By Richie Murray
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin (August 31, 2023)………The Firemen’s Nationals at Sun Prairie, Wisconsin’s Angell Park Speedway can boast a list of past winners that includes seven inductees of the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame.
On that same list, you’ll find 11 USAC National champions, and all those individuals happily rank a Firemen’s Nationals victory right near the top of their list of achievements.
A win at the Firemen’s Nationals is also something that this weekend’s winners will certainly put at the top of their list as well when all is said and done on Sunday-Monday, September 3-4.
It’s a Labor Day weekend midget racing tradition dating back to 1982. It’s a legendary race. It’s a legendary place, and now we get to take you through six of the biggest storylines heading into the national holiday weekend.
SEAVEY CHASING AN ALL-TIME USAC RECORD
When has Logan Seavey not been one to watch? The Sutter, Calif. native enters Angell Park on a run of nine consecutive podium (top-three) finishes in USAC National Midget competition.
You’re currently witnessing something that occurs just about once every generation as only two drivers have previously earned 10 straight top-three finishes with the series. The first to do it was Mel Kenyon in 1967. Twenty-eight years later in 1995, Tony Stewart accomplished the same. Now, 28 years later once again, Seavey has an opportunity to tie and surpass the record this weekend at Angell Park.
Since a victory on June 7 at Gas City, Seavey has been remarkably consistent with successive finishes of 1st, 3rd, 3rd, 2nd, 3rd, 1st, 2nd, 2nd and 1st, which have pushed him into the point lead by a healthy 136-point margin entering September.
Seavey’s podium streak and following in the footsteps of Kenyon and Stewart in general would certainly pay dividends. After all, both Kenyon and Stewart went on to capture their second career championship in those respective seasons. Seavey, the 2018 titlist, looks to do exactly the same.
RINGIN’ THE ALARM ONCE MORE AT THE FIREMEN’S NATIONALS
Seavey is also among the two past Firemen’s Nationals winners attempting to repeat their past successes at Angell Park this weekend. Seavey scored the 2019 edition of the event under POWRi sanction as he charged from his fifth starting position to win it.
Zach Daum (Pocahontas, Ill.) is among the select few multi-time winners of the Firemen’s Nationals, having scored in both 2013 and 2017. He remains one of only six drivers to win the event at least two times: Kevin Olson (1983-86-87-97-98), Dan Boorse (1984 & 1999), Kevin Doty (1988-89-90-94-95), Tracy Hines (2001-02-10) and Scott Hatton (2004-05).
With another victory this weekend at Angell Park, Daum would become only the fourth driver with three Firemen’s Nationals wins to his credit alongside Olson, Doty and Hines.
THE RETURN OF HOLLY
After a nearly five-year absence, Holly Jones will return to USAC National Midget racing this weekend at Angell Park.
Jones, whom you might remember by her maiden name of Holly Shelton, will pilot the Bundy Built Motorsports No. 4 with a Spike Chassis and a Bundy Built Honda engine under the hood.
In Shelton’s three full-time seasons (2016-17-18) of midget racing, she drove for Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, finishing a best of third during the USAC Indiana Midget Week round at Lawrenceburg Speedway in 2017 and finished a best of seventh in the point standings for 2016.
In recent years, on occasion, she has wheeled a winged 360 sprint car, a micro sprint and an outlaw kart, but her most recent USAC National Midget start came during a top-10 performance at California’s Bakersfield Speedway in 2018.
DOUBLE-DIPPING AT THE PRAIRIE
The last two times the USAC National Midgets have raced on back-to-back evenings at Angell Park Speedway, the same driver won the feature both nights. Bryan Clauson achieved the feat in 2010 as did Christopher Bell in 2014.
Only one driver in this weekend’s Angell Park field has captured consecutive USAC National Midget victories at the same track on two-straight nights. That’s Justin Grant who swept to victories at Ocala, Florida’s Bubba Raceway Park in February of 2022.
In fact, throughout the 68-year history of USAC National Midget racing, a driver has accomplished it 23 previous times: Johnny Parsons (Winchester 1977), Mel Kenyon (IRP 1979), Rich Vogler (Colorado National 1979) and Jason Leffler (Belleville 1997).
In the 21st century it’s been Kasey Kahne (Belleville 2000), Bobby East (Belleville 2004), Josh Wise (Belleville 2006), Jerry Coons Jr. (Belleville 2007), Brad Sweet (Knoxville 2008), Bryan Clauson (Angell Park 2010), Darren Hagen (Tri-City 2010), Bryan Clauson (Dodge City 2011), Rico Abreu (Kokomo 2014), Christopher Bell (Angell Park 2014), Tanner Thorson (Tri-City 2015), Chad Boat (Belleville 2016), Tanner Thorson (Tri-City 2016), Brady Bacon (2017 Kokomo), Tyler Courtney (Ocala 2019), Chris Windom (Huset’s 2021), Justin Grant (Ocala 2022), Buddy Kofoid (Huset’s 2022) and Buddy Kofoid (Placerville 2022).
LONGING FOR A “W”
The list of drivers who’ve yet to win a USAC National Midget feature this year is particularly staggering. However, there’s still plenty of racing left to do and plenty of time to catch up in the win column.
Among them are past series feature winners Justin Grant (Ione, Calif.), Daison Pursley (Locust Grove, Okla.), Cannon McIntosh (Bixby, Okla.) and Thomas Meseraull (San Jose, Calif.), who between them, own 31 USAC National Midget victories. All drivers have also either won, set fast time or led laps at one point in their career at Angell Park.
On the list of contenders seeking a first USAC National Midget victory not only this year, but in his career, is three-time Badger Midget champion Chase McDermand (Springfield, Ill.) who is also a two-time Angell Park winner with BMARA.
Jade Avedisian (Clovis, Calif.) and Taylor Reimer (Bixby, Okla.) are in the group of drivers aiming for a first career USAC National triumph this weekend as is Jake Andreotti (Castro Valley, Calif.), all of whom have earned top-five finishes with USAC this season. Both Avedisian and Andreotti have led laps and finished as the runner-up in a feature in 2023.
FIREMEN’S HISTORY
Few events have the cache of the Firemen’s Nationals with it being one of the longest-running and famed midget racing events still going strong today in the USA.
With the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame literally in the backyard of Angell Park’s 1/3-mile oval, winning the Firemen’s Nationals is one in which drivers will immediately put near the top of their resume in the section of accomplishments.
In terms of longevity, the Firemen’s Nationals 38th running in 2023 trails only the Turkey Night Grand Prix (81 years) and the 4-Crown Nationals (40 years).
The Firemen’s Nationals can boast a list of past winners that includes seven inductees of the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame: Billy Engelhart, Kevin Olson, Dan Boorse, Rich Vogler, Kevin Doty, Page Jones and Jay Drake.
In addition, there’s 11 past USAC National champions who’ve won the race, including Olson, Vogler, Stevie Reeves, Tracy Hines, Jerry Coons Jr., Brady Bacon, Josh Wise, Christopher Bell, Rico Abreu, Logan Seavey and Tanner Thorson, just to name a few.
EVENT DETAILS:
This Sunday and Monday night’s 38th running of the Firemen’s Nationals features the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship with both nights paying $5,000-to-win. The Badger Midget Racing Association is also on the card both nights.
Pits open at 1:30pm Central, stands open at 4pm and cars on track at 5pm followed by qualifying and racing.
Advance tickets are on sale now at www.angelpark.racing. Advance ticket prices are $22 for adults, $18 for seniors, $12 for students age 12-17, $5 for kids age 6-11 & free for children age 5 and under. Race day ticket prices are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, $12 for students age 12-17, $5 for kids age 6-11 & free for children age 5 and under. Pit passes are $25 for members & $30 for non-members.
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USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Logan Seavey-927, 2-Jacob Denney-789, 3-Bryant Wiedeman-775, 4-Justin Grant-774, 5-Ryan Timms-749, 6-Jade Avedisian-740, 7-Daison Pursley-739, 8-Cannon McIntosh-729, 9-Gavin Miller-662, 10-Chase McDermand-607.
PAST FIREMEN’S NATIONALS WINNERS:
1982: Billy Engelhart
1983: Kevin Olson
1984: Dan Boorse
1985: Rich Vogler
1986: Kevin Olson
1987: Kevin Olson
1988: Kevin Doty
1989: Kevin Doty
1990: Kevin Doty
1991: Stevie Reeves
1992: Marty Davis
1993: Page Jones
1994: Kevin Doty
1995: Kevin Doty
1996: Randy Koch
1997: Kevin Olson
1998: Kevin Olson
1999: Dan Boorse
2000: Jay Drake
2001: Tracy Hines
2002: Tracy Hines
2003: Davey Ray
2004: Scott Hatton
2005: Scott Hatton
2006: Rained Out
2007: Jerry Coons Jr.
2008: Brady Bacon
2009: Josh Wise
2010: Tracy Hines
2011: Rained Out
2012: Caleb Armstrong
2013: Zach Daum
2014: Christopher Bell
2015: Rico Abreu
2016: Carson Macedo
2017: Zach Daum
2018: Tanner Carrick
2019: Logan Seavey
2020: Not Held
2021: Tanner Thorson
USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINS AT ANGELL PARK SPEEDWAY:
6-Bryan Clauson
5-Kevin Olson
3-Christopher Bell, Kevin Doty & Brad Kuhn
2-Rico Abreu, Billy Engelhart & Larry Rice
1-Tommy Astone, Tom Bigelow, Dan Boorse, Steve Cannon, Pancho Carter, Danny Caruthers, Jerry Coons Jr., Ryan Durst, Jeff Gordon, Scott Hatton, Tracy Hines, Levi Jones, Lee Kunzman, Bobby Olivero, Michael Pickens, Stevie Reeves, Brad Sweet, Tanner Thorson, Rich Vogler, Roger West & Josh Wise
USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINNERS AT ANGELL PARK SPEEDWAY:
1970: Larry Rice (8/30)
1971: Lee Kunzman (6/27), Billy Engelhart (8/29) & Danny Caruthers (9/5)
1972: Roger West (6/4), Pancho Carter (7/9), Tom Bigelow (7/16) & Rich Vogler (8/13)
1973: Billy Engelhart (6/21), Bobby Olivero (7/8) & Steve Cannon (8/12)
1974: Larry Rice (6/13) & Tommy Astone (7/7)
1986: Kevin Olson (8/31)
1987: Dan Boorse (5/24), Kevin Doty (7/18) & Kevin Olson (9/6)
1988: Kevin Olson (5/29), Kevin Olson (6/18), Kevin Olson (7/17) & Kevin Doty (9/4)
1990: Jeff Gordon (7/14) & Kevin Doty (9/2)
1991: Stevie Reeves (9/1)
2005: Scott Hatton (8/27)
2006: Ryan Durst (8/26)
2007: Jerry Coons Jr. (8/25) & Michael Pickens (8/26)
2008: Brad Kuhn (8/23) & Levi Jones (8/24)
2009: Bryan Clauson (8/30) & Josh Wise (9/5)
2010: Brad Kuhn (7/3), Brad Sweet (7/4), Bryan Clauson (8/28), Bryan Clauson (8/29) & Tracy Hines (9/4)
2011: Bryan Clauson (8/21)
2012: Bryan Clauson (7/8) & Brad Kuhn (8/19)
2013: Rico Abreu (6/23) & Bryan Clauson (8/18)
2014: Christopher Bell (7/5), Christopher Bell (7/6) & Christopher Bell (8/17)
2015: Rico Abreu (7/5)
2021: Tanner Thorson (9/5)
TRACK RECORDS FOR USAC NATIONAL MIDGETS AT ANGELL PARK SPEEDWAY:
1 Lap – 7/5/2015 – Bryan Clauson – 14.316
6 Laps – 8/26/2007 – Chris Windom – 1:34.07
8 Laps – 8/26/2007 – Ryan Durst – 2:04.98
10 Laps – 8/19/2012 – Rico Abreu – 2:26.60
12 Laps – 7/6/2014 – Rico Abreu – 3:00.28
30 Laps – 8/30/1970 – Larry Rice – 9:11.56
RECENT FIREMEN’S NATIONALS RESULTS:
2009 FEATURE: (50 laps) 1. Josh Wise, 2. Brad Sweet, 3. Darren Hagen, 4. Brad Kuhn, 5. Cole Whitt, 6. Bobby East, 7. Brad Loyet, 8. Brandon Waelti, 9. Dave Darland, 10. Jerry Coons Jr., 11. Matt Smith, 12. Davey Ray, 13. Kevin Olson, 14. Dakoda Armstrong, 15. Aaron FIscus, 16. Scott Hatton, 17. Mike Hess, 18. Travis Berryhill, 19. Andrew Felker, 20. Bryan Clauson, 21. Jake Slotten, 22. Chad Boat, 23. Zach Daum, 24. Henry Clarke, 25. Caleb Armstrong. NT
2010 FEATURE: (50 laps) 1. Tracy Hines, 2. Jerry Coons Jr., 3. Brad Loyet, 4. Davey Ray, 5. Dave Darland, 6. Cody Weisensel, 7. Kurt Mayhew, 8. Brad Kuhn, 9. Darren Hagen, 10. Robbie Ray, 11. Bryan Clauson, 12. Jason Dull, 13. David Budres, 14. Henry Clarke, 15. Brady Bacon, 16. Mario Clouser. NT
2011: RAINED OUT
2012 FEATURE: 1. Caleb Armstrong; 2. Thomas Meseraull; 3. Jerry Coons Jr.; 4. Bubba Altig; 5. Davey Ray; 6. Scott Hatton; 7. Danny Stratton; 8. Robbie Ray; 9. Mike Hess; 10. Travis Berryhill; 11. Cody Weisensel; 12. Taylor Ferns; 13. Riley Emmel; 14. Kurt Mayhew; 15. Kevin Olson; 16. Chad Bogar; 17. Rick Kelsey; 18. Brandon Waelti; 19. Bryon Walters; 20. Dalton Armstrong; 21. Bob Schreffler; 22. Darren Hagen; 23. Jason Treault.
2013 FEATURE (50 laps): 1. Zach Daum, 2. Brad Kuhn, 3. Billy Balog, 4. Jake Blackhurst, 5. Andrew Felker, 6. Danny Stratton, 7. Parker Price-Miller, 8. Davey Ray, 9. Seth Motsinger, 10. Brandon Waelti, 11. Kurt Mayhew, 12, Cody Weisensel, 13. Bryon Walters, 14. Tyler Thomas, 15. Darren Hagen, 16. Caleb Armstrong, 17. Dalton Armstrong,18. Garrett Aitken, 19. Daniel Robinson.
2014 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Christopher Bell, 2. Tanner Thorson, 3. Rico Abreu, 4. Chris Windom, 5. Zach Daum, 6. Brady Bacon, 7. Tracy Hines, 8. Michael Pickens, 9. Jake Blackhurst, 10. Bill Balog, 11. Jerry Coons, Jr., 12. Tyler Courtney, 13. Bryan Clauson, 14. Tyler Thomas, 15. Andrew Felker, 16. Austin Brown, 17. Garrett Aitken, 18. Parker Price-Miller, 19. Seth Motsinger, 20. Terry Babb, 21. Kevin Thomas, Jr., 22. Spencer Bayston. NT
2015 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Rico Abreu, 2. Tanner Thorson, 3. Kevin Thomas Jr., 4. Bryan Clauson, 5. Darren Hagen, 6. Andrew Felker, 7. Spencer Bayston, 8. Ryan Robinson, 9. Tyler Thomas, 10. Kyle Schuett, 11. Isaac Chapple, 12. Kurt Mayhew, 13. Austin Brown, 14. Tracy Hines, 15. Katlynn Leer, 16. Eric Johnson, 17. Jimi Quinn, 18. Bill Balog, 19. David Budres, 20. Tucker Klaasmeyer, 21. Cody Weisensel NT
2016 FEATURE: 1. 71K-Carson Macedo; 2. 67-Tanner Thorson; 3. 5D-Zach Daum; 4. 3-Andrew Felker; 5. 67K-Holly Shelton; 6. 71-Ryan Robinson; 7. 3N-Jake Neuman; 8. 1-Scott Hatton; 9. 53-Aaron Schuck; 10. 41-Austin Prock; 11. 7-Austin Brown; 12. 77-Katlynn Leer; 13. 1K-Brayton Lynch; 14. 5x-Justin Peck; 15. 97-Spencer Bayston; 16. 57-Chad Boespflug; 17. 32-Garrett Aitken; 18. 31-David Budres; 19. 27-Tucker Klaasmeyer; 20. 9K-Kyle Schuett; 21. 20-Cody Weisensel; 22. 0-Andy Baugh
2017 FEATURE: 1. 5D-Zach Daum (1), 2. 71-Ryan Robinson (10), 3. 67-Tanner Thorson (4), 4. 97-Spencer Bayston (9), 5. 37-Andrew Felker (3), 6. 4A-Logan Seavey (5), 7. 67K-Holly Shelton (14), 8. 9K-Kyle Schuett (6), 9. 7-Austin Brown (11), 10. 3N-Jake Neuman (20), 11. 57-Gage Walker (12), 12. 27-Tucker Klaasmeyer (18), 13. 37x-Terry Babb (13), 14. 6A-Aidan Roosevans (19), 15. 53-Aaron Schuck (16), 16. 57x-Casey Shuman (8), 17. 3-Robbie Ray (7), 18. 2B-Zach Boden (23), 19. 1-Scott Hatton (2), 20. 20-Cody Weisensel (24), 21. 53z-Jeff Zelinski (22), 22. 05-Brad Loyet (17), 23. 3B-Shelby Bosie (15), 24. 71K-Tanner Carrick (21). NT
2018 FEATURE: 1. 71K-Tanner Carrick (6), 2. 67-Logan Seavey (5), 3. 5D-Zach Daum (3), 4. 3N-Jake Neuman (23), 5. 27-Tucker Klaasmeyer (7), 6. 67K-Holly Shelton (8), 7. 21KS-Karter Sarff (9), 8. 9K-Kyle Schuett (4), 9. 3-Bill Balog (11), 10. 82-Mike Hess (17), 11. 72-Sam Johnson (16), 12. 71-Ryan Robinson (2), 13. 31-Ray Seach (1), 14. 57-Andrew Felker (21), 15. 7-Austin Brown (12), 16. 2-Zach Boden (18), 17. 9KL-Kevin Olson (19), 18. 11-Tyler Baran (15), 19. 14JR-Holley Hollan (14), 20. 99-Ryan Probst (22), 21. 21-Kurt Mayhew (13), 22. 20-Cody Weisensel (20), 23. 51-Joe B. Miller (10). NT
2019 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. 67-Logan Seavey (5), 2. 08-Cannon McIntosh (1), 3. 27-Tucker Klaasmeyer (2), 4. 71K-Tanner Carrick (7), 5. 57-Chase Jones (14), 6. 5D-Zach Daum (4), 7. 71-Jesse Colwell (6), 8. 98-Tanner Thorson (10), 9. 3-Davey Ray (15), 10. 9-Daison Pursley (16), 11. 28-Ace McCarthy (8), 12. 97K-Jesse Love (18), 13. 3N-Jake Neuman (13), 14. 67K-Holley Hollan (3), 15. 31-David Budres (21), 16. 21KS-Tracy Hines (9), 17. 3w-Brandon Waelti (17), 18. 11-Tyler Baran (22), 19. 82-Mike Hess (20), 20. 7x-Thomas Meseraull (11), 21. 3B-Shelby Bosie (12), 22. 20-Cody Weisensel (19). NT
2020: NOT HELD
2021 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Tanner Thorson (4), 2. Thomas Meseraull (2), 3. Justin Grant (1), 4. Chris Windom (3), 5. Logan Seavey (11), 6. Kevin Thomas Jr. (7), 7. Emerson Axsom (5), 8. Daison Pursley (6), 9. Buddy Kofoid (13), 10. Chase Randall (9), 11. Brandon Waelti (22), 12. Hayden Reinbold (18), 13. Jack Routson (17), 14. Chase McDermand (12), 15. Jeff Zelinski (20), 16. Matt Rechek (21), 17. Glenn Waterland (19), 18. Ethan Mitchell (14), 19. Cannon McIntosh (8), 20. Zach Daum (10), 21. Trey Gropp (15), 22. Daniel Robinson (16). NT