TOLEDO, Ohio — Audio and story by Managing Editor Jacob Seelman for Speed77 Radio and Race Chaser Online — Bill Miller photo —

Austin Nemire is coming back to the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum for this year’s 17th annual Rumble in Fort Wayne both looking for redemption and looking to the future.

Nemire finished sixth on the opening night of last year’s Rumble — in his first-ever full midget start — and went on to qualify for the second night’s feature event before being sidelined by engine woes. While he made history by becoming the youngest starter in Rumble history last year, Nemire says he hopes to write a few more lines in the record books this time around.

“Going into last year…I didn’t even expect to make it (into the A-main),” Nemire said. “I knew we were going in with a good car but because I had never run a full midget, I honestly wasn’t expecting much. I’m looking forward to this year though, and hoping we can get at least one win.”

He brings in the momentum to do it as well, after claiming both the USAC Midwest HPD Midget Dirt and Pavement Series championships in 2014. The 15-year-old hotshoe wrapped up the pavement title at with two wins at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway in September and clinched the dirt crown with a perfect attendance record, running away by a triple digit margin to claim that title.

“At the beginning of the year, our main sponsor (Ron Hemelgarn) said we needed to come out and win races and win at least one championship (this year), so that’s what we set out to do,” Nemire said of his motivation going into the 2014 campaign. “We started out really good at the beginning of the year; [we won] the first five races (of the pavement series before we got caught up at Toledo and the (Indianapolis) Speedrome. Other than that, we won the last two at Columbus (and went undefeated) to finish the season.”

“We had a really good year on the pavement side, had a solid year on the dirt side as well. It was just a really great feeling to come up winning them both. At the banquet, (seeing) all of the other champions and being up there with all of them really put it all into perspective.”

Nemire credits his track time and added maturity coming into this season as one of the big factors behind his breakout in 2014.

“It was all about the (prior) experience,” Nemire said. “Coming out this year, being ready, being organized and knowing what to expect — that’s what made the difference for me.”

Nemire also ran a full-sized midget on the dirt this season in Indiana at Montpelier Motor Speedway, Gas City/I-69 Speedway and Kokomo Speedway, but hasn’t raced indoors since last season’s Rumble in Fort Wayne.

He’s not worried about that, however. What he is looking at is the expansion of the Rumble to a three-day event and the championship check that will be awarded to one driver at the end of the road on Sunday afternoon.

“I know to win (the title) you’re going to have to be consistent,” the young shoe pointed out. “(You’ll have to finish [well] all three nights. And I like how they’re going to do it, to crown an overall champion just to show who’s consistent and not going out and just winning one race and then finishing last in the other ones or not even making the other ones.”

“Turning the first day into a race day instead of just a practice day is going to help too, I think, because we’re not just going to be out there making laps,” Nemire added. “It allows us to get the car better and we’ll be out there racing while we’re still learning the track — for those of us who have done it before I think that’s going to be a big thing.”

What’s also going to be a big thing are Nemire’s plans for the 2015 season — the young Buckeye plans to run a full USAC Silver Crown schedule during the upcoming season, the same division his grandfather Jerry had success racing under in years past.

“When we were down at the PRI Show we met with Ron (Hemelgarn) and he said since he has the cars in his shop we may as well run them,” Nemire said. “So we’re going to run the Silver Crown car next year and I’m going to go in, do as best I can and learn from the veterans and hopefully we can have a few good runs [along the way].”

“It’s going to be a lot more power and a lot bigger car, so that’s going to be a lot for me to get used to, but running against [guys like] Bobby East, maybe Levi Jones if he comes back, and just knowing that that’s where my grandpa raced for so much of his career — being able to follow his footsteps and follow in the footsteps of a lot of the veterans is going to be really cool.”

Every journey starts with one step though — and for Nemire, that step comes on Friday morning when the National Midgets take to the concrete and coke syrup for the 17th year in Fort Wayne history.

He’s not worried about the history though — he’s just focused on sticking to the gameplan he’s had laid out for the past couple of months.

“Going into Friday we’re going to go in, be cautious, finish the race and run as best we can and then take it from there.”

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Listen in to an extended cut of Race Chaser Online’s conversation with young midget pilot Austin Nemire as he talks the Rumble, his new colors for the famous event, his future in open-wheel racing and much more!

Take a sneak peak at Nemire’s new paint scheme for Tom O’Connell in this year’s Rumble in Fort Wayne, Dec. 26-28 in Ft. Wayne, Ind. (Kenny Nemire photo)