By Richie Murray
Kokomo, Indiana (April 22, 2025)………Finally, it has arrived! The 70th season of USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship competition gets underway this Friday-Saturday, April 25-26, at Indiana’s Kokomo Speedway.
What better way to kick it off than with the Kokomo Grand Prix, featuring two-straight nights of full programs featuring the midgets alongside Kokomo Speedway’s sprint car division.
The anticipation brings new combinations for the season, new hopes, renewed dreams and a slew of up and comers looking to mix it up with veterans all vying for the ultimate accomplishment of a championship.
The quest begins now. So, here are six storylines that we’re watching this weekend.
QUICK AT KOKOMO
Three past Kokomo Speedway USAC National Midget winners are expected in this weekend’s Grand Prix lineup. Among them, Kevin Thomas Jr. (Cullman, Alabama) is the lone past Kokomo Grand Prix winner in the field, scoring a last lap thriller back in 2019. In fact, he’s a two-time Kokomo USAC Midget winner, also taking the Indiana Midget Week round in 2018.
Cannon McIntosh (Bixby, Oklahoma) punctuated the Indiana Midget Week Kokomo round with a victory in 2022 while fellow Okie Daison Pursley (Locust Grove, Oklahoma) performed likewise, making a late-race charge to score the win in the series’ most recent round at Kokomo in 2024 en route to the series championship.
CBI RELOADS
Pursley will return to the CB Industries team for this weekend’s Kokomo Grand Prix in his familiar no. 86 with which he captured seven USAC National Midget wins and the championship a year ago. While Pursley doesn’t currently plan to compete for a repeat USAC title at press time, the CBI no. 86 will contest the entire 2025 schedule with a rotating cast of drivers.
Joining CBI for a full-time USAC championship run in 2025 is Justin Grant (Ione, California), an 11-time USAC National Sprint Car winner at Kokomo who is still on the hunt for his first USAC Midget win at the track. Upstart Drake Edwards (Peoria, Arizona), the 2024 USAC Western States Midget Rookie of the Year will go full-time nationally in a third CBI entry.
VETERAN LADEN KKM
Another perennial USAC National Midget championship contender, Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports, will have a veteran, winning lineup in its full-time arsenal for 2025. All of which are pursuing a first career USAC National Midget driving title.
Cannon McIntosh is a previous USAC Midget winner at Kokomo in 2022. The nine-time series winner finished a career best runner-up in the standings a year ago. Meanwhile, three-time series winner Jacob Denney (Galloway, Ohio) captured a USAC Midwest Thunder SpeeD2 Midget victory at Kokomo back in 2020 as he moves from Tom Malloy’s team to the KKM squad.
One-time USAC winners Gavin Miller (Allentown, Pennsylvania) and Kale Drake (Collinsville, Oklahoma) seek to have a breakout season in the upcoming campaign
It’s also worth noting that the first of Keith Kunz’s record 150 USAC National Midget victories as an entrant came at Kokomo with driver Page Jones during the 1992 season.
RETURN OF THE J-MAC
Jason McDougal’s most recent USAC National Midget start came three seasons ago during the 2022 Turkey Night Grand Prix at southern California’s Ventura Raceway.
But with Thomas Meseraull unavailable to drive the Engler Machine No. 7x this weekend, McDougal (Broken Arrow, Oklahoma) has been tabbed for the ride at the Kokomo Grand Prix.
McDougal is a two-time USAC National Midget feature winner, having scored both back in 2019 at Nebraska’s Jefferson County Speedway and Indiana’s Tri-State Speedway. His best Kokomo performance to date came during the 2019 Grand Prix where he finished second to Tyler Courtney.
A NEW COONS ON THE SCENE
A new Coons will step in as a full-time USAC National Midget driver in 2025 for Dooling Autosports/Curb-Agajanian.
The son of USAC career Triple Crown champion Jerry Coons Jr. has a quality pedigree of his own, having won three points-paying USAC Midwest Thunder SpeeD2 Midget features between 2023-2024, plus a special event score.
Jerry owns seven career Kokomo Grand Prix starts between 2014-2019, finishing a best of fifth in 2017. Now Cale will aim to become the first son of a former Kokomo Grand Prix starter to also make a start himself in the event.
Cale will be at the wheel of the famed black no. 63, which has twice won at Kokomo, first in 2014 with driver Bryan Clauson then again in 2018 with Kevin Thomas Jr.
SEASON OPENING HISTORY
The Kokomo Grand Prix marks the start of the 70th season of USAC National Midget competition. This is the third occasion in which Kokomo will open the season, having previously done so in 2014 and 2015, with Rico Abreu and Darren Hagen winning, respectively.
Overall, Steve Lotshaw, Tony Stewart and Rich Vogler share the record for the most USAC National Midget season opening wins with three apiece. Justin Grant can equal that record this Friday after previously scoring in 2017 at the Southern Illinois Center and in 2022 at Florida’s Ocala Speedway.
In recent years, Cannon McIntosh (2024 at Belleville) and Logan Seavey (2018 at the Southern Illinois Center) have won season openers. Both aim to achieve a similar feat this Friday.
In nine instances, the season opening winner has gone on to win the USAC National Midget title later that same year: Mel Kenyon (1968), Rich Vogler (1978), Steve Lotshaw (1979), Jason Leffler (1999), Bryan Clauson (2011), Rico Abreu (2014), Logan Seavey (2018), Tyler Courtney (2019) and Buddy Kofoid (2021).
RACE DETAILS
The Kokomo Grand Prix will feature the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship and Kokomo Sprint Cars on each night at the 1/4-mile dirt oval. On both nights, the pits will open at 3pm Eastern with the grandstands opening at 3pm. The drivers meeting is set for 5:30pm with cars hitting the track at 6pm followed by hot laps, qualifying and racing.
Adult general admission tickets for each night of the Kokomo Grand Prix are $30 with kids age 12 and under free. Pit passes are $40 for all ages each night.
Both nights of the event can be watched LIVE on FloRacing at https://flosports.link/usac.
TRACK RECORDS FOR USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK NATIONAL MIDGETS AT KOKOMO SPEEDWAY:
1 Lap – 4/5/2019 – Dillon Welch – 12.665 – 71.062 mph
8 Laps – 6/20/2010 – Steve Buckwalter – 1:51.62 – 64.505 mph
10 Laps – 4/5/2019 – Tanner Carrick – 2:10.06 – 69.199 mph
12 Laps – 4/13/2018 – Holly Shelton – 2:46.01 – 65.056 mph
KOKOMO GRAND PRIX WINNERS:
2014: Rico Abreu (4/11) & Rico Abreu (4/12)
2015: Darren Hagen (4/11)
2016: Rained Out
2017: Brady Bacon (4/8) & Brady Bacon (4/9)
2018: Tyler Courtney (4/13)
2019: Tyler Courtney (4/5) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (4/6)
2020: Not Held
2021: Emerson Axsom (4/30) & Chris Windom (5/1)
2022: Rained Out
2023: Rained Out
KOKOMO GRAND PRIX WINS:
2-Rico Abreu, Brady Bacon & Tyler Courtney
1-Emerson Axsom, Darren Hagen, Kevin Thomas Jr. & Chris Windom
KOKOMO USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINS:
7-Rich Vogler
6-Mel Kenyon
3-Rico Abreu, Brady Bacon, Bryan Clauson, Jimmy Davies, Bob Wente & Chris Windom
2-Chuck Arnold, Tyler Courtney, Bobby Grim, Page Jones, Mike McGreevy, Ken Schrader, Bob Tattersall & Kevin Thomas Jr.
1-Tommy Astone, Emerson Axsom, Spencer Bayston, Christopher Bell, Tom Bigelow, Bud Bogard, Frank Burany, Pancho Carter, Danny Caruthers, Jimmy Caruthers, Tommy Copp, Rex Easton, Tony Elliott, Billy Engelhart, Gene Force, Darren Hagen, Gene Hartley, Jack Hewitt, Tracy Hines, Brad Kuhn, Lee Kunzman, Kyle Larson, Critter Malone, Cannon McIntosh, Don Meacham, Jerry Nuckles, Forrest Parker, Michael Pickens, Daison Pursley, Ron Shuman, Graham Standring, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Mike Streicher, Dave Strickland, Len Sutton, Shorty Templeman, Tanner Thorson, Sleepy Tripp, Jerry Weeks & J.J. Yeley
KOKOMO USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINNERS:
1956: Forrest Parker (7/28)
1957: Len Sutton (6/23) & Rex Easton (8/17)
1958: Frank Burany (5/24)
1959: Gene Force (5/29) & Shorty Templeman (7/12)
1960: Jimmy Davies (5/29), Bod Bogard (6/25), Gene Hartley (7/24) & Bob Wente (8/13)
1961: Jimmy Davies (5/29) & Jimmy Davies (7/30)
1962: Tommy Copp (6/30) & Bob Tattersall (7/29)
1964: Bob Wente (7/11)
1965: Mel Kenyon (5/30), Bobby Grim (6/26) & Bobby Grim (7/24)
1966: Chuck Arnold (5/29) & Bob Tattersall (8/27)
1967: Mike McGreevy (5/29), Chuck Arnold (6/17) & Mike McGreevy (7/22)
1968: Bob Wente (6/30) & Don Meacham (7/21)
1969: Lee Kunzman (5/31)
1970: Dave Strickland (5/30) & Tom Bigelow (8/1)
1971: Danny Caruthers (7/16) & Jimmy Caruthers (8/7)
1972: Pancho Carter (8/26)
1973: Billy Engelhart (7/14)
1975: Sleepy Tripp (7/9)
1976: Tommy Astone (7/7)
1977: Mel Kenyon (7/13)
1978: Ron Shuman (8/23) & Jerry Weeks (8/23)
1979: Mel Kenyon (6/14) & Mel Kenyon (7/11)
1980: Rich Vogler (6/11) & Rich Vogler (7/10)
1981: Rich Vogler (6/10) & Ken Schrader (7/8)
1982: Ken Schrader (6/10) & Mel Kenyon (7/7)
1983: Rich Vogler (6/8) & Rich Vogler (7/13)
1984: Jerry Nuckles (6/6)
1985: Rich Vogler (6/29)
1987: Mel Kenyon (6/24)
1988: Mike Streicher (6/22) & Rich Vogler (8/17)
1990: Graham Standring (8/8)
1991: Jack Hewitt (8/7)
1992: Page Jones (8/19)
1993: Critter Malone (8/11)
1994: Page Jones (7/27)
1995: Tony Elliott (8/23)
2000: Tracy Hines (8/27)
2003: J.J. Yeley (6/15)
2006: Brady Bacon (8/20)
2007: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (8/12)
2008: Bryan Clauson (8/10)
2009: Bryan Clauson (6/14)
2010: Brad Kuhn (6/20)
2011: Michael Pickens (6/12)
2012: Kyle Larson (6/17)
2013: Christopher Bell (6/16)
2014: Rico Abreu (4/11), Rico Abreu (4/12) & Bryan Clauson (6/15)
2015: Darren Hagen (4/11)
2016: Rico Abreu (6/5)
2017: Brady Bacon (4/8), Brady Bacon (4/9) & Spencer Bayston (6/11)
2018: Tyler Courtney (4/13) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (6/3)
2019: Tyler Courtney (4/5) & Kevin Thomas Jr. (4/6)
2020: Tanner Thorson (6/21) & Chris Windom (9/26)
2021: Emerson Axsom (4/30), Chris Windom (5/1) & Chris Windom (6/12)
2022: Cannon McIntosh (6/11)
2024: Daison Pursley (6/9)
PAST KOKOMO GRAND PRIX RESULTS
2014 NIGHT #1 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Rico Abreu, 2. Dave Darland, 3. Christopher Bell, 4. Chris Windom, 5. Tracy Hines, 6. Kevin Thomas Jr., 7. Bryan Clauson, 8. Zach Daum, 9. Shane Hollingsworth, 10. Tanner Thorson, 11. Jerry Coons Jr., 12. Andrew Felker, 13. Parker Price-Miller, 14. Tyler Thomas, 15. Tyler Courtney, 16. Davey Ray, 17. Daniel Robinson, 18. Austin Brown, 19. Darren Hagen, 20. Shane Cottle, 21. Justin Peck, 22. Taylor Ferns, 23. Spencer Bayston, 24. Seth Motsinger, 25. Alex Bright, 26. Colten Cottle. NT
2014 NIGHT #2 FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Rico Abreu, 2. Tanner Thorson, 3. Christopher Bell, 4. Tracy Hines, 5. Tyler Thomas, 6. Kevin Thomas Jr., 7. Andrew Felker, 8. Zach Daum, 9. Parker Price-Miller, 10. Shane Hollingsworth, 11. Colten Cottle, 12. Tyler Courtney, 13. Seth Motsinger, 14. Davey Ray, 15. Chris Windom, 16. Bryan Clauson, 17. Michael Pickens, 18. Darren Hagen, 19. Alex Bright, 20. Steve Buckwalter, 21. Jake Blackhurst, 22. Dave Darland, 23. Austin Brown, 24. Caleb Armstrong, 25. Brady Bacon, 26. Spencer Bayston. NT
2015 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Darren Hagen, 2. Tracy Hines, 3. Tanner Thorson, 4. Steve Buckwalter, 5. Davey Ray, 6. Andrew Felker, 7. Dave Darland, 8. Tyler Thomas, 9. Jerry Coons Jr., 10. Tyler Courtney, 11. Shane Hollingsworth, 12. Gage Walker, 13. Zach Daum, 14. Isaac Chapple, 15. Spencer Bayston, 16. Justin Grant, 17. Jim Radney, 18. Tucker Klaasmeyer, 19. Ryan Greth, 20. Kevin Thomas Jr., 21. Alex Bright, 22. Justin Peck. NT
2017 NIGHT #1 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Brady Bacon, 2. Spencer Bayston, 3. Tanner Thorson, 4. Kevin Thomas Jr., 5. Jerry Coons Jr., 6. Justin Grant, 7. Chris Windom, 8. Tyler Thomas, 9. Dave Darland, 10. Ryan Robinson, 11. Chad Boat, 12. Holly Shelton, 13. Gage Walker, 14. Alex Bright, 15. Tucker Klaasmeyer, 16. Jake Neuman, 17. Tanner Carrick, 18. Brayton Lynch, 19. Tyler Nelson, 20. Shane Golobic. NT
2017 NIGHT #2 FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Brady Bacon, 2. Tanner Thorson, 3. Tyler Courtney, 4. Rico Abreu, 5. Kevin Thomas Jr., 6. Spencer Bayston, 7. Dave Darland, 8. Shane Golobic, 9. Ryan Robinson, 10. Holly Shelton, 11. Davey Ray, 12. Jerry Coons Jr., 13. Alex Bright, 14. Tyler Thomas, 15. Tyler Nelson, 16. Jake Neuman, 17. Brayton Lynch, 18. Ryan Greth, 19. Chad Boat, 20. Justin Grant, 21. Chris Windom, 22. Chase Jones, 23. Tanner Carrick. NT
2018 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting position in parentheses) 1. Tyler Courtney (5), 2. Chad Boat (8), 3. Brady Bacon (7), 4. Spencer Bayston (3), 5. Justin Grant (6), 6. Zeb Wise (12), 7. Logan Seavey (2), 8. Thomas Meseraull (16), 9. Ryan Robinson (4), 10. Kevin Thomas Jr. (1), 11. Holly Shelton (9), 12. Tucker Klaasmeyer (13), 13. Dave Darland (20), 14. Andrew Felker (17), 15. Jerry Coons Jr. (18), 16. Brayton Lynch (15), 17. Tanner Carrick (10), 18. Kyle Craker (14), 19. Gage Walker (23). 20. Alex Bright (21), 21. Tyler Thomas (11), 22. Chase Jones (22), 23. Kyle Schuett (19), 24. Matt Moore (24). NT
2019 NIGHT #1 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting position in parentheses) 1. Tyler Courtney (6), 2. Jason McDougal (3), Chris Windom (4), 4. Zeb Wise (12), 5. Kevin Thomas Jr. (1), 6. Logan Seavey (8), 7. Thomas Meseraull (2), 8. Dillon Welch (7), 9. C.J. Leary (5), 10. Tanner Carrick (16), 11. Dave Darland (21), 12. Chad Boat (10), 13. Tyler Thomas (20), 14. Jesse Colwell (11), 15. Tucker Klaasmeyer (13), 16. Andrew Layser (15), 17. Holley Hollan (14), 18. Ethan Mitchell (24), 19. Cole Bodine (22), 20. Karsyn Elledge (23), 21. Zane Hendricks (18), 22. Jerry Coons Jr. (17), 23. Justin Peck (19), 24. Tony DiMattia (9). NT
2019 NIGHT #2 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting position in parentheses) 1. Kevin Thomas Jr. (4), 2. Justin Grant (3), 3. Zeb Wise (6), 4. Jason McDougal (2), 5. C.J. Leary (8), 6. Chris Windom (1), 7. Tucker Klaasmeyer (12), 8. Logan Seavey (13), 9. Tyler Courtney (5), 10. Thomas Meseraull (10), 11. Jesse Colwell (15), 12. Chad Boat (7), 13. Jake Neuman (16), 14. Ace McCarthy (14), 15. Dillon Welch (11), 16. Andrew Layser (22), 17. Holley Hollan (17), 18. Jerry Coons Jr. (20), 19. Zane Hendricks (19), 20. Cole Bodine (21), 21. Tanner Carrick (9), 22. Sterling Cling (24), 23. Dave Darland (18), 24. Ethan Mitchell (23). NT
2021 NIGHT #1 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Emerson Axsom (2), 2. Cannon McIntosh (3), 3. Chris Windom (1), 4. Justin Grant (9), 5. Buddy Kofoid (8), 6. Daison Pursley (4), 7. Tanner Thorson (17), 8. Ethan Mitchell (12), 9. Kevin Thomas Jr. (13), 10. Thomas Meseraull (16), 11. Bryant Wiedeman (7), 12. Kyle Cummins (14), 13. Logan Seavey (10), 14. Clinton Boyles (15), 15. Hayden Reinbold (18), 16. Brandon Waelti (20), 17. Bryan Stanfill (19), 18. Chase Randall (5), 19. Brenham Crouch (6), 20. Jason McDougal (11). NT
2021 NIGHT #2 FEATURE: (30 laps, starting positions in parentheses) 1. Chris Windom (1), 2. Buddy Kofoid (8), 3. Kevin Thomas Jr. (13), 4. Tanner Thorson (7), 5. Emerson Axsom (6), 6. Justin Grant (5), 7. Logan Seavey (9), 8. Thomas Meseraull (11), 9. Brenham Crouch (16), 10. Kyle Cummins (4), 11. Cannon McIntosh (12), 12. Chase Randall (2), 13. Bryant Wiedeman (14), 14. Clinton Boyles (18), 15. Jason McDougal (15), 16. Ethan Mitchell (10), 17. Hayden Reinbold (17), 18. Brandon Waelti (20), 19. Daison Pursley (3), 20. Bryan Stanfill (19). NT