Story and Photo from David Sink
Bristol, TN – October 1, 2011 – Brian Gerster captured the inaugural TruFuel Xtreme Speed Classic Saturday evening at Bristol Motor Speedway. The BIOBASED.US Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series (MSRXSS) finale was worth $10,000 for Gerster’s efforts.
Gerster earlier in the day set a new track record when he posted a lap of 12.742 seconds. The new Bristol track record is also a new World’s record for a half-mile speedway. The new mark breaks the existing mark of 13.245 seconds previously established by Jason Blonde in March during the ” Speed Trials ” promotion. Eight drivers were under the new record during time trials. The average speed was 150.585 mph and was worth an additional $1,000 for Gerster.
A blind draw was held for the top eight qualifiers and Gerster drew the pole position. The win was anything but a cake walk as Gerster was challenged several times early in the race by first Todd Fayard and then Travis Miniea.
Gerster got the jump and lead the first two circuits before Fayard dove low going down the main straightaway in an attempt to get under Gerster. Fayard momentarily lost control and was forced to let off the gas to straighten the car up. Fayard then slipped to third relinquishing second place to Miniea.
Travis Miniea then began to pressure Gerster for several laps worked he high groove in an attempt to get around Gerster and the two ran side-by side for several laps. Miniea’s night came to an end while running alongside Gerster coming down the main straightaway on lap fourteen when his drive line broke going for the lead.
Gerster then assumed he point and finished the event with little trouble. Behind Gerster things were heating up as Troy DeCaire put on a thrilling drive from twenty-second position. DeCaire was picking off cars virtually every lap and thrilling the fans. DeCaire was forced to start dead last as he was unable to make qualifying as he had motor issues. DeCaire nipped Fayard at the finish line to claim second and claim the MRXSS 2011 championship.
In victory lane Gerster talked about the early challenge from Miniea. ” We were really just trying to be easy on it and I saw him up there a couple of times and I knew I needed to get on the horse and get going ” explained Gerster. ” I misjudged it and maybe was being too conservative. We had some good fortune drawing the pole which could’ve made it harder for us if we had to start eighth. I don’t know what would have happened if we would have had to do that. We did what we had to do when we came down here. We got the win and I’m really happy ” concluded Gerster.
DeCaire was ecstatic with his bad luck turned good. ” We dropped a valve but luckily Don Wilshe loaned me an engine and I cant thank him enough. To come up there in second and pass twenty cars, nothing to be ashamed of there. I would have loved the ten grand but the championship is what we cam here to do “.
TRUFUEL XTREME SPEED CLASSIC 25 LAP RESULTS
1. Brian Gerster
2. Troy DeCaire
3, Todd Fayard
4. Jo Jo Helberg
5. Brian Olson
6. Jeff Bloom
7. Ryan Litt
8. Jimmy McCune
9. Kyle Flint
10. Aaron Pierce
11. Jason Cox
12. Shane Butler
13. Sondi Eden
14. Ryan Meyers
15. Tim Cox
16. Jason Blonde
17. Hank Lower
18. Travis Miniea
19. Chris Nuenschwander
20. Tom Tolbert
21. Jerry Caryer
22. Mike Ling