KUHN HOPES TO REPEAT 2005 USA RACEWAY MIDGET VICTORY

By Dick Jordan

Defending USAC Mopar National Midget Champion Brad Kuhn of Avon, Ind. is one of five previous USAC Midget feature winners at USA Raceway in Tucson, Ariz., site of this week’s Rosemont Copper “Copper on Dirt.”

Kuhn led the final 13 laps to win the 30-lap Western Midget race in October of 2005 and last year racked up eight podium finishes on his way to his first National championship.

Defending USAC Western Midget Champion Garrett Hansen owns two USAC Midget wins at USA Raceway, while Chris Rahe, Nathan High and Johnny Rodriguez have also found the USAC Midget winners circle at the Tucson track.

Drivers will be aiming at Jerome Rodela’s 1-lap track mark of 16.542 seconds, set in 2006, when preliminaries for this weekend’s event get under way Friday. Semis and feature events are set for Saturday. A 30-lap Mopar National/Western Midget feature will be followed by a 40-lapper for the Sprints and a 50-lapper for the Silver Crown.

Former “Copper on Dirt” Midget champions are Cory Kruseman, Darren Hagen and Brad Sweet.