The Left Turn
By: Ron Burt
Here are some of the details regarding the restructured format for this year’s Midget program for The Rumble in Fort Wayne, December 19th & 20th. They have been released to participating teams and they’ve had positive reactions from drivers, teams and fans. Rather than two complete racing programs, with neither having a bearing on the other, this year’s chase on the 1/7-mile purpose built concrete oval inside Fort Wayne’s Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Expo Center will see a progressive format, culminating with Saturday’s Burco Molding Race to 100.
The new design has the team’s guessing. The new format will add a new element to the annual event, but it will be the same for everyone and exciting for the fans to watch.”
Friday, December 19th it starts with single car qualifying runs, which will then split the field into odd/even sets. Each set will stage their own heat races and main event, with points accumulated from every position earned. Those points will then determine the starting line-ups for Saturday’s heat races to finalize the 100-lap finale. As an incentive, the top two finishers from each of Friday’s 30-lap main events will automatically transfer to Saturday’s 100 lap feature.
Saturday’s feature will have two breaks built in after laps 35 and 70, before the final 30-lap shootout to determine the winner. Driver and team strategy will come into play.
While new in structure, the Race to 100 is a throwback of sorts to the days of racing on the adjoining Coliseum hockey rink floor. The idea was conceived by Randy Burrow (Noblesville, IN) who will be entering 3 cars into this year’s Rumble. The change will be good, and it never hurts to stir the pot and go back to 100 laps of feature racing. Many things with cars have changed since the early days of the Rumble in Fort Wayne. Driver seats with head rests/shoulder support or cars with power steering did not exist in the 1970’s and 80’s. It makes it a little easier for today’s drivers.
Joining the Midgets over Dec. 19th and 20th weekend will be the non-winged and winged 600cc Midgets, multiple classes of Go-Karts, Quarter Midgets and Wedge Karts. I hope to announce some of the nationally known drivers that will participate in the coming issues before the Rumble.
Keeping on the subject of Midget racing, Toyota driver Jacob Denney wrapped up the Xtreme Outlaw Series title with his 11th win of the season at Millbridge Speedway Tuesday, November 4th, With the Xtreme crown, Denney becomes just the third driver ever to win two national midget championships in the same season joining Cannon McIntosh and Brad Kuhn. The Galloway OH driver started the season with a feature win and ended 2025 back in victory lane with the championship.
Several drivers that compete in the USAC Thunder Midgets are doing well Nationally. I try to follow these drivers, and they are not only holding their own in big races, but they’re also getting wins over established USAC drivers. One of the most improved USAC Thunder Midget drivers Abby Hohlbein this year was able to harness her skills and talent to her race car. She won heat races, set fast qualifying times and pushed her cars to the limit. Last June she even got a ride in an AMSOIL USAC Sprint Car and competed on the Eastern Storm Tour and raced against some of top racers in USAC. Not bad for a teen from Putnum County. Until next week, keep your wheels down. Ron out!
