While many others fell victim to incidents and mechanical gremlins, Trevor Catalano kept his nose clean and held off Kyle Lick in a jaw-dropping side by side battle that lasted multiple laps to win Saturday night’s NAPA Auto Parts Gambler’s Classic at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.
The victory, worth $6,500, was the Ontario, New York driver’s first ever with the Indoor Auto Racing Championship.
“These are the things you dream of at night,” said the 19-year-old after the race. “Going into this weekend, I was just hoping to finish both races inside the top five. We made some big adjustments after finishing second in Allentown, and I think that’s what pushed us over the edge. There were like three or four different wrecks in front of me, so I was just lucky to miss them. Then I felt like (Kyle) Lick and I battled for like 20 laps. It was so intense, but it was all clean and I’m glad we did enough to hang on.”
Catalano started the 40-lap affair in the eleventh spot and hovered between the sixth and tenth positions for the opening 20 laps. However, he found himself on the bottom step of the podium on lap 26 after watching his older brother and leader Tommy climb over the left side of Anthony Sesely going into turn three, taking both out of contention.
When green replaced yellow, Catalano followed Lick by Tanner VanDoren to move into the runner-up spot on lap 28. As the laps continued to click off, Lick’s car was getting loose on off the bottom, and like an animal stalking its prey, Catalano was waiting for his opportunity to pounce.
His chance came with five laps to go as he forced his way completely inside Lick to take command. However, the race was far from over as a multi-car incident in the middle of the field brought out what would wind up being the final yellow.
On the ensuing restart, both Catalano and Lick sent those in attendance into a frenzy, racing wheel to wheel inches apart with Catalano squeaking ahead each time they crossed under the start-finish line.
As the pair roared down the backstretch and into three and four with the checkered flag waving in the wind, the exceptional battle saw Lick spin out and Catalano to rip off the corner to the victory. Ryan Flores, Shawn Nye, Anthony Payne and Tommy Catalano trailed at the finish.
The Ray McCabe sponsored Larry Michaels TQ Midget Fast Time Award was earned by Andy Jankowiak following a lightning quick group qualifying session. The Tonawanda, New York driver zipped his No. 57 around the speedway in 7.852 seconds to collect $393.39. Shawn Nye (7.859) pocketed the $200 Tony Romit Second Fast Time Award sponsored by Dr. William Lowe. Matt Swanson (7.916) raked in an extra $100 for the Dr. William Lowe sponsored Sonny Saunders Third Fast Time Award. DJ Shaw (7.947) and Tanner VanDoren (7.962) completed the top five.
Prior to the Gamblers Classic, the TQ Midgets ran six heat races sponsored by E. Schneider & Sons. Anthony Sesely, Tommy Catalano, Andrew Nye, Paulie Hartwig III, Briggs Danner and Justin Grant emerged victorious in the fast-paced affairs. A trio of Dr. William Lowe sponsored B-Main’s set the rest of the lineup, with Anthony Payne, Josh Sokolic and Tim Buckwalter claiming them.
Various special awards were handed out to deserving recipients throughout the day Saturday. The $555.55 Doug Craig Hard Charger of the TQ Gamblers Classic, sponsored by Penn NY TQ Midgets and Ray McCabe, was earned by Anthony Payne, who stormed from nineteenth to finish fourth.
Paulie Hartwig III received the $100 Nick Forono Award presented by Dr. William Lowe for leading the first lap of the TQ feature.
The $200 Walt Chernokal Best Appearing TQ Midget Award, sponsored by Dave Adams and Ray McCabe, was awarded to multi-time Gamblers Classic winner Ryan Flores.
The $200 Bruce Kindberg Best Engineered Car Award, presented by Joe Grandinetti and Ray McCabe, was given to Zack Myers for his No. 41x TQ driven by Cap Henry.
Doug Stearly, of Hephzibah, Georgia, marched to the lead on lap six from his fifth-place starting spot, but had to knife around Quentin Graham Jr. after losing it with five laps to go to win the 25-lap Champ Kart feature by a narrow 0.137 seconds. With the victory, Stearly became the 2026 Indoor Auto Racing Series champion.
Dylan Hoch, of Mertztown, Pennsylvania, continued his dominance in the Slingshot division as after Cody Kohler went around at the front of the brigade, Hoch kept Cody Bleau at bay for multiple restarts and eventually blasted away on a green-white-checkered to win the 25-lap feature. Hoch also claimed the 2026 Indoor Auto Racing Series Championship.
Stephen Kemery, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, seized the opportunity when early race leader James Roselli suffered a flat left rear tire by fending off relentless pressure from Kyle Lick and Scott Kreutter to whiz under the checkered flag first in the 20-lap Dirt Micro 600 feature.
The Indoor Auto Racing Championship returns on February 19, 20, and 21 at the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, NJ for the East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals.
TQ Midget 24th Running of the Gambler’s Classic (40 Laps) –1. James Roselli 2. Scott Kreutter 3. Stephen Kemery 4. Kyle Lick 5. Tim Buckwalter 6. Tyler Catalano 7. Ronald Pavia 8. Matt Chowns 9. Jacob Fisher 10. Michael Lapicki 11. Tanner Chowns 12. Sean Case
Champ Karts (20 Laps) — 1. Doug Stearly 2. Quentin Graham Jr 3. Chase Keister 4. Brandon Tiezzi 5. Cody Crenshaw 6. Oliver Quinney 7. Max Pfeifer 8. Andy Kirby 9. Joseph Mingoia 10. Preston DeMello 11. Gabrian Goley 12. Joe Gada 13. TJ Reed 14. Shawn Conklin 15. Scott Witt 16. Brandon Rusczek 17. Todd Crenshaw 18. Chase Williamson 19. Missy Bootes 20. Tanner Emmons 21. Tyler Brown 22. Alex Smolders 23. Dustin Gagne 24. Richie Spaide
Action Track USA Slingshots (20 Laps) — 1. Dylan Hoch 2. Cody Bleau 3. Dylan Cordier 4. Chris Laureigh 5. Isaac Graby 6. Brett Bieber 7. Tyler Truex 8. Mason Pittenger 9. Tyler Ulsh 10. Alex Reinsmith 11. Ryan Raidline 12. Lucas Pittenger 13. Dylan Hahn 14. Garrett Chillot 15. Brian Smith 16. James Benz 17. Cody Kohler 18. Jon Laureigh 19. Jared Silfee 20. Paulie Hartwig III 21. Matthew Mertz 22. Cody Kline 23. John Martinsky 24. Brett Putnam
600cc Micro Sprint Feature (20 Laps) — 1. James Roselli 2. Scott Kreutter 3. Stephen Kemery 4. Kyle Lick 5. Tim Buckwalter 6. Tyler Catalano 7. Ronald Pavia 8. Matt Chowns 9. Jacob Fisher 10. Michael Lapicki 11. Tanner Chowns 12. Sean Case
