JIMMY ZACHARIAS ENTERS SYRACUSE INDOOR RACES WITH NEW TQ MIDGET TEAM; COMPLETE SHOWS SET FOR MARCH 8-9 WITH THREE QUARTER MIDGETS, SLINGSHOTS AND KARTS
JIMMY ZACHARIAS ENTERS SYRACUSE INDOOR RACES WITH NEW TQ MIDGET TEAM; COMPLETE SHOWS SET FOR MARCH 8-9 WITH THREE QUARTER MIDGETS, SLINGSHOTS AND KARTS
Story By: Ernie Saxton/Indoor Auto Racing Championship
Photos By: Pete MacDonald/RacersGuide.com
SYRACUSE, NY – Versatile Jimmy Zacharias of Candor, NY will bring three generations of experience to the Exposition Center on the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, NY when he takes to the concrete arena floor track for two consecutive nights of racing behind the wheel of a recently acquired TQ Midget.
The two days of Indoor Auto Racing Series action presented by RPM Raceway is set for Friday and Saturday, March 8 and 9.
“I bought the Asphalt Modified, transporter, and TQ Midget that Robbie Summers had for sale in New England,” Zacharias said. “Then I sold the TQ to Lew Parks, who asked me to drive for him in Syracuse.”
Zacharias, 28, drove the asphalt Modified twice last week at New Smyrna (FL) Speedway, finishing fourth and tenth in the two races.
Parks is a long time car owner whose racing pedigree includes past involvement in Indianapolis 500 teams as well as Indoor TQ entries.
The car Zacharias will drive inside the Expo Center was originally built by Dan Drinan, noted USAC Open Wheel driver, who will be in Syracuse to assist the new team.
“I have some TQ experience,” Zacharias noted. “I made the race in Allentown, PA last year and was in Atlantic City but the engine blew.”
Zacharias is weighing his outdoor options once the Indoor Auto Racing Series Syracuse races are in the books.
“I have the pavement Modified I just bought and a 358 Modified for dirt. My goal is to race a Big Block Modified on the Super DIRT Series tour, and run as many of the RoC Tour pavement Modified races as I can,” an ambitious Zacharias shared.
One thing Zacharias is unsure of is which number his TQ will use.
“It’s not my car, it’s Lew Parks’ car,” Zacharias said. “What number we run is his call.”
Each of the two nights of racing will consist of complete programs of qualifying, heat races and feature events for the TQ Midgets, Slingshots and Champ Karts. This is the first time the Indoor Auto Racing Series has ever presented full programs on consecutive nights.
On Friday, March 8, TQ Midgets will run in single car time trials followed by heat races, B Mains and be climaxed by a 24-car, 40-lap feature.
The next night, Saturday, March 9, TQs will requalify, this time in group qualifying, a first for the Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP Race Fuels.
Heats, B Mains and a 24-car, 40-lap A Main follow with the Indoor Auto Racing Series Fueled By VP Racing Fuels champion to be crowned following the finish of the feature.
Slingshots and Champ Karts will draw for starting spots in their heats races both days. Non qualifiers will follow heats with a 20-car, 20-lap A Main for both classes each night.
Doors open at 6 PM on Friday night with racing beginning at 7:30. Doors open at 5:30 PM on Saturday with racing at 7pm. Fans will be able to visit the pit area to see the cars and meet the drivers each night until 30 minutes before the racing begins.
Among Empire State drivers joining Zacharias in the TQ Midget field is new father Scott Kreutter of Buffalo, whose wife’s imminent childbirth caused him to miss the Atlantic City Indoor Auto Racing Series events.
Kreutter works at the RPM indoor karting facility in Buffalo, N.Y., but they also have one just 10 minutes from the New York State Fairgrounds in the Syracuse Destiny USA Mall.
The first Indoor Auto Racing Series event in Central New York will be the fourth and fifth legs of the series. Both races will offer equal points in helping decide a tight point race between former champions Erick Rudolph and Justin Bonsignore.
Four more upstate New York powerhouses, recent Atlantic City Gambler’s Classic winner Andy Jankowiak of Tonawanda, Modified dirt and paved track ace Patrick Emerling of Orchard Park, Oswego teenager Tyler Thompson and former Albany-Saratoga Speedway champion Marc Johnson are all expected to be contenders for a win.
The Exposition Center opened during the Labor Day Fair. The huge, state of the art $33 million project was built without obstructing poles.
Grandstand seating will be available on both the front and backstretch. From their seats, fans will able to be able to see the entire speedway plus the pit area which will be located on the far side of the building. The building has a different seating configuration than other venues the series stops at in that grandstand patrons enter at track level, then walk up to seating areas.
Information including a direct link to E-Tix for advance tickets is available at indoorautoracingseries.com. At this location you’ll be able to pick your choice seat from three sections located on both the front and the backstretch. Tickets can also be purchased by calling E-Tixs directly at 1-800-514-3849. Tickets will also be available each day of the event starting at 2 PM at the Expo Box Office, but prices increase by $5 each on the days of the event.
