KYLE HAMILTON ENDS RUMBLE WEEKEND WITH TOP 5 FINISH
By Zach Tasker
Danville, Indiana native Kyle Hamilton was looking to rebound during Sunday’s finale of the three day Rumble in Fort Wayne, Indiana extravaganza. The opening two days had started off promising as Hamilton was gunning for the overall Rumble Series championship which paid a $1,000 bonus. On Friday December 26 he had to battle through the b main after a crazy finish in the heat race left him outside looking in. He started in 15th spot and remarkably drove his way all the way up to 4th position before burning the right front off and settling for 7th.

Then on Saturday evening “The professor” took the field to school. In the 4th heat race, he was making some unbelievable passes on the outside that many people say is impossible on the tight 1/6 mile concrete oval located inside the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. The good fortunes would quickly turn sour in the feature however as Kyle would spin in turn one on the feature’s second lap. He would then suffer a flat tire on lap four after running over debris causing a DNF.

Sunday brought about it a new opportunity and one last chance to put his name in the record books as a Rumble Series feature winner for 2014. Surprisingly though Sunday morning Hamilton didn’t even know if he was going to be able to race, he was feeling seriously ill “I felt weak and every time I stood up I felt nauseous. But, I was able to get some fluids in me and a couple Advil and make it over to the track for practice. The racecar is the best medicine. Once you get some adrenaline pumping, you feel a lot better. I was relieved to be able to hang in there and finish off the weekend strong.”

The driver of the #33 Curtis Motor Sales/Advanced Racing Suspensions/Walker and Sons Construction/Simpson Racing Spike/Esslinger did make it to the track just in time for practice. In qualifying, he would struggle with a motor that was only running on three cylinders with a problem they would just have to put up with the rest of the day. He would turn a lap of 8.253 seconds, which slotted him into 11th position.

Hamilton would then be in the afternoon’s 4th heat race starting on the outside of row 1. The top three cars would transfer. Kyle was content in running around in 2nd place just to make it into the feature when on lap 4 Patrick Bruns would lose control of the car and spin right in front of him. This would give the 2014 STARS national midget Bob Tattersall Hard Charger award winner the heat race victory as he easily cruised to the checkered flag.

Kyle would start the 50 lap feature in 9th position and quickly at the drop of the green flag start to pick off cars. Even with a motor that was not performing at 100% Hamilton would work his way all the way up to third spot before being passed by eventual overall Rumble Series champion Bryan Nuckles. The black #33 machine would finish in 4th position in the feature, a good top 5 finish to an eventful weekend. “It was satisfying to have a solid run after some of the engine problems that we had been facing throughout the weekend and my mistake in the feature on Saturday night. Running on three cylinders was a little tricky but an Esslinger has more horsepower than some of the Volkswagens I was running with so being down a cylinder made it an even playing field. The car was handling so well that I could still get underneath people to make a pass.”

Kyle Hamilton’s 2015 racing schedule will be revealed in the coming weeks, like Kyle Hamilton Racing on Facebook for more information.