(complete results were posted on an earlier thread)

Rumble Series
Indianapolis Speedrome ∙ Sunday, May 31, 2009

Young Hamilton makes it look easy at Speedrome
Third-place Wease may be on verge of Nationwide ride

By RON WARE
Classic Motorsports

INDIANAPOLIS – Compared to the beating and banging that took place behind him, Kyle Hamilton enjoyed a leisurely Sunday afternoon drive in the 75-lap Rumble Series midget feature at the Indianapolis Speedrome.

The 16-year-old from Danville, Ind., notched his second midget victory in less than 24 hours Sunday, leading all but the first eight circuits and lapping all but runner-up Jeremy Warren in a dominating performance. Billy Wease, Adam Schuyler and rookie A.J. Lesiecki completed the top five at the 1/5-mile paved oval.

But it wasn’t nearly as easy as it looked, a physically drained Hamilton said after climbing from his family-owned Beast-VW.

“It was about all I could do to hold on,” the high school junior-to-be said. “If I wasn’t a cross country and track runner, I don’t think I could have made it. I was starting to tire out.

“This is such a flat track, it seemed like the car wanted to roll over to the right (going through the turns). I just kept my head up against the headrest and tried to breath.”

In doing so, he left the rest of the field gasping.

“He’s pretty good,” admitted Warren, practically an old-timer by comparison at age 22. “He looks smooth. He had a real good line through the corner, and he wasn’t stomping the pedal like some of these guys. That’s what you gotta do here.”

Hamilton got a scare with five laps to go when his car began spitting fluid each time he went through the second turn. Just as he took the checkered flag, the engine blew. On his way to the scales afterward, a tire began hissing.

“I don’t think I’ve ever driven in a race this tough,” he said.

But by then, he had secured his second win in as many days, having captured a USAC regional midget race Saturday night at Grundy County Speedway in Illinois. A rising star, he’s leading the USAC regional points after winning the USAC Indiana/Midwest Ford Focus championship in 2008 and the USAC Kenyon midget title in 2007.

Lesiecki, a quarter midget product who has driven 600cc winged midgets, led the first three laps after a tangle on the original start sidelined Aaron Pierce and Ed Hair. Sondi Eden squeezed past him to lead laps 4-8 before Warren slammed into her, allowing Hamilton, who charged from ninth starting position, to move in front for good.

Warren, who was driving a car he built himself when he worked for Bob East, also considered himself fortunate to make it to the finish. His car began leaking radiator fluid in the late going.

“We both had pretty good cars,” he said. “But I couldn’t catch him.”

Wease elected to run the race – saying he owed it to car owner Randy Burrow and Rumble Series promoter Tony Barhorst – despite finding out that he’s on the verge of a major career break. He left immediately afterward to drive to Charlotte, N.C., where he has a meeting Monday morning with a NASCAR Nationwide Series team.

If all goes well, Wease, a former Penske development driver, could make his NASCAR debut Saturday {June 6} at Nashville Superspeedway. The team competes full time in the series and is just outside the top 20 in owner points.

Wease is especially proud of the fact that if he’s chosen for the ride, it will be strictly on merit. He is not bringing money to the team.

He said he couldn’t pass up the chance to race one more time with the Rumble Series.

“It’s fun to run Randy’s car and to run the Speedrome,” Wease said, smiling.

Fast qualifier Brett Robinson won the 25-lap Indiana-Kentucky-Ohio MiniCup feature over Casey Willingham and Bradley Stiffler.

Jeff Purdue, Tyler Kramer, Nick Keller, Chris Linley and Dolan Buckler scored kart victories, while Garrett Johnson won in Jr. Sprints. Mike Gass doubled in quarter midgets for the second straight time in the Rumble Series, while Jonathon Lesiecki and Zach Freeman also won in quarter midgets.