By Richie Murray
Du Quoin, Illinois (February 19, 2019)………Four USAC National champions are among the early entries for the fourth annual “Shamrock Classic” USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget event on Saturday, March 9, at the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin.
One-third of the list of USAC Triple Crown title-holders who own championships in Silver Crown, AMSOIL National Sprint Car and National Midget have entered, including Dave Darland of Lincoln, Ind. in the RMS LLC No. 36 and Jerry Coons, Jr. of Tucson, Ariz. aboard the Petry Motorsports No. 25.
Minden, Nevada’s Tanner Thorson, the 2016 USAC National Midget champion, has entered in the Tri-C Motorsports No. 3c while 2014 and 2016 USAC National Sprint Car titlist Brady Bacon will wheel the Kelly Hinck-owned No. 21H.
Among the other standouts and past USAC National feature winners entered for the “Shamrock” are 2014 USAC National Midget Rookie of the Year Kevin Thomas, Jr. of Cullman, Ala., in the Petry Motorsports No. 5. He finished in the runner-up spot in both his initial outings in Ocala, Fla. in February.
San Jose, California’s Thomas Meseraull is the most recent winner of indoor USAC Midget racing in Du Quoin, capturing the victory in last December’s “Junior Knepper 55” driving the RMS LLC No. 7R, with whom he returns to for this race.
Last fall, Tyler Thomas became the first driver to win his first career USAC National Sprint and Midget races in the same season since Kyle Larson in 2011. He won that first midget race in Wayne City, Ill. last October and returns to Du Quoin in his own No. 91T.
Twenty-eight midgets have entered thus far with many more expected to be rolling in throughout the coming weeks. Fast Lane Racing Apparel is sponsoring FREE race entry for all USAC NOS Energy Midget National Championship teams competing in the March 9 “Shamrock Classic” at the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin.
By using coupon code FASTLANE in the box at the link: https://usacracing.ticketspice.com/2019-shamrock-classic-car-entry?fbclid=IwAR1xBSM-QaldijxzhMhFBLZDBuAOMjxDF9gEGbxHkYk4EJzPu6yJUmuUhwo, teams will be able to enter their midget for FREE until Monday, March 4 at 11pm (Central Time) when the offer expires. Pre-entries will be published the following day on Tuesday, March 5.
The fourth annual event presents a hefty payday of $50,000 up for grabs when the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midgets compete in the 1/6-mile indoor dirt oval located in southern Illinois.
The Factory Canopies “Pot of Gold” Challenge will provide the top-four drivers in passing points throughout the night an opportunity to pad their wallets with a $50,000 bonus. Following the heats and qualifying races, if the top driver in passing points turns down the chance to go to the tail and go for $50K, the option will go on to the next driver and so on, but only the first four in passing points have that option.
The “Shamrock Classic” will offer appearance points only to drivers and their teams, no feature points. That means there’s really nothing to lose in the grand scheme in terms of a championship campaign. With a driver’s finishing position not being a part of the series title race, that creates more enticement for a team and driver to take on the challenge.
With it being the fourth annual event, the base winner’s share is $4000, meaning if a driver could complete the challenge and win from the tail, he or she would collect $54,000, which would be, by far, the richest take-home pay any driver has ever earned for a single race in the history of the USAC NOS Energy Midget National Championship.
Greg and Kim Stewart have been selling event merchandise for over 25 years at racing events across the country. They are proud to sponsor the entry fee portion of the 4th Annual “Shamrock Classic.” As part of their sponsorship, every team who enters will receive a 25% off coupon valid at any 2019 event where Fast Lane Racing Apparel is set up and selling merchandise. Your discount can also be used online at FastLaneRacingApparel.com. Fast Lane Racing Apparel will have a booth in Du Quoin where you can purchase your racing merchandise needs.
In addition to USAC National Midget entry fees and the aforementioned discount, every fan in attendance at the “Shamrock Classic” will receive a Fast Lane Racing Apparel coupon valid at every major event at Eldora Speedway, Knoxville Nationals, and Knoxville Late Model Nationals. Fans will receive this coupon upon entry to event.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at https://usacracing.ticketspice.com/2019-shamrock-classic-tickets. General admission tickets are $20 for age 13 and up. Children’s general admission tickets (Age 6-12) are $10. Kids 5 and under are free. Reserved seats are $25 and includes a “Shamrock Classic” T-Shirt if purchased by March 2.
The race will be live-streamed on http://www.FloRacing.com/.
————————————-
USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK NATIONAL MIDGET ENTRY LIST:
08 Cannon McIntosh / Bixby, OK (Dave Mac Motorsports)
1T Thomas Chandler / Festus, MO (Roney Racing)
2 Chris Baue / Indianapolis, IN (Chris Baue)
3c Tanner Thorson / Minden, NV (Tri-C Motorsports)
3N Jake Neuman / New Berlin, IL (Jim Neuman)
4J Tim Crawley / Benton, AR (Tim Crawley)
5 Kevin Thomas, Jr. / Cullman, AL (Petry Motorsports)
7R Thomas Meseraull / San Jose, CA (RMS LLC)
7T Adam Taylor / Dwight, IL (Taylor Motorsports)
8B Kimberly Bradach / Mooresville, NC (Bradach Racing)
8w Chad Wisnicky / Mooresville, NC (Bradach Racing)
9JR Derek Hagar / Marion, AR (Hagar/Proctor Racing)
11 Daniel Robinson / Ewing, IL (Jack Harris)
11B Kaylee Bryson / Muskogee, OK (Dave Mac Motorsports)
11m Kendall Ruble / Vincennes, IN (Martin Racing)
15 Cole Bodine / Rossville, IN (Petry Motorsports)
19 Garet Williamson (Mounce Motorsports)
21H Brady Bacon / Broken Arrow, OK (Kelly Hinck)
25 Jerry Coons, Jr. / Tucson, AZ (Petry Motorsports)
35 Sterling Cling / Tempe, AZ (Petry Motorsports)
35T Tyler Robbins / Collinsville, IL (Tyler Robbins)
36 Dave Darland / Lincoln, IN (RMS LLC)
41 Howard Moore / Memphis, TN (Chris Chappue)
55 Nick Knepper / Belleville, IL (Nick Knepper)
56AP Colten Cottle / Kansas, IL (Travis Young)
91T Tyler Thomas / Collinsville, OK (Tyler Thomas Motorsports)
92 TBA / TBA (RMS LLC)
95 Chris Andrews / Tulsa, OK (Jim Miller)