ATLANTIC CITY — Briggs Danner and Matt Swanson broke through with their first career Indoor Auto Racing Series victories at the 2026 season opener in Allentown, Pa.
Now, both drivers will look to add a second — or even a third — win when the series heads to Atlantic City’s historic Boardwalk Hall for NAPA Auto Parts Weekend on Friday and Saturday, January 30–31.
Standing in their way will be a determined veteran contingent eager to reassert control, along with a deep field of more than 45 additional TQ Midget drivers all chasing the same prize — that elusive first win under the bright lights of Atlantic City.
Danner, a proven USAC National Sprint Car Series winner on dirt, picked up his first Indoor Series victory on Friday night in Allentown in a 30-lap feature.
The hometown favorite accepted the Ironton Auto Body Challenge in victory lane, electing to start 10th in Saturday’s feature for a $1,000 bonus, with hopes of sweeping the weekend for a $10,000 payday. Unfortunately for Danner, after charging from 10th to fourth in Saturday’s race, a flat tire sent him to the rear, and he finished 10th.
Swanson was the star of Saturday night’s Ironton Global 40-lap feature. The Harvard, Mass., asphalt Modified standout, who finished second in Atlantic City’s Gambler’s Classic last year behind Ryan Flores, this time passed the Huntersville, N.C.-based series standout late in the race to earn his first career Indoor Auto Racing Series victory.
As was the case in 2025, the Ironton Auto Body Challenge has again been extended to Saturday night’s Gambler’s Classic in Atlantic City. Danner will get a second chance to claim the bonus, while Swanson is now eligible, as will Friday night’s Blackjack 21 winner in Atlantic City. If any one of the three wins TQ Midget racing’s most prestigious event, they will take home $10,000.
Flores, Andy Jankowiak, and Anthony Sesely — the top three active series winners — are unlikely to welcome another new winner claiming the big money. Flores won on Friday night in Atlantic City last year, becoming the 10th driver eligible for the bonus, but was involved in a mishap on Saturday.
Jankowiak, who scored his first Indoor Series win on Saturday in Allentown a year ago, followed it up with his ninth career victory on Saturday night in Atlantic City, earning the $10,000 prize. After missing Friday’s Allentown event this year due to Daytona testing, Jankowiak started last in Saturday’s feature and charged from 25th to sixth.
Sesely, a six-time winner in Atlantic City and four-time Gambler’s Classic champion, cannot be counted out of sweeping the weekend. He chose not to race in Allentown, instead serving as crew chief for Tanner VanDoren following the tragic loss of car owner and builder Jeff Ulrich last February.
Racing in Ulrich’s memory, Sesely’s team endured a difficult weekend in Allentown, with VanDoren blowing two engines. The issue appears to have been resolved, and both Sesely and VanDoren are eager to redeem themselves in Atlantic City.
In 2025, Sesely was in contention for a Friday night win in Atlantic City when contact with Flores sent him flipping, forcing him to miss Saturday’s event. VanDoren carried the team’s banner admirably, leading Saturday’s Gambler’s Classic in pursuit of his first Atlantic City win until a mechanical failure ended his run.
VanDoren, a proven Indoor Series winner after scoring a victory in his Allentown debut in 2024, has now come close to winning the Gambler’s Classic twice and hopes the third time will be the charm.
Tim Buckwalter, the 2022 Gambler’s Classic winner, is the only other active victor of the prestigious race besides the three multi-time winners previously mentioned. Now driving for a new team led by two-time Gambler’s Classic winner Lou Cicconi, Buckwalter was in contention both nights in Allentown before mechanical issues sidelined him. Despite the results, the team showed race-winning speed.
Allentown also proved that another first-time winner is very possible in Atlantic City. Ontario, N.Y.’s Tommy Catalano won Friday’s Will Cagle 24-lap exhibition and backed it up with a third-place finish on Saturday.
Catalano led in Atlantic City last year until engine trouble slowed him late. All four Catalano brothers were fast at Boardwalk Hall in 2025, with younger brother Trevor finishing second to Danner on Friday night.
USAC National Champion Justin Grant returns to Atlantic City for a second attempt, teaming with Danner in the potent No. 01 entry. High school senior Logan Watt made his Indoor Series debut in Allentown and will also be part of that effort.
Paulie Hartwig III, a hometown favorite from Galloway, N.J., will pull double duty. The 15-year-old, who won last year’s Slingshot title race, will also compete in a TQ Midget following a strong series debut in Allentown.
Other drivers capable of earning their first Indoor Series victory include Joey Bailey in former Atlantic City winner Lenny Boyd’s No. 1, two-time Wall Stadium Turkey Derby winner Tyler Ferris, Kyle Lick — who charged from 22nd to fourth on Saturday in Allentown — Swanson’s Ken Sebring Racing teammate D.J. Shaw of Conway, N.H., and Farmington, Conn.’s Corey DiMatteo, driving for Donny Preece, a multi-series-winning car owner who previously fielded the late Ted Christopher.
The TQ Midgets will contest full programs both nights as part of the TC Cup Series championship battle.
A field of more than 50 Slingshots, Champ Karts, and Dirt 600 Micro Sprints will run qualifying races on Friday and feature events on Saturday. Competitors from 13 states and two Canadian provinces are expected.
