[Task Force]

Nick Hamilton joins legendary Mel Kenyon in aim for Rumble title
By Zach Tasker

18-year-old racing star Nick Hamilton is already looking forward to the 18th annual Rumble in Fort Wayne. The tight confines of the 1/6 mile concrete oval inside the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum will greet many national midget competitors once again this year for a two-day spectacular on Saturday, December 26 and Sunday, December 27. The Danville, Indiana native is looking to capitalize on last year’s success at the Rumble. Hamilton was able to make the feature event twice in a super competitive field all while driving an underpowered Focus midget.

On the opening night, he would pick up a heat race win and finish in 9th position while on Saturday night he would be greeted with 8th spot in the feature quietly taking positions as they came to him while other more experienced drivers would fall out in front. “With the finishes that I have had the past few years in underpowered cars I think I have shown that I can put it in the show and race, but now I'm shooting for bigger things. With Fort Wayne being so difficult to even put it in the show both nights; my goal will start out as trying to put it in the show. After that, I'll race to win and see where we end up.”

The multiple time USSA Mel Kenyon Midget Series feature winner is teaming up with the legendary car owner himself, Mel Kenyon for this year's Rumble, driving the famous bright yellow #61. “Driving for Mel is something that you just can't take lightly. He's inspirational on and off the track and has plenty of success in the racing world. On the track, I am just back to my basics. Mel has seen the good days of racing and the bad so the pressure won't be from him it will just be reaching our goals and staying consistent.”

The driver of the #61 Printing Image/Curtis Motor Sales Kenyon/Gaerte had a mixed schedule this year of sprint car, midget, and micro sprint racing and just wants to race, no matter what the vehicle. “I think driving the sprint car and getting so many laps throughout the month of May will really help me by keeping my head in it and staying consistent on the track. Any seat time I have had this year will only help me for Fort Wayne, but you can't really train for Fort Wayne specifically.”

For legendary car owner Mel Kenyon, he has seen it all. He is arguably the greatest midget racer of all time. His resume is standing proof why he is in multiple halls of fame with 7 USAC National Midget Series championships to go along with his 60 IndyCar starts which included 8 Indianapolis 500’s and a 3rd place finish in the 1968 Memorial Day weekend classic. The two-time Turkey Night Grand Prix winner always enjoys the Rumble in Fort Wayne as it helps ease the long winter offseason of outdoor racing. “There are always a lot of race cars there. I think 35 midgets, probably a couple hundred race cars there all together in the various divisions and so forth. It is always a challenge, indoors is close and flat. We managed to win that several times and I haven’t driven a car now in 6 years so we rent the car out. It looks like Nick Hamilton is going to be the driver this year. He did really well there last year so that’s great. We look forward to having a great time with him there.”

The man who calls Lebanon, Indiana home feels that Nick Hamilton will give his team a shot to win the super tough and competitive race “He took the Focus car last year and made the show two of the three nights. It’s just a two-night deal this year; he was very competitive and did well with the challenge of the racetrack and the challenge of indoors. He will end up doing well we hope and we will win the race lord willing.”

The 18th annual Rumble in Fort Wayne will feature two complete shows of racing December 26-27 including practice, qualifying, heat races, b mains and a 40 lap feature each night. Accompanying the national midgets on the card will be winged and non-wing micro sprints, karts and quarter midgets. For ticket information visit www.rumbleseries.com, for more info on Nick and Kyle Hamiltons racing exploits including live updates from the Rumble, “like” Hamilton Brothers Racing on Facebook.