ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Andy Jankowiak marched to the front from fourth starting spot to grab the lead on the third lap of Saturday night’s NAPA Know How Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP Race Fuels Gambler’s Classic in Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall and held off Tim Buckwalter for the 40-lap feature victory.
“I knew Timmy (Buckwalter) was going to race me clean,” Jankowiak said. “He’s going to win one of these races soon. If I can’t win, I want to see him win.”
Buckwalter’s late race charge was hampered, he said, by a deflating rear that lost its remaining air in the post-race celebrations.
Erick Rudolph finished third. He was right behind Buckwalter as early as lap four but became involved in a multi-car early race tangle that took out Ryan Flores and adversely affected his forward progress.
Matt Janisch, who came into this race as the Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP Race Fuels point leader ran a solid fourth with Briggs Danner fifth.
Doug Stearly from the seventh row at the start of the Champ Kart feature and had to run down and pass Cale Ross to take the top prize.
“We started 15th this year and had a lot of hard driving to do to win,” race winner Stearly said.
Scott Neary held off a furious challenge from Jared Silfee in the action-packed 25-lap Slingshot feature. “I was happy to see the caution flag we got late in the race,” Neary said. “It gave me a chance to regroup a little.”
The finish:
Feature (40 Laps): 1. Andy Jankowiak, 2. Tim Buckwalter, 3. Erick Rudolph, 4. Matt Janisch, 5. Briggs Danner, 6. Anthony Payne, 7. Mike Bednar, 8. Tyler Thompson, 9. Bobby Holmes, 10. Jon Reid, 11. Michael Barnes, 12. Shawn Nye, 13. Kyle Lick, 14. Jeremy Haudricourt, 15. Anthony Sesely, 16. Chris deRitis, 17. Ryan Bartlett, 18. Shea Wills, 19. Tommy Catalano, 20. Dylan Woodring, 21. Andrew Molleur, 22. Scott Kreutter, 23. Patrick Emerling, 24. Andy Nye, 25. Ryan Flores, 26. Kyle Hutchinson.