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COLUMBUS, Ohio Jan 20 - Blake Fitzpatrick was supposed to start third in Saturday night’s 50-lap USAC Midget race at the Ohio State Fairgrounds Expo Center but wound up on the pole when pole-starter Matt Westfall encountered steering trouble before the start.
Fitzpatrick, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Terre Haute, Ind., then led all 50 laps to beat Tim Jedrzejek by a half-lap. Shane Hollingsworth, Mike Fedorcak and Jon Stanbrough rounded out the Top 5.
“It’s nice to beat guys like Ken Schrader and Jon Stanbrough,” said Fitzpatrick, who piloted the Lincoln Trail Ford/Forsythe Racing Kenyon/Yamaha. “I though I was going to have to bump my way into the lead until Westfall dropped out."
Schrader, who started 11th, lasted only 18 laps before mechanical problems sent him to the sidelines.
Fitzpatrick, a 15-year-old high school freshman from Terre Haute, Ind., then led all 50 laps to beat Tim Jedrzejek by a half-lap. Shane Hollingsworth, Mike Fedorcak and Jon Stanbrough rounded out the Top 5.
“It’s nice to beat guys like Ken Schrader and Jon Stanbrough,” said Fitzpatrick, who piloted the Lincoln Trail Ford/Forsythe Racing Kenyon/Yamaha. “I though I was going to have to bump my way into the lead until Westfall dropped out."
Schrader, who started 11th, lasted only 18 laps before mechanical problems sent him to the sidelines.
Fitzpatrick Wire-to-Wire at Columbus
Jon Stanbrough
Mike Fordorcak in the famed 97 "Munchkin" Midget
Kenny Schrader
Racing Action
Blake Fitzpatrick - David Sink photo
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David Sink photos