Stewart, Schrader, TMez Headline Rumble Midget Line-Up
 

STEWART, SCHRADER, "TMEZ" HEADLINE DIVERSE RUMBLE MIDGET LINE-UP
8 Former Winners And 12 Rookies Part Of 36 Car Pre-Entry List


After losing the 2020 event to Covid-19, the Rumble in Fort Wayne, presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales, returns with one of the most diverse fields of Midget entrants in the 22 running’s of the historic event inside of the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Expo Center.

With 36 cars on the pre-entry list, the 2021 event is guaranteed to see the largest field since 2016. The diversity is shown by eight former winners (27 total wins) and 12 rookies in a driver roster that includes racers from 11 states that will be chasing the elusive Rumble Bell trophy December 17 and 18.

With a sweep of the program in 2019, recently married Tony Stewart increased his record total of Rumble wins to 11 on the 1/6-mile concrete oval. Joining Stewart on the list of returning champions are Billy Wease (5), Russ Gamester (4), Justin Peck (3), and single winners Mike Fedorcak, Derek Bischak, Brandon Knupp and Nick Hamilton. A total of 42 feature events have been contested since the historic event moved into the new Expo Center in 1998. Prior to that, the racing action took part on the hockey rink floor inside the adjoining Coliseum Arena.

With the unique formula of pitting National, Regional, Focus and Kenyon Midgets into one class, the Rumble in Fort Wayne annually attracts a wide variety of drivers and a wide range of experience to make for unpredictable racing.

Leading the Rumble “Rookie” class will be 4-time NASCAR Cup Series winner and 2-time USAC National Champion Kenny Schrader and open-wheel fan-favorite “TMez” Thomas Meseraull. Although a rookie to the Rumble in Fort Wayne, Schrader (Fenton, MO) did make three USAC Midget appearances in the Coliseum Arena, finishing 5th in both races in 1981. A 4-time USAC Midget winner in 2022 and a veteran of the Chili Bowl Nationals, Meseraull will make his pavement indoor debut in a new car fielded by veteran racer Joe Liguori. Joining them will be a pair of drivers with winning histories in the prestigious East-Coast Indoor TQ Racing series, 5-time winner and Penske Racing NASCAR tire-changer Ryan Flores (Huntersville, NC) and 2-time winner and Rumble 600 track record holder “The Jersey Jet” Joey Payne as well as a pair of successful winged sprint car veterans Cody Gallogly and Ryan Moran, moving up to Midgets after previous Rumble go-kart appearances.

Joining the Midgets at the Rumble this year will be the North Baltimore Custom Cuts winged 600cc Midgets, LiUNA non-winged 600’s, and multiple divisions within the Baker Racing Engines Quarter Midget Division. The go-kart division will also be represented with 8 classes including the Jeremy Howe Racing Sr. Champs, Coe Heating & Air Conditioning Junior 3’s, Economy Auto Parts 330 Clones, Bob Buescher Homes 360 Clones, everageauto.com Wedge Karts, Junior Sportsman, 400 Clones and Kid Karts. Each of the divisions and classes will compete in full programs each day.

Advance tickets are available through any Ticketmaster outlet or at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum box office, and on race-day. For those unable to make the trek to Fort Wayne, this year’s program will be live streamed in its entirety via Pit Row TV and SPEED SPORT TV.

Complete event information may be found at www.rumbleinfortwayne.com

Re: Stewart, Schrader, TMez Headline Rumble Midget Line-Up
 

Friday and Saturday...tickets on SALE

Hey Bob, How about former USAC Regional Midget Speedrome Champ, Daryl Campbell making a comeback!!??

Pretty Cool!!

What car is "TMEZ"in?

Anyone know or heard?

Not here. Heard he had engine trouble. Headed to DuQuoin. Lots of classes mixed in tonight. A little slow here.

Re: Stewart, Schrader Headline Diverse Rumble Midget Line-Up
 

Who is running Schrader's car? (this happened at Tulsa a few years ago too...different team...maybe Loyet's? idr)

Gamester Wins!

Blaster1, Thomas, is driving for Joe Liguori.

Originally Posted by treecitytornado:
Blaster1, Thomas, is driving for Joe Liguori.

Ok… guessing that car and driver isn’t here!

No Ken Schrader also….

Re: Stewart, Schrader Headline Diverse Rumble Midget Line-Up
 

The same thing happened with Schrader at Tulsa not too long ago...

Re: Stewart, Schrader Headline Diverse Rumble Midget Line-Up
 

Originally Posted by BLASTER1:
Ok… guessing that car and driver isn’t here!

No Ken Schrader also….

The report I got was that the car was ready, but Schrader could not drive it.

Re: Stewart, Schrader Headline Diverse Rumble Midget Line-Up
 

Originally Posted by Sprintfanatic:
The report I got was that the car was ready, but Schrader could not drive it.

Roving Pit reporter for their pay per view streaming practice on Facebook said that Schraders car started with motor problems. So he left. They got the car running right and put another driver in it.

Re: Stewart, Schrader Headline Diverse Rumble Midget Line-Up
 

Originally Posted by Sprintfanatic:
The report I got was that the car was ready, but Schrader could not drive it.

Schrader ran hot laps, which weren't good, both car and driver had issues they tried a couple things to make him more comfortable but he decided not to go on with the weekend.

Also hear since he stepped out of the car Bud Light sales in Fort Wayne broke a weekend sales record.

"tmez"…🤷🏻*♂️

Matt Westfall had them covered leading most of the feature then broke. Wease and Peck raced side by side almost the entire 1st heat. One of the best races of the night. Cap Henry was very aggressive and fun to watch. Couple guys were not happy with him.

Re: Stewart, Schrader Headline Diverse Rumble Midget Line-Up
 

Travis Welpot led most of the race, not Westfall.

Sorry, you are correct

My mistake, it was Travis.

Re: Stewart, Schrader Headline Diverse Rumble Midget Line-Up
 

Originally Posted by Charles Nungester:
Roving Pit reporter for their pay per view streaming practice on Facebook said that Schraders car started with motor problems. So he left. They got the car running right and put another driver in it.

Who is the other driver tho? (I know I could proly figure it out with car #s but I haven't looked into it like that yet...)

Anyone doing updates, had planned on going but had some family matters arise.

BC, I've been getting updates on Google search, FtWayne Midget racing.

Re: Stewart, Schrader Headline Diverse Rumble Midget Line-Up
 

Tony Stewart wins in the midgets on Saturday.
Tyler Shullick NW 600s winner on Saturday.
Tyler Gunn winged 600s winner on Saturday.

Rumble in Fort Wayne Results - December 18, 2021
Midgets
Feature: 1. 2 Tony Stewart, 2. 24m Jack Macenko, 3. 99w Billy Wease, 4. 6t Trey Osborne, 5. 2.5 Joey Payne, 6. 59 Bryan Nuckles, 7. 31 Derek Bischak, 8. 16 Nick Hamilton, 9. 19 Austin Nemire, 10. 98 Ryan Flores, 11. 8u Joe Liguori, 12. 97 Mike Fedorcak, 13. 46 Russ Gamester, 14. 18 Travis Welpott.

600 NW
Feature: 1. 68g Tyler Gunn, 2. 17n Dillon Nusbaum, 3. 75b Brian Busz, 4. 57b Michael Busz, 5. 16 Grant Valkner, 6. 12 Sam Kimmel, 7. 12 Blane Culp, 8. 46 Tyler Lindsay, 9. 15 Andy Hall, 10. 73 Brent Busz, 11. 21s Larry Joe Sroufe, 12. 51 Jason Ormsby, 13. 53 Justin Harper, 14. 69 Blake Lamb, 15. 20i John Ivy, 16. 2 Dustin Ingle.

600 Winged
Feature: 1. 40 Tyler Shullick, 2. 94 John Ivy, 3. 1 Chase Ridenour, 4. 29i Kelsey Ivy, 5. 10r Ryan Ball, 6. 17 Cap Henry, 7. 8 Cory Grenzy, 9. 26 Howard McCormick, 10. 11b Drew Dorsett, 11. 3w Dylan Woodling, 12. 18 Cody Tyler, 13. 5 Brian Busz, 14. 87 Nate Franklin, 15. 21 Clay Sanders, 16. 44 Blake Adams.

Re: Stewart, Schrader Headline Diverse Rumble Midget Line-Up
 

Originally Posted by jdull99:
Who is the other driver tho? (I know I could proly figure it out with car #s but I haven't looked into it like that yet...)

Tim Creech got in the car Saturday and was in position to put it in the field until he got a flat.

Re: Stewart, Schrader Headline Diverse Rumble Midget Line-Up
 

I had to watch on tv this year due to work. I thought the TV broadcast was pretty decent. On TV it actually looked like the racing might have been better than years past.

Re: Stewart, Schrader Headline Diverse Rumble Midget Line-Up
 

Originally Posted by 767:
I had to watch on tv this year due to work. I thought the TV broadcast was pretty decent. On TV it actually looked like the racing might have been better than years past.

Track was AWESOME this year! If anything, was a little TOO good. Even though there was a second groove (as was proven repeatedly by those who chanced it) was just too quick around the bottom for the Midgets.