MEDLER IS NEWEST MMSA WINNER AT PUTNAMVILLE
By: Kevin Bayer - MMSA
Putnamville, Indiana (July 20, 2019)………I have a dream…that on one hot summer day I can go to the racetrack with my family, (racing family is our lively hood).
I have a dream…that when I arrive at the track I can get a good pill draw for my preliminary event, (number 2).
I have a dream…that the good pill draw carries over to a dominate preliminary win, (first place in heat).
I have a dream…that I can race for 20 laps with some of the best racers in the area to claim my first ever Midwest Mini Sprint Association feature event, (first MMSA feature win).
Well this dream is no longer a dream. It is now reality for the 17-year-old Albion/West Salem Illinois racer Kinser Medler as he joins the long list of MMSA feature event winners.
This is no easy task to join the elite, Kinser had to battle some very tough competition. The likes of a past USAC Lightning Sprint Champion, Rod Henning! The likes of a past series MMSA Lightning Sprint Champion, Cody Trammell! The likes of a past series champions in their own elite class and ranks in other series and organizations, Brad Strunk, Travis Stickels, and Dean Parker! Along with many up and coming winners in this series.
Kinser would ride his little puddle jumper motorcycle to the MMSA trailer to pull a number 2 for the nights preliminary event. This putting him P1 in heat two for the nights racing action at Lincoln Park. Kinser would be challenged in his heat for the win by young Austin Powell and Rod Henning. Kinser would take heat two and by MMSA rules he would start 4th in the main event.
Heat one would test and see how close the MMSA racing families commitment to the sport really is....for on lap 5, the 8E8 car, Ethan Rutherford, would get in the back of the ailing 14L machine of Tim Light and do a series of barrel rolls on the front straightaway. To the crowd’s pleasure, Ethan would walk away from his badly damaged ride. The long walk across the infield to the pit area was met by the MMSA four-wheeler and Dustin in turn 3 to give him a lift to his pit area.
Before the car ever arrived at his pit stall there were several guys from several other teams, and members from past years, Vermillion boys, ready to put their own helping hands together to help repair the car for the main event. While in Rutherford’s pit area, the car owner and driver of the 14L, Jim Reynolds and Tim Light, comes over, and offers help and whatever was needed off of their car was offered.
Rutherford’s wing would take the brunt of the wreck, in less than 10 minutes the 14L's wing was setting in the Rutherford pit area ready to put on car when needed. Nice sportsmanship from Reynolds and Light. Many other teams brought tools, parts, and more to the rescue. Eventually it was determined the 14L wing would not work, therefore the alternative was to use the mangled 8E8 wing to make the main event happen for Ethen. With a tow strap and wire and who knows what else they used, the work was completed, and the car looked like something from the land down under. Thanks to all that helped Ethan!
Heat two would be come to close with Keith Langley winning with Colin Miller and Cindy Chambers rounding out the top 3.
The main event was set with Austin Powell and Cindy Chambers being the lucky two with the passing point inversion in their favor in row one. Row two would be Henning and Medler, and most passing points going to Keith Langley and Collin Miller to set row three. Powell would get the jump on Chambers at the start to lead the first 13 circuits around the ¼-mile dirt track in Putnamville, IN.
Austin would be challenged by Medler and Henning while navigating through lap traffic. Lap 14, Medler would pass Powell in traffic in turns one and two. Lap 16 the one and only caution would fly for a mid-pack challenge between two drivers, Chambers and Coffey, going for the same piece of real estate.
Not enough real estate to go around left the Chambers car sitting in turn 3 in the wrong direction, as the car was righted, track officials and MMSA officials determined the Chambers car had some assistance, therefore both Chambers and Coffey would be directed to the tail of the field. The final 4 laps would be a nail biter as Powell peeked several times to the inside of Medler with Henning pounding the cushion and nearly stole the victory on the high side.
Medler would take the win and be greeted in victory lane with his family and friends. I could not resist, so after clearing the second and third place car at scales, I joined the celebration on the front straight and took my first photo ever with a MMSA victor while in victory lane!
After the exciting, so called wing dance, interview and all pictures taken, Medler still had to clear weight and tech. After a brief, but probably what felt like and an eternity, moment at the scales the car passed tech.
Congrats to our newest first time MMSA feature winner, Kinser Medler! Top 10 were Medler, Powell, Henning, Langley, Trammell, Strunk, Miller, Coffey, Parker, and Schindler. The car from down under (8E8) would make 5 green flag laps and pull it pit side.