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World Figure 8 History September 7, 2002
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A New Winner Curtis McMurtrey wins the 26th Annual World Figure 8
The Indianapolis Speedrome’ s most consistent performed used a steady
approach to win the biggest race of his career, the 2002 World Figure 8
Championship at the Indianapolis Speedrome.
Curtis McMurtrey, who finished in the top ten of the Speedrome Late Model
Championship but he never won a 2002 Late Model Figure 8 feature. He won the
big one. When Jack Dossey Jr. made a late pit stop, McMurtrey moved into
first place and led the rest of the way, gaining another lap on Dossey en
route to the $10,000 first prize.
Dossey, who had led more laps than any other driver in the race, had to
settle for second, falling a few laps short of his 7th victory in the World
Figure 8 Championships
In winning the endurance event, held September 7 before a standing room
only crowd at the Indianapolis Speedrome, McMurtrey had to overcome two
collisions, one that stopped him at the crossover and bent his front bumper,
the other which nearly tore the back bumper from the car. And with 22
minutes to go, McMurtrey banged into another car, and was fortunate to keep
going. Despite the damage, McMurtrey was the fastest on the track in the
closing minutes.
“This is the highlight of my career, to win this race at this race track
is just awesome.” Said Curtis McMurtrey. Curtis wins for longtime Speedrome
car owner Kent Krimmel.
McMurtrey qualified 7th in the 28 car-starting field, which saw R. J.
Norton Jr. and Fred Bear Jr. on the front row. But it was Bill Tunny Jr.,
who started fourth, who stormed from the second row and led the early laps
of the World Championship. Tunny didn’t last long in the lead, he collided
with Steve Durham and that cost Bill a 40-minute pit stop. Dossey, Bear Jr.
and Rodney Sizemore then spent the next hour exchanging the lead. All three
made pit stops near the halfway mark, but Bear and Sizemore collided with
former World Champ Mike St. John shortly after they returned to the track,
dropping them from contention. Sizemore salvaged third place, but Bear
dropped from the event with a blown engine with 53 minutes to go.
Sizemore and teammate George Sutton gained 18 positions in the three
hours, starting 21st and 22nd and finishing 3rd and fourth. Both drivers
were among the fastest in the race, but collisions and pit stops kept them
from winning. Sutton had one late collision with Mike St. John that left St.
John’s car stalled against the first-turn wall and knocked the former champ
out of the race.
Eric Buck from Michigan picked up the Sonny Eaton Memorial Award for
highest finishing rookie. Larry Hahn won the coveted Sonny Thompson Memorial
Award by best start to finish in the World Championship.
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