Third generation asphalt Modified driver Jimmy Zacharias, who has been winning races on New York State’s Southern Tier for many years, is the latest driver to enter the inaugural Ironton Telephone TQ Midget races inside the PPL Center in Allentown, Pa., set for Saturday, January 2, 2016,
Zacharias will be driving a TQ Midget built by Lou Cicconi, Jr. The car is a good one; it was previously driven to two Indoor race victories including a 100 lapper by Stewart Friesen in Providence, Rhode Island.
Zacharias, 24, is coming off one of the best seasons of his outdoor driving career, winning the 2015 NASCAR New York State Modified championship, primarily on the strength of a track title earned at Chemung (NY) Speedrome. The NASCAR crown was Zacharias’ second in three years.
Len Sammons, event organizer of the Len Sammons Motorsports Productions (LSMP) inaugural event in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, feels that every driver entered in the race has a good chance to win.
“The response for the first Allentown Indoor race been tremendous,” Sammons said. “With this being the first Indoor race in Allentown, no one will have an advantage in experience. It’s going to be all new for everybody and the fans are in for an unbelievable show.”
The Allentown race is first of three events in the Indoor Auto Racing Championship Series Fueled By VP Racing Fuels. Racing in Atlantic City, NJ and Trenton, N.J., complete the Series in late January and February.
Past LSMP Indoor event winners include Ted Christopher of Plainville, Ct., Lou Cicconi. Jr., of Lester, Pa., Andy Jankowiak of Buffalo, N.Y., Mike Lichty of Innerkip, Ontario, Canada, Joey Payne of Fair Lawn, N.J., Erick Rudolph of Ransomville, N.Y. and Anthony Sesely of Matawan, N.J.
Lehigh Valley, Pa., area drivers expecting to compete for the victory include Brandon Azzalina of Saylorsburg, Pat Bealer of Slatington, Louie Horvath of Walnutport, Matt Janisch of Nazareth, Stephen Nederostek of Walnutport. Earl Paules of Palmerton, Matt Roselli of Brodheadsville.
Slingshot cars, the support division for the LSMP promoted racing event, has a new series sponsor. These ‘Mini-Modifieds’ will now officially be the “Slinger Warehouse Slingshot” division.
Lehigh Valley area Slingshot entrants include David Carraghan of Emmaus, Cody Kline of Bangor, Tim Roeder of Emmaus, Kurt Bettler of Hellertown and Kenneth Reeder of Lehighton.
Source: Ernie Saxton Communications