Stewart bumps way to win Friday (FtWayne)

Tony Barhorst · 12/27/08, 1:54 AM

(complete results for all classes will be posted separately)

Stewart bumps way to Rumble victory

By RON WARE
Classic Motorsports

FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The last thing Tony Stewart wanted was to begin his celebration with an apology.

But that’s what the two-time NASCAR champion found himself doing after bumping his way past Lou Cicconi Jr. to capture the 60-lap midget feature Friday on the opening night of the 11th annual “Rumble in Fort Wayne.”

Stewart won for a record-extending seventh time on the 1/6-mile indoor track at the Memorial Coliseum Expo Center, bolting into the lead after tapping Cicconi in turn four on lap 21. Cicconi spun 360 degrees and continued, but Stewart narrowly squeezed by on the inside and dominated the rest of the race, beating Tim Jedrzejek, Mike Fedorcak, Charlie Schultz and Tom Schnabel to the finish. Cicconi later dropped out, placing 12th.

“I didn’t have enough patience tonight,” said the 37-year-old Stewart, who was a standout in midgets and sprints before moving on to IndyCars and NASCAR. “I got into Lou too hard. I wasn’t trying to move him. I was just trying to let him know I was there -- to get in his head a little.”

Stewart hung his head, then continued.

“I screwed up,” he said. “I tried to give him his position back, but another car was coming through and I couldn’t. Lou and I have been friends for a long time. The first year I went to Florida (to race, in 1991), he let me sleep on the floor of his motel room. We’ve been friends for years.”

A frustrated but gracious Cicconi said Stewart didn’t need to apologize.

“No big deal,” said Cicconi, who has qualified in the top three at each of the four Rumble Series indoor races but has yet to finish better than 10th. “I know I didn’t have the car tonight to beat him. But tomorrow (Saturday) … I’m not making any guarantees, but I’m going to do my best.”

Stewart, who had to run a last-chance race to make the feature, started seventh in the 14-car field but quickly asserted himself. Pole-sitter Dave Darland led the first 17 laps before tangling with Fedorcak, then Cicconi took over for the next three. But Stewart, driving his black No. 2 Munchkin, caught Cicconi in the fourth turn and nudged his left rear just hard enough to send him spinning. From there, Stewart romped, winning in Fort Wayne for the fifth year in a row and for the seventh time since 2001.

“I thought it was a lot later in the race,” Stewart said.

Cicconi’s disappointment was rivaled by Billy Wease’s. The winner a week earlier at Toledo, Ohio, Wease qualified for the feature but was unable to start because of an oil pump failure. That dropped his team owner, Randy Burrow, from first into a tie for third in the Rumble Series championship. The top 15 owners will share in a $7,020 point fund following Saturday’s finale here.

“Just a 50-cent seal in the front of the oil pump,” Burrow said.

Jedrzejek’s owner, Randall Williams, holds an unofficial 232-219 lead over Rick Daugherty’s RAD Racing (with driver Jon Stanbrough). Burrow is tied at 212 points with Don Moore (Geoff Kaiser’s car owner).
Another complete program of midgets, winged outlaw modified midgets, karts, junior sprints and quarter midgets is set for Saturday, with spectator gates opening at noon and the main portion of the program beginning at 7 p.m. Race promoter Tony Barhorst said “plenty of seats” remain for Saturday.

Erick Rudolph captured Friday’s 40-lap winged midget feature. Kart victories went to Brandon Dunn, Brandon Young, Cory Talaska, Sam Longanbach, John Hawley and Gabriel Gilbert. Garrett Johnson took the junior sprint feature, while Cannon Konzer, Austin Prock, Nick Ley, Cooper Clouse and Mox Price won in quarter midgets.

12/27/08, 1:54 AM	#1 Stewart bumps way to win Friday (FtWayne)
Tony Barhorst Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 752	(complete results for all classes will be posted separately) Stewart bumps way to Rumble victory By RON WARE Classic Motorsports FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The last thing Tony Stewart wanted was to begin his celebration with an apology. But that’s what the two-time NASCAR champion found himself doing after bumping his way past Lou Cicconi Jr. to capture the 60-lap midget feature Friday on the opening night of the 11th annual “Rumble in Fort Wayne.” Stewart won for a record-extending seventh time on the 1/6-mile indoor track at the Memorial Coliseum Expo Center, bolting into the lead after tapping Cicconi in turn four on lap 21. Cicconi spun 360 degrees and continued, but Stewart narrowly squeezed by on the inside and dominated the rest of the race, beating Tim Jedrzejek, Mike Fedorcak, Charlie Schultz and Tom Schnabel to the finish. Cicconi later dropped out, placing 12th. “I didn’t have enough patience tonight,” said the 37-year-old Stewart, who was a standout in midgets and sprints before moving on to IndyCars and NASCAR. “I got into Lou too hard. I wasn’t trying to move him. I was just trying to let him know I was there -- to get in his head a little.” Stewart hung his head, then continued. “I screwed up,” he said. “I tried to give him his position back, but another car was coming through and I couldn’t. Lou and I have been friends for a long time. The first year I went to Florida (to race, in 1991), he let me sleep on the floor of his motel room. We’ve been friends for years.” A frustrated but gracious Cicconi said Stewart didn’t need to apologize. “No big deal,” said Cicconi, who has qualified in the top three at each of the four Rumble Series indoor races but has yet to finish better than 10th. “I know I didn’t have the car tonight to beat him. But tomorrow (Saturday) … I’m not making any guarantees, but I’m going to do my best.” Stewart, who had to run a last-chance race to make the feature, started seventh in the 14-car field but quickly asserted himself. Pole-sitter Dave Darland led the first 17 laps before tangling with Fedorcak, then Cicconi took over for the next three. But Stewart, driving his black No. 2 Munchkin, caught Cicconi in the fourth turn and nudged his left rear just hard enough to send him spinning. From there, Stewart romped, winning in Fort Wayne for the fifth year in a row and for the seventh time since 2001. “I thought it was a lot later in the race,” Stewart said. Cicconi’s disappointment was rivaled by Billy Wease’s. The winner a week earlier at Toledo, Ohio, Wease qualified for the feature but was unable to start because of an oil pump failure. That dropped his team owner, Randy Burrow, from first into a tie for third in the Rumble Series championship. The top 15 owners will share in a $7,020 point fund following Saturday’s finale here. “Just a 50-cent seal in the front of the oil pump,” Burrow said. Jedrzejek’s owner, Randall Williams, holds an unofficial 232-219 lead over Rick Daugherty’s RAD Racing (with driver Jon Stanbrough). Burrow is tied at 212 points with Don Moore (Geoff Kaiser’s car owner). Another complete program of midgets, winged outlaw modified midgets, karts, junior sprints and quarter midgets is set for Saturday, with spectator gates opening at noon and the main portion of the program beginning at 7 p.m. Race promoter Tony Barhorst said “plenty of seats” remain for Saturday. Erick Rudolph captured Friday’s 40-lap winged midget feature. Kart victories went to Brandon Dunn, Brandon Young, Cory Talaska, Sam Longanbach, John Hawley and Gabriel Gilbert. Garrett Johnson took the junior sprint feature, while Cannon Konzer, Austin Prock, Nick Ley, Cooper Clouse and Mox Price won in quarter midgets.