“Flatfoot Joe” Krawiec Goes Two For Two in USAC-DMA Midgets at Bear Ridge Speedway
Bradford, VT — Joe Krawiec of Bristol, CT used the outside groove to race through the pack from his tenth starting spot and claim his second consecutive USAC-Dirt Midget Association feature win at Bear Ridge Speedway. Krawiec held off a late race charge from teammate Kevin Chaffee of Fairlee, VT, who started ninth, giving car owner Skip Matczak his second consecutive one-two finish. Chaffee had an eventful night; in his heat race he flipped on the first lap, restarted seventh and finished second.
“When we went out in practice, we found the car to be real loose,” Krawiec said. “Even in the heat race, as the track was changing, we were loose. We worked on it and Skip just gave me an amazing car for the feature. He told me to use the low side, but the car was so good that no matter where I went it stuck, so I went where I needed to go to pick them away.”
“Week after week the other guys make this tougher and tougher, so I know my days are numbered,” Krawiec said of his win streak, which also includes a victory in a pre-season exhibition race.
The USAC-DMA feature ran 10 caution free laps until a three car tangle sent Dana Shaw over the turn two banking and Jeff Horn to the pits for repairs. Ray Miller was able to stay on the racetrack and continue on to finish sixth. The only other yellow flag of the night came on lap 22 when Greg Olson spun exiting turn four, erasing Krawiec’s half a straightaway lead. On the ensuing restart, Chaffee, a past track champ at Bear Ridge, used his local knowledge in an attempt to gain the lead, but Krawiec remained untouchable.
The USAC-DMA Midgets return to Bear Ridge Speedway on Saturday July 2 for an open cockpit extravaganza which also includes the Sprint Cars of New England and the weekly Bear Ridge divisions.
Notes: Chaffee was once again substituting for Denny Zimmerman, who was unable to attend because his wife is not feeling well… Veteran Midget and Stock Car chauffer Jeff Horn had his hands full with an ill handling car he described as “problematic”. Car owner Rusty Tefft said “We’ve tried everything we can think of but it’s still way loose and we can’t tighten it up”… Jim Close came from a seventh starting spot to score his second consecutive top five finish…. David Rose, Jr. had a good night, finishing third in his heat and leading the first eight laps of the feature… Hall of Famer Ray Miller looks more comfortable every week in his rookie season in a Midget… Nutsy Fagan made the long, loquacious tow from Martinsville, VA for his first USAC-DMA start. He blew a water hose in practice and Miller, his car owner, spun in the water and went off the turn two banking.
USAC DIRT MIDGET ASSOCIATION RACE RESULTS June 18, 2011 – Bradford, Vermont – Bear Ridge Speedway
FIRST HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Scott Holcomb (#33 Holcomb), 2. Joe Krawiec (#4 Matczak). 3. Dana Shaw (#7 Olson), 4. Tim Gallant (#72 Tefft), 5. Jamie Spalding (#93 Tefft), 6. Jim Mossman (#1 Mossman), 7. Thom Ring (#6x Douville), 8. Greg Olson (#6 Olson) Time 2:46
SECOND HEAT: (10 laps) 1. Dean Christenson (#2 Miller), 2. Kevin Chaffee (#3 Matczak), 3. David Rose, Jr. (#11R Rose), 4. Nutsy Fagan (#11v Miller), 5. Jim Close (#7x Close), 6. Ray Miller (#1 Miller), 7. Jeff Horn (#27 Tefft). NT
** Chaffee flipped in Heat 2.
FEATURE: (25 laps): 1. Joe Krawiec, 2. Kevin Chaffee, 3. Scott Holcomb, 4. Tim Gallant, 5. Jim Close, 6. Ray Miller, 7. David Rose, Jr., 8. Dean Christianson, 9. Thom Ring, 10 Jim Mossman, 11. Greg Olson, 12. Jamie Spalding, 13. Dana Shaw, 14. Jeff Horn, 15. Nutsy Fagan
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-8 David Rose, Jr., 9-25 Joe Krawiec.
Sources: Mark McKeon/USAC-Dirt Midget Association PR