ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Entries for the Ironton Global Allentown Indoor Race set for Jan. 7-8 at the PPL Center continue to arrive at the series office pushing the total towards 45 TQ Midgets.
An exciting Friday night schedule will find all drivers competing in one of three 20-lap Qualifiers from which the top three finishers will advance directly into Saturday’s 40-lap A Main.
The unique, and competitor-friendly two-day format will provides TQ racers and teams with several opportunities to make Saturday’s 24-car A-Main starting field.
Group time trials on Friday afternoon will offer the top 12 the first four starting spots for the trio of 20-lap Qualifiers later that night. Those 12 drivers will vie for the fast qualifier award in front of the crowd later than night in single car, two lap qualifying effort.
The remainder of Triple 20 starting line-ups will be determined from their heat race finish.
Thanks to the support of Ironton Auto Body, each of Friday night’s three TQ Midget Qualifiers will take home $1,000. The top three finishers will lock themselves into Saturday’s Dash and 40 lap A-Main.
Additional bonus awards for Fast Time, Heat Race and Qualifier victories will also be on the line courtesy of Mahoning Valley Speedway, Bob Hilbert Sportswear and Pocono Raceway.
“We are fortunate to have the support of many great companies at the Allentown race including Ironton Auto Body,” stated promoter Len Sammons. “When we were revamping the program for this year’s event, our goal was to give all racers more laps and track time. Now with this bonus money three drivers will head to hotel on Friday night with at least $1,000 in their pockets.”
“Time trials is when drivers prove how much speed they have in their cars and can be some of the most important laps turned all weekend, but the public often never sees them,” reasoned Sammons.
“Under this format the top 12 drivers from group qualifying, will run in a knockout qualifying. The twelfth fastest from the afternoon session will go first setting the time to beat and the suspense will building from there!”
The top three finishers in each of Friday’s Triple 20s will start in the first three rows of Saturday’s A-Main. Their starting order will be determined in a Dash, lined-up by the luck of the draw. The remainder of the 24 car starting line-up will be filled on Saturday through four TQ Qualifiers and two TQ B-Mains.
Champ Karts and Slingshots will also run group time trials Friday afternoon to set the line-ups for heat races on Friday taking 15 qualifiers. B Mains Saturday will fill the rest of the 20-car, 20-lap feature fields. These racers will also be racing for bonus money in time trials and their heat races.
Recently received TQ Midget entries include Max McLaughlin in a car owned by Caprara Motorsports, Kyle Hutchinson in a car owned by Don Preece and Doug Stearly in a car owed by Ken Sebring.
A three brother’s team out of Ontario, N.Y., will include veterans Tommy and Timmy Catalano as well as 15 year-old Trevor who will be making his TQ debut. In addition, a fourth Catalano brother, Tyler, 17, will be wheeling a Champ Kart.
The biggest Indoor Auto Racing Series PPL Center TQ Midget race winner Ryan Flores has entered. Team cars entered by Trey Hoddick will be driven by Mike Christopher Jr. and past Indoor feature Scott Kreutter.