By Bill W
July 9, 2010 – For Brandon Wimmer, squaring off with the Attica and Fremont regulars in Ohio is not unlike going into the land of the Knoxville regulars or the Pennsylvania Posse. Having experience at both, the Fairmount, Indiana sprint car driver knows what he is talking about. Last weekend, he teamed with Rick Ferkel and his #0 for some strong runs at the Northwest Ohio bullrings.
Things started Friday night at Attica Raceway Park where Brandon drove from eighth to fifth in his heat race. “We did our normal job of not drawing well,” he says. “We were all over fourth to get in the redraw, but we had to settle for fifth.”
Track conditions allowed for some good racing, and Brandon took advantage, driving from 13th to fifth in the main event. “I really liked the track,” he says. “It was slick up to a cushion. It was a lot of fun. We got up to third or fourth but we faded a bit. We passed some good cars and came out with a top five, so it was a good night.”
A make-up feature was first up when the team towed to Fremont Speedway on Saturday night. Starting 11th Brandon worked his way up to a ninth at the checkers on a fast and narrow track. “The track was actually still pretty tacky,” he explains. “It was choppy, and it didn’t slick off the way we thought it would. In the end, it did slick off a bit and we were able to get around the top. We just missed it a little bit.”
After qualifying ninth, Brandon advanced from his starting spot outside row two to a second place finish in his heat in the regular program. “They invert six in the heats and then take the top two finishers out of the heats to put in the feature invert,” he says. “They are the ones who get a chance to start up front. We were lucky enough to finish second in our heat and start outside the front row of the feature.”
Brandon took the point, but couldn’t hold onto his lead as the track dried quickly and gave him some loose conditions to deal with. “We led the first several laps, and then we just got too loose to hold onto it,” he says. “The feature was 30 laps and I got looser as time went on. Guys were able to slide under me in three and four where I had trouble staying on the bottom. We were still able to finish sixth.”
After the strong weekend runs, it was on to Sharon Speedway on Wednesday for the Lou Blaney Memorial. Joining the usual cast of characters with the All Star Circuit of Champions were Dave Blaney, Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne. A draw format was used and Brandon ran third in his heat after running fifth. After advancing well into the top ten, an ill-handling car sidelined him until this weekend. “The track was really wet,” he says of the track near Hartford, Ohio. “It stayed pretty heavy all night. We were able to get up to sixth or seventh in the feature and then there was a caution. After that, the car just wouldn’t handle. I thought it was steering, but we went through it afterwards, and we think it may be something else. We’ll find more out this weekend.”
This weekend, the team plans trips to Attica tonight and Fremont again tomorrow.
Team Mannatech
Brandon has realized that a driver not only needs good equipment on the racetrack, but needs to also be in the best physical shape to be a success. That’s why Brandon has added a wellness program to his daily routine, which includes adding a line of scientifically validated nutritional products from Mannatech. Mannatech, Incorporation is a leading developer and provider of proprietary nutritional supplements, weight management products and skin care solutions. Athletes around the world rely on Mannatech products because they are formulated from high quality, natural plant sources and are formulated without any substances banned by major worldwide anti-doping agencies.
Brandon has been invited to serve on an elite team of athletes called Team Mannatech because of the results he has had with the products and will be working to share his experience with drivers, crews and fans. With more than 200 athletes representing countries around the globe, Team Mannatech members have been drawn from the exclusive ranks of sports legends, the everyday athlete and young enthusiasts destined to become superstars. They inspire action and attract passionate wellness champions and are all role models for their sport, committed to helping people of all ages lead a healthy, active lifestyle.