Notes RE: Fort Wayne
 

A few years ago, a very famous driver stepped out of the Beast that I run at Fort Wayne, so I went driver hunting. I had a short list, but the driver who kept coming to the top was Geoff Kaiser of Fort Wayne, IN. I met Geoff many years ago and we kept in touch when he would volunteer as a crew member for some of the dirt races we would run. One of the best decisions I ever made since I've owned midgets was to hire Geoff Kaiser. No drama, no nonsense, no hissy fits, no finger pointing, a laid back individual that gets the job done. Geoff is one of the unsung heroes of open wheel racing today that not only knows how to drive, but builds his own cars, maintains them and is an encyclopedia of how to make things work. He has recommended quite a few changes for the indoor car, some expensive and I've listened and made them. He turned the third quickest lap in TT's Saturday night which is a testament about taking a mediocre car a few years ago and bringing it to what is now.

The surprise of the weekend was 14 YO Adam Wilsdon. For those that were not there, he almost won the Sunday midget feature... in an older narrow body Stealth 34 inch dirt car with Chevy power. Yes... you are reading this correctly... a Stealth dirt car. If fact, he was so fast he made the Munchkins and VW's look silly by putting almost a 3/4 lap on the field. So for all you potential midget racers at FW, no need to go out and buy something special. All you need is some good setups and a driver that knows how to get it done. This kid was amazing to say the least!!!!

And finally a thank you to Tony Barhorst for keeping indoor pavement racing alive. For the record, Barhorst has been studying some rule changes over the past year. He's talked and listened to a lot of people and made some bold decisions to even the competition and it worked. The 14 YO kid driving a narrow body Stealth dirt car is certainly the proof. Hats off to Tony for stepping out of the box ( one of the few in the country, maybe the only one at this point) and standing firm on some rule changes that needed to be made.

Re: Notes RE: Fort Wayne
 

Don, glad to see you have Geoff in the car. The fact that he normally runs a winged car and is from Fort Wayne is pretty cool. I didn't know Adam Wilsdon was only 14 years old. That kid did a great job staying in the lead. With Wease, Fedorcak, Darland and Stanbrough behind him. Being that Sunday wasn't the wreck fest we had on Saturday he also made it through lapped traffic quite well. I would have to say he was the most impressive of the weekend.

If the weather hadn't sucked and I didn't smoke a curb on the way home I would say the weekend was great. I also liked the day and a half format better then the whole 2 day long show.

James

Re: Notes RE: Fort Wayne
 

I felt rushed with the day and a half format. I love spending 2 nights up there the weekend after Christmas; it's my little getaway after too many family holiday gatherings. :3: Plus the day and a half format meant I had to get up the next morning and go to work.

I mentioned to my brother after the race Sunday that every time I've seen Geoff Kaiser indoors in the 10 car he's been in contention, but the cards never seem to fall just right for him. He was my Saturday night pick after a stellar heat race run.

I like the 600s more and more every year. They put on some good racing; John Ivy seems to be a machine indoors in the 600s. Some of those things are starting to look crazy; I swear that #7 car looked like a mini super-modified. I wish he wouldn't have had mechanical failure Sunday night, because that thing was FAST through the day.

How about Brandon Dunn in the karts? Swept Saturday and Sunday features in both Senior Heavy and Senior Medium. I think he won all his heats in both classes Sunday, too. Pretty impressive.

Re: Notes RE: Fort Wayne
 

I agree with you on the 600's. Don't wanna say I like wings, but when Ivy and the other car (insert 2nd fastest car number here) is running through traffic they just seem wicked fast. Maybe the wings just make it look busier, but they are pretty cool to watch.

Re: Notes RE: Fort Wayne
 

22 was the #

Re: Notes RE: Fort Wayne
 

Just being figurative, it's was Ivy and #22 Ryan Smith this year. #75 Charlie Schultz last year.... and I think Ivy went on like a 7 in a row streak before that. Just like in the midgets, it is nice to see somebody else win. Smith was definitely haulin' it this year on Sunday.

Re: Notes RE: Fort Wayne
 

The surprise of the weekend was 14 YO Adam Wilsdon. For those that were not there, he almost won the Sunday midget feature... in an older narrow body Stealth 34 inch dirt car with Chevy power. Yes... you are reading this correctly... a Stealth dirt car. If fact, he was so fast he made the Munchkins and VW's look silly by putting almost a 3/4 lap on the field. So for all you potential midget racers at FW, no need to go out and buy something special. All you need is some good setups and a driver that knows how to get it done. This kid was amazing to say the least!!!!

Don,

I have to agree with you on Adam Wilsdon, He was still racing quartermidgets last year and only recently moved to the Kenyon cars and then the Focus car in the middle of this season.

I also have to give a Congrats to Joe Liguori who once again showed that with the right driver you can take a underpowered Kenyon Midget and compete with the big boys.

6th quick Sat. 5th. in feature
I think 9th quick Sun. Night won heat race and 4 th in feature.

Not bad for a Kenyon Midget with an FJ 1200 Yamaha Motorcycle engine.

Eric Cottongim

Re: Notes RE: Fort Wayne
 

Just for the record, I have entered the 10 car in every Barhorst indoor event for the past three years (Columbus, OH, Toledo, OH and Fort Wayne) and Geoff Kaiser is the ONLY DRIVER to make every main event.

Re: Notes RE: Fort Wayne
 

Don, Thanks for the mention of Adam. Our expectations for the weekend were to get him comfortable with a high horse power midget. He had never been in one before the first practice when it would not fire and we missed it. He won two races, and almost the feature on sunday. He took to it like I thought he might. I never thought he would be able to hold the lead like he did until I saw him pull away from the drop of the green. I made the mistake of telling him if he got the lead to not look back because these guys will be coming. He did exactly as I told him. He was quoted as saying "I did not know how far back they were". Oh well he made a couple of mistakes like hitting the tire the first time between 1 and 2. I'm biased, he is the best driver I have ever worked with.

We would like to try the chili bowl next but don't know if it will happen.

Mark Wilsdon.

Re: Notes RE: Fort Wayne
 

do it! That kid has mad skills!

[QUOTE/]Some of those things are starting to look crazy; I swear that #7 car looked like a mini super-modified. I wish he wouldn't have had mechanical failure Sunday night, because that thing was FAST through the day.
[/QUOTE/]

That car was designed by Dick Meyers, and RAM Engineering. Quick video history lesson: Youtube 'Cameron Dodson at Winchester'. Dick also beat USAC at Anderson with Tanner Swanson a couple of years ago.

Don't sell the driver short-Tyler Underwood gets it done all year long racing the wing pavement deal up in Michigan. Look for him to be around Indiana more in 2010 too!
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: Notes RE: Fort Wayne
 

The # 3 Narrow body Stealth with Gaerte power Has had 3 different
Drivers over the last 3 yrs and has made the feature 5 of those nights.
3 top 5 runs including a last lap battle with Dave Darland that gave
Wease the win. Front Tires are 3 or 4 yrs old with one set of rears per weekend. Good job Adam we almost had another top 5 finish:8:

Re: Notes RE: Fort Wayne
 

...wished I would have checked that car out closer...should have known it was fast...have DVD from 2007...got some help from those guys before...good people.

Jason Dull
815 494 6002
jdull99@hotmail.com
jasondull.com (For all the Racing News)

Re: Notes RE: Fort Wayne
 

Was it me or did this years rumble seem more competive? Had a great time again. Sorry for posting this a little late. The day and a half format was a god send for those of us with long drives. Love the 600's, they always put on a very good show. Ivy is alot like Tony Stewart, no one else drive the car as hard as he does. The go carts were pretty good like always, knock on wood, i think there were fewer accidents into the wall this year. When it comes down to the midgets, 2 very good shows. Did not have any clue the kid was 14, he did a heck of a job both nights! 1 other person I thought did a heck of a job is knupp. Made both features on his own and held his own pretty good. So did lingori. Had a good time both nights, Congrats to Wease on back to back wins.