ORANGE BLAST 400, ELKO, MN
QUALIFYING RESULTS:
POLE POSITION: Chris Wimmer time 13.806 speed 97.784 mph
CHRIS WIMMER STARTING POSITION: 1st
RACE INFORMATION:
DAY/DATE: Monday September 1, 2003
RACE TIME: 1:30 pm CST
RACE: Greased lighting / Orange Blast 400
TELEVISION/RADIO COVERAGE: Speed Channel
RACE LAPS/MILES: 400 Laps
RACE WINNER:Mike Garvey
FINISHING POSITION: 18th
DRIVER POINTS POSITION: 11th
RACERECAP:
Wisconsin veteran Chris Wimmer captured his first American Speed Association pole position for the Greased Lightning Orange Blast 400 at Elko Speedway and set a new track record.
Wimmer captured the pole position in his 54th career ASA start and became the 91st different driver to win the top qualifying spot in the 36-year history of the Pendleton-based racing series.
Twenty-nine of the 41 drivers to make qualifying runs on Sunday at the .375-mile oval topped the track record of 14.18-seconds set in 2002 by Robbie Pyle.
Seven former ASA champions, probably a first in series history, took the green flag on Sunday. Those champions include Bryan Reffner, Tim Sauter, Dick Trickle, Joey Clanton, Gary St. Amant, Kevin Cywinski and Butch Miller.
Wimmer took the lead on lap 10 and held on until Clanton took the lead back. . There were 15 different lead changes. Wimmer made his first pit stop for right side tires. After he returned to the track he was on his way back up to the front when he cut down a tire and was forced to pit under the green for a front right tire costing him a chance at his first win. He lost 3 laps in the pits but returned to the track and was running some of the fastest times of the day. Chris was able to make up one of his laps and finished the race in the 18th spot 2 laps down to the leaders.
NEXT RACE:
EVENT LOCATION; Illiana Motor Speedway
DATE: September 20, 2003
TELEVISION: Speed Channel