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Linder Takes First Victory Washington Midget Racing Association Spanaway, WA, September 8, 2001, by John Hunter Rick Moss, driving the Brian Gregg, Main Street Motors Beast-Gaerte took the checkered ahead of Darren Linder on the quarter mile Spanaway Speedway oval but failed post race inspection giving the victory to Linder. For Linder, it was his first career feature victory with WMRA. Linder, driving the family, TCR Viper-Fontana crossed the line about ten car lengths behind Moss, while running out of fuel, but two car lengths ahead of Nick Seidelman in the Seidelman Racing Enterprises, Denny Long, Autocraft VW. Three of the top four finishers failed post race inspection. Linder was able to get the jump into the first turn over Dixon Helgeson and lead the opening lap with Rick Kraft, Glen Guiles and Mel Kemper rounding out the top five. Moss who started eighth followed Ken Ferris through the field and both Moss and Ferris were into the top five by lap six when the yellow appeared for Jeff Bird who came to a stop at the top of turn four with mechanical problems. For the lap six restart the running order was Linder, Kraft, Guiles, Moss and Ferris. It only took one lap for Moss to dispense of Guiles exiting turn two. On the next lap John Starks spun exiting turn four for the second caution of the night. Under the yellow, Ferris' night ended with terminal mechanical problems. On the restart, Moss was able to get under Kraft who slowed suddenly with a severe engine vibration, which turned out to be a broken crankshaft on his Fontana. On lap nine, Brad Curtis, who was up to fourth behind Guiles developed a flat left rear. Fortunately for him, the yellow came out when Kemper spun exiting turn four, bringing out the yellow. Curtis was able to make the tire change before the one to go signal but had to start at the rear. As the green waved, Linder tried to pull away from Moss but Moss would have nothing of it. Finally on lap thirteen Moss used the low line exiting turn two to take the lead with Guiles, N. Seidelman and Starks rounding out the top five. Seidelman had moved up from the last row due to a faulty plug wire in qualifications. Moss appeared to have the race in hand as he threaded his way through slower traffic with ease. On lap twenty-one, the final yellow of the night waved when Tony Seidelman's engine erupted in cloud of smoke with an ensuing engine fire, which was quickly extinguished. For the final restart the order was Moss, Linder, N. Seidelman, Guiles and Starks. Moss slowly extended his lead on Linder until lap thirty when a noticeable miss was heard in Moss' motor. Over the final five laps the miss worsened. Linder was starting to reel in the leader but due to the extended cautions was running low on fuel and was unable to catch Moss before the checkered. On the white flag lap, Starks went way wide in turn one allowing Kemper to make the pass for fifth. Three of the top four finishers, including Moss, failed to pass post race inspection. No one was happy and protests were filed with the final decision unavailable. As of now, Linder is credited with the win, followed by Kemper, Starks, Curtis and Helgeson. Those not passing inspection included Guiles and N. Seidelman. With only one race to go, the top three in points are separated by less than twenty points. Starks set fast time for the night with a time of 13.446. The B Dash was won by T. Seidelman, his first, over Helgeson with Starks using a last turn pass of Curtis for the A Dash victory. In the first heat, J. Bird, Bobby Bird and Don Kane were involved in a front straight tangle which sent all three to the pits for repairs. After the race restarted, N. Seidelman drove to a convincing win over Helgeson. The second heat was one of the best this year as the field of cars raced side by side all eight laps with Moss edging Starks for the victory. Results: Fast time: John Starks 13.446 B. Dash: Tony Seidelman, Dixon Helgeson, Pete Bittrolf, Jeff Bird. Dash: John Starks, Brad Curtis, Ken Ferris, Rick Moss. Heat #1: Nick Seidelman, Helgeson, Darren Linder, T. Seidelman, Bittrolf, Don Kane, Bobby Bird, J. Bird. Heat #2: Moss, Starks, Ferris, Rick Kraft, Glen Guiles, Mel Kemper, Curtis. Feature: Linder, Kemper, Starks, Curtis, Helgeson, Bittrolf, Kane, B. Bird, T. Seidelman, Kraft, Ferris, Moss (DQ), N. Seidelman (DQ), Guiles (DQ).
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