Midgets: NAMARS/Auto Value Midgets Results at Winchester 8/14/98

15 August 1998

Ryan Newman of South Bend, Ind. stormed from the back row to win the NAMARS/Auto Value midget feature on Friday night, Aug. 14, night at the Winchester (Ind.) Speedway.

In a Dan Drinan-built car, Newman had moved from 20th on the start to second in 14 laps of the 25 lap feature. He was challenging Nick Fornoro Jr. for the lead when Fornoro's car broke with 11 laps to go. A frustrated Fornoro slowed to a stop at the bottom of the banking as Newman led the rest of the way.

Newman received a $3,000 bonus for starting at the back of the feature field and winning the main event. Newman had broken the NAMARS/Auto Value midget qualifying record at Winchester with a lap in time trials of 15.016 seconds. The fast time would have started Newman in the middle of the field, but Newman chose to accept the challenge of coming from the rear of the field for the bonus.

Jason Lynch, who started in the middle of the field, persevered to a second-place finish. Early in the feature, Lynch nearly crashed on the north high banks, but recovered from the bobble. As others fell out, Lynch moved forward and salvaged a runner-up finish.

Dan Drinan, who had won the NAMARS feature at Winchester in July, also chose to start at the rear of the field. Drinan was swept into an early three-car crash and was knocked out of the feature, along with Jimmy Kite and rookie Wayne Chinn. None of the drivers were injured in the crash.

Two other drivers who seemed ready for top-five finishes - Kevin Besecker and Jason Setser - had their cars break within a few laps of the checkered flag.

NAMARS/Auto Value Midget Series

Winchester (Ind.) Speedway, Aug. 14, 1998

Qualifying results: 1. Ryan Newman, South Bend, Ind., Lewis 39, 15.016 (new track record); 2. Dan Drinan, Indianapolis, Drinan 33, 15.497; 3. Kevin Besecker, Greenville, Ohio, McClellan 3, 15.728; 4. Jason Lynch, Terre Haute, Ind., Huston 15, 16.004; 5. Nick Fornoro Jr., Stroudsburg, Pa., McClellan 2, 16.068; 6. Larry Gibson, Richwood, Ohio, Myers 5, 16.095; 7. A.J. Fike, Galesburg, Ill., Fike 69, 16.211; 8. A.J. Davis, Spartanburg, S. C., Owen 28, 16.283; 9. Jimmy Kite, Stockbridge, Ga., Covington 95, 16.284; 10. Matt Westfall, Ludlow Falls, Ohio, Hammonds 54, 16.342; 11. Jason Setser, Columbus, Ind., Johnson 16, 16.477; 12. Clay Klepper, Kokomo, Ind., Klepper 69x, 16.489; 13. Wayne Chinn, Tipp City, Ohio, Chinn 71, 16.521; 14. Kevin Blue, Wanamaker, Ind., Blue 51, 16.945; 15. J.D. Turner, Cincinnati, Ohio, Turner 53, 16.966; 16. Jeff Titus, Cicero, Ind., Titus 40, 17.325; 17 Chad Davenport, Crawfordsville, Ind. Davenport 43, 17.510; 18. Don Moore, Hamilton, Ohio, Moore 55, 17.527; 19 Brice Kenyon, Lebanon, Ind., Greentree 27, 18.342; 20. Ted McKibben, Indianapolis, McKibben 24, 19.050; 21. Jim Sawyer, Hamilton, Ohio, Sawyer 59, 22.927.

First heat: 1. Jason Setser, 2. Kevin Besecker, 3. Nick Fornoro Jr., 4. Ryan Newman, 5. A.J. Fike, 6. Jimmy Kite, 7. Wayne Chinn, 8. Chad Davenport, 9. J.D. Turner, 10. Bryce Kenyon.

Second heat: 1. Clay Klepper, 2. Dan Drinan, 3. A.J. Davis, 4. Larry Gibson, 5. Jeff Titus, 6. Jason Lynch, 7. Matt Westfall, 8. Kevin Blue, 9. Ted McKibben, 10. Don Moore.

Feature results, with starting position in parentheses and laps completed: 1. (20) Ryan Newman, 25; 2. (11) Jason Lynch, 25; 3. (3) Clay Klepper, 4. (5) Matt Westfall, 25; 5. (8) A.J. Fike, 25; 6. (7) A.J. Davis, 25; 7. (15) Chad Davenport, 25; 8. (17) Bryce Kenyon, 23; 9. (1) Kevin Blue, 23; 10. (4) Jason Lynch, 21; 11. (12) Kevin Besecker, 21; 12. (18) Ted McKibben, 20; 13. (14) Jeff Titus, 17; 14. (10) Nick Fornoro Jr., 16; 15. (13) J.D. Turner, 15; 16. (9) Larry Gibson, 11; 17. (16) Don Moore, 7; 18. (2) Wayne Chinn, 4; 19. (6) Jimmy Kite, 4; 20. (19) Dan Drinan, 4; 21. (21) Jim Sawyer, 1.

Lap leaders: Clay Klepper 1-9, Nick Fornoro Jr. 10-15, Ryan Newman 16-25.

Margin of victory: 0.7 seconds.