namars: Indianapolis Speedrome race summary

(Indianapolis, IN - September 14th) A.J. Felker of Jeffersonville, Indiana beat John Meyers and 2003 Speedrome MidgetCar champion, Sondi Eden to the finish line Sunday in the final 50-lap NAMARS/UMARA MidgetCar feature of the season at the Indianapolis Speedrome. Felker moved himself within four points of Todd Beach, who finished fourth, for the NAMARS Championship MidgetCar title.

Starting on the front row was John Meyers, second in UMARA points, and David Thompson, the UMARA championship points leader by 56. Meyers took the lead into the first turn ahead of Thompson, Sondi Eden and Felker. The top four spots remained the same through the first half of the race until lap 25 when Thompson tried making a move under Meyers and spun. The spin relegated Thompson to the rear of the 20-car field and moved Sondi Eden up to the second spot.

By lap 30 Felker had gotten past Eden and began to challenge Meyers for the lead. Meanwhile Thompson was quickly trying to work his way back up through the field on the narrow 1/5 mile track. Felker took the lead from Meyers on the 38th circuit and never looked back. Following Felker to the line were Meyers, Eden, Todd Beach, Aaron Pierce, Jerry Frickman, Mario Marietta, Adam Nuetzel, David Thompson and Sean Smith. An impromptu fly-over by the US Air Force Blue Angels saluted the podium finishers and Eden's championship at the start/finish line.

The stage is now set for the season ending 100 lap "Illinois 100" UMARA/NAMARS co-sanctioned event next Saturday, September 20th at the Grundy County Speedway. David Thompson's' lead over John Meyers in the UMARA National MidgetCar points is only eight. Sondi Eden, who clinched the 2003 Speedrome championship Sunday with her third place finish, now holds an approximate 80-point lead over A.J. Felker for the NAMARS Regional MidgetCar championship. Add to that the four-point difference between Felker and Todd Beach for the NAMARS Championship MidgetCar points battle and your looking at on heck of an exciting night of open wheel racing at the Grundy County Speedway in Morris, Illinois.

CLAUSEN CLOBBERS KENYONS, CLAIMS SECOND CHAMPIONSHIP

September 12, 2003 -- All the kid had to do was start the feature to clinch the 2003 NAMARS Kenyon MidgetCar Series championship... But defending Series champion Bryan Clauson had other plans - robust plans, indeed. The fourteen year old future superstar was relegated to the "Rent-a-Ride" of Don Kenyon's 3-K Racing due to car owner, Craig Armstrong's decision to place son, Dakota in the seat for the season's last event to garner valuable seat time for the 2004 season - heck, "all the kid had to do was start the feature to clinch the championship"... Not only did he capture his second consecutive Series championship Thursday night at the Indianapolis Speedrome, but he won the 100 lap feature from his 3rd starting position - in a rented race car!

Clauson took the lead early and in commanding fashion and never looked back, capturing his sixth win of the season, including the last three in a row to post an impressive eleven podium finishes and thirteen top-fives in fifteen races. Series runner-up Jamie Williams, Derek Bischak, Rookie of the Year Brent Beauchamp, and Josh Clemons rounded out the top five.

-www.NAMARS.com