Hire Park, BMX Racing A Family Affair
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
On a day when campers, tents and grills color the landscape at Hire Park, it's easy to see why Dan Rumple Jr. says BMX racing is a family affair.
Of all people, Rumple, of Warsaw, would know.
Along with his duties as Hire Park track director, he also races. His 13-year-old son Dan III races, as does 10-year-old daughter Mariah, who is ranked fourth in the world in her division.
His 4-year-old daughter sells raffle tickets, while his wife Kari works the concession stand.
While the Rumples answered questions about their family's involvement Saturday, off in the distance brothers and sisters, fathers and sons from seven different states competed in the Hire Park Regional Nationals.
"It's competitive and you get to meet people from all over the country," Rumple Jr. said. "It's totally a family thing, that's what makes it so appealing. I've also got a 2-year-old son that brings his tricycle out and likes to roll out of the gate. We just have a blast."
The eldest Rumple said he began BMX racing in 1981 and will continue until he can ride no more.
Mariah Rumple, a soon-to-be fifth grader at Lincoln Elementary, started at a young age and has been nationally ranked since. She's also the only true local racer from Hire Park to hold a world ranking.
"It's fun, it's a lot of excitement to me," said Mariah, who didn't race on Saturday because of an injured ankle at a recent basketball camp. "It's pretty cool, I'm the only at school that does it and my friends joke around with me."
In three world competitions, Mariah has finished fourth twice and seventh. She was fourth last year in Louisville, Kentucky and fourth this year in Brazil.
Mariah, who competes in basketball, soccer and track at school, says she practices every Tuesday and Thursday, and races between 10 and 15 weekends per year.
Rumple Jr. says the family has raced in nearly 10 different states, as well as Canada and Brazil.
"As long as the kids have fun I'll keep riding until I can't," Rumple Jr. said. "As long as we're having fun we'll keep going. It's a big business, there's a lot at stake, but it's all about having fun."
Local sponsorship comes from Sun Ringle and BMXmania.com, a website run by Jerrry Landrum.
Hire Park has been up and running near Pike Lake for 16 years. Rumple Jr. notes much help has come from Rich Kellstrom, Mike Gelbaugh, Madonna McKelvey and Landrum.
Other local riders to enjoy success include Brian and Adam Strieby, who will both compete in Pennsylvania in the X-Games. Adam will compete in jumping, while Brian will compete in the downhill competition. Both make their living riding bikes.
"They've been in Russia, Spain, just around the world," Rumple Jr. said of the Strieby brothers. "They're good at what they do and they've gone a long way with it."
Jarrett, ML Motorsports Still Singing The Nashville Blues
By Dale Hubler, Times-Union Sports Writer
GLADEVILLE, Tenn. - In the seat of a mulit-million dollar operation, ultimately it was an inexpensive part that cost 26-year-old Jason Jarrett a shot at victory in the Waste Management 200 Friday night at Nashville Superspeedway.
Qualifying third for the 200-mile ARCA RE/MAX Series event, Jarrett's No. 67 ML Motorsports Monte Carlo rocketed past Indiana rookie standout Chad Blount at the start of the race to quickly claim second. But as the race unfolded, the third-generation North Carolina driver began falling back in the field, dropping to sixth on lap 16 and to ninth by lap 24 around the 1.33-mile concrete oval.
On lap 30 his purple Mary Louise Miller-owned machine was in the pits, and when the leaders came around for the 42nd of 151 laps, Jarrett's evening was over due to engine failure.
The problem was believed to be the result of a water cap loosening and then falling off, allowing the coolant fluid to escape from the engine block.
"I think where they hook the Dyno up to test the engine is where it came off," said Jarrett, who finished sixth and second at Nashville Superspeedway a year ago. "It came off or wasn't tightened or something, but it wasn't there. All the water came out, and basically it puked. The motor seized up."
Jarrett was credited with turning 35 laps, leaving him with a 29th-place finish. In April's PFG Lester 150 at the two-year-old Tennessee track, Jarrett and Team 67 were struck with bad luck when debris knocked the oil pump belt off, leaving them with a 37th-place finish.
To say the least, Music City USA, known for its country music, has left Jarrett and ML Motorsports singing the blues this year.
"It was a cheap part in comparison to what it's gonna cost to fix the motor," Jarrett said. "It's cheap in comparison to costing us a first- or second-place finish. It's disapointing that something so cheap cost us so much, not only a good finish but a lot out of a wallet to fix the motor."
In his last five starts entering the weekend, Jarrett had finished worse than sixth just once - a 10th-place effort at Berlin Raceway. Included in that span were a pair of runner-up finishes, namely a near-win at Pocono.
While Jarrett's night ended with engine failure, Blount, ARCA's top rookie, finished his evening with a destroyed car.
Just after taking the lead from three-time series champ Frank Kimmel with 18 laps remaining, Kimmel's Ford tapped Blount's Dodge from behind, sending the 22-year-old outside pole-sitter hard into the wall. Blount came home with a 22nd-place finish along with a bruised wrist and elbow.
Following the accident, the crews of Blount and Kimmel had to be seperated by ARCA officials.
With Blount and Jarrett, second and third in the points, out of the race, points leader Kimmel cruised to victory. Of the four ARCA races run at Nashville Superspeedway, Kimmel has won the past three, upping his career win total to 39. NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader won the inagural event.
Following Kimmel in the top five were Robert Burroughs, Tennessee rookie Chase Montgomery, Brent Sherman and John Metcalf. Former NLF coach Jerry Glanville finished 10th, while Jason Rudd, nephew of NASCAR driver Ricky Rudd, was 18th after an accident on lap 144.
Kimmel, who won his sixth race of the season, is now 235 points of ahead of second-place Blount. Jarrett remains third in the season standings.
Known as the most versatile series in the world, the ARCA RE/MAX Series will next be in action at the one-mile dirt oval at the Illinois State Fairground in Springfield on Sunday. [[In-content Ad]]
On a day when campers, tents and grills color the landscape at Hire Park, it's easy to see why Dan Rumple Jr. says BMX racing is a family affair.
Of all people, Rumple, of Warsaw, would know.
Along with his duties as Hire Park track director, he also races. His 13-year-old son Dan III races, as does 10-year-old daughter Mariah, who is ranked fourth in the world in her division.
His 4-year-old daughter sells raffle tickets, while his wife Kari works the concession stand.
While the Rumples answered questions about their family's involvement Saturday, off in the distance brothers and sisters, fathers and sons from seven different states competed in the Hire Park Regional Nationals.
"It's competitive and you get to meet people from all over the country," Rumple Jr. said. "It's totally a family thing, that's what makes it so appealing. I've also got a 2-year-old son that brings his tricycle out and likes to roll out of the gate. We just have a blast."
The eldest Rumple said he began BMX racing in 1981 and will continue until he can ride no more.
Mariah Rumple, a soon-to-be fifth grader at Lincoln Elementary, started at a young age and has been nationally ranked since. She's also the only true local racer from Hire Park to hold a world ranking.
"It's fun, it's a lot of excitement to me," said Mariah, who didn't race on Saturday because of an injured ankle at a recent basketball camp. "It's pretty cool, I'm the only at school that does it and my friends joke around with me."
In three world competitions, Mariah has finished fourth twice and seventh. She was fourth last year in Louisville, Kentucky and fourth this year in Brazil.
Mariah, who competes in basketball, soccer and track at school, says she practices every Tuesday and Thursday, and races between 10 and 15 weekends per year.
Rumple Jr. says the family has raced in nearly 10 different states, as well as Canada and Brazil.
"As long as the kids have fun I'll keep riding until I can't," Rumple Jr. said. "As long as we're having fun we'll keep going. It's a big business, there's a lot at stake, but it's all about having fun."
Local sponsorship comes from Sun Ringle and BMXmania.com, a website run by Jerrry Landrum.
Hire Park has been up and running near Pike Lake for 16 years. Rumple Jr. notes much help has come from Rich Kellstrom, Mike Gelbaugh, Madonna McKelvey and Landrum.
Other local riders to enjoy success include Brian and Adam Strieby, who will both compete in Pennsylvania in the X-Games. Adam will compete in jumping, while Brian will compete in the downhill competition. Both make their living riding bikes.
"They've been in Russia, Spain, just around the world," Rumple Jr. said of the Strieby brothers. "They're good at what they do and they've gone a long way with it."
Jarrett, ML Motorsports Still Singing The Nashville Blues
By Dale Hubler, Times-Union Sports Writer
GLADEVILLE, Tenn. - In the seat of a mulit-million dollar operation, ultimately it was an inexpensive part that cost 26-year-old Jason Jarrett a shot at victory in the Waste Management 200 Friday night at Nashville Superspeedway.
Qualifying third for the 200-mile ARCA RE/MAX Series event, Jarrett's No. 67 ML Motorsports Monte Carlo rocketed past Indiana rookie standout Chad Blount at the start of the race to quickly claim second. But as the race unfolded, the third-generation North Carolina driver began falling back in the field, dropping to sixth on lap 16 and to ninth by lap 24 around the 1.33-mile concrete oval.
On lap 30 his purple Mary Louise Miller-owned machine was in the pits, and when the leaders came around for the 42nd of 151 laps, Jarrett's evening was over due to engine failure.
The problem was believed to be the result of a water cap loosening and then falling off, allowing the coolant fluid to escape from the engine block.
"I think where they hook the Dyno up to test the engine is where it came off," said Jarrett, who finished sixth and second at Nashville Superspeedway a year ago. "It came off or wasn't tightened or something, but it wasn't there. All the water came out, and basically it puked. The motor seized up."
Jarrett was credited with turning 35 laps, leaving him with a 29th-place finish. In April's PFG Lester 150 at the two-year-old Tennessee track, Jarrett and Team 67 were struck with bad luck when debris knocked the oil pump belt off, leaving them with a 37th-place finish.
To say the least, Music City USA, known for its country music, has left Jarrett and ML Motorsports singing the blues this year.
"It was a cheap part in comparison to what it's gonna cost to fix the motor," Jarrett said. "It's cheap in comparison to costing us a first- or second-place finish. It's disapointing that something so cheap cost us so much, not only a good finish but a lot out of a wallet to fix the motor."
In his last five starts entering the weekend, Jarrett had finished worse than sixth just once - a 10th-place effort at Berlin Raceway. Included in that span were a pair of runner-up finishes, namely a near-win at Pocono.
While Jarrett's night ended with engine failure, Blount, ARCA's top rookie, finished his evening with a destroyed car.
Just after taking the lead from three-time series champ Frank Kimmel with 18 laps remaining, Kimmel's Ford tapped Blount's Dodge from behind, sending the 22-year-old outside pole-sitter hard into the wall. Blount came home with a 22nd-place finish along with a bruised wrist and elbow.
Following the accident, the crews of Blount and Kimmel had to be seperated by ARCA officials.
With Blount and Jarrett, second and third in the points, out of the race, points leader Kimmel cruised to victory. Of the four ARCA races run at Nashville Superspeedway, Kimmel has won the past three, upping his career win total to 39. NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader won the inagural event.
Following Kimmel in the top five were Robert Burroughs, Tennessee rookie Chase Montgomery, Brent Sherman and John Metcalf. Former NLF coach Jerry Glanville finished 10th, while Jason Rudd, nephew of NASCAR driver Ricky Rudd, was 18th after an accident on lap 144.
Kimmel, who won his sixth race of the season, is now 235 points of ahead of second-place Blount. Jarrett remains third in the season standings.
Known as the most versatile series in the world, the ARCA RE/MAX Series will next be in action at the one-mile dirt oval at the Illinois State Fairground in Springfield on Sunday. [[In-content Ad]]