Impressive Entries
Arriving for the Turkey Derby
Entries that have recently arrived at the
Wall Stadium office for the upcoming Turkey Derby weekend on
November 27 and 28 indicate that this 36th running of the event
should be just as exciting as the previous 35. While fans of the
third mile paved oval will recognize many of the entries in the
track’s support divisions, the entries received thus far for the
tour type Modified, Red Bank Sleep Shoppe Modified and the Late
Model divisions offer some surprises and interesting
competition.
Howell’s Jamie Tomaino was the first driver to enter the tour
type Modified field for their 100-lap event and will be joined
by other locals favorites Steven Reed of Freehold, Tommy Farrell
of Neptune, Justin Gumley of Colts Neck and Anthony Sesely of
Matawan. Oakhurst’s Pete Brittain and Howell speedsters Ken
Woolley, Jr. and Jimmy Blewett will also attract the attention
of local fans. Several invading tour type Modified drivers have
also registered for the 100-lapper including Rowan Pennick, Doug
Coby, Ken Barry, Eric Goodale and Ed Brunnhoelzl III.
Reed, Farrell, Sesely, Brittain, Blewett and Pennick will be
doing double duty as each has also registered for the 100-lap
RBSS Modified race. Their competition will come for 2009
champion Chas Okerson of Freehold, Farmingdale’s Billy Cole,
Brick’s Robert Geibel and Adam LaCicero, just to name a few.
Jimmy Blewett will perhaps be the busiest man at the Turkey
Derby as he plans to compete in Friday’s 75-lap Late Model main
event in addition to Saturday’s two 100-lap Modified features.
Several top veteran Late Model racers have also registered
including Pennsylvania standout Zane Zeiner and Long Island
favorites Roger Oxee and Buzzy Eriksen. Also of interest will be
local racer Rob Ormsbee of Belmar who will be attempting to top
the field of paved track cars with his dirt track Late Model
stock car.
Promoter Jim Morton has announced the time schedule for the 36th
annual running of the “Turkey Derby” season ending stock car
classic. As has been the case since the outset, Turkey Derby
competition is always held during the daylight hours and is
presented on Friday and Saturday (Nov. 27 and 28) of
Thanksgiving weekend. This year, Sunday afternoon action has
been added featuring Enduro style racing.
On Friday, November 27, pit gates will open at 7:00 a.m., with
pre purchased ticket holders’ grandstand gates opening at 9:30
a.m. and grandstand seating opening at 10:00 a.m. On the track,
all eight divisions that will see competition on the weekend
will practice on Friday morning starting at 8:30 a.m. The Garden
State Vintage Stock Car Club vehicles will then go 15-laps at
12:15 p.m., before qualifying begins at 12:30 p.m. Friday’s
qualifying will consist of time trials for the Red Bank Sleep
Shoppe Modifieds and the Late Model stock cars, along with heat
races and consolation races as needed for the Flanagan Retail
Development Factory Stocks, I.N.E.X. Legend Cars, Street Stocks
and the RBSS Modifieds.
Friday main events are set to start at 2:30 p.m. with the Legend
Cars in a 25-lapper, the Late Models in a 75 lapper and the
Factory Stocks rounding out Friday’s action in a 30-lap feature.
On Saturday, November 28, pit gates will again open at 7:00
a.m., with pre purchased ticket holders’ grandstand gates
opening at 9:30 a.m. and grandstand seating opening at 10:00
a.m. On the track, Street Stock, TQ Midget, Calabreeze Pools
Sportsman, RBSS Modified and tour type Modified practice will
start at 8:30 a.m., while a mandatory drivers’ meeting is set
for 9:10 a.m. Qualifying, which will consist of tour type
Modified time trials and a “B” main and TQ Midget heat races
will be next up at 11:00 a.m.
Saturday’s opening ceremonies will be presented at 12:35 p.m.,
before the Saturday main events of Turkey Derby XXXVI take the
green flag at 1:00 p.m. The Sportsman 30-lapper will be first
up, followed by the tour type Modified 100-lapper, Street Stock
30-lapper, RBSS Modified 100-lapper and the TQ Midget 25-lap
main event.
For the first time ever, late-November racing action will be
carried over to Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend as the shore
speedway presents another of it’s popular “$5 Family fun Days.”
Heading the Sunday card will be the popular NEETS Enduro Series
and the INEX Legend Cars. All gates will open at 11:00 a.m. on
Sunday, with Legends practice at noon and main event action set
for 1:00 p.m.
In the event of a Friday rainout on Turkey Derby weekend,
Friday’s three main events will be added to Saturday’s card with
qualifying kept to a minimum for only the divisions that
absolutely need it. In the event of a Saturday rainout, Turkey
Derby Day 2 action will be rescheduled to Saturday, December 5.
If Sunday is rained out, that days events will be contested on
Sunday, December 6.
Morton also announced that the track will be open for a paid
practice session on Saturday, November 21. The paid practice
session, which is being offered in preparation for the Turkey
Derby, will begin at 11:00 a.m. and run until 4:00 p.m.
Wall Stadium is located on Route 34 in Wall Township, N.J., just
one mile north of Garden State Parkway exit 98 and Interstate
195 exit 35B. The speedway office is open from 10:00 a.m. until
4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Information and Turkey Derby
entry forms are available by calling 732-681-6400 and at
www.wallspeedway.com.
Source: Jeff Gravatt/Wall
Stadium PR
Posted: November
17, 2009
