Niemela Gets Roughed Up At Utah

Tooele, May 17, 2009: Current Atlantic Champion Markus Niemela found himself in a dog fight as soon as the green flag flew at Miller Motorsports Park today. Qualified 5th, the young Finn got a great start until he found himself run off the road to avoid ending up four-wide at the first corner. The force-off caused him to drop back to 8th, but he immediately responded by picking up two of the lost positions, then set off in search of Frankie Muniz who was running 5th.

After changing tires Markus was really flying, and on lap 24, he got by Muniz then started reeling-in P4 driver Borja Garcia by as much as 2 to 3-tenths a lap. At lap 30, Niemela tried a move on Garcia at "Sunset Bend" (Turn 1) but the pass didn't stick, as Garcia had just enough grip to fight back at the exit of the corner. The next time by, however, Niemela was closer when they exited the "Release Corner" (Turn 26) and on to the straight, where he drafted ahead of Garcia and into the braking zone.

"I had the corner won, but he didn't want to give it up, hit my left rear, and put me in the gravel," Markus said. "He had used up his tires, and I knew it, but afterward said that he had under-steer and couldn't turn. It's just a bad way to end a good effort for NWR and my guys. I'm disappointed to be sure, but all we can do now is look forward to New Jersey, and getting a good result there."

Afterward Race Officials looked at the video of the incident and Garcia was charged with an avoidable accident. He was disqualified from the event result, put on a two-race probation, and fined. Said Markus, "He (Garcia) apologized, but that doesn't change the result." Markus said.

About Markus

Markus Niemela was born and raised in Rauma Finland in 1984. His racing career started in Karts at the age of five. After winning several FIA-KF1 (formerly Formula A) Karting championships in Finland and in greater Europe, he moved up to Formula Ford in 2004, subsequently winning the Finnish Championship, the Swedish Championship, and the STCC Formula Ford championship, finishing the season second in total International Formula Ford points.In 2005, he moved up to the UK Formula Renault Winter Championship after an abortive run in Formula BMW-ADAC with Team Rosberg, averaging 3rd in qualifying for the season, with one win, and one pole

In 2006 he moved to Formula Renault UK with Mark Burdett Motorsports. There he produced one win, one fastest lap, one pole, won multiple “driver of the day” awards and finished 7th in the Championship.In 2007 he campaigned in GP2 with BCN Competition, Formula Renault Eurocup with BVM Minardi, and also ran in the Asian Formula Renault Championship with March 3 Racing. In 2008 he came to the U.S. to run in the Cooper Tire Atlantic Championship Powered By Mazda Series with Brooks Associated Racing, where he subsequently won the 2008 Atlantic Championship.

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Markus' 2009 campaign is sponsored by: Nuclear Energy, Entergy, NEI, Mr. Jones, Kivikylanan, Proholma, Party Camp, Rauma, Turku Karting, and PRRACEwire.

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