ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Ryan Flores took advantage of a crash 25 laps into the TQ Midget NAPA Know How Gambler’s Classic 40-lap feature Saturday night that took out leaders Erick Rudolph and Andy Jankowiak and held off a late race bid on the final lap of the race by Tim Buckwalter to earn his second straight Indoor Auto Racing Series victory.
It was also his second Gambler’s Classic triumph, as he previously won the event in 2018.
Flores was running third behind the two leaders when a battle for the top spot ended with Jankowiak and Rudolph spinning.
Rudolph, who stopped, restarted at the back of the field while Jankowiak, who did not, was penalized and sent to the rear for his role in the accident
That opened the door for Flores who still had to fend off challenges from Tim Buckwalter, Briggs Danner, Matt Janisch and Rudolph who completed the top five. Janisch’s march from 25th at the start earned him Hard Charger recognition in the race.
First time Champ Kart entrant Dan Marsden beat Logan Crisafulli, Mike Perry, Jon Keister and Todd Crenshaw to win the 25-lap Champ Kart feature while Brett Bieber, Jared Silfee and Scott Nearly were the top three in the 25-lap Slingshot feature.
Ryan Flores is The Indoor Auto Racing Series point leader as they move to the finale March 11-12 in Syracuse, NY.
The Boardwalk Hall events were run off as scheduled with a large and enthusiastic crowd on hand despite a winter storm that made travel difficult.
The finish:
Feature (40 Laps): 1. Ryan Flores, 2. Tim Buckwalter, 3. Briggs Danner, 4. Matt Janisch, 5. Erick Rudolph, 6. Scott Kreutter, 7. Joey Bailey, 8. Ryan Bartlett, 9. Tyler Thompson, 10. Mike Bednar, 11. Matt Roselli, 12. Andy Jankowiak, 13. Tommy Catalano. 14. Andrew Nye, 15. Max McLaughlin, 16. Andrew Molleur, 17. Ryan Susice, 18. Anthony Sesely, 19. Tommy Catalano, 20. Kyle Lick, 21. Shawn Nye, 23. Mike Christopher, 24. Tyler Wagner, 25. Tyler Lindsay, 26. Tim Iulg.