GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alberta — 19 year-old Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle driver Jamie Krzysik won the IMCA Modified feature at Edmonton International Raceway in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada on Saturday night.
Krzysik earned a spot with Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle driver development program based in Sacramento, Calif. after a strong showing in the driver shootout in October. Krzysik beat out hundreds of drivers for a spot on the 26 member team. He has commuted back and forth between California and Alberta for training sessions all winter long.
The 2009 IMCA Canadian Rookie of the Year did a fine job against a field of Wetaskiwin regulars on Saturday night. Driving the #46 Modified with major sponsorship from First Choice Pipehandlers and Ric’s Grill, Krzysik qualified second quick on the board with a time of 14.22 seconds around the quarter-mile paved oval.
Drivers at Edmonton compete in a pair of heat races and in the first heat race Krzysik lined up third on the grid. After a restart, Krzysik won the drag race down the backstretch to take the lead and the win.
In heat race two, Krzysik started third and took the lead down the backstretch on the opening lap to win the race.
After starting seventh in the feature, Krzysik quickly made three wide passes through the field to move into second by lap three. At this point, the leader had already accumulated a sizeable lead.
Krzysik’s fortunes changed when the leader broke and headed to the pits. Just three laps later, another car stalled and a shootout to the finish was set up between Krzysik and the second place car.
The drivers made contact entering turn one, with Krzysik getting sideways before gathering it up and beating him down the backstretch.
Krzysik led all the way to checkered flag after a very successful day. This weekend, Krzysik will make his first start in the United States racing a USAC Ford Focus Midget car. The USAC Ford Focus Midgets run a modified version of a street-legal Focus Focus powerplant. They produce nearly 200 horsepower in race trim.
“All of us at Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle were already very excited for Jamie’s debut this weekend but after winning his Modified race up in Canada we are very optimistic for a strong run!” said driver coach Ron Sutton.
Krzysik will compete in Saturday night’s races at the one-third mile paved All American Speedway in Roseville, Calif. He will also test late in the week and participate in the RSWC Mixer.
Jamie Kryzsik Racing and Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle thank partners: First Choice Pipehandlers, Ric’s Grill, PROEX, Canadian Western Maintenance, Decca Industries, G.D. Cornish Trucking, IPS, The Muffler Man, Sportswear Plus, Tim McTaggart Trucking, Kal Tire, Prairie Gold Jewelry, 3S Contracting, JB Trucking, Dokat Mechanical, Sun Life Financial – Dan Boorse, Jim Clark Peterbuilt, K&N Filters, Scribner Plastics, Allstar Performance, Sunoco Race Fuels and Star Racing Supply.
An all-new Jamie Krzysik website is coming soon. Race fans can log onto www.jamiekrzysik.com for more information.
For more information on Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle, log on to www.winners-circle-racing.com
About Ron Sutton’s Winner’s Circle:
Ron Sutton's Winner's Circle is an established talent scout and development program, providing long term, comprehensive racing and career development for up and coming drivers focused on NASCAR careers. RSWC drivers are raced, coached, groomed, trained and molded, within a professional racing environment, into what top NASCAR teams look for when hiring drivers. Drivers involved in the program race in a variety of cars, including USAC Young Guns Focus Midgets, USAC Ford Focus Midgets, NASCAR Grand American Modifieds, NASCAR Late Model stock cars and NASCAR Grand National stock cars.
