ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Andy Jankowiak became a three-time winner of the Gambler’s Classic Indoor Auto Racing Series TQ Midget feature on Friday night as part of the NAPA Auto Parts racing weekend inside the historic Boardwalk Hall.
Jankowiak’s fellow front-row starter Scott Kreutter jumped into the lead at the start of the Gambler’s Classic before Jankowiak passed him after a thrilling side-by-side struggle. Close behind was fastest qualifier Briggs Danner, who worked his way under Jankowiak for command on lap 16.
At the halfway mark of the 40-lap event, Danner, Jankowiak and Kreutter were joined by Ryan Flores and Tommy Catalano.
Danner, who nearly spun out unassisted while leading, was passed by Jankowiak. Camped on Danner’s outside, Jankowiak nosed ahead on lap 24 and when a caution flew on lap 25, Jankowkiak restarted up front. Danner then dropped back to third, with Flores gaining ground on the lap-25 restart to become Jankowiak’s main rival.
The race took a turn on lap 30 when Danner spun and Erick Rudolph, who had moved into contention, spun as well when the two collided. This gave Jankowiak the lead with eight laps left and Flores right behind him. Catalano and Tim Buckwalter ran third and fourth with three laps left. Two final restarts reshuffled the field, putting Catalano in front of Jankowiak and Flores with Kyle Lick and Joey Bailey moving into the picture.
Catalano’s bid for victory was derailed by an engine issue that robbed him of power on the final restart with two laps remaining.
Jankowiak took over the lead for the fourth different time in this wild race to win with Buckwalter taking second in the scramble behind Catalano’s slowing car. Anthony Sesely, who started 19th in the feature, closed the night with a rush to third as Catalano’s power-starved car moved back to fourth.
Mike Christopher, who had flipped in his qualifying heat, made the feature through a B main, started 20th and finished a solid fifth. Lick, Flores, Bailey, Nick Ladyga and Chad Jones completed the top 10 in the thrilling event.
The headline TQ Midgets will do it all over on Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Gambler’s Classic.
Stream the event on SPEEDSPORT.tv.
Gambler’s Classic Feature Results (40 Laps)
1. Andy Jankowiak, 2. Tim Buckwalter, 3. Anthony Sesely, 4. Tommy Catalano, 5. Mike Christopher Jr., 6. Kyle Lick, 7. Ryan Flores, 8. Joey Bailey, 9. Nick Ladyga, 10. Chad Jones, 11. Briggs Danner, 12. Tyler Ferris, 13. Jeremy Haudricourt, 14. Timmy Catalano, 15. Shawn Nye, 16. Tyler Wagner, 17. Ryan Bartlett, 18. Scott Kreutter, 19. Andrew Molleur, 20. Dakota Kessler, 21. Erick Rudolph, 22. Matt Swanson, 23. Tyler Thompson, 24. Matt Roselli, 25. Matt Janisch, 26. Zach Bealer