[Task Force]

KYLE HAMILTON ENDS RUMBLE WEEKEND WITH TOP 5 FINISH
By Zach Tasker
Danville, Indiana native Kyle Hamilton was looking to rebound during Sunday’s finale of the three day Rumble in Fort Wayne, Indiana extravaganza. The opening two days had started off promising as Hamilton was gunning for the overall Rumble Series championship which paid a $1,000 bonus. On Friday December 26 he had to battle through the b main after a crazy finish in the heat race left him outside looking in. He started in 15th spot and remarkably drove his way all the way up to 4th position before burning the right front off and settling for 7th.

Then on Saturday evening “The professor” took the field to school. In the 4th heat race, he was making some unbelievable passes on the outside that many people say is impossible on the tight 1/6 mile concrete oval located inside the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. The good fortunes would quickly turn sour in the feature however as Kyle would spin in turn one on the feature’s second lap. He would then suffer a flat tire on lap four after running over debris causing a DNF.

Sunday brought about it a new opportunity and one last chance to put his name in the record books as a Rumble Series feature winner for 2014. Surprisingly though Sunday morning Hamilton didn’t even know if he was going to be able to race, he was feeling seriously ill “I felt weak and every time I stood up I felt nauseous. But, I was able to get some fluids in me and a couple Advil and make it over to the track for practice. The racecar is the best medicine. Once you get some adrenaline pumping, you feel a lot better. I was relieved to be able to hang in there and finish off the weekend strong.”

The driver of the #33 Curtis Motor Sales/Advanced Racing Suspensions/Walker and Sons Construction/Simpson Racing Spike/Esslinger did make it to the track just in time for practice. In qualifying, he would struggle with a motor that was only running on three cylinders with a problem they would just have to put up with the rest of the day. He would turn a lap of 8.253 seconds, which slotted him into 11th position.

Hamilton would then be in the afternoon’s 4th heat race starting on the outside of row 1. The top three cars would transfer. Kyle was content in running around in 2nd place just to make it into the feature when on lap 4 Patrick Bruns would lose control of the car and spin right in front of him. This would give the 2014 STARS national midget Bob Tattersall Hard Charger award winner the heat race victory as he easily cruised to the checkered flag.

Kyle would start the 50 lap feature in 9th position and quickly at the drop of the green flag start to pick off cars. Even with a motor that was not performing at 100% Hamilton would work his way all the way up to third spot before being passed by eventual overall Rumble Series champion Bryan Nuckles. The black #33 machine would finish in 4th position in the feature, a good top 5 finish to an eventful weekend. “It was satisfying to have a solid run after some of the engine problems that we had been facing throughout the weekend and my mistake in the feature on Saturday night. Running on three cylinders was a little tricky but an Esslinger has more horsepower than some of the Volkswagens I was running with so being down a cylinder made it an even playing field. The car was handling so well that I could still get underneath people to make a pass.”

Kyle Hamilton’s 2015 racing schedule will be revealed in the coming weeks, like Kyle Hamilton Racing on Facebook for more information.

[Task Force]

NICK HAMILTON HAS RUMBLE FEATURE STREAK END ON SUNDAY
By Zach Tasker

Danville Community High School senior Nick Hamilton was looking to continue his surprising form at the Rumble in Fort Wayne indoor midget races in Northeast Indiana on Sunday December 28. The driver who was finishing up his national midget rookie campaign surprised some people with his quick pace on the opening two days of the Rumble; Friday and Saturday. On the opening night, Nick would win the first heat race then he finished 9th in the feature with a smooth and steady run keeping calm while multiple others crashed out in front of him.

Saturday was more of the same story as he would quietly finish in 8th spot in the feature, proving to multiple car owners in attendance he could finish up front without tearing up equipment. Sunday he was looking to keep that magic going and make it into the Rumble feature event on all three nights, which is quite a feat considering there is 41 cars going for just 16 spots.

In qualifying on Sunday afternoon, Hamilton would post a lap time of 8.526 seconds which put him in 20th position. He would start the 4th heat race in 5th spot and have to pass some cars as only the top 3 would transfer to the feature. Hamilton could only push his Gregg Steele owned midget into 4th place against tough competition.

Up next on the docket for the day would be the b main. The driver of the #1 Curtis Motor Sales/Danville Community High School Beast/Focus would start in 4th spot with the top two drivers earning their ticket to the big show. Just as in the heat race Nick would struggle making up ground and miss the show by three spots, ending his 2014 Rumble. “Our qualifying time wasn’t very good. It just went downhill from there once we started in the back of the heat race our underpowered car just couldn’t hang with them once they kind of opened up the track a little bit. We were really happy with how we did. I’m thankful for my team and everything they have put into the race; it was a good weekend. I was at a disadvantage, but we came into it knowing that, and I think we used the best that we had coming into the race. Everybody was kind of doubting the fact that we could make it in. I knew we could get it in as long as we drove it hard. That’s what we did the first two nights and didn’t have as much luck the third night, but we are thankful for everything that we got to do here in Fort Wayne.”

Nick Hamilton’s 2015 racing plans have yet to be finalized but there are a few irons in the fire. “You run out of things to do after pavement midget racing has kind of got shut down. I am trying to look at some dirt ideas and maybe some other open options that I have and hope that some people can see that I really want to race a car and I’m going to drive it as hard as I can and hopefully find some rides.”