BRUNS DIFFICULT FORT WAYNE WEEKEND CONTINUES
By Zach Tasker
Illini Racing Series midget champion Patrick Bruns has not had a championship like weekend at the Rumble in Fort Wayne so far. The driver in the car owned by long time Illinois midget car owner “Kenny G” and prepped by Mike Wallace Racing was looking to shake off Friday night’s disappointment after not making the bell for the b main. The Champaign, Illinois driver would start out the night with a loose racecar and a spin in practice. However, the crew made the right adjustments, and he would rebound with an impressive 11th place qualifying time out of a 41 car field with a lap of 8.168 seconds.

The quick qualifying time would put him in 2nd starting position for the night's first heat race, which only two cars would transfer out of to the big dance. The good night quickly turned sour when on lap one in turn one he had contact with another car sending him into the spin cycle. He was then hit by another car who was trying to avoid him in the middle of the track. This caused a DNF and a 7th place finish.

Next on the agenda was the night’s b main which Patrick would start in 2nd place and as in the heat race only two would transfer. The driver of the #22 MWR/Paintwork by Z/Acro-Bat Classic Auto Beast/Brayton-Buick would once again have a very short race as there would be contact in turn one lap 1 breaking the shocks on “the black wheeled Buick” causing a ninth place finish and another DNF.

MWR team owner Mike Wallace was disappointed but optimistic about Sunday's show. “We haven’t had any luck with starting positions here. Space is at a premium. We have started on the outside for both the heat and semi and managed to get pushed up either into the outside wall or halfway through the corner by the 9 of Ross Rankine. He kind of ran over the front of us in the heat race and in the semi we were looking at the turn two wall pretty close. Close enough to where the guy who started behind him was able to turn down and drive underneath him. He was maybe driving over his head, but we have got the car back together. We are still running; we are still strong and fast. We don’t quit, and we will give it another go tomorrow. I think before we leave here we will have some good fortune. Hopefully, we will be able to qualify and start on the inside to where we are not the pushee but we can maybe be the pusher, that’s the key here.”

Patrick Bruns and the team will try to break out their lucky rabbit’s foot on Sunday afternoon to try to break the jinx they have had in Fort Wayne, Indiana this year. The 3rd and final day of racing begins at 2pm on Sunday. Follow MWR Technology/Lightning Chassis for live updates.