Wilson Plans Full Season Assault With ARDC Midgets
Story By: DEB SMITH / ARDC SERIES MEDIA Photos By: PETE MacDONALD / RACERSGUIDE.COM
MAYTOWN, PA- February 22, 2016- 410 Sprint Car driver, Ryan Wilson, is making the move to wingless midget racing with the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) for the 2016 season and the isn’t anything if not excited about his plans for the coming season.
Wilson had the opportunity to try his hand in ARDC competition a few seasons back when he traded rides with 2011 ARDC Champion, Drew Heistand. Wilson ran Heistand’s midget in two events while the former midget champion got to try his hand behind the wheel of a sprint car. “I had so much fun,” the twenty-six year old sprint car driver stated. “I had so much fun just in those few times that I ran.”
This season, Wilson will be seeing a lot more midget action as he plans to run the full ARDC schedule which consists of some twenty-four events, including four co-sanctioned events with USAC. Wilson hopes to add the Four Crown and Chili Bowl to his midget experience.
“I’m really looking forward to this season,” Wilson related. “I’m looking forward to running at a lot of these tracks where I’ve run Micros all of my life. As a matter of fact, Wilson has collected wins at every track on the ARDC schedule except one. Big Diamond is the only venue where Wilson has yet to win in either Micro or sprint car competition.
Wilson will be piloting the former No. 28 that was part of the DeGre Engineering arsenal – the car driven by team owner, Greg Fitzpatrick. A Zach Daum power plant will be under the hood.
There will be several other new faces in the ARDC pits as well as a few that haven’t been seen for a while.
Micro speedster, Kyle Spence will take his place in the cockpit of a midget this season. Jenna Schostkewitz, another driver from the Micro ranks, had planned to lease what was a second car of Tommy Kunsman. Schostkewitz had planned to race in the midget events at Linda’s Speedway but that car was then sold to Spence. Schostkewitz is still hoping to find a ride for several races in 2016.
Another driver from the first state of Delaware, Clayton Glassman, will make his return to ARDC events after a year’s absence. Glassman will combine forces with car owner, Jim Jackson for the 2016 season. Jackson will supply the car with Glassman’s power plant.
If all goes as planned, Chris Rupp hopes to return to ARDC competition during the 2016 season. It has been several seasons since Rupp raced with the club but the schedule has enticed Rupp to climb back in the cockpit.
Modified drivers, Ryan Watt, Billy Pauch, Jr. and 2012 ARDC Champion, Tim Buckwalter, are looking forward to adding some ARDC shows to their 2016 schedule as time permits. Back-to-back ARDC champion, Steve Drevicki is hoping to find a vacant cockpit for some Friday night action.
And of course, drivers like Trevor Kobylarz, Ryan Greth, Brett Arndt, Brett Wanner, Nick Wean, Tommy Kunsman, Danny Stratton, Alex and Brenden Bright and a host of others will return the three wide and side by side action when it gets underway with the season opener at the Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway on April 2nd.
The excitement is building as the season draws near.
