By Steve Williams
Everyone remembers the winner of opening day and the club champion but when you win both you become the benchmark everyone trys to reach. That is why ARDC Champion Frank Polimeda has such a big smile on his face. Polimeda readily admits his place in the history of the 71 year old Midget racing club is “Amazing”. “To be included on a list of great champions like Dutch Sheaffer, Bill Schindler and Ray Bull”, a racer Polimeda credits for offering him a lot of help, when he was getting started, “is humbling”.
Looking to move up one spot in this years standings is last years runner-up, Brett Arndt of Topton, PA. The 26 year old speedster will be back behind the wheel of the potent, Scott Arndt owned, GRP, Gaerte Chevy. Arndt, who started his racing career at age 5, has approximately 90 wins in Quarter Midgets, Go Karts and 600cc Micros. In his third season with ARDC, Arndt’s goals are, “To win at least 3 races, “but most of all the Points Championship”. Sponsorship help comes from, Keizer Aluminum Wheels, GME, Neilds Steering, Ely Fabrications, Sanner Farms, E. Schneider and Sons Recycling and Bortz Chainsaw Shop.
“Slick” Nick Wean of Phillipsburg, NJ, third in 2009 points, kicked off the racing season early, with a trip to Tulsa, OK to compete in the Chili Bowl, for the second time. Wean was the winner of last years road trip into the Carolinas where he won his heat race and then defeated rookie Dusty Heistand in the feature at Dixieland Speedway in Elizabeth City, NC. Apparently the good Carolina Barbecue agrees with the Wean crew because it was his second win in as many years where a victory in 2008 came at County Line Speedway in Rocky Mount, NC. Wean will be back behind the controls of the Wean Heating & Tank Maintenance, Jim’s Auto Body, Warren Pallet, Hilltop Petroleum, Spike, Gaerte Chevy.
Bruce Buckwalter Jr. will again be driving for his dad Bruce Buckwalter Sr. A team that could easily be named “The WOW Factor”, as in WOW, what a great looking car and WOW is it fast. Like Wean, the Buckwalter team trekked West to the Chili Bowl where the stars and stripes themed number 83 was voted “Best Appearing Car” Buckwalter Jr. who started off the season with consistent finishes picked up a win, over P.J Gargiulo, at Bridgeport, NJ in what was supposed to be the middle of the season, last year. Riding second in points, the 83 took a nasty flyer at New Egypt, NJ, dropping him to 4th place in points. With several points races remaining on the schedule, Buckwalter Jr. was confident that he could improve his standing but Mother Nature had other ideas when the second half of the season was rained out. Bruce will return to the wheel of his Stealth, Chevy Gaerte with assistance from, BDB Construction, BDB Graphics, Accurate Automotive, Joel Detweiler Network Solutions, DirtMag Online, Party Magic Plus, Pete’s Automotive, VRP Shocks, and JesusRaceteam.com.
Back for his fifth shot at the championship is the 2006 ARDC Rookie of the Year, P.J. Gargiulo. Gargiulo, who serves as the Drivers Representative on the board of directors, gushes with pride when talking about the club which has a real working man’s, family type atmosphere. Something P.J. knows a thing about as his daughter was born in the middle of the season, last year. Gargiulo almost got to celebrate the big event in victory lane but was just nipped at the end of the race by Steve Buckwalter. None the less Olivia Rose Gargiulo returns to her important crew duties. Be cute and smile at Daddy. Olivia’s Daddy will be back behind the wheel of his familiar, Gamester, Jackson Chevy number 51 with backing from, Sperr’s Fuel Oil, Church’s Auto Parts, James Gargiulo, Simpson Race Products, TEAMTRP.COM, PRO Shocks, Charlie & Jane Pistorio, LaVere Electric and Rod End Supply.
Not a lot of changes are in store for Drew Heistand this year. With only running 12 races last year and 6 DNF’s everything is good to go on the York Excavating, DonCin Transport Spike Chassis Midget. Of the 6 races that Heistand completed, 3 were in Victory Lane.
Likewise plans for Eric Heydenreich out of the racing rich Town of Bloomsburg, PA are the same as last year. “Run up front and have fun doing it.” Heydenreich who likes to fly high in his, Derr Special Trans number 11 Stealth, Chevy Gaerte brings his special brand of excitement to every speedway he visits. Additional help comes from Eric’s cousin Johnny Heydenreich’s Seals-It and Lungers Machine Shop and Racing Products.
The boys club better not blink because breathing down their necks is the talented and versatile lady racer, Stephanie Stephens. Stephanie’s goals for 2010 are simple, “Qualify for every race, win our first feature and finish in the top 5 in points.” Then in her spare time the 2006 Messiah College Mechanical Engineering grad will also race a 305 Sprint Car. Stevens’ Chevy powered Spike will again carry sponsorship from, Scott Naturale, Ayers Enterprises, PowerMist Racing Fuels, Broadway Automotive, Macmillan Oil Co., DJ Safety, and Mayberry Sales and Service.
Running only a partial schedule but always a threat to win will be Steve Buckwalter, who was a four time winner last year and Billy Pauch Jr. who picked up one checkered flag in 2009.
An aggressive schedule of 23 races for the 2010 season awaits the Wingless Warriors. The season opens at Big Diamond Raceway on Sunday March 28th where the midgets are part of a two division card along with the Big Block Modifieds. The ARDC will return to the Minersville, PA 3/8 mile oval on Sunday May 2nd, also part of a 2 division card, and this time with The O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars. The Diamond Nationals will wrap up the season on at Big Diamond on October 2nd and 3rd.
On Sunday April 11th the 3 wide wingless midgets will contest a Twin-20 program at The Susquehanna Speedway. This show, which is shaping up to be an Open Wheel fans dream, will also include the long anticipated return of the 410 Sprint Cars to the oval in The Sprint Car Spring Classic.
The second appearance of ARDC at Susquehanna will be Sunday June 13th in another event that has Open Wheel fans attention, when they will share the spotlight with the popular Pennsylvania 358 Sprint Cars.
The third and final appearance at Susquehanna will be Saturday October 30th. This is a must see event for the younger Open Wheel fans of Central Pennsylvania. The Candy Bowl VI. Fans will be invited to the speedway to Trick or Treat and meet the drivers.
ARDC will again be part of the East Coast Invasion of the USAC Sprint Cars. The first race of the swing will be June 1st as part of the Thunder on the Hill Series on the high banks of The Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, PA. Day 2 will be the following night, June 2nd at the Historic Lincoln Speedway in Abbotstown, PA
The midgets will be part of 2 Thunder on the Hill events as they will return to Grandview, Saturday October 16th. The third event at Grandview on Saturday May 15th, should prove interesting as they will be on the card with the speedways regular 358 Modifieds, Late Models and the SpeedSTERS.
On Friday April 30th ARDC will return to Williams Grove Speedway along with The O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars. A little over a week later the midgets will be back at The Grove with the Super Sportsman and the 305 Sprint Cars in a Saturday Night Series open wheel program and on Saturday July 10th ARDC will show the Super Sportsman and 358 Late Models what it is like to race without the overhead sheet metal in Topless Night.
Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey will present 2 unique programs, one on Saturday June 19th and again on Saturday September 11th, when their regular divisions will race on the big 5/8th mile, while the midgets will spin their excitement on the smaller ¼ mile inner oval.
Open wheel racing will come to stock car country on Friday August 6th as the traveling band of gypsy midgets head south for their annual Southern Swing into North Carolina when they race at Dixieland Speedway in Elizabeth City.
This years Western Swing will mark a return to Vern Wasson’s, Clinton County Speedway on Friday July 30th where they will share the card with the Patriot Sprint Car / 410 Express Challenge and the following night at Mercer where they are part of the Sprint Slug-Out, along with the Dirtcar Sprint Challenge Series.
Accord Speedway will host a special event on July 16th when East Coast racing legend, John Heydenreich returns home to serve as the Grand Marshall of ARDC. Not only will Heydenreich serve as Grand Marshall but he we also be in contention to pickup his 37th ARDC checkered flag as he will be behind the controls of a Jerry Steward midget as a teammate to the 2007 Rookie of the Year, Ryan Smith.
The ARDC will also have single race dates at Penn Can Speedway in Susquehanna, PA on May 28th, Georgetown Speedway in Delaware on July 4th and at New Egypt Speedway in New Jersey on as part of the Tri Track Modifieds Summer Sizzler 40 Aug 24th.
Date
Speedway
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Big Diamond Raceway
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Susquehanna Speedway Park
Friday, April 30, 2010
Williams Grove Speedway
Sunday, May 02, 2010
Big Diamond Raceway
Saturday, May 08, 2010
Williams Grove Speedway
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Grandview Speedway
Friday, May 28, 2010
Penn Can Speedway
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Grandview Speedway TOTH w/USAC
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
Lincoln Speedway w/USAC
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Susquehanna Speedway
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Bridgeport Speedway (1/4 mile)
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Georgetown Speedway
Williams Grove Speedway
Friday, July 16, 2010
Accord Speedway
Friday, July 30, 2010
Clinton County Speedway
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Mercer Raceway
Friday, August 06, 2010
Dixieland Speedway
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
New Egypt Speedway
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Bridgeport Speedway (1/4 mile)
Saturday, October 02, 2010
TBA Big Diamond Raceway
Sunday, October 03, 2010
TBA Big Diamond Raceway
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Grandview TOTH
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Susquehanna Speedway Park
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Susquehanna Speedway Park (Rain Date)