Thunder Heard at
Thunder Valley!
_____________
Don Erickson
WiddisRacing.com
August 18,
2002
SANDS-Sunday is
traditionally known as the day of rest and respite from the
week's hectic events, but not for the Widdis Racing team! With
an invitation late Saturday night, your humble correspondent
was able to travel with the infamous team to Sands, MI and
witness the wonder of Thunder Valley Speedway. With a 9:30
departure time and a long drive to the track, the team was
restive and hungry for a victory, for obvious reasons. The
team, having only the 1999 Chevy Monte Carlo late model car,
would run with 6 other extremely competitive drivers.
Bret Widdis,
behind the wheel of his #16 late model car, would qualify 2nd
in his Napa Auto Parts Chevy. Therefore, Widdis would be
destined to start inside row 3 in the heat race, but due to
uncontrollable circumstances involving the #22 car driven by
Scott Ely, Widdis would wind up starting outside row 2. Widdis
would go low on the #15 car driven by Jim Misun early as that
driver would find his car half in the sand going into turn 4.
2 laps later Widdis would earn a tremendous pass on the #1 car
driven by Walt Racine.
Bret would gain
almost a full straightaway lead on the second place car driven
by Mike Mattson. With a few more laps in the books, Mattson
would find himself glued to Widdis' back bumper, and would
take the low side of the track coming out of turn 4 on the
last lap. Widdis and Mattson would battle for the lead
resulting in a beautiful photo finish as both drivers screamed
past the start/finish line. Mattson wouldn't have enough to
edge out the young driver allowing Bret Widdis to take his
first checkered flag in his new late model Chevrolet sponsored
by Napa Auto Parts of Manistique, Midwest Sound &
Security, Curran Chevrolet, T-N-T Customs, Turek's Used Car
Parts, and Sunset Signs & Designs.
