Jeff Heotzler Going for Two in a Row at A/C
Jeff Heotzler wants another
Atlantic City Indoor Race title. With the recent announcement
that the TQ Midget/600cc Micro-Sprint event will again be held
on Jan. 20-21, 2006, at the seaside resort's Boardwalk Hall, the
veteran dirt Modified star has already begun plotting an assault
on the concrete-surfaced oval. Heotzler, 48, of Wallkill, N.Y.,
won the 2005 "Gambler’s Classic" in dramatic fashion, passing
Micro-Sprint standout Mike Dicely of Lewisberry, Pa., for the
lead on the final lap and went on to victory. "We're working on
an Atlantic City effort as we speak," Heotzler said last week
while working at Behrent's Speed Center in Florida, N.Y. "We
don't want to wait until the last minute like last year."
Heotzler's winning deal with car owner Michael Sweet of Merrick,
N.Y., materialized less than three weeks before last winter's
Indoor Race. After the duo were serious contenders in the
event's 2004 edition, Sweet sold his car a couple months later
and planned to sit out the '05 show. But he got the itch to
compete as race day approached, so he bought a Dempster chassis
Three Quarter Midget from BR Machine Works' Bob Reis of Elma,
N.Y., at the 11th hour and reunited with Heotzler. Sweet dropped
the car off at Heotzler's shop for a mechanical overhaul just 10
days before the start of the Indoor Race weekend. The work paid
off to the tune of $5,450 -- the booty that Heotzler collected
for his victory, including a $3,000 "gambler's" bonus. "It was
real nice to make some good money in the middle of the winter,"
Heotzler said with a smile. But that cash didn't come easily.
While Heotzler dominated a majority of January's 40-lap
"Gambler's Classic," his hopes appeared to be dashed when he
slowed due to engine woes and was passed for the lead on lap 38
by fellow dirt Modified star Billy Pauch of Frenchtown, N.J. But
Pauch spun seconds later, bringing out a caution flag and giving
Heotzler new life. Heotzler, who restarted second, found a
second wind to slip underneath Dicely for the lead rounding
turns one and two on the race's last circuit. "I think the thing
must have vapor-locked," Heotzler said of his car's GSXR Suzuki
750 engine. "The motor just laid down. I thought we were done.
But it must have cooled off enough under caution enough to bring
it back alive. At least it had another couple laps in it." The
triumph ranked high on Heotzler's list of career
accomplishments. "To wind up winning that race without much
experience in TQs was just amazing to me," said Heotzler.
"Considering we didn't have anybody who really knew what they
were doing on the car, it felt great to pull off a win." Though
the winning car may not be available Heotzler said car owner
Sweet is "pumped" about returning to Boardwalk Hall and going
for a second straight victory. Heotzler, who won his third
career big-block Modified championship this season at Orange
County Fair Speedway in Middletown, N.Y., is equally excited.
"We have a couple avenues to go," said Heotzler. "Mike could
possibly get back the same car we ran in January. There's
another car available to him, and there's also some people in
the TQ business who are interested in teaming up with us."
Heotzler would also like to find an Indoor Race ride for his
son, Jeff Jr., a budding 17-year-old racer who competed this
season in Orange County's Modified division. The 2006 A.C.
Indoor Race weekend will kick off on Fri., Jan. 20. Time trials
for the TQ Midgets/600cc Micro-Sprints will begin at 6:15 p.m.,
and racing action featuring three "Roaring 20s" qualifiers for
the TQ/Micros, the "Dirty Dozens" prelims for the Slingshots by
Tobias and a Senior Champ Kart main will get the green flag at
7:45 p.m. A full day of competition is set for Sat., Jan. 21,
starting at 12:30 p.m. with the "Small Car Nationals" for Senior
Champ Karts, Micro-Stocks, Modified Micro-Stocks and Slingshot
Young Lions. Saturday night's program, which is headlined by a
main event for the Slingshots and the 40-lap TQ/Micro "Gambler¹s
Classic," begins at 7 o’clock. Entry forms will be available in
the pages of the nationally circulated trade publication Area
Auto Racing News or on-line at www.aarn.com, and spectator
tickets will go on sale through Ticketmaster in early November.
Sponsorship inquiries and event information requests should be
directed to 609-888-3618, or visit www.aarn.com.
Source: Jeff Heotzler PR
Posted:
October 27, 2005
