[Task Force]

Mike Wallace Racing trudges through difficult night at Kokomo
By Zach Tasker

The Illini Racing Series midget super team, Mike Wallace Racing had it hopes set on high for the 8th running of the Kokomo Klash presented by Allstar Performance held on October 17th. The Joliet, Illinois based squad was keen on showcasing that their Ecotec engines could keep up with the national midget powerhouses. 25 midgets were on hand at the ¼ mile dirt oval on a chilly Friday night.

Both of the teams full time IRS midget drivers, Patrick Bruns, who had just came off of winning his 3rd straight Illini midget championship, and Jimmy Clark Jr., IRS rookie of the year would be the two bullets in the MWR chamber for the night.

The night started off decent in practice for Bruns, as he rolled the low line with respectable lap times trying to keep up with the national motors. The track at Kokomo would be unusually rough all night especially in turns 1 and 3 due to all of the heavy rains during the week leading up to the race. Unfortunately for Clark, a mechanical issue would sideline him in practice and the night’s first heat race and he would finish in 8th position.

Bruns was also in the night’s first heat and would start in the 2nd position alongside his USAC HPD Midwest series championship rival, Austin Nemire. Bruns would avoid Nemire taking an end over end tumble on lap 1 but would still fade back through the field. The Champaign, Illinois resident would have a great side by side battle and take the final transfer spot in 5th to advance to the Kokomo Klash.

The team still had to try to get the #10c MWR Lightning/Ecotec of Clark Jr into the A main. Clark was making his first career national midget start, which meant he was still getting to grips with the big national tires as the IRS uses low profile DOT American Racers.

After getting the mechanical problems sorted out the Lagrange, Illinois native would start 7th in the ten lap b main and had high hopes of advancing two positions to make the feature. These plans would all unravel on the races opening lap however. Clark was pushing hard trying to gain positions and race his way into the show when he went too low, hitting an infield tire launching the car into a series of spectacular barrel rolls. The car landed on its wheels and Clark quickly got out under his own power with only a bruised knee. This was a disappointing end of the night for the driver that is nicknamed “wild thing” but he is determined to have a better outing next time he gets another national midget chance.

Up next was the 25 lap feature. Bruns would start 13th in a field stacked with talent from end to end. Unfortunately this just wasn’t MWR’s night as on lap two a gaggle of cars got stacked up in turn 3 right in front of Bruns. He had nowhere to go and made contact with a couple of cars in front of him as the track was blocked. The driver with 6 IRS feature wins this year would be credited with an 18th place feature finish.

The driver of the #10b Darcy GMC/Mobil 1/Triple T Car Wash & Lube/MWR Lightning/Ecotec was still in positive spirts after the early exit from the feature “We came here to have some fun in a nice relaxed atmosphere, with a good group of guys to race against tonight. There was a good car count on hand, I know some of these guys didn’t even get to make the A main with the number of cars that were here but fortunately with our MWR Ecotec we did make the A main and got caught up in somebody else’s wreck early on, those things happen , that’s part of racing.”

The MWR team was still pleased at Bruns keeping up with the national midget engines in the heat race and making the A main. They will be back in action December 20 to take part in the Powri Battle at the Center in DuQuoin, Illinois. For the most up to date info from the team, follow MWR Technology/Lightning Chassis on Facebook.

[JarrettFarms73]

Thanks for bringing the cars over. Track was wicked fast and they did a great job. Hope you'll try it again!