[Sandy Lowe]

PHOTO BY BILL MILLER

Montpelier, Ind.] Tate Martz, of Rushville, Ind., opened the 2014 Midwest TQ Racing League presented by Jenmarco.com season in familiar territory — victory lane.

Martz, driving Roger Ramsey’s #22 Duane & Sonja Alexander / Graphic Creations Beast Honda three-quarter midget, led all twenty laps around the Montpelier Motor Speedway to score his 19th career MTQRL feature win.

Martz got the jump on polesitter Matthew Hedrick at the drop of the green flag, was never seriously challenged, and raced to the checkers ahead of Cody Kiewitt. Kevin Blue came from deep in the field to nip Hedrick at the line for third, and Steve Arnold rounded out the top five. Dustin Wheeldon, Kyle May, Chris Mann, Jon Steed and Leslie Souviner completed the top ten. In his first MTQRL start, Tyler Wooten was the highest finishing rookie driver in twelfth place.

Chesterfield’s Devin Fairchild clipped a marker tire on a lap eight restart, flipping violently in turn four. Fairchild was transported to Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, and then transferred to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis where he underwent surgery for a shattered right kneecap. Fairchild is expected to be released from the hospital Monday evening.

Perfect North Slopes heat winners were Matthew Hedrick and Tate Martz, Kevin Blue was the Indy Race Parts Hard Charger after advancing thirteen positions, and Joe Speidel won the Jackson Oil & Solvents gift certificate. The Duane & Sonja Alexander Hard Luck Driver was Aaron Percell who suffered motor problems all evening.

The next event on the schedule will be May 24th when the MTQRL three-quarter midgets return to the Montpelier Motor Speedway.



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"Midwest TQ Racing League"