CMR Development Driver, Zeb Wise, Scores $5,000 Triumph at US-24 Speedway’s Big Dance!
(Rich Forman Photos)
Logansport, IN | June 27, 2017 – Continuing his rise through the ranks, Clauson-Marshall Racing’s Development Driver, Zeb Wise, scored arguably the biggest win of his career on Saturday night at US-24 Speedway. Running his CMR, Driven 2 Save Lives, D1 Chassis No. 39BC micro sprint, Wise traveled to Logansport, Indiana for the annual Big Dance, a non-wing event paying $5,000 to the victor. After earning a preliminary win on Friday night, the 14-year old young gun dominated the main event by leading all 40 laps and taking home the $5,000 prize!
“It means a lot for me to go back to my home track and grab a win,” said Zeb. “But, not just any win, a big win! I used to stand on the fence and watch guys like Cole Bodine and AJ Hopkins, thinking they are crazy to be running the cushion like that, and now I’m out there with them. I think this shows how well the CMR Development deal is going. Some of the skills I’ve learned from Tim, Tyler, Justin & Shane have not only helped me in the midget, but have also carried over into the micro.”
Opening the weekend on Friday at US-24, Wise stormed from fourth-to-second in heat race action and followed that with a dominating qualifier win. Starting from the fifth spot, Wise took the battle for the lead three-wide at halfway as he charged from third-to-first in just one corner. After claiming the top spot on the cushion, the 14-year old wisely cut back to the bottom and ensued to walk away with the preliminary victory, locking himself into Saturday’s Big Dance.
“Rolling into US-24 Speedway brought back a lot of great memories from when Bryan raced there as he was climbing the ladder,” said Tim Clauson. “In fact, it was a win there, like Zeb’s, that got him noticed by a car owner and started his path towards sprint cars. Knowing how competitive that place is, especially for their big shows, gives us a chance to see where our development drivers are in their progression as they mature through the process. He has not ran the 600 a lot this year, so to go back there and apply some of what we have been working on in a familiar environment was a big help.”
In Saturday’s feature, Wise quickly guided his No. 39BC to the point and led the opening round. For nearly the entire 40 lap feature, Wise could feel the second-place competitor breathing down his neck as the duo raced bumper-to-bumper in the highest paying non-wing micro race of the year. Putting his masterful precision and experience on display, the CMR Development Driver never wavered nor faltered as he was thrown challenge after challenge for the lead. In the end, Wise defended his position and went on to lead from start-to-finish as he secured a huge $5,000 payday at the Big Dance!
“We got to work on some shock stuff for Saturday night that we feel directly impacted the results,” commented Clauson. “With the midget he has a little buffer as he is just learning them. With the 600, we expected to run up front, and with that expectation comes pressure, but he performed brilliantly all weekend. I cannot wait to take what we learned and the confidence he gained back in the midget at one of my favorite tracks.”
Heading into this weekend, Wise will return to the seat of his Clauson-Marshall Racing, Spike Chassis No. 39BC midget, as he continues to gain laps and experience on the next level. On Friday night, Wise will make his Belle-Clair Speedway debut as the POWRi National Midget League travels to the Belleville, Illinois 1/5th mile.
For the latest results, news and stories concerning Clauson-Marshall, Zeb, Tyler, Justin and Shane, you can follow the team on Twitter at @ClausonMarshall, on Facebook at Clauson-Marshall Racing, or online at www.clausonmarshallracing.com.
RACE RESULTS:
6/24: Big Dance at US-24 Speedway in Logansport, IN – Dash: 1st (1), A-Main: 1st (1).
6/23: Big Dance at US-24 Speedway in Logansport, IN – Heat: 2nd (4), Qualifier: 1st (2), A-Main: 1st (5)
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Friday, June 29th – POWRi National Midgets at Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, IL.
SEASON STATS:
Feature Starts (17), Feature Wins (2), Top Five’s (5), Top Ten’s (9), Heat Wins (8).
MEDIA LINKS:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Zeb-Wise-Racing-1725578181043927/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zeb_wise01
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeb_wise01/
CLAUSON-MARSHALL RACING:
Race On. A saying that Bryan Clauson always related to his father Tim when our sport faced its darkest moments. It’s what racers do, we continue to race on. Following Bryan’s tragic passing in August of 2016, Tim Clauson and Richard Marshall never wavered when they formed Clauson-Marshall Racing. After unveiling a dream team at the 2017 Chili Bowl, CMR shifted focus to USAC. With a trio of Tyler Courtney, Justin Grant and Shane Golobic competing on the national level, along with Zeb Wise in the development ranks of POWRi Midgets and micro sprints, the future at Clauson-Marshall Racing looks brighter than ever.