finished eighth in his heat race, then placed sixth in Last Chance Race no. 1. Only two cars transferred out of each of the four Last Chance Races.
Kurtz was an unfortunate victim in her 10-lap heat as she was collected by the same car in two separate incidents. The second mix-up knocked her out of the event. She was forced out of Last Chance Race no. 2 by a mechanical problem, finishing ninth.

HEAT RACE WINNERS: 1.Steve Kinser 2.Aaron Fike 3.Don Droud, Jr. 4.Brady Bacon 5.Johnny Rodriguez 6.Danny Lasoski 7.R.J. Johnson 8.Joey Montgomery 9.Craig Carey 10.Tony Elliott

LAST CHANCE RACE WINNERS: 1.Stan Yockey 2.Wayne Johnson 3.Kyle Rayburn 4.Donnie Lehman

A-QUALIFIER WINNERS: 1.Jerry Coons 2.Steve Kinser 3.Davey Ray 4.Tim McCreadie

B-MAIIN WINNERS: 1.Bud Kaeding 2.Brent Beauchamp

A-MAIN FINISH (25 LAPS): 1.Danny Lasoski 2.Steve Kinser 3.Jerry Coons, Jr. 4.Tim McCreadie 5.Brady Bacon 6.Don Droud, Jr. 7.Johnny Rodriguez 8.Bud Kaeding 9.Ray Bull 10.Davey Ray 11.Brent Beauchamp 12.Ryan Kaplan 13.Brett Anderson 14.Joey Montgomery 15.Chad McDaniel 16.Donnie Lehman 17.Paul White 18.Michele Miller 19.Danny Stratton 20.Aaron Fike 21.Craig Carey 22.Ryan Durst 23.Rik Forbes 24.Stan Yockey.

Upcoming Events:
20th Annual O'Reilly's Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
January 11 - 14, 2006 at the Tulsa Exposition Center.
Motorsports 2006 Presented by VP Racing Fuels, Fort Washington, PA.
January 13, 14, & 15, 2006 at the Fort Washington Expo Center.
EMPA Convention, Trevose, PA. January 27, 28, & 29, 2006.

ARDC'S KATHY KURTZ ADDED TO CHILI BOWL ROSTER

Oley, PA - Kathy Kurtz, the ARDC Midgets Most Improved Driver in 2001, is
joining forces with the Miller Racing Team for an assault on the 20th Annual
O'Reilly's Chili Bowl in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Kurtz/Miller combo includes a common link; Jeff Kuhns is the crew
chief for both teams. Kathy's Rays Yamaha/Wing Dynamics no. 72 will be
painted
in the Miller Racing Team's colors, and the Miller crew, headed up by Kuhns,
will service her midget in addition to the five-car stable of car owner Mike
Miller.
"We just figured, since Jeff is the crew chief for both of us, we might
as well combine all of our manpower," noted Miller. "Kathy and Jeff have
been such a big help to us over the past few years, that anything I can do to
help their effort is my pleasure."
Kurtz, who also won the 2000 ARDC Rookie of the Year award, will compete
against the other 270 star-studded entries at this year's Bowl, slated for
January 11 - 14.
New to the Chili Bowl this year is a practice night, set for Tuesday,
January 10. Each of the entrants will get the chance to hot lap on Tuesday.
Qualifying for Saturday's $10,000 to win, 50-lap finale begins on
Wednesday the 11th. The field, representing 31 different states this year, is
split into three groups. Each group will run in heats, C-and B-Mains, and a
25-lap feature on their respective qualifying night. The top four finishers
from each of the preliminary main events will be locked in to the Chili Bowl
A-Main.
Saturday, the 14th, is "alphabet soup" day, as drivers who still need to
qualify try to race their way through a multitude of last-chance races,
probably beginning with the J- or K-Mains. When the green flag drops on the
20th Annual O'Reilly's Chili Bowl Midget Nationals A-Main, the 270-car field will
be pared down to the exclusive 24 throttle-jockeys who will vie for the
coveted Golden Driller Trophy.
Each night of the 2006 Chili Bowl will be webcast at _www.racinboys.com_
(http://www.racinboys.com) . Daily updates will also be posted on
_www.chilibowl.com_ (http://www.chilibowl.com) , _www.ardcmidgets.com_
(http://www.ardcmidgets.com) , _www.hoseheads.com_ (http://www.hoseheads.com) ,
_www.thedirttrackchannel.com_ (http://www.thedirttrackchannel.com) ,
_www.openwheelracers.com_ (http://www.openwheelracers.com) , as well as many
other motorsports related web sites.

ARDC TEAMS STARTING 2006 AT THE CHILI BOWL

Oley, PA - The American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) is honored to have 12 of
its cars headed for battle at the 20th Annual O'Reilly's Chili Bowl Midget
Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The "Super Bowl of Midget Racing" takes place
from January 11 - 14, 2006 at the Tulsa Exposition Center.
Heading the list of ARDC entrants is none-other than Ray Bull of
Bloomsburg, PA. Bull, a six-time ARDC Midget Champion, authored an impressive
fifth-place finish in last year's Chili Bowl A-Main. The Raging Bull began
his week by charging from eighth to third in Thursday night's heat race. He
backed it up by taking the checkered flag in fifth spot in the 25-lap qualifying
night feature.
Those efforts put Bull on the pole for Saturday's first B-Main. He led
all the way in that one to secure the 13th starting spot in the big 50-lap
finale.
This year, the pilot of the Mega Motorsports no. 22 will race on
Wednesday evening in the Creek Nation Casino Qualifying Showdown. He will be
pitted
against ARDC regulars Michele Miller; Carey Becker; and Billy Pauch, Jr.
Also in Wednesday's field will be the defending and two-time NASCAR Nextel Cup
Champion Tony Stewart (who won the Chili Bowl in 2002); multi-time World of
Outlaws Sprint Car Champion Steve Kinser; Dan Boorse (who owns a pair of Chili
Bowl titles); NHRA Funny Car chauffeurs Cruz and Frank Pedregon; Danny "the
Dude" Lasoski; and WoO Late Model standout Tim McCreadie.
Love's Thursday Night Thunder at the Bowl will see Bull's Mega
Motorsports teammate Dave Shirk in action. The 2004 ARDC Rookie of the Year
will be joined by Honey Brook, PA's Donnie Trent (in a brand new Spike chassis); URC
Sprint Car star Dave Ely; the Royersford Rocket, Steve Buckwalter (an
eight-time winner on the ARDC trail in ' 05); and WoO Late Model driver Rick
Eckert.
The York, PA, wheel-twister will be strapped into the Miller Racing Team no.
1x for his second Chili Bowl appearance.
On Thursday, the ARDC teams will be facing some formidable competition:
Tracy Hines, the defending Chili Bowl champion and NASCAR Craftsman Truck
Series racer; Late Model veteran Steve Francis; Jason Leffler; 2006 NASCAR
Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year candidate J.J. Yeley; All Star Circuit of
Champions Sprint Car Champion Chad Kemenah; former Chili Bowl winner
Jay Drake; USAC Sprint Car Champion Levi Jones; and Kevin Swindell (son
of WoO Sprint Car star Sammy Swindell).
On Friday, during Warren CAT Qualifying Night, Tracy Miller and 2005
Rookie of the Year Andy Martin will lead the ARDC contingent. They will be
joined by the successful bidder of the Miller Racing Team's Ebay auction (the
bidding closed on Saturday, December 31, after this was written). They will
try to qualify for the big race against the likes of four-time Chili Bowl winner
Sammy Swindell; NASCAR Nextel Cup superstar Kasey Kahne; ARCA ReMax driver
Brandon Knupp; midget veterans Jimmy Sills, Danny Stratton, and Scott Hatton;
former Chili Bowl winner Cory Kruseman; NHRA Top Fuel pilot Morgan Lucas;
USAC National Midget Champion Josh Wise; and the 2005 National Midget Rookie
of the Year Brad Loyet.
In 2005, Michele Miller and her sister, Tracy, became the first females
to qualify for an A-Main at the Chili Bowl. Each of the siblings transferred
into the feature during their respective qualifying night of competition.
This year's edition of the Chili Bowl will be Tracy's last ride in a midget,
at least for a while. She has moved to California, due to a job promotion, so
her motivation for the Chili Bowl is to go out in grand style.
Michele is primed for progress, hoping to advance further than one of
Saturday's C-Mains, which is where her Chili Bowl ended last year. The young
lady from Reading, PA, will be sporting a beautiful black-and-pink paint
scheme on her Ray's Yamaha/ All Seasons Motorsports/ Stealth/ Don Ott Racing
Engines no. 4 at this year's event.
Buckwalter made it to the A-Main in 2004, but could only advance to one
of the B-Mains in 2005. The ARDC point runner-up did win his preliminary
night heat race last year, and finished seventh in that evening's feature.
Trent made it to one of the D-Mains last year, while other ARDC
campaigners wound up farther down in Saturday's "alphabet soup" feature races.
The
20th running of this wildly popular event will mark the first efforts of
Martin, Ely, and Billy Pauch, Jr.

THE AMERICAN RACING DRIVERS CLUB
ARDC
PRESENTING MIDGET AUTO RACING SINCE 1939

2006 RACING SCHEDULE

These are the dates that have been confirmed for 2006 (as of December 29, 2005). Negotiations for suitable dates are ongoing with New Egypt Speedway, Little Valley, and Big Diamond as well as several other tracks. Please log on to the club's web site, www.ardcmidgets.com for scheduling updates.

APRIL:
FRIDAY, APRIL 14: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA

MAY:
FRIDAY, MAY 5: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA
FRIDAY, MAY 12: Williams Grove Speedway, Mechanicsburg, PA
TUESDAY, MAY 16: Grandview Speedway, Bechtelsville, PA

JUNE:
FRIDAY, JUNE 9: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA
TUESDAY, JUNE 27: Grandview Speedway, Bechtelsville, PA

JULY:
MONDAY, JULY 3: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA. The Super Show.

AUGUST:
FRIDAY, AUGUST 4: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA

SEPTEMBER:
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA.
Day 3 of the York County Nationals. [Twin 20’s]

OCTOBER:
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14: Grandview Speedway, Bechtelsville, PA
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28: Susquehanna Speedway Park, Newberrytown, PA.
2nd Annual Candy Bowl.

**All events will be wingless heats and feature, unless noted otherwise.

MILLER RACING TEAM OFFERS CHILI BOWL RIDE ON EBAY

Oley, PA - Fresh off its first ARDC Car Owner's Championship, the Miller Racing Team has created a unique opportunity for racers who want to compete at the 20th Annual O'Reilly's Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, OK.
"We're offering a ride for the Chili Bowl, in one of our cars, on Ebay," announced Mike Miller. "The auction has begun, and the highest bidder, if the bid is accepted, will be able to race in Tulsa in a few weeks."
"The driver will be able to pick which night he or she wants to race in the preliminary programs," continued Miller. "Of course, he or she will be able to practice, along with everyone else, on Tuesday, January 10. They will have their choice of racing on either Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday in one of the preliminary shows. We have already entered the car, so that is paid. Any mechanical problems are my financial responsibility, but any damage caused by crashes must be paid for by the driver."
The Miller Racing Team will foot the bill for transporting the car to and from Oklahoma.
The ride being auctioned is a proven winner on the ARDC trail. A Stealth chassis carries the powerful Don Ott engine, and this combination visited victory lane twice in 2005. Andy Martin raced to his first career ARDC triumph in this car at Little Valley, NY, and then Mike Miller ended the season by winning with this car at Susquehanna Speedway Park. It will carry the number 7, but the highest bidder also has the chance to put his or her sponsor's colors on the car, if the sponsor provided the dollars for the highest bid.
The 20th Annual O'Reilly's Chili Bowl Midget Nationals will be contested from January 11 through the 14th. "This is a great opportunity for someone who really wants to compete in this prestigious and popular event," noted Miller. "But they may not have their own car, or know anyone who can provide a ride for them. We can offer them a real good car to run, and we're even taking care of some of the expenses."
As mentioned earlier, bids are now being accepted on Ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2006-Chili-Bowl-Midget-Nationals-Ride-For-Rent_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ98061QQitemZ4599311777QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW