By Richie Murray
Putnamville, Indiana (June 7, 2022)………There aren’t too many dirt tracks in the land that can claim to be 5/16-mile in length. That, along with its sizable curb, relaxed hillside seating and anything-but-relaxed on-track action, make for a one-of-a-kind spectacle for the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship during its busiest seven-race stretch of the season.
The merry-go-round of racing in the Hoosier state brings USAC Indiana Midget Week to Putnamville’s Lincoln Park Speedway on Thursday night, June 9, for round five of seven for the 18th annual mini-series, which has made 13 previous visits to LPS dating back to 2010 with many a champion taming its unique shape and size over the past decade-plus.
One of those individuals is Tanner Thorson (Minden, Nev.), who added a third Lincoln victory to his USAC Indiana Midget Week resume in 2021, leading all 30 laps. His miraculous drive from 15th to 1st at LPS in 2019 still stands as one of the most iconic drives in Indiana Midget Week history. He also won at LPS during 2016 Indiana Midget Week en route to the USAC National Midget title that same year. He’s also been 2nd and 7th in 2020, 5th in 2018 and earned a quick time during qualifying in 2015 to go along with a USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car victory there in 2021. He’s scheduled to drive a second car for team owner Tom Malloy alongside Logan Seavey.
Seavey (Sutter, Calif.) was the fastest qualifier of IMW at LPS in 2021. The 2019 Indiana Midget Week champion finished as the runner-up of the 2019 race and was 7th in 2018 before netting 10th in 2021.
Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, Okla.) has won twice in USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car competition at LPS, both of which came in 2020. In the midget, he’s been the fastest qualifier in 2016 and finished a best of 8th in 2017 and was also 9th in 2013.
Kyle Cummins (Princeton, Ind.) has been a USAC National Sprint Car winner at LPS in his career, doing so during Indiana Sprint Week in 2019 and just as recently as a couple weekends ago, won a Midwest Sprint Car Series feature in late May. His lone LPS Midget appearances, however, have netted only a 22nd in 2021 and a 23rd in 2020.
Last Sunday’s Tri-State winner Thomas Meseraull (San Jose, Calif.) finished a best of 9th in 2011 and was 10th in both the 2012 and 2020 rounds of IMW at LPS.
Indiana Midget Week point leader Buddy Kofoid (Penngrove, Calif.) has finished inside the top-nine in all three of his IMW starts at LPS with a 3rd in 2020, a 4th in 2021 and a 9th at LPS in 2020.
Jerry Coons Jr. (Tucson, Ariz.), an IMW champion in 2017, collected a best of 3rd during IMW at LPS in 2019, and also grabbed 5th place results in both 2011 and 2015, 9th in 2016, and 10th in 2017 and 2018.
Justin Grant (Ione, Calif.) was the runner-up of the IMW show at LPS in 2018, was 5th in 2017 as well as 7th and 9th in 2020. Like Grant and several others, Jason McDougal (Broken Arrow, Okla.) has notched sprint car success at LPS with a feature win as recently as 2021. He’s snagged a pair of top-tens during IMW as well, in 2021 with a 7th and in 2019 with a 10th. In July of 2020, McDougal finished 2nd at LPS in a USAC Regional Midget feature.
Cannon McIntosh (Bixby, Okla.) has been solid as a rock with a 3rd and 6th place finish at LPS on each night in 2020. Same goes for Zach Daum (Pocahontas, Ill.), a 6th place finisher in 2020 and 9th in both 2012 and 2019.
Among the lineup of LPS Indiana Midget Week returnees are Kaylee Bryson (Muskogee, Okla.) tallied a 12th in 2021. Chance Crum (Snohomish, Wash.) took 4th in the July 2021 Regional show, but was 15th during IMW in 2021. Bryant Wiedeman (Colby, Kan.) slotted 14th in 2021. Sam Johnson (St. Peters, Mo.) took 18th in 2018. Brenham Crouch (Lubbock, Texas) settled for 20th in 2021. Ethan Mitchell (Mooresville, N.C.) was a 23rd place finisher in 2018.
While Jacob Denney (Galloway, Ohio) is a first-time Indiana Midget Week entrant, he has been a winner at Lincoln Park in his career. The two-time USAC Midwest Thunder SpeeD2 Midget champion captured a victory at the track with the series in July of 2020.
First-time LPS IMW feature starting hopefuls are Hayden Reinbold (Gilbert, Ariz.), who set quick time and finished 2nd in a USAC Regional Midget feature at LPS in July of 2021. Bryan Stanfill (Bakersfield, Calif.) finished 3rd in a pair of Regional Midget events at LPS in 2021. Rylan Gray (Greenfield, Ind.) finished 8th in a Saturday night sprint car show at LPS back in April of this year.
Numerous Rookie pilots are vying for a first USAC National Midget feature start at Lincoln Park on Thursday, top series Rookie Mitchel Moles (Raisin City, Calif.) and CB Industries teammates Jade Avedisian (Clovis, Calif.), Jace Park (Overland Park, Kan.) and Dominic Gorden (Clovis, Calif.).
Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports’ Taylor Reimer (Bixby, Okla.), Cade Lewis (Bakersfield, Calif.), Mariah Ede (Fresno, Calif.) and Australian Speedcar champ Kaidon Brown (Sydney, NSW) are among the group as well.
The international flair is strong with Brown making his IMW debut along with fellow Aussie Mike Griffiths (Melbourne, Vic.) and Kiwi Travis Buckley (Auckland, N.Z.). From the heartland of Wisconsin comes Badger Midget champion Chase McDermand (Springfield, Ill.) and from the west coast, BCRA Midget champs Maria Cofer (Macdoel, Calif.), Robert Carson (Concord, Calif.) and USAC Western Restricted HPD champ, Blake Brannon (Morgan Hill, Calif.).
On Thursday, USAC Indiana Midget Week features the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship along with the Lincoln Park Sprint Cars and IMCA Mod Lites.
Pits open on Thursday at 4:30pm Eastern with grandstands opening at 5pm and hot laps at 6pm.
Tickets and pit passes for the event will be sold at the gate. Adult general admission tickets at the gate are $30 with ages 10 and under free. Pit passes are $35 for adults while ages 10 and under are $15.
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2022 USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Buddy Kofoid-629, 2-Justin Grant-577, 3-Mitchel Moles-470, 4-Thomas Meseraull-467, 5-Bryant Wiedeman-466, 6-Cannon McIntosh-419, 7-Kaylee Bryson-416, 8-Logan Seavey-345, 9-Taylor Reimer-339, 10-Brenham Crouch-308.
2022 USAC INDIANA MIDGET WEEK POINTS: 1-Buddy Kofoid-245, 2-Justin Grant-203, 3-Thomas Meseraull-191, 4-Kyle Cummins-184, 5-Mitchel Moles-181, 6-Bryant Wiedeman-178, 7-Kaylee Bryson-169, 8-Taylor Reimer-150, 9-Jacob Denney-149, 10-Jade Avedisian-125.
2022 INDIANA MIDGET WEEK SCHEDULE:
Friday, June 3: Bloomington Speedway – Bloomington, Ind. | WINNER: Buddy Kofoid
Saturday, June 4: Lawrenceburg Speedway – Lawrenceburg, Ind. | WINNER: Buddy Kofoid
Sunday, June 5: Tri-State Speedway – Haubstadt, Ind.| WINNER: Thomas Meseraull
Wednesday, June 8: Circle City Raceway – Indianapolis, Ind.
Thursday, June 9: Lincoln Park Speedway – Putnamville, Ind.
Friday, June 10: Gas City I-69 Speedway – Gas City, Ind.
Saturday, June 11: Kokomo Speedway – Kokomo, Ind.
INDIANA MIDGET WEEK WINS AT LINCOLN PARK SPEEDWAY:
3-Bryan Clauson & Tanner Thorson
1-Christopher Bell, Chad Boat, Dave Darland, Kyle Larson, Michael Pickens, Brad Sweet & Chris Windom
INDIANA MIDGET WEEK WINNERS AT LINCOLN PARK SPEEDWAY:
2010: Brad Sweet (6/17)
2011: Bryan Clauson (6/9)
2012: Bryan Clauson (6/14)
2013: Christopher Bell (6/13)
2014: Dave Darland (6/12)
2015: Bryan Clauson (6/11)
2016: Tanner Thorson (6/2)
2017: Michael Pickens (6/8)
2018: Chad Boat (5/31)
2019: Tanner Thorson (6/6)
2020: Kyle Larson (6/18) & Chris Windom (6/19)
2021: Tanner Thorson (6/10)
USAC MIDGET WINS AT LINCOLN PARK SPEEDWAY
3-Bryan Clauson & Tanner Thorson
2-Jay Drake & Tracy Hines
1-Christopher Bell, Chad Boat, Lonnie Caruthers, Dave Darland, Tony Elliott, Kyle Larson, Kevin Olson, Johnny Parsons, Michael Pickens, Brad Sweet, Rich Vogler & Chris Windom
USAC MIDGET WINNERS AT LINCOLN PARK SPEEDWAY
1979: Johnny Parsons (5/5) & Lonnie Caruthers (9/15)
1985: Kevin Olson (6/14)
1988: Rich Vogler (9/11)
1997: Tracy Hines (9/6)
1998: Tony Elliott (9/5)
1999: Jay Drake (9/4)
2000: Jay Drake (9/2)
2001: Tracy Hines (9/1)
2010: Brad Sweet (6/17)
2011: Bryan Clauson (6/9)
2012: Bryan Clauson (6/14)
2013: Christopher Bell (6/13)
2014: Dave Darland (6/12)
2015: Bryan Clauson (6/11)
2016: Tanner Thorson (6/2)
2017: Michael Pickens (6/8)
2018: Chad Boat (5/31)
2019: Tanner Thorson (6/6)
2020: Kyle Larson (6/18) & Chris Windom (6/19)
2021: Tanner Thorson (6/10)
TRACK RECORDS FOR USAC NATIONAL MIDGETS AT LINCOLN PARK SPEEDWAY:
1 Lap – 6/6/2019 – Kyle Larson – 12.383 – 90.850 mph
4 Laps – 5/5/1979 – Steve Lotshaw – 55.770 – 80.689 mph
8 Laps – 6/9/2011 – Darren Hagen – 1:46.62 – 84.412 mph
10 Laps – 5/29/2018 – Holly Shelton – 2:11.64 – 85.460 mph
30 Laps – 6/12/2014 – Dave Darland – 6:59.80 – 80.395 mph
PAST INDIANA MIDGET WEEK FEATURE RESULTS AT LINCOLN PARK SPEEDWAY:
2010 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Brad Sweet, 2. Shane Cottle, 3. Darren Hagen, 4. Brad Kuhn, 5. Steve Buckwalter, 6. Bobby East, 7. Tracy Hines, 8. Caleb Armstrong, 9. Matt Smith, 10. Jerry Coons Jr., 11. Thomas Meseraull, 12. Brad Loyet, 13. Shane Hmiel, 14. Henry Clarke, 15. Davey Ray, 16. Chad Boat, 17. Levi Jones, 18. Sean Dodenhoff, 19. Bryan Clauson, 20. Zach Daum, 21. Dave Darland, 22. Billy Pauch Jr., 23. Alex Bowman. NT
2011 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Bryan Clauson, 2. Kyle Larson, 3. Brad Kuhn, 4. Bobby East, 5. Jerry Coons Jr., 6. Shane Cottle, 7. Darren Hagen, 8. Tracy Hines, 9. Thomas Meseraull, 10. Steve Buckwalter, 11. Matt Smith, 12. Levi Jones, 13. Zach Daum, 14. Levi Roberts, 15. Mario Clouser, 16. Ryan Smith, 17. Tanner Swanson, 18. Caleb Armstrong, 19. Shane Hollingsworth, 20. Michael Pickens, 21. Chris Windom, 22. Trevor Kobylarz, 23. Chase Barber, 24. Hunter Schuerenberg. NT
2012 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Bryan Clauson, 2. Darren Hagen, 3. Caleb Armstrong, 4. Shane Cottle, 5. Chris Windom, 6. Nathan Smee, 7. Bobby East, 8. Tracy Hines, 9. Zach Daum, 10. Thomas Meseraull, 11. Chris Bell, 12. Dave Darland, 13. Shane Hollingsworth, 14. Brad Kuhn, 15. Steve Buckwalter, 16. Ryan Criswell, 17. Alex Bright, 18. Davey Ray, 19. Dillon Welch, 20. Andy Malpocker, 21. Nick Wean, 22. Jerry Coons, Jr., 23. Michael Pickens, 24. Mario Clouser. NT
2013 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Christopher Bell, 2. Kyle Larson, 3. Brad Mosen, 4. Tracy Hines, 5. Rico Abreu, 6. Steve Buckwalter, 7. Andrew Felker, 8. Brad Kuhn, 9. Brady Bacon, 10. Michael Pickens, 11. Levi Jones, 12. Bryan Clauson, 13. Caleb Armstrong, 14. Dave Darland, 15. Dillon Welch, 16. Bobby East, 17. Jerry Coons Jr., 18. Tyler Thomas, 19. Darren Hagen, 20. Zach Daum, 21. Tanner Thorson, 22. Davey Ray, 23. Kevin Thomas Jr., 24. Austin Brown. NT
2014 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Dave Darland, 2. Tracy Hines, 3. Rico Abreu, 4. Bryan Clauson, 5. Michael Pickens, 6. Andrew Felker, 7. Steve Buckwalter, 8. Damion Gardner, 9. Colton Cottle, 10. Garrett Aitken, 11. Nathan Smee, 12. Parker Price-Miller, 13. Chris Windom, 14. Thomas Meseraull, 15. Brady Bacon, 16. Zach Daum, 17. Tyler Courtney, 18. Ronnie Gardner, 19. Domain Ramsay, 20. Tanner Thorson, 21. Alex Bright, 22. Justin Grant, 23. Brenden Bright, 24. Kevin Thomas Jr. 10:55.15
2015 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Bryan Clauson, 2. Christopher Bell, 3. Tracy Hines, 4. Rico Abreu, 5. Jerry Coons Jr., 6. Darren Hagen,7. Tyler Thomas, 8. Chase Stockon, 9. Spencer Bayston, 10. Kevin Thomas Jr., 11. Davey Ray, 12. Gage Walker, 13. Hayden Williams, 14. Dave Darland, 15. Tony DiMattia, 16. Nathan Smee, 17. Alex Bright, 18. Brad Mosen, 19. Colten Cottle, 20. Tucker Klaasmeyer, 21. Tanner Thorson, 22. Ryan Bernal, 23. Tyler Courtney, 24. Steve Buckwalter. NT
2016 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Tanner Thorson, 2. Bryan Clauson, 3. Tyler Thomas, 4. Rico Abreu, 5. Spencer Bayston, 6. Carson Macedo, 7. Steve Buckwalter, 8. Ryan Robinson, 9. Jerry Coons Jr., 10. Chad Boat, 11. Jake Neuman, 12. Ryan Greth, 13. Gage Walker, 14. Chase Johnson, 15. Holly Shelton, 16. Jimi Quin, 17. Zach Daum, 18. Tyler Nelson, 19. Brady Bacon, 20. Dave Darland, 21. Logan Jarrett, 22. David Budres, 23. Dayne Kingshott, 24. Shane Golobic. NT
2017 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Michael Pickens, 2. Spencer Bayston, 3. Tyler Courtney, 4. Rico Abreu, 5. Justin Grant, 6. Shane Golobic, 7. Chad Boat, 8. Brady Bacon, 9. Alex Bright, 10. Jerry Coons, Jr., 11. Ryan Robinson, 12. Zach Daum, 13. Dave Darland, 14. Holly Shelton, 15. Tyler Thomas, 16. Tanner Carrick, 17. Brayton Lynch, 18. Ronnie Gardner, 19. Brent Beauchamp, 20. Tanner Thorson, 21. Gage Walker, 22. Ryan Greth. NT
2018 FEATURE: (30 laps – starting position in parentheses) 1. Chad Boat (2), 2. Justin Grant (11), 3. Tyler Courtney (3), 4. Zeb Wise (4), 5. Tanner Thorson (1), 6. Spencer Bayston (9), 7. Logan Seavey (17), 8. Rico Abreu (12), 9. Ryan Robinson (22), 10. Jerry Coons, Jr. (13), 11. Brady Bacon (7), 12. Tanner Carrick (20), 13. Holly Shelton (16), 14. Jason McDougal (21), 15. Brayton Lynch (18), 16. Kevin Thomas, Jr. (6), 17. Matt Moore (10), 18. Sam Johnson (14), 19. Alex Bright (15), 20. Tyler Thomas (23), 21. Tucker Klaasmeyer (5), 22. Jake Neuman (24), 23. Ethan Mitchell (8), 24. Zane Hendricks (19). NT
2019 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting position in parentheses) 1. Tanner Thorson (15), 2. Logan Seavey (6), 3. Jerry Coons, Jr. (1), 4. Kevin Thomas, Jr. (3), 5. Chris Windom (14), 6. Shane Golobic (8), 7. Tyler Courtney (2), 8. Jesse Colwell (10), 9. Zach Daum (17), 10. Jason McDougal (18), 11. Zeb Wise (21), 12. Tucker Klaasmeyer (20), 13. Holley Hollan (23), 14. Justin Grant (11), 15. Michael Pickens (5), 16. Chad Boat (22), 17. Andrew Layser (12), 18. Tanner Carrick (9), 19. C.J. Leary (19), 20. Cole Bodine (24), 21. Kyle Larson (7), 22. Dillon Welch (13), 23. Thomas Meseraull (4), 24. Dave Darland (16). NT
2020 NIGHT #1 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Kyle Larson (15), 2. Tanner Thorson (4), 3. Cannon McIntosh (1), 4. Chris Windom (6), 5. Shane Golobic (13), 6. Zach Daum (2), 7. Justin Grant (18), 8. Chase Johnson (11), 9. Buddy Kofoid (5), 10. Clinton Boyles (8), 11. Rico Abreu (14), 12. Tyler Courtney (10), 13. Tanner Carrick (17), 14. Jake Neuman (3), 15. Daison Pursley (23), 16. Kaylee Bryson (20), 17. Cole Bodine (19), 18. Kevin Thomas Jr. (16), 19. Maria Cofer (22), 20. Thomas Meseraull (7), 21. Carson Macedo (12), 22. Jason McDougal (9), 23. Brady Bacon (21). NT
2020 NIGHT #2 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Chris Windom (2), 2. Kyle Larson (6), 3. Buddy Kofoid (1), 4. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (5), 5. Tanner Carrick (9), 6. Cannon McIntosh (13), 7. Tanner Thorson (3), 8. Clinton Boyles (17), 9. Justin Grant (7), 10. Thomas Meseraull (21), 11. Shane Golobic (10), 12. Zach Daum (16), 13. Chase Johnson (8), 14. Tyler Courtney (4), 15. Jason McDougal (22), 16. Jake Neuman (15), 17. Daison Pursley (11), 18. Kevin Thomas Jr. (12), 19. Cole Bodine (18), 20. Kaylee Bryson (19), 21. Robert Dalby (23), 22. Maria Cofer (20), 23. Kyle Cummins (14). NT
2021 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Tanner Thorson (1), 2. Daison Pursley (6), 3. Emerson Axsom (3), 4. Buddy Kofoid (5), 5. Corey Day (12), 6. Kevin Thomas Jr. (4), 7. Jason McDougal (8), 8. Chase Randall (2), 9. Ryan Timms (9), 10. Logan Seavey (10), 11. Thomas Meseraull (7), 12. Kaylee Bryson (16), 13. Chris Windom (14), 14. Bryant Wiedeman (18), 15. Chance Crum (22), 16. Jerry Coons Jr. (19), 17. Brian Carber (23-P), 18. Cannon McIntosh (13), 19. Justin Grant (17), 20. Brenham Crouch (11), 21. Brady Bacon (15), 22. Kyle Cummins (20), 23. Trey Gropp (21). NT
INDIANA MIDGET WEEK CHAMPIONS: (2005-2021)
2005: Shane Cottle
2006: Shane Cottle
2007: Jerry Coons Jr.
2008: Tracy Hines
2009: Bryan Clauson
2010: Tracy Hines & Brad Kuhn
2011: Bryan Clauson
2012: Darren Hagen
2013: Christopher Bell
2014: Rico Abreu
2015: Rico Abreu
2016: Bryan Clauson
2017: Shane Golobic
2018: Spencer Bayston
2019: Logan Seavey
2020: Kyle Larson
2021: Buddy Kofoid
ALL-TIME INDIANA MIDGET WEEK WINS: (2005-2022)
9-Bryan Clauson & Kyle Larson
5-Christopher Bell & Tanner Thorson
4-Rico Abreu & Buddy Kofoid
3-Spencer Bayston, Shane Cottle, Tyler Courtney, Darren Hagen, Brad Kuhn, Michael Pickens & Chris Windom
2-Jerry Coons Jr., Thomas Meseraull, Davey Ray, Logan Seavey, Brad Sweet
1-Brady Bacon, Chad Boat, Steve Buckwalter, Kyle Cummins, Dave Darland, Zach Daum, Corey Day, Jay Drake, Justin Grant, Tracy Hines, Levi Jones, Johnny Rodriguez, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kevin Swindell & Kevin Thomas Jr.