GAS CITY, Ind. — After being involved in a violent crash during his qualifying run at Paragon Speedway Tuesday night, Zeb Wise will sit out the remainder of Indiana Midget Week.
Wise was slated to contest the majority of the six-night stretch with Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports in the No. 97, but took a wild tumble on his first timed lap at the three-eighths-mile oval.
The Angola, Ind., teenager explained after the accident that he “got in a little too hard and slid up into” the corner before his car caught air and began flipping, later adding that he “drove it like a winged car” on his qualifying lap and that his approach got him into trouble.
Wise drove a backup car through the C-main and into the B-main before his night came to an end. But he later admitted that the crash “didn’t feel good, that’s for sure,” and he was a bit sore.
Wise took to Twitter Wednesday afternoon to confirm his decision to withdraw from his remaining planned IMW starts, citing his full-time All Star Circuit of Champions obligations with Sam McGhee Motorsports as the major factor.
“I took a pretty hard hit last night in the midget. With that said, I’ve decided to take the next few nights of midget week off to be healthy and 100 percent ready for the sprint car races this weekend,” Wise wrote. “I love midgets, but the sprint car is my main focus and I need to be healthy for that.
“I’m thankful that Sharp Advantage Safety Products, Ultra Shield, Simpson Racing, and Spike Chassis all kept me safe last night. That one stung a little,” Wise added. “Also (a) thank you to Keith Kunz and Pete Willoughby for understanding my situation and giving me a badass car to run when I can.”
Wise is scheduled to be back behind the wheel of the No. 11 sprint car at Attica Raceway Park and Fremont Speedway in Ohio on Friday and Saturday, respectively.