By Richie Murray
Speedway, Indiana (May 30, 2019)………Tanner Thorson, who suffered serious injuries in a highway crash on March 4, will return to the cockpit of a USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget in time for the start of the 15th annual edition of “Indiana Midget Week” June 4-9.
Thorson will make his return to the Keith Kunz Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian team for the upcoming six-race mini-series aboard the Walker Filtration-sponsored No. 98. The team reunites after a successful run that resulted in 12 USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget feature wins and the 2016 series championship.
Two of Thorson’s 12 career series victories came during IMW, including his first triumph in 2015 at Gas City I-69 Speedway and in 2016 at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Ind. Among other notable victories for the Minden, Nev. native are the “Turkey Night Grand Prix” in 2015 and the “Gold Crown Midget Nationals” in 2015 and 2016.
Thorson was injured earlier this year in a multi-car incident on Highway 99 in Modesto, Calif. Thorson underwent surgery for a broken left arm and right foot and also sustained a cracked sternum, broken ribs and a punctured lung.
The accident occurred while Thorson was on his way back home to the Tri-C Motorsports team’s Sacramento, Calif. shop after competing in the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car events at the Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
In the first two events of the 2019 USAC National Midget season, Thorson finished 9th on the opening night of “Winter Dirt Games X” at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla. and 7th in the second event where he charged from 24th to 7th to earn hard charger honors.
“I’m back! Excited to get back with these guys for my comeback/race week,” Thorson exclaimed in an Instagram post earlier Thursday.
Tuesday at Montpelier, pits open at 2pm (Eastern), front gates open at 3pm and cars hit the track for hot laps at 6pm with qualifying and racing immediately following. Sprint Cars and UMP Modifieds are also on the event card. Adult general admission tickets are $25, kids 12 and under are free with a paid adult. Pit passes are $30 apiece.
Wednesday at Gas City, pits open at 3pm (Eastern), front gates open at 5pm and hot laps begin at 6:30pm with qualifying and racing immediately following. Sprint Cars and 600cc Non-Wing Micro Sprints will also be racing. Adult general admission tickets are $25, kids 12 and under are free. Pit passes are $30 apiece.
Thursday at Lincoln Park, pits open at 3pm (Eastern) and hot laps begin at 6pm with qualifying and racing immediately following. Sprint Cars and MMSA Mini-Sprint will also be racing. Adult general admission tickets are $25, kids 10 and under are free. Pit passes are $30 apiece.
Friday at Bloomington, pits open at 3pm (Eastern), front gates at 5pm and hot laps begin at 6:30pm with qualifying and racing immediately following. Sprint Cars and MMSA Mini-Sprints will be on hand as well. Adult general admission tickets are $25, students with valid ID are $10, kids 12 and under are free. Pit passes are $30 apiece.
Saturday at Lawrenceburg, pits open at 3pm (Eastern), front gates open at 5pm and hot laps begin at 6pm with qualifying and racing immediately following. Sprint Cars and UMP Modifieds will join the Midgets. Adult general admission tickets are $25, kids 7-12 are $7. Children 6 and under are free. Pit passes are $30 apiece.
Sunday at Kokomo, pits open at 3pm (Eastern), front gates open at 3pm and hot laps begin at 6pm with qualifying and racing immediately following. It’ll be a true doubleheader with Sprint Cars and Midgets on the docket. Adult general admission tickets are $25, kids 12 and under are free. Pit passes are $30 apiece.
Watch each and every “Indiana Midget Week” race live and on-demand at http://www.FloRacing.com/. Listen live on the USAC app. Follow along with live updates on https://www.facebook.com/usacracing/ and https://twitter.com/USACNation, plus live timing and scoring on the Race Monitor app.