USAC NATIONAL MIDGETS HEAD FOR TWO STRAIGHT NIGHTS AT KOKOMO GRAND PRIX APRIL 8-9
Richie Murray – USAC Media
USAC Midgets and Kokomo Speedway: a partnership that dates to a bygone era of no cages and short-sleeve t-shirts serving as firesuits. And over the past six decades, the track has delivered the goods when it comes to USAC Midget racing on the quarter-mile dirt oval located a little over an hour north of Indy. It’s the only venue, in fact, from USAC’s initial National Midget season of 1956 that remains on the series’ calendar to this day.
Jimmy Davies, Bob Tattersall, Mel Kenyon, Sleepy Tripp, Rich Vogler, Tony Elliott, J.J. Yeley, Bryan Clauson and Kyle Larson are among the names you’ll find on the track’s USAC Midget winners’ list. For the 74th and 75th time this coming weekend, another name, another racing hero will etch his or her name as the latest to make their mark, their signature, at Kokomo Speedway.
The indoor midget racing season has gone by the wayside and it’s time to head to the great outdoors and into the wild where dirt is the playground and the throng of Midwest race fans come out of hibernation to get their racing fix.
As the USAC National season transitions into full-swing, one of the most popular stops on the tour for any driver awaits the USAC Midget National Championship this coming Saturday and Sunday, April 8th and 9th at Indiana’s Kokomo Speedway for the “Kokomo Grand Prix.”
As if one night isn’t enough, the action will be packed into two straight nights as the series hits the outdoors for the first time in 2017. Just last month, Justin Grant captured his first career USAC National Midget victory indoors at the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin, making history by becoming the first to win the USAC National Sprint and National Midget openers in the same season. His run thus far for Clauson/Marshall Racing has been nearly flawless, but can he continue his run of success at a track he has mastered 10 times behind the wheel of a sprint car?
Grant will have to contend with a number of racers who are eager to put their stamp on the early part of the 2017 season. His CMR teammate, Shane Golobic, finished right behind him at Du Quoin. Arizona’s Jerry Coons, Jr. and Indiana’s Dave Darland are two of the most decorated drivers in the history of the United States Auto Club and both know their way around Kokomo in any type of car they get behind the wheel of.
Defending series champion Tanner Thorson got off to a rough start in Du Quoin with a 21st place result, but hopes to rebound at Kokomo along with Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports teammates Spencer Bayston and a trio of first-time win-seekers Ryan Robinson, Holly Shelton and series rookie Tanner Carrick.
Oklahoma’s Brady Bacon got his first career USAC National Midget win at Kokomo way back in 2006 while Arizona’s Chad Boat led much of the series’ most recent appearance at the track in June of 2016.
In that 2016 race, Rico Abreu’s late-race magic included sliding teammate Christopher Bell for third simultaneously as second-running Spencer Bayston got sideways between turns three and four. Abreu banged wheels with Bayston, ricocheting in front of Bayston and into second-place with ten laps to go.
A yellow for debris in turns three and four closed the gap between first and second, providing Abreu a lifeline and a chance by placing him right on Boat’s tail tank for the restart. At the drop of the green, Abreu rode the razor’s edge up against the wall as Boat matriculated the middle groove. Abreu continued to grind and grind as he pressured Boat, ultimately pulling alongside Boat in a drag race that resulted in a near dead-heat at the start/finish line on lap 22.
Abreu was seemingly shot out of a cannon each time at the exit of turns two and four, distancing himself from Boat in the waning laps to take the victory ahead of Bayston and Boat. Meanwhile, Bryan Clauson was crowned “Indiana Midget Week” champion for his performance throughout the five-race mini-series.
Pit and spectator gates open on both Saturday and Sunday at 3pm. Drivers meeting will take place at 5pm. Cars hit the track at 5:30.
Adult general admission is just $20 each night. Kids 10 and Under are FREE with Paid Adult. Pit passes are $35 each night.
Fans worldwide who are unable to make it to Kokomo Speedway in-person this Saturday and Sunday can witness the “Kokomo Grand Prix” LIVE on http://www.SpeedShiftTV.com/. And the following day, you can catch the race on-demand at http://www.Loudpedal.TV/.
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UPCOMING USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP EVENT:
DATE: Saturday & Sunday, April 8-9, 2017
SERIES: USAC Midget National Championship
TRACK: Kokomo Speedway (Kokomo, IN) - 1/4-Mile, High-Banked Dirt Oval
EVENT: “Kokomo Grand Prix” featuring the USAC Midget National Championship and Kokomo Sprint Cars
STARTING TIMES:
Saturday, April 8
Pit and spectator gates open at 3pm. Drivers meeting: 5pm. Cars on track: 5:30.
Sunday, April 9
Pit and spectator gates open at 3pm. Drivers meeting: 5pm. Cars on track: 5:30.
TICKETS: General Admission: $20.00 each night; Pit Pass (All Ages): $35.00 each night. Kids 10 & Under FREE with Paid Adult (General Admission Only)
TRACK ADDRESS: 2455 N. Davis Rd., Kokomo, IN, 46901
TRACK PHONE: (765) 459-3877
TRACK WEBSITE: http://kokomospeedway.net/
MEDIA COVERAGE: Live stream each night on http://www.SpeedShiftTV.com/. Live updates on https://www.facebook.com/usacracing/ and https://twitter.com/USACNation, plus available on the Race Monitor app on your phone. Watch the race one-day later at http://www.Loudpedal.TV/.
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2017 USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVER POINT STANDINGS (TOP-10):
1. (70) Justin Grant (Ione, CA)
2. (67) Shane Golobic (Fremont, CA)
3. (64) Jerry Coons, Jr. (Tucson, AZ)
4. (61) Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK)
5. (49) Jake Neuman (R) (New Berlin, IL)
6. (39) Spencer Bayston (Lebanon, IN)
7. (37) Gage Walker (Fairland, IN)
8. (35) Tanner Carrick (Lincoln, CA)
9. (29) Chad Boat (Phoenix, AZ)
10. (23) Tanner Thorson (Minden, NV)
**(R) represents a USAC Midget National Championship Rookie Driver
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2017 USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP OWNER POINT STANDINGS (TOP-10)
1. (70) Clauson-Marshall Racing #39BC
2. (67) Clauson-Marshall Racing/Matt Wood Racing #17w
3. (64) Petry-Goff Motorsports #25
4. (61) FMR Racing #76m
5. (49) Jim Neuman #3N
6. (43) Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #21
7. (39) Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #97
8. (35) Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #71K
9. (29) Tucker-Boat Motorsports #84
10. (23) Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports #67
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2017 USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE & RESULTS
Mar 18: &&& Du Quoin, IL - Southern Illinois Center
WINNER: Justin Grant (Clauson-Marshall Racing #39BC)
Apr 8: Kokomo, IN - Kokomo Speedway
Apr 9: Kokomo, IN - Kokomo Speedway
May 19: Granite City, IL – Tri-City Speedway
Jun 6: @@@ Montpelier, IN - Montpelier Motor Speedway
Jun 7: @@@ Gas City, IN - Gas City I-69 Speedway
Jun 8: @@@ Putnamville, IN - Lincoln Park Speedway
Jun 9: @@@ Bloomington, IN - Bloomington Speedway
Jun 10: @@@ Lawrenceburg, IN - Lawrenceburg Speedway
Jun 11: @@@ Kokomo, IN - Kokomo Speedway
Jul 1: Macon, IL – Macon Speedway
Jul 2: Lincoln, IL – Lincoln Speedway
Jul 3: Springfield, IL – Illinois State Fairgrounds Multi-Purpose Arena
Jul 22: TBA – TBA
Aug 1: Fairbury, NE – Jefferson County Speedway
Aug 2: Beloit, KS - Solomon Valley Raceway
Aug 4: Belleville, KS - Belleville High Banks
Aug 5: Belleville, KS - Belleville High Banks
Aug 13: *** York Haven, PA - Susquehanna Speedway
Aug 14: *** Spring Run, PA - Path Valley Speedway Park
Aug 15: *** Newmanstown, PA - Lanco’s Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway
Aug 17: *** Jonestown, PA – Linda’s Speedway
Sep 23: Rossburg, OH - Eldora Speedway
Oct 6: TBA – TBA
Oct 7: TBA – TBA
Oct 20: %%% Wayne City, IL - Wayne County Speedway
Nov 23: ### Ventura, CA - Ventura Raceway
------------------------ KEY DEFINITIONS -------------------------
Races noted with &&& represent an indoor race.
Races noted with @@@ represent Indiana Midget Week.
Races noted with *** represent a race with the USAC Eastern Midgets presented by ARDC.
Races noted with %%% represent a co-sanctioned race with POWRi.
Races noted with ### represent a Co-Sanctioned race with the USAC Western States Midget Championship.
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2017 USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP STATISTICS
FEATURE WINS:
1. (1) Justin Grant (Southern Illinois Center on Mar. 18)
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FEATURE LAPS LED:
1. (32) Christopher Bell
2. (18) Justin Grant
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TOP-FIVE FEATURE FINISHES:
1. (1) Brady Bacon, Brent Beauchamp, Jerry Coons, Jr., Shane Golobic & Justin Grant
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TOP-TEN FEATURE FINISHES:
1. (1) Brady Bacon, Brent Beauchamp, Christopher Bell, Jerry Coons, Jr., Shane Golobic, Justin Grant, Josh Most, Jake Neuman, Tony Roney & Billy Wease
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HEAT RACE WINS: (Presented by Simpson Race Products, Competition Suspension, Inc., Chalk Stix & Indy Race Parts)
1. (1) Jerry Coons, Jr., Colten Cottle, Justin Grant, Tony Roney Tyler Thomas & Matt Veatch
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QUALIFYING RACE WINS:
1. (1) Brent Beauchamp, Christopher Bell, Justin Grant & Billy Wease
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C-MAIN WINS:
1. (1) Tyler Courtney
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SEMI WINS:
1. (1) Brady Bacon & Shane Golobic
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FEATURE STARTS:
1. (1) Daniel Adler, Chris Andrews, Brady Bacon, Spencer Bayston, Brent Beauchamp, Christopher Bell, Chad Boat, Tanner Carrick, Mark Chisholm, Jerry Coons, Jr., Colten Cottle, Shane Golobic, Justin Grant, Joe B. Miller, Josh Most, Jake Neuman, Justin Peck, Tony Roney, Tanner Thorson, Gage Walker, Billy Wease & Korey Weyant
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KSE RACING PRODUCTS “HARD CHARGER” OF THE RACE
Mar 18: Southern Illinois Center - Shane Golobic (14th to 2nd)
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WILWOOD BRAKES 13TH PLACE FINISHERS:
Mar 18: Southern Illinois Center – Gage Walker
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ALL-TIME USAC MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FEATURE WINS
1. [111 wins] Mel Kenyon
2. [95 wins] Rich Vogler
3. [78 wins] Bob Wente
4. [63 wins] Bob Tattersall
5. [59 wins] Sleepy Tripp
6. [48 wins] Jimmy Davies
7. [38 wins] Bryan Clauson
8. [35 wins] Tracy Hines
9. [31 wins] Gene Hartley & Chuck Rodee
11. [30 wins] Dave Darland, Mike McGreevy & Johnny Parsons
14. [27 wins] Gary Bettenhausen & Tony Stewart
16. [25 wins] Darren Hagen, Parnelli Jones & Dave Strickland
19. [24 wins] Bill Engelhart
20. [23 wins] Tom Bigelow, Pancho Carter, Tommy Copp, Kevin Olson & Billy Vukovich
25. [22 wins] Bobby East & Shorty Templeman
27. [21 wins] Steve Cannon, Jimmy Caruthers, Rex Easton & Ken Schrader
31. [20 wins] A.J. Foyt
32. [19 wins] Jerry Coons Jr., Stan Fox & Jason Leffler
35. [18 wins] Dave Steele
36. [17 wins] Christopher Bell, Jay Drake & J.J. Yeley
39. [16 wins] George Amick, Billy Cantrell, Lee Kunzman, Bobby Olivero & Henry Pens
44. [15 wins] Rico Abreu, Don Branson & Larry Rice
47. [14 wins] Chuck Arnold, Kyle Larson, Jack Turner & Leroy Warriner
51. [13 wins] Steve Knepper, Don Meacham, Ryan Newman & Stevie Reeves
55. [12 wins] Danny Caruthers, Gene Force, Russ Gamester, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Grim, & Ron Shuman
61. [11 wins] Kasey Kahne, Jimmy Knight, Bob McLean, Johnny Moorhouse, Bobby Santos & Brad Sweet
67. [10 wins] Allen Heath, Doug Kalitta, Brad Kuhn, Steve Lotshaw, Jerry McClung, Tanner Thorson & Chuck Weyant
74. [9 wins] Billy Boat, Tony Elliott & Chuck Gurney
77. [8 wins] Merle Bettenhausen, Tony Bettenhausen, Hank Butcher, Kevin Doty, Dan Drinan, Ronnie Duman, Brian Gerster, Kenny Irwin Jr, Eddie Johnson, Michael Lewis, Andy Michner & Josh Wise
89. [7 wins] Tommy Astone, Jack Hewitt, Don Horvath, Page Jones, Kenneth Nichols, Larry Patton, Les Scott, Len Sutton, & Johnnie Tolan
98. [6 wins] Donnie Beechler, George Benson, Dana Carter, Bob Cicconi, Robby Flock, Nick Fornoro Jr., Arnie Knepper, Ricky Shelton, Mike Streicher, Dave Strickland, Jr., & Roger West
109. [5 wins] Mike Bliss, Lonnie Caruthers, Larry Dickson, Mike Fedorcak, Burt Foland, Mack McClellan, Danny McKnight, Cliff Spalding, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. & Jerry Weeks
119. [4 wins] Caleb Armstrong, Teddy Beach, Johnny Boyd, Frank Burany, Russ Congdon, Ray Elliott, Aaron Fike, Danny Frye, Billy Garrett, Mike Gregg, Jim Hettinger, John Heydenreich, Bubby Jones, Levi Jones, Andy Linden, Bobby Marshman, Roger McCluskey, Billy Mehner, Ken Nichols, Jeff Nuckles, Jan Opperman, Gary Ponzini, Davey Ray, Eddie Sachs, Don Schilling, Sam Sessions, George Snider, Dale Swaim, Kevin Swindell, & Rodger Ward
149. [3 wins] Brady Bacon, John Batts, Gays Biro, Chad Boat, Shane Cottle, Allen Crowe, Zach Daum, Bruce Field, A.J. Fike, Drew Fornoro, Gene Gennetten, Rick Goudy, Bob Hare, Bob Hauck, Jeff Heywood, Bill Homeier, Sam Isenhower, Jim Keeker, Jim McClean, Warren Mockler, Dave Moses, Earl Motter, Jerry Nuckles, Danny Oakes, Johnnie Parsons, Porky Rachwitz, Johnny Riva, Johnny Roberts, Lowell Sachs, Billy Shuman, Tom Steiner, Bobby Unser & Billy Wease
182. [2 wins] Al Alpern, Sonny Ates, Johnny Baldwin, Jim Beckley, Dean Billings, Alan Brown, Jack Calabrase, Johnny Cofer, Mel Cornett, Cotton Farmer, Terry Farrar, Joe Garson, Chuck Gurney, Jr., Kyle Hamilton, Bob Hogle, Rick Hood, P.J. Jones, Critter Malone, Jimmy McCune, Michael Pickens, Aaron Pollock, Barry Reed, Lloyd Ruby, Joe Saldana, Tom Sellberg, Tony Simon, Danny Stratton, Kody Swanson, Kevin Thomas, Jr., Steve Troxell, Don Vogler, Bruce Walkup, Terry Wente, Johnny White, Tommy White & Cole Whitt
218. [1 win] John Andretti, Mario Andretti, Mike Appio, Dick Atkins, Paul Bates, Spencer Bayston, Harry Beck, Bud Bogard, Tony Bonadies, Dan Boorse, Don Boorse, Dwight Brown, Steve Buckwalter, Barry Butterworth, Gary Byers, Larry Cannon, Tyce Carlson, Ed Carpenter, Dane Carter, Billy Cassella, Bill Chennault, Bill Clemons, Roy Cook, Jr., Ryan Durst, Edgar Elder, Todd Forbes, Joe Gaerte, Bradley Galedrige, Steve Gennetten, Elmer George, Potsy Goacher, Shane Golobic, David Gough, Justin Grant, Ron Gregory, Norm Hall, Bob Harkey, Vern Harriman, Scott Hatton, Al Herman, Jordan Hermansader, Mike Hess, Jim Hines, Ted Hines, Shane Hmiel, Dean Holden, Blake Hollingsworth, Chuck Hulse, Buddy Irwin, Eddie Jackson, Van Johnson, Brent Kaeding, Bud Kaeding, Jimmy Kirk, Kevin Koch, Randy Koch, Bill Kollman, Cory Kruseman, Michael Lang, Greg Leffler, Larry McCloskey, Jim McElreath, Mel McGaughy, John Meyers, J.R. Miller, Travis Miniea, Russ Moynagh, Richard Myhre, Dick Northam, Hank Nykaza, Brian Olson, Danny O'Neill, Jim Packard, Wally Pankratz, Forrest Parker, Gene Pastor, Gary Patterson, Danny Pens, Jiggs Peters, Dick Pole, Richard Powell, Buddy Rackley, Keith Rauch, Dave Ray, Jimmy Reece, Bob Richards, Bruce Robey, Johnny Rodriguez, Gene Roehl, Jack Runyon, Sam Sauer, Dutch Schaefer, Ryan Scott, Frank Secrist, Jimmy Sills, Jigger Sirois, Lee Smith, Ron Smoker, Ned Spath, J.P. Standley, Graham Standring, Jerry Stone, Tanner Swanson, Buddy Taylor, Randy Tolsma, Leo Tucker, Bob Veith, Joe Walter, Eric Wilkins, Mauri Wilson, Doug Wolfgang & Billy Wood
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ALL-TIME USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CHAMPIONS
1956: Shorty Templeman; 1957: Shorty Templeman; 1958: Shorty Templeman; 1959: Gene Hartley; 1960: Jimmy Davies; 1961: Jimmy Davies; 1962: Jimmy Davies; 1963: Bob Wente; 1964: Mel Kenyon; 1965: Mike McGreevy; 1966: Mike McGreevy; 1967: Mel Kenyon; 1968: Mel Kenyon; 1969: Bob Tattersall; 1970: Jimmy Caruthers; 1971: Danny Caruthers; 1972: Pancho Carter; 1973: Larry Rice; 1974: Mel Kenyon; 1975: Sleepy Tripp; 1976: Sleepy Tripp; 1977: Mel Kenyon; 1978: Rich Vogler; 1979: Steve Lotshaw; 1980: Rich Vogler; 1981: Mel Kenyon; 1982: Kevin Olson; 1983: Rich Vogler; 1984: Tom Bigelow; 1985: Mel Kenyon; 1986: Rich Vogler; 1987: Kevin Olson; 1988: Rich Vogler; 1989: Russ Gamester; 1990: Jeff Gordon; 1991: Mike Streicher; 1992: Stevie Reeves; 1993: Stevie Reeves; 1994: Tony Stewart; 1995: Tony Stewart; 1996: Kenny Irwin Jr.; 1997: Jason Leffler; 1998: Jason Leffler; 1999: Jason Leffler; 2000: Kasey Kahne; 2001: Dave Darland; 2002: Dave Darland; 2003: J.J. Yeley; 2004: Bobby East; 2005: Josh Wise; 2006: Jerry Coons, Jr.; 2007: Jerry Coons, Jr.; 2008: Cole Whitt; 2009: Brad Kuhn; 2010: Bryan Clauson (Overall) & Darren Hagen (Pavement); 2011: Bryan Clauson (Overall) & Darren Hagen (Pavement); 2012: Darren Hagen (Overall), Darren Hagen (Pavement) & Darren Hagen (Dirt); 2013: Darren Hagen (Pavement) & Christopher Bell (Dirt); 2014: Rico Abreu; 2015: Tracy Hines; 2016: Tanner Thorson