New Jersey resident Ryan Truex is returning to his roots for
the Gambler’s Classic TQ Midget/600 cc Micro Sprint event at
Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on January 16-17.
Truex, the 16-year-old brother of NASCAR Sprint Cup start
Martin Truex, will drive an entry owned by Lou Cicconi Jr.
Cicconi, who will try to win his second Gambler’s Classic,
has several TQ Midgets in the field for drivers Bobby Santos
III, Chris Stockham and Truex.
The entry list has nearly reached its 100-car maximum limit.
Truex has won numerous Legend Car events over the past years,
including a division title at Wall Twp. Speedway. He made his
NASCAR Camping World Series East debut last September at
Stafford Motor Speedway in a Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet,
replacing Jeffrey Earnhardt in the car. He finished 11th in the
race after starting 15th in the field.
“He has some great talent,” said older brother Martin Truex
Jr. last week. “He knows what he wants and he is really hungry
to get it.
“I will never forget the first time we took him to practice
(in April) a Late Model at Tri-County Speedway. It was the first
time he was in a big car. He came flying off turn four and was
sideways. I thought, ‘here we go.’ Somehow, he saved it and I am
real proud of him.”
Truex is one of many driving stars on the entry lists.
Defending NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion Ted Christopher,
two-time Gambler’s Classic winner Joey Payne, last year’s winner
Mike Tidaback and dirt Modified track champions Billy Pauch (New
Egypt Speedway) and Mike Iles (Bridgeport Speedway) are entries.
Cicconi, a recent indoor race winner in Indiana over Tony
Stewart, and Santos, the USAC Midget Turkey Night winner in
Irwindale, Calif., are among the pre-race favorites.
In addition to the TQ Midgets, the Briggs and Stratton
Slingshots and Senior Champ Carts will be added to card. Dirt
Modified racers Rick Laubach and Ryan Godown are part of the
Slingshot entry list.
Friday's nights event will include qualifying races for all
three divisions and a 25 lap feature event for the TQ Midgets.
Saturday night's program is highlighted by feature events for
all three divisions including the 40 lap Gambler's Classic main
event for the TQ Midgets.
Tickets for Friday and Saturday night programs are on sale
through Ticketmaster by calling: 1-800-736-1420 or online
at:http://www.ticketmaster.com/. They'll also be available the
day of the event at the Boardwalk Hall box office.
Time trials will be held on January 15 for all divisions.
While the grandstand will not be open to the public, fans with
tickets for Friday and/or Saturday (Jan. 16-17) can obtain a
restricted Thursday-only pit pass, which will allow them access
to catch all of the pole-night activities.
Gambler’s Classic information is available online at:
http://www.aarn.com/. The
Gambler’s Classic is run in conjunction with the huge
Motorsports 2009 Race Car & Trade Show taking place at the
Atlantic City Convention Center on January 16-17.
The show offers close to 300,000 square feet of just about
everything imaginable in motorsports along with many famous
racers and personalities signing autographs.
Source: Ernie
Saxton/Ernie Saxton Communications
Posted:
January 10, 2009
