|
SURVEY
SAYS!
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
|
Please
Visit Florida Stock Car Racing Sponsors!
Let's
Go Racing!
|
| Mark Gimmler 2 For 2 At Desoto | Saturday April 15, 2000 Bradenton FL;
The FMRA TQ midgets returned for their second time this year to the giant, for TQ's, Desoto Speedway and it was time to see if anyone could beat hard driving Mark Gimmler. Some say he has something fishy under the hood.
I say he has something going in the cockpit, his driving ability! The TQ's pushed off for the start right at 7 P.M., with no heats feature only. This meant the afternoon sun would play against the open cockpit drivers.
#99 Tommy Richards jumped into the lead from the pole with outside pole sitter #16 Rod Anderson right behind. #15 Ralph Wheeler drove up the outside from his third row starting position to challenge with Mark Gimmler's #51 right on his heals quickly making headway from his last row starting spot.
Wheeler was going good on the outside but slipped way high in turns 1 and 2 while going for the lead. Gimmler made short work of Anderson and Richards and set sail while Wheeler fell all the way back to 9th.
Mike Elder made his way to second looking strong once again hoping to find a way to win his first race. With two laps to go the 99 of Richards spun and the 33 of Ken Bush crashed trying to make it by. Wheeler was coming to the scene and saw the red light. He started to slow down a little but the lapped car of #7 Jack Anderson was blinded in the sun and ran squarely in the back of Wheeler nearly crashing him and the 7 car flipped a few times.
After the red flag it was a green/white/yellow situation. On the restart Gimmler pulled away as Elder fought to hold off the beaten up car of Wheeler, who had NOT given up. Wheeler passed Elder going under him in turn 3 on the last lap. But Elder made a daring apron, dirt, elbows move back under Wheeler coming off turn 4 as Wheeler scrambled to avoid another collision coming down for the checkers!
It was another good midget show for the midgets as Wendy Mathis and Ben Fritz followed across the finish line. The midgets return to Desoto for their next show Saturday May 6th.
1. #51 MARK GIMMLER, PALM BEACH GARDENS
2. #52 MIKE ELDER, BRADENTON
3. #15 RALPH WHEELER, ROYAL PALM BEACH
4. #80 WENDY MATHIS, OCALA
5. #61 BEN FRITZ, OCALA
6. #3 JACK DUFFY, SARASOTA
7. #16 ROD ANDERSON, TAMPA
8. #54 NORMAN JOHNSON, ZEPHRYHILLS
9. #4 TED DURFEE, BRADENTON
10. #9 MIKE LEROY, GULF BREEZE
By RALPH WHEELER
Have an opinion on this story? Post a message on our Message Board!
or send a letter to the editor!
|
|
|
|
