By Richie Murray
Speedway, Indiana (December 10, 2025)………The USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship will face 29 events throughout the 2026 season from April through November at dirt tracks in Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio and California.
NEW TO THE SCHEDULE
Two Illinois venues are brand new to the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship in 2026, having never before appeared on the series’ schedule in its 70-year history.
The 1/8-mile bullring of Coles County Speedway in Mattoon, Illinois greets the series for two-straight nights of racing on August 14-15. The following night, Jacksonville Speedway’s 1/4-mile makes its debut to cap the three-race weekend swing through the Illini state.
START IT UP IN KOKOMO
Once again, the season will fire up with back-to-back nights of the Kokomo Grand Prix at Indiana’s Kokomo Speedway on April 24-25. The 1/4-mile dirt oval has hosted 91 USAC National Midget events dating back to USAC’s inaugural season in 1956.
INDIANA MIDGET WEEK
For the 22nd consecutive year, USAC Indiana Midget Week hits the Hoosier state for a sensational six-race tour over six consecutive nights. Circle City Raceway kicks it off on June 9, followed by dates at Paragon Speedway on June 10 and Honest Abe Roofing Lincoln Park Speedway on June 11. The action-packed weekend concludes in style with Bloomington Speedway on June 12, Tri-State Speedway on June 13 and Kokomo Speedway on June 14.
BC39 DATES SET
One of the crown jewels of USAC National Midget racing, the BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors, is back in the same summer slot in 2026. The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will host the eighth running of the grand event on back-to-back nights on June 30-July 1.
MID-AMERICA MIDGET WEEK
Mid-America’s midsummer tradition of USAC National Midget racing continues into the coming year with four dates in a five night span. At press time, the July 7 opening night slot remains TBA. Set in stone are the final three races of the Great Plains tour on July 8 for the 15th edition of the Chad McDaniel Memorial at Beloit, Kansas’ Mitchell County Fairgrounds. The Midwest Midget Championship follows with a pair of shows at Jefferson County Speedway on the fairgrounds in Fairbury, Nebraska
REMEMBER SEPTEMBER
September’s agenda feature two of the most famous dirt tracks in the United States, and two of the most enduring annually contested midget events in the land. The 41st running of the Firemen’s Nationals is slated for September 6 at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, located on the same property as the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame.
For two nights late in the month, the mighty midgets will look to conquer the only half-mile on the docket as they hit Rossburg, Ohio’s Eldora Speedway for two nights of the 44th running of the 4-Crown Nationals on September 24 and 26.
GOLDEN STATE INVASION
By November, competitors will be making their final quests in the race for the 2026 USAC National Midget championship. The Golden State Invasion of consists of seven races across California. The Hangtown 100 presents the lone 100-lap USAC National Midget main event of the year, and it’s going to be prime for two nights of thrills at Placerville Speedway on November 13-14.
Visalia’s Plaza Park will host the series for the first time ever on November 18, while the second running of the Chase Johnson Classic has expanded to two nights at Merced Speedway on November 20-21.
The 12th Jason Leffler Memorial is back in its California home on November 24 at the Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway. The season finale brings us to the granddaddy of all USAC National Midget racing events, the 85th Turkey Night Grand Prix, on November 28, at the seaside oval of Ventura Raceway.
2026 USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Apr 24 – Kokomo Speedway – Kokomo, IN – Kokomo Grand Prix – 1/4 M
Apr 25 – Kokomo Speedway – Kokomo, IN – Kokomo Grand Prix – 1/4 M
Jun 9 – Circle City Raceway – Indianapolis, IN – USAC Indiana Midget Week – 1/4 M
Jun 10 – Paragon Speedway – Paragon, IN – USAC Indiana Midget Week – 3/8 M
Jun 11 – Lincoln Park Speedway – Putnamville, IN – USAC Indiana Midget Week – 5/16 M
Jun 12 – Bloomington Speedway – Bloomington, IN – USAC Indiana Midget Week – 1/4 M
Jun 13 – Tri-State Speedway – Haubstadt, IN – USAC Indiana Midget Week – 1/4 M
Jun 14 – Kokomo Speedway – Kokomo, IN – USAC Indiana Midget Week – 1/4 M
Jun 30 – The Dirt Track at IMS – Speedway, IN – BC39 – 1/5 M
Jul 1 – The Dirt Track at IMS – Speedway, IN – BC39 – 1/5 M
Jul 7 – TBA
Jul 8 – Mitchell County Fairgrounds – Beloit, KS – Chad McDaniel Memorial – 1/4 M
Jul 10 – Jefferson County Speedway – Fairbury, NE – Midwest Midget Championship – 1/5 M
Jul 11 – Jefferson County Speedway – Fairbury, NE – Midwest Midget Championship – 1/5 M
Aug 14 – Coles County Speedway – Mattoon, IL – King of Coles – 1/8 M
Aug 15 – Coles County Speedway – Mattoon, IL – King of Coles – 1/8 M
Aug 16 – Jacksonville Speedway – Jacksonville, IL – 1/4 M
Sep 4 – TBA
Sep 6 – Angell Park Speedway – Sun Prairie, WI – Firemen’s Nationals – 1/3 M
Sep 7 – TBA
Sep 24 – Eldora Speedway – Rossburg, OH – 4-Crown Nationals – 1/2 M
Sep 26 – Eldora Speedway – Rossburg, OH – 4-Crown Nationals – 1/2 M
Nov 13 – Placerville Speedway – Placerville, CA – Hangtown 100 – 1/4 M
Nov 14 – Placerville Speedway – Placerville, CA – Hangtown 100 – 1/4 M
Nov 18 – Plaza Park Raceway – Visalia, CA – 1/5 M
Nov 20 – Merced Speedway – Merced, CA – Chase Johnson Classic – 1/4 M
Nov 21 – Merced Speedway – Merced, CA – Chase Johnson Classic – 1/4 M
Nov 24 – Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway – Bakersfield, CA – Jason Leffler Memorial – 1/3 M
Nov 28 – Ventura Raceway – Ventura, CA – Turkey Night Grand Prix – 1/5 M