FORT WAYNE, Ind. — When the 24th Rumble in Fort Wayne presented by Jason Dietsch Trailer Sales unfolds this weekend inside the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, history could be made as a third generation of drivers have submitted their intention to compete.
Rylan and Emme Nuckles are scheduled to participate in the Baker Racing Engines quarter midget division, following the driving footsteps of their grandfather Jerry Nuckles, his brother Jeff and their father Bryan.
Jerry was introduced to Fort Wayne’s indoor racing scene during the winter of 1975 inside of the attached Coliseum, in a Don Edmunds VW midget. A year later, the Nuckles family, of Columbus Motor Speedway fame, purchased a second VW and Jeff joined his brother for the annual Bill Lipkey promoted events.
The family — consisting of dad Jim, mom Bobbi and brothers Jerry, Jeff and John — entered every Fort Wayne race until Jeff was injured at Eldora Speedway in 1984. Jerry recalled, “I remember several trips from Columbus, Ohio to Fort Wayne that were treacherous as the winter weather in those years seemed to be more harsh.”
After Jeff’s career-ending injury, the Nuckles family sold the cars and sat out until the 2005 season when Bobbi purchased a VW to restart the trend.
“Dad and I took the car completely apart and rebuilt it, and around 2008, my son Bryan and I came back to Fort Wayne to race in the annexed Expo Center that now houses the annual Rumble. We found the car not to be very competitive as the configuration and size of the Coliseum and Expo Center tracks were completely different. Instead of cutting up and modifying that car, John located us a suitable replacement in the Chicago area,” Jerry said. “Modifications were still needed so we relied on Mike Streicher and his side kick Mark to help us create a car that is now very competitive at the Expo Center.”
Bryan will be returning this weekend in the midget, but will be kept busy overseeing and introducing his children to the Fort Wayne indoor racing environment. The duo began racing quarter midgets six years ago. However, this will their first venture to the larger Rumble oval to mark the third generation of Nuckles family racing indoors in Fort Wayne.
Midgets, winged and non-winged 600cc midgets, and go-karts will join the quarter midgets in full racing programs.
For those unable to make the trek to Fort Wayne, this year’s program will be live streamed in its entirety via PitRow.TV.