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Zimbardi “Juiced Up” For Chances at Redemption
By Rich Vleck, TULSA, Okla. (May 30, 2007)- Two years ago, Jared Zimbardi found himself out in front late in the race at Thunder Alley, but lost to Rick Wilson. Last year he found himself out in front at Brockville, but lost, again to Rick Wilson. This weekend he doesn’t care if Wilson gets one, he just wants his first.
In 2005 at Thunder Alley, while holding off Rick Wilson’s No. 42w, Zimbardi encountered lapped traffic and had cleared all but one car, his dad Tim; by the time Jared had passed his Dad, “The Joyceville Jet” was already around him.
Last season, the No. 35 was in front at Brockville, another track where Rick Wilson is King, but had another issue with a lapped car. Zimbardi missed his mark in turn three with just five laps remaining and slid over the banking, ruining his great run.
Jared “The Juice” Zimbardi returns to the sites of his two biggest heartbreaks this weekend, but enters booming with confidence, and for good reason.
The 20-year-old Little Valley, NY driver has run strong out of the box in what is now his fifth season in a full-sized sprint. After scoring seventh and sixth place showings at the ASCS Patriot openers at Fulton and Rolling Wheels, respectively, he geared up for the Bully Hill NY Sprint Nationals at Black Rock, where he hung in with the big boys.
On Thursday Night at the practice session, Zimbardi was among the fastest cars out there. In the final session, he paced ASCS National point leader Gary Wright around the 4/10-mile, a moment that was memorable for Jared.
“At first I didn’t know who was behind me, but then I could see all the photographers in the infield shooting pictures at me, so I knew it had to be Gary behind me,” said a modest Zimbardi the next day.
In feature competition over the following two nights, the No. 35 ended in 15th and 12th on respective nights, with his showing on Saturday coming from a 22nd place starting position and with no ability to slide his top wing.
This past weekend, “The Juice” ran an ESS event at Utica-Rome and charged up from a 16th place starting spot to round out the top-5, pumping him up for his return up North.
“It took us a couple weeks before the year started to work the bugs out of one of our motors but since then we’ve been real competitive,” said the second-generation driver.
Zimbardi has been strong for many years now, including winning the 2005 Gater Racing News Hard Charger of the Season Award, presented by Red Bear Hand Cleaner and having a stretch of four-straight fourth place finishes in 2006.
If Zimbardi wins either event this weekend, he will collect $2,000 thanks to Riverside Bar and Grill for his first double checkered flags in ASCS Competition. It should be noted that Zimbardi does have a 410 c.i. win in 2005 at Sportsman Speedway in Knox, PA.
Racing action up north this weekend begins on Friday at Thunder Alley Speedpark, just north of Watertown, with heats slated to run off at 7:30 p.m. The trip just over the border on Saturday will be at the beautiful Brockville Speedway, with racing starting at 7:00 p.m. For more information on Zimbardi and all of the Patriot competitors, visit http://www.ascsracing.com/.
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