TQ Midgets start Indoor racing

"Atlantic City Indoor Race On Jan. 21-22 Continues To Take Shape"

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ The annual Atlantic City Indoor Race at the seaside resort's famed Boardwalk Hall continues to take shape.

The winter-time racing extravaganza, which features two days of racing around the Hall's concrete-surfaced oval on Jan. 21 and 22, 2005, is headlined by the 40-lap "Gambler's Classic" for the TQ Midgets/600cc Micros-Sprints on Saturday night.

Plenty of purse and bonus money will be on the line during the weekend. Most notably, Saturday's "Gambler's Classic" will offer drivers a chance to chase some big bucks. If the main event winner is willing to roll the dice and put up a $100 "gambler's fee" upon entering the event, the posted $2,000 first-place prize will increase to $5,000.

One driver who has already entered the race--and taken the "Gambler's Challenge"--is International Supermodified Association standout Lou Cicconi Jr. of Aston, Pa. He will drive a familiar car for Ken Hentrich, who now owns the stout TQ Midget that Cicconi raced to victory in an A.C. Indoor Race preliminary feature in January.

Competitors in the Slingshot division, which will run a 20-lap feature on Saturday night, have the opportunity to post a $50 "gambler's fee" when they enter. Doing so will push the winner's take from $500 to $1,000.

Dr. William Lowe's Comprehensive Obstetrics and Gynecology, meanwhile, will provide several incentives to the racers, including a $500 bonus to the first driver across the finish line in Saturday's TQ/Micro-Sprint feature who took the "Gambler's Challenge" but didn't win the race.

Lowe, a sponsor of the A.C. Indoor Race for three straight years, will also present:

* A $250 award to the fastest qualifier in Friday night's TQ/Micro time trials.

* A $200 bonus to the first TQ Midget across the finish line in Saturday night's feature.

* A $50 prize to the first car that misses Saturday night's TQ/Micro racing program (the second-place finisher in Saturday afternoon's Non-Qualifiers Race).

Tommy Gale Trailers of Elizabeth, Pa., and Haulmark Trailers will also be a part of the event once again.

Gale, who will have a trailer on display in the garage area and offer special deals to the racers, will join with Haulmark to award each of Saturday night's TQ/600cc heat winners $100. He'll also pay each of Saturday night's semi winners $50.

As a bonus this year, Gale is also sponsoring Friday night's two Slingshot events, paying each winner $100.

Sunoco is returning as the "official fuel" of the A.C. Indoor Race. Kelly Racing Fuels will be on hand with both gas and alcohol on sale for the racers. Teams must purchase fuel and alcohol at the event because fire regulations prohibit fuel containers from being brought into the building. Sunoco will also present the weekend's five feature winners a Sunoco checkered flag autographed by all the drivers in the event.

Additional sponsors, including a title sponsor, are still being pursued by event officials.

Weekend activity will begin on Fri., Jan. 21, at 6:45 p.m. with TQ/Micro time trials. The 60 fastest drivers go directly into that evening's headlining "Roaring Twenties"--Triple 20-lap events in which the top-four finishers in each earn their way directly into Saturday night's main event. Friday's card is rounded out by two 12-lap Slingshot races, which will start the racing action at 7:45 p.m.

The Sat., Jan. 22, program kicks off at 12:30 p.m. with the "Small Car Nationals" featuring Slingshot Young Lions (ages 14-16), Mini-Cup and Micro-Stock races. The afternoon activity also will include the TQ/Micro Last Chance Race.

The Saturday-night portion of the show is slated to begin at 7:15 p.m. Heat races and semis will lead up the 40-lap "Gamblers Classic" for TQs/Micros, with Slingshots also on the schedule.

Fans who already have tickets for the Saturday-night program will be permitted to view the "Small Car Nationals" from the balcony at no extra charge.

Tickets are currently on sale through Ticketmaster. Tickets are available with no extra fee applied at the Boardwalk Hall box office and the Area Auto Racing News office in Trenton, N.J.

All Friday tickets are general admission, while reserved seats are available in the Hall's lower level for Saturday night's program.

Tickets purchased prior to Sat., Jan. 22, will allow early entrance to the balcony on Saturday evening and exclusive admittance to the special pre-race Fan Fest held on the racetrack from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

-acir-