By Richie Murray
Speedway, Indiana………The latest entry list for the Inaugural Driven2SaveLives “BC39” presented by NOS Energy Drink has been released. Fifty-four drivers and cars are now entered thus far for the September 5-6 USAC P1 Insurance National Midget race on the quarter-mile dirt oval located inside turn three of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Highlighting the latest to throw their hat in the ring is the Keith Kunz Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian team, which has entered a whopping nine cars for the event. The impressive lineup includes Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series star Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Calif., 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion Christopher Bell of Norman, Okla., 2017 USAC National Midget champ Spencer Bayston of Lebanon, Ind. and current National Midget point leader Logan Seavey of Sutter, Calif., plus series regulars Tucker Klaasmeyer (Paola, Kans.), Holly Shelton (Sacramento, Calif.), Ryan Robinson (Foresthill, Calif.), Tanner Carrick (Lincoln, Calif.) and Sam Johnson (St. Peters, MO).
Also among the newest entries are two-time USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car champion Brady Bacon of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, two-time USAC National Midget feature winner Critter Malone of Pittsboro, Ind., series front runner Tyler Thomas of Collinsville, Okla. and 2012 USAC Western States Midget champ David Prickett of Fresno, Calif.
Those in addition to the previous make up the 54 driver – and continuously growing – lineup for the two-night event. Clauson Marshall Racing has entered four drivers, including 2018 USAC P1 Insurance National Midget feature winners Tyler Courtney of Indianapolis, Ind. and Justin Grant of Ione, Calif., plus series Rookie Zeb Wise of Angola, Ind. and NASCAR’s Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. of Olive Branch, Miss.
USAC Triple Crown champs Tracy Hines and Jerry Coons, Jr. have each filed their entries. New Castle, Indiana’s Hines returns to the Leader Card Racers team, the same team that won the Indianapolis 500 three times in 1959 and 1962 with Rodger Ward and in 1968 with Bobby Unser.
Tucson, Arizona’s Coons is part of a three-car assault from the Petry/Goff Motorsports team, joined by Rookie sensation Jason McDougal (Broken Arrow, Okla.) and the number 35 car for a driver yet to be named.
Cullman, Alabama’s Kevin Thomas, Jr., the only driver to win multiple times on both the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car and USAC P1 Insurance National Midget circuit in 2018, has entered in Joe Dooling’s No. 63.
Two-time Indiana Midget Week champion Shane Cottle of Kokomo, Ind., two-time Du Quoin Silver Crown winner Shane Cockrum (Benton, Ill.), NASCAR Truck Series standout Chase Briscoe (Mitchell, Ind.) and USAC Eastern Midget point leader Andrew Layser of Collegeville, Pa. are among residents of a stellar field.
Entries are continuing to be filed each and every day. Drivers and teams can enter the event at https://usacracing.ticketspice.com/2018-bc39
The Driven2SaveLives “BC39” presented by NOS Energy Drink kicks off the week of racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway leading up to the Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard powered by Florida Georgia Line on Sunday, September 9.
The race will take place at the new quarter-mile dirt oval located inside turn three of the famed 2.5-mile oval and will include a unique format that concludes with a 39-lap feature Sept. 6 in the richest Midget racing event in recent history. The event will feature more than $70,000 in purse and incentives, including a $15,000 winner’s purse – the largest in Midget racing.
For the first night of action on Wednesday, September 5, will feature hot laps, heat races and a pursuit race. The public gates open at 3pm with cars set to get on track at 6:30pm.
On Thursday, September 6, on-track action will begin with hot laps, as all cars will practice with their respective qualifying races, before getting into the qualifying races and the alphabet mains, concluding with the A-Main event. The public gates open at 3pm with cars set to get on track at 6pm.
Tickets are now on sale for the Driven2SaveLives “BC39” presented by NOS Energy Drink at the Dirt Track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 5-6 featuring the USAC P1 Insurance Midget National Championship.
Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/usac or via phone at the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-8500.