KRISTI SCHMITT MAKES NW TOUR DEBUT AT WENATCHEE

Source: Kaci
Date: 05/29/2001

There are many potential stories around each Raybestos Brakes Northwest NASCAR Touring Series event. Most are about the drivers. Kristi Schmitt is one such driver with a story to tell.

Twenty year old, Kristi Schmitt, of Redding, California, the granddaughter of four time Winston West Series Champion, Bill Schmitt, is taking her shot at the 2001 NW Tour. Her racing career began in karting at the age of twelve. She progressed to the late models at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, California in 1997. This season, Kristi and her father decided to run some Tour events in addition to her traditional Bakersfield schedule. Her first scheduled tour event was to be the season opener, March 31st at Evergreen Speedway. However, as we all remember, it was postponed for bad weather, and Kristi was not able to return the following weekend. The Charter Communications 125 at Wenatchee Valley's Super Oval would be her Tour debut. When asked how she liked racing in the Northwest, she stated, “I like the racing here, even better than Bakersfield. I would like to come up more often. I’ll be off for a week and then down in Bakersfield. I know we will be back to run in Yakima for the 2-day event.”

With a qualifying effort of 12.808 on the 1/4 mile oval, her efforts put her on the outside pole in the 15-lap non-qualifier race with the #38 of Wilbur Bruce; #22 of Chris Rothfus; #76 of Roger Habich; #98 of Greg Bennett; #28 of Matt Hall; and #29 of Mike Merry. This event is simply a dogfight. With only the top two finishers advancing to the main event, all others go home. The excitement started before a full lap could be completed. In the turn three-four apexes, Habich got his nose under the #10 of Kristi Schmitt, spinning her and causing Mike Merry to drive into the side of Matt Hall. Merry was not able to continue. After the restart, things finally got underway. A lot of bumping and grinding was going on between Kristi and Chris Rothfus. At one point, Rothfus squeezed Kristi into the wall coming out of turn four causing Greg Bennett to ride up on her right rear quarter panel. Kristi kept her cool and stayed focused on the race. She kept her foot on the gas pedal and made a scratch-n-sniff pass on Rothfus in turn three of lap nine. The crowd went wild. They were pulling for her all the way. Unfortunately, on the next lap, in the same location, she came in a little hot and spun herself around, collecting Rothfus. Disappointed sighs swept through the stands, but cheers of appreciation erupted as she was towed into the pits.

Kristi Schmitt became an instant Wenatchee crowd favorite. Was it because she was the only woman racing the tour? The underdog? Probably. Was it because she showed Tour regulars she would not be pushed around, and would drive her own race? Maybe. Or is it because she came out to race hard and that’s exactly what she did? Most definitely! Lets hope we see a lot more of Kristi Schmitt in the future. She is one to watch

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