Niemela's Sebring Outing Goes Upside Down
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Gridded 6th, Niemela and last year's runner up Jonathan Bomarito came together at turn 17 on the first lap. The contact resulted in Markus ending his first race of the season upside down on top of a tire barrier.
"I hit Bomarito at about 150 mph and went (ballistic) at almost the same speed, (hit the barrier) and the car rolled, landing on my head...it was definitely not my race today. (Unfortunately) the crash was my fault. I misjudged Jon's braking point and did my (line) transfer from left to right according to that. Therefore, when he started braking I hit his rear wheel flat out."
To his credit, Bomarito jumped out of his broken racecar then helped course workers turn Markus' car over, so he could get out on his own power. Subsequently, safety officials suggested that a trip to the hospital might be appropriate, and after a clear CAT scan, Niemela was released from the hospital late last night.
"I want to thank Jon, the course workers, and the people at the hospital for all the help. The incident could have been much worse than a bruised ego, and we'll have to forget the mistake, and commit to winning a podium spot in Utah."
Next up, the Cooper Tire Atlantic Championship Powered By Mazda travels west to Miller Motorsports Park at Tooele Utah on May 17th.
To follow Markus and learn more about his effort to win back to back Championships please visit: www.markusniemela.com
To learn more about the Championship please visit: www.atlanticchampionship.com