Keith Kunz again, but it Bell who wins this time
What can you say, 4 starts at Indiana Midget Week and now four win with four different drivers.I guess the only question that need answers with two rounds left is who of the team will get the next win?
Bell started the night with fast time over Clauson and Ryan Robinson. Heat winners were Abreu, Thorson, Brown and Klaasmeyer.Bell race plans looked a bit shaky when he finished 5th in his heat and was forced to work for his transfer from the semi, which he won.Bryan Clauson also had car troubles and had to get the backup car out to get his transfer by finishing second to Bell.
Bell started from P 7 and by lap 7 had taken control of the race .Lap 10 and Holly Shelton rolled and Kingshott and Tyler Thomas were involved.Bell had speed that those following could but dream about and had little difficulty in controlling the race.Bryan Clauson had found some pace up on the cushion and quickly move into contention to challenge Darland who was secure in second.
Australian Dayne Kingshott brought out a late caution for a blown rear right tyre just 6 laps from the finish.On the restart Bell bolted away building a lead that Darland and Clauson could not match. With Bell out front Darland had to call on all his years of tough racing to keep Clauson from taking his hard fought position.
Across the stripe at Bloomington and the Kunz/Toyota Team with Bell directing posted win number four , just remarkable but it must be frustrating and have the other 44 teams wondering just how do we beats these dudes !
Driver post race interviews
Christopher Bell “This place is really technical and that plays to my advantage,” Bell assured. “Tonight, there was a big ledge up top and I didn’t spend a lot of time up there, but when I did, I could use it to my advantage and pass guys. The bottom here is really tough to run; you have to make sure you have enough angle in your car, but not too much so you miss the moisture. It’s tough, but very fun too, and, obviously, Keith’s (Kunz) cars are always good so that helps.”
Dave Darland“I could hit the bottom of (turns) three and four really well, but in (turns) one and two, it was a lot harder,” Darland explained. “When Bryan (Clauson) got up next to me, I might’ve bobbled down there and let him get around me. But I just had to get into turn one easy and not get out into the slick. I did that a couple of times early on, but, luckily, it didn’t cost me anything. Tonight is a great confidence builder. It feels good for the team. These guys are still new to the midget scene, so it feels really good to reward their effort.”
Bryan Clauson“The middle was never really the fastest, but on restarts, I could use it to pick some guys off,” Clauson said. “It made the guys on the bottom overdrive the corner a little bit and let me sneak by and that was really the only option I had. It was a herculean effort tonight to get back into contention with having to pull out the backup car and it kept our ‘Midget Week’ hopes alive.”
FEATURE FINISH: 1. Christopher Bell, 2. Dave Darland, 3. Bryan Clauson, 4. Shane Golobic, 5. Spencer Bayston, 6. Carson Macedo, 7. Brady Bacon, 8. Chad Boat, 9. Tyler Thomas, 10. Rico Abreu, 11. Tanner Thorson, 12. Steve Buckwalter, 13. Garrett Aitken, 14. Davey Ray, 15. Ryan Greth, 16. Gage Walker, 17. Austin Brown, 18. Jimi Quin, 19. Tucker Klaasmeyer, 20. David Budres, 21. Jerry Coons, Jr., 22. Dayne Kingshott, 23. Zach Daum, 24. Holly Shelton.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-6 Darland, Laps 7-30 Bell.
KSE RACING PRODUCTS/B & W AUTO MART HARD CHARGER (in memory of Dean Wever): Tyler Thomas (21st to 9th)
**Robinson flipped during the third heat. Shelton flipped on lap 10 of the feature.
NEW USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Clauson-320, 2-Bayston-312, 3-Bacon-285, 4-Thorson-253, 5-Golobic-247, 6-Boat-240, 7-Thomas-238, 8-Daum-214, 9-Coons-194, 10-Darland-193.
NEW USAC INDIANA MIDGET WEEK POINTS: 1-Clauson-297, 2-Bayston-257, 3-Abreu-231, 4-Bell-220, 5-Bacon-204, 6-Thomas & Boat-203, 8-Thorson-201, 9-Coons-194, 10-Darland-183.
NEXT USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CHAMPIONSHIP RACE: June 4 – Lawrenceburg (IN) Speedway – 12th “Indiana Midget Week”
