Lonnie Wheatley
BELOIT, Kan. (July 7, 2021) – After an absence of two years, the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget series storms back into the Solomon Valley Raceway in Beloit, Kansas for the tenth edition of the Chad McDaniel Memorial on Wednesday night, July 14.
It marks the third leg of the USAC’s Mid-America Midget Week that fires off Sunday night, July 11, before moving on to Meeker, Oklahoma’s Red Dirt Raceway on Tuesday, July 13, and then wrapping up with the Midwest Midget Championship event at Fairbury, Nebraska’s Jefferson County Speedway on July 15-17.
The event also marks the return of the USAC Midgets to Solomon Valley Raceway after being a staple of the series swing through the heartland from 2013 to 2018.
California’s Michael “Buddy” Kofoid leads the series to Solomon Valley with four feature win in his pocket already as well as the recent “Indiana Midget Week” championship.
But, it’s ninth-ranked Kevin Thomas, Jr., a Cullman, AL, native, that ranks as the most recent USAC Midget winner at Solomon Valley Raceway.
Thomas, Jr., beat Logan Seavey and Justin Grant to the line in 2018 for his second “Chad McDaniel Memorial” win after first topping the event in 2015. He joined Christopher Bell (2013 and 2017) and Bryan Clauson (2014 and 2016) as the only two-time winners of the event.
Kofoid and Thomas, Jr., are among a strong contingent of drivers expected to converge upon the ¼-mile Solomon Valley Raceway with others including the likes of top series contenders including reigning champion Chris Windom, Emerson Axsom, Justin Grant, Tanner Thorson, Thomas Meseraull, Daison Pursley, Logan Seavey, Cannon McIntosh and more.
Wednesday’s lone stop of the year in Kansas for the USAC Midget series culminates with a 40-lap, $4,000-to-win feature event and will also include the NOW 600 vs. Jayhusker Racing Association Non-Wing and Restricted Micro Sprints.
Past “Chad McDaniel Memorial” Winners:
2010 – Brad Kuhn
2011 – Rain prior to feature
2012 – Scott Hatton
7/30/13 – Christopher Bell
7/29/14 – Bryan Clauson
7/28/15 – Kevin Thomas, Jr.
8/3/16 – Bryan Clauson
8/2/17 – Christopher Bell
7/11/18 – Kevin Thomas, Jr.
Gates open at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday with qualifying at 7:00 p.m. and then racing to follow at 7:30 p.m.
General admission is just $20 with high school students and younger just $5. All access passes are available as well for $35 and available at the pit gate on the day of the show only.
Beloit, Kansas’ Solomon Valley Raceway is located a half mile east of SR 14 on US 24 and then a half mile south on Walnut Street. For more information, call 785-275-2908 or 405-823-8095.