Another First for USAC DMA Champ Joe Krawiec
Bradford, VT — In 2010, “Flatfoot Joe” Krawiec of Bristol, CT became the first champion in the Quad 4 Midgets at Whip City Speedway in Westfield, MA. A year later and 140 miles farther north on I-91, history repeated itself as he became the first champion in the USAC Dirt Midget Association at Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, VT.
Starting sixth and taking the lead on lap four of the non-stop 25 lap feature, Krawiec cinched the crown by picking up his fourth feature of the season.
“Skip Matczak has given me a great car all year and with Kevin Chaffee running one of the team cars, I learned a lot from him,” Chaffee said. “He has a lot of experience here and he taught me how to get down to the bottom when that’s the fast place to be. I really have to thank both Kevin and Skip for giving me the knowledge of how to run this track and a car that could get it done. I really have to thank Bear Ridge Speedway, Butch and April have given us a new home. The guys I race with have been great all year. This championship came hard and I know that next year it will be even harder to try to repeat because my fellow drivers are getting better each week. So I’m proud of the group and excited for next year.”
Scott Holcomb of Granby, CT used his runner-up finish to secure the second spot in the USAC national points battle and Tony Montesi of Roxbury, CT came home third to earn his first podium finish of the season. Dana Shaw of Plainfield, CT had another strong run, coming from 11th to finish fourth. Jamie Spalding of Chaplin, CT was fifth, completing an all Nutmeg State top five. Both heats and the feature went green to checker.
First Heat: (8 laps) 1. Joe Krawiec (#4 Matczak), 2. Hank Rogers Jr. (#23 Matczak), 3. Tony Montesi (#27 Tefft), 4. Dean Christenson (#2 Miller), 5. David Rose Jr. (#11 Rose), 6. Adam Whitney (#12 Whitney), 7. Jim Close (#7x Close), 8. Jim Mossman (#1 Mossman). 2.03.00
Second Heat: (8 laps) 1. Scott Holcomb (#33 Holcomb), 2. Ray Miller (#1 Miller), 3. Tim Gallant (#72 Tefft), 4. Jamie Spalding (#93 Tefft), 5. Dana Shaw (#7 Olson), 6. Greg Olson (#6 Olson), 7. Denny Zimmerman (#3 Matczak). DNS: Robbie Hart (#6 Gormley). 2:01.00
FEATURE: (25 laps) 1. Joe Krawiec, 2. Scott Holcomb, 3. Tony Montesi, 4. Dana Shaw, 5. Jamie Spalding, 6. Ray Miller, 7. David Rose, 8. Tim Gallant, 9. Hank Rogers Jr., 10. Denny Zimmerman, 11. Adam Whitney, 12. Jim Close, 13. Dean Christenson, 14. Jim Mossman, 15. Greg Olson. 6:31.00 . Leaders: Lap 1 Spalding, Laps 2-3 Christenson, Laps 4-25 Krawiec.
Final USAC DMA Midget Points: 1-Krawiec-440; 2-Holcomb-405; 3-Miller-383; 4-Gallant-328; 5-Kevin Chaffee-326; 6-Shaw-300; 7-Christenson-271; 8-Jeff Horn-248; 9-Spalding-227; 10-Rose-217. Final Bear Ridge track points TBA.
The final event in the inaugural season of the USAC DMA is a Special Event, non-points race on Saturday September 24 as part of the Bear Ridge Speedway New England Dirt Track Championship event.
Sources: Mark McKeon/USAC DMA PR