PAST 600 SPRINT EAST COAST INDOOR DIRT NATIONALS FEATURE WINNERS WHITEY KIDD, III AND ERICK RUDOLPH AMONG ENTRANTS FOR FEBRUARY 21-22, 2020 TRENTON INDOOR RACES
PAST 600 SPRINT EAST COAST INDOOR DIRT NATIONALS FEATURE WINNERS WHITEY KIDD, III AND ERICK RUDOLPH AMONG ENTRANTS FOR FEBRUARY 21-22, 2020 TRENTON INDOOR RACES
Story By: Ernie Saxton/Indoor Auto Racing Championship
Photos By: Pete MacDonald/RacersGuide.com
TRENTON, NJ January 11, 2020 . . . Nearly 100 of the top 600cc Sprint Car dirt track drivers and their teams from throughout the northeast will converge on the Cure Insurance Arena in Trenton, NJ for the third running of the East Coast Dirt Nationals on Friday and Saturday, February 21-22, 2020. The event is scheduled at a new date this year, away from the Christmas holiday, while inverting back to the schedule used for the inaugural event in 2018.
Among the entries are the two past winners of the prestigious event, Whitey Kidd, III of Staten Island, NY who won the inaugural running of the East Coast Dirt Nationals on December 2, 2017 and Erick Rudolph, of Ransomville, NY, who blitzed the field on December 15, 2018.
The ‘Nationals’ are part of the Indoor Auto Racing VP Racing Fuels Series, but is apart from the three other indoor events in that it is run on a dirt surface and is thus a non-points race.
Both wins were special occasions for the past winners. In Kidd’s case, his triumph came after a spectacular late race charge. Exhausted after the event was over, Kidd revealed he was a cancer patient under treatment with an unknown prognosis.
Two years later, he is still racing, winning the game of life and seeking to win the East Coast Dirt Nationals a second time. He will drive a 600 Sprint owned by Anthony Fillbrunn.
Rudolph won the follow-up race in Trenton on the dirt on Saturday, December 15, 2018. The win was his fifth at Cure Insurance Arena, having won four prior races while racing on the concrete floor surface. Rudolph has, over the last two years, become one of the biggest outdoor race winners in Dirt Modified racing.
Rudolph of Ransomville, N.Y. also swooped to victory in the Indoor Auto Racing Concrete Series opener on January 3, 2020 inside the PPL Center in Allentown, PA, demonstrating his versatility.
Among the drivers out to deny Kidd and Rudolph repeat wins are the USAC Midget car racing brothers, Alex and Brendan Bright, both of Collegeville, PA., Dirt Modified standout Dominick Buffalino of Sayreville, NJ, indoor Concrete specialist and outdoor Dirt 358 Modified ace Briggs Danner of Allentown, PA, and the three Locuson brothers, Andrew and Carl from Pilesgrove, NJ and Chris from Pennsville, NJ,
Third generation dirt Modified driver Sammy Martz, Jr., of Hampton NJ, has filed an entry as have the Scott brothers, Lavar and Wayne from Penns Grove, NJ., and Sprint car ace Eddie Strada, Jr., from Lake Ariel, PA.
Two female entrants are also in the field for the Indoor East Coast Dirt Nationals, Morgan Rochelle, 24, of Hacketstown, NJ and Jenna Shotz, 27 of Milford, NJ.
It takes a herculean effort to build a dirt track over the concrete Cure Insurance Arena floor.
Carefully selected clay worked so well in the inaugural running of the race that it had been stockpiled and re-spread for the second running of the race. This same clay will once again be used.
The process consists of carefully rolling the material, which arrives a dump truck load at a time, into the shape of an oval track with increased banking on the outside of the speedway. It is then groomed periodically during race nights to maximize raciness and minimize particulates.
The Trenton event begins with closed to the public practice sessions on Thursday night and Friday afternoon. The grandstands open on Friday night at 6 pm with racing slated to begin at 7 pm.
Friday’s racing card includes heat races for all cars with the line-up set by the luck of the draw. Drivers who start in the back can benefit from points given for every car passed. The top 60 in points after the heats will then be divided into four 20 lap A-Main Qualifiers. Drivers who earned points from 61 to 100, will go to the F and E Mains.
The top three finishers in each of Friday’s A-Main Qualifiers will transfer directly into Saturday’s 40 lap A-Main event. The other competitors in these events will earn points which will align them in B, C, or D mains.
On Saturday the grandstands will open at 4 pm with a pre-race autograph session on the concourse among drivers already qualified for the A-Main.
Saturday’s open track action will begin at 6 pm with the F-Main events which will transfer four cars to the E. The event continues to transfer four cars in each letter up to the B-Mains where six in each of the two held go to the main event.
On Friday night the entire building will be general admission allowing fans to pick their seat for just $23 for adults and $8 for children. On Saturday, the same pricing is in effect for upper seating area which will remain as general admission. Those wishing to sit on the lower level in a reserved seat can choose between tickets priced at $28 to $38.
Information, including ticket and hotel links, is available at indoorautoracing.com. Tickets are also available daily at the CURE Insurance Arena box office.
After the two race event opener in Allentown, the “Concrete Series” presented by BELFOR Property Restoration, the series moves to Atlantic City, N.J.’s Boardwalk Hall on Friday and Saturday, January 31st and February 1st for the 18th annual NAPA Auto Parts Classic.
The “Concrete Series” season finale is on Friday and Saturday March 13th and 14th in a second year return to the brand new Exposition Center located on the grounds of the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. N.Y.
Corporate sponsorship at a variety of levels is available for the third annual East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals. Interested parties should contact Danny Sammons at 609-888-3618 or e-mail danny@aarn.com.
