|
Brandon Wimmer – Runner-up in West Virginia!
(Bill W) June 10, 2009 – The Rick Ferkel #0 team and driver, Brandon Wimmer, continued their progress last weekend in a pair of events with the All Star Circuit of Champions. Though his progress in the feature was slowed at Lernerville Speedway on Friday night by an accident beyond his control, the Fairmount, Indiana driver followed up with a second place finish at Elkins Speedway in West Virginia on Saturday.
Recent rains in western Pennsylvania dictated track conditions at Lernerville Speedway near Sarver on Friday. Brandon timed in 23rd quick in the large field, and went on to win his heat. "Friday, Lernerville was really heavy," he says. "They had a lot of rain. For us to qualify 23rd with that many cars was not too bad."
Starting towards the back of the main event, Brandon moved up through the field before his run was cut short with a DNF. "We were making our way up there in the feature, and someone got sideways in front of us, and we had nowhere to go," he says.
The Gene Tallman Memorial was up next at the Elkins Speedway in West Virginia. Despite recent heavy rains, track personnel worked overtime to host the All Stars for the first time. "It was a long night," says Brandon. "They had tons of rain in Elkins. The track was really rough, but they tried their best to work on it all night long. They were grading it to try to get it as smooth as they could."
After timing in fifth quick, Brandon won his heat for the second night in a row. "The car was working really well in qualifying and the heat," he says. "Then the kid who was drawing for us for the feature did a great job by getting a two."
Brandon put the #0 out front and led most of the main event. "We were really good out front there," he remembers. "They had smoothed the track, but with the rain they had, as the feature went on, it got rougher and rougher. I had some trouble in traffic, and the car was getting tighter and tighter."
With ten laps to go, Tim Shaffer, who also picked up the feature win at Lernerville, was able to get by. Brandon settled for a season best second with the All Stars. "Tim was able to get by us, but it was a good finish, and that's something that we've really needed was a good finish," he says. "You have to respect what Tim and the rest of that team are doing. They've been strong all year long, and getting passed by them is nothing to hang your head too long about."
It will be three more races in Pennsylvania for the All Stars this weekend. Williams Grove Speedway near Mechanicsburg hosts the series on Friday, Lincoln Speedway near Abbottstown is next on Saturday, and the weekend rounds out on Sunday at the Central Pennsylvania Speedway near Clearfield on Sunday. "It seems like we've been in 'PA' most of the year!" says Brandon. "It's always a tough place to race, but a good way to see how you're measuring up. I'm looking forward to getting to run at Lincoln, especially with the way we are running right now. Clearfield is a new track for me. Then we head for Ohio Speedweek."
Brandon and Rick Ferkel would like to thank the following sponsors for all their help: Shorty's Truck Repair, Smith's Farm, Goodyear Tires, Griff's Engines, Kear's Speed Shop, Huggins Cams, BRODIX Heads, Barnes Oil Pumps, Prism Lubricants, Zeis Land Development, Butlerbuilt, Simpson, Winning With Wellness and WRT Web Designs.
Brandon races at Lernerville Speedway (Paul Arch Photo)
If this post isn't results, stories or something c
constructive, it isn't me!
@BillWMedia
www.OpenWheel101.com
|
