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ARCA Midgets: Thinnes Thumps Baer Field ARCA/UMARA Midgets

31 August 1999

Fort Wayne IN- UMARA Midget standout Steve Thinnes stood out Saturday night at Baer Field Speedway, held off a charge from Jimmy McCune and won the 30-lap ARCA Auto Value-UMARA sanctioned main event taking his second consecutive victory in the aforementioned co-sanction.

Jim Anderson led at the onset but his lead was short-lived when Thinnes, who started sixth, raced by the former leader to lead the second lap. Thinnes stretched his advantage over McCune, Gary Harrell and Larry Gibson and held strong throughout the race. McCune hustled hard to catch Thinnes and closed the gap in the latter stages but couldnt find a way around the eventual winner.

Harrell finished a strong third ahead of Dave Thompson and Aaron Fike to complete the top five. Leading ARCA Midget rookie contender Jason Fuller brought his midget home in sixth in front of Gibson, two-time ARCA Midget champion Rick Harrell, Rich Corsen and Jim Hines to round out the top ten.

Current ARCA Midget point leader and defending champion Gene Lee Gibson started 10th and was quickly working his way forward before contact in a tight pack sent the open-wheel standout over on his side on the backstretch. Gibson was uninjured but through for the night and credited with the 20th finishing position. Don Carter set quick time of night at 14.722 seconds and Larry Gibson, Fike and McCune were heat race winners.

The ARCA Auto Value Midgets, along with UMARA, will next appear at the brand new one mile Chicago Motor Speedway on September 12th before wrapping up the season at Toledo Speedway on September 19th.

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