By Richie Murray
Speedway, Indiana (July 7, 2026)………This week, it’s back to Mid-America for the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship.
USAC Mid-America Midget Week presents Great Plains bullring USAC action between July 7-11 across three states with four events in a span of five nights across Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.
Starting the week is a return to Missouri’s Sweet Springs Motorsports on Tuesday, July 7. Then, the series heads down the road to Beloit, Kansas for the 15th running of the Chad McDaniel Memorial at the Mitchell County Fairgrounds Raceway on Wednesday, July 8.
Closing out the Mid-America adventure is Fairbury, Nebraska’s Jefferson County Speedway for two consecutive evenings on Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11, for the Midwest Midget Championship, culminating with a 40-lap feature paying $10,000-to-win on the final night.
An entire week’s worth of excitement awaits a trio of racy bullrings. And we’re ready for it! So, here are some of the storylines that are on the horizon at Mid-America Midget Week 2026.
KTJ LEADS POINTS
Kevin Thomas Jr. leads the USAC National Midget points by five markers entering the Mid-America Midget Week stretch as he vies for his first career USAC national driving title.
Last week, he and 4 Kings Racing picked up their first ever USAC National Midget victory on the opening night of the BC39 at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, then followed it up with a runner-up result the very next night.
The Cullman, Alabama racer has won twice on the Mid-America Midget Week tour, both at Beloit, Kansas’ Mitchell County Fairgrounds in 2015 and 2018.
CANNON BOOMING
Cannon McIntosh is back in for the entirety of Mid-America Midget Week in a Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports entry.
The reigning USAC National Midget champion has been victorious at two of the three tracks on this week’s slate. He’s won at Sweet Springs on three occasions in 2020, 2022, and 2025. He also won the big $10,000 payday at Jefferson County in 2025.
In seven USAC National Midget start this year, his average finish is 4.7.
DRAKE’S SUPER SPECIAL PLACE
Kale Drake is quite fond of Sweet Springs. His father raced micros there, and Kale also raced there extensively in micros himself. Just last year, Drake added a USAC National Midget victory at Sweet Springs in quite dramatic fashion.
The Collinsville, Oklahoma native is fresh off a top five finish at the BC39 and is now vying for his first USAC National Midget win of the season for RMS Racing, with whom he joined at the start of the 2026 calendar.
MILLER BACK IN THE HIGH LIFE AGAIN
Gavin Miller has been knocking on the door for his first win of the 2026 USAC National Midget season. He’s finished as the runner-up twice this year, first in April at Kokomo and again just last week on the dirt at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Last year, Mid-America Midget Week was where the Allentown, Pennsylvania racer got rolling. His victory at Jefferson County kicked off a stretch in which he won three out of four USAC National Midget features.
DENNEY COMING UP CLOSE
Jacob Denney, likewise, is coming off a solid result at IMS last week after finishing 3rd in the BC39 finale.
The Galloway, Ohio native is currently in the thick of a heated USAC National Midget championship battle, trailing Kevin Thomas Jr. by a mere five points entering Mid-America Midget Week.
In pursuit of his first career USAC National Midget title, Denney won in April at Kokomo, and back in 2023, was a victor at Sweet Springs.
GRANT IN PURSUIT
Justin Grant is just 27 points out of the USAC National Midget point lead in third, as he tries to track down his first career USAC National Midget and finish the final leg of the USAC career Triple Crown.
Grant has won twice during Mid-America Midget Week with both coming at Jefferson County Speedway in 2018 and 2024.
He’s been oh-so-close to winning at the two other tracks on this week’s schedule, taking second at Mitchell County in 2017 and was the runner-up on both trips to Sweet Springs in 2025.
EDWARDS IN DEFENSE
Drake Edwards had quite a topsy-turvy time last week during the BC39. After initially winning the preliminary night feature, his team’s car was deemed illegal due to exceeding the RPM limits which, therefore, stripped Edwards of his second career USAC National Midget victory.
It was Mid-America Midget Week 2025 where the Peoria, Arizona driver gained his first career USAC National Midget victory, winning the Chad McDaniel Memorial round at Mitchell County. Edwards plans to defend his throne in the event this coming Wednesday in a Chase McDermand Racing entry.
RACE DETAILS:
On Tuesday night, July 7, at Sweet Springs, Missouri’s Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex, the program features the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship, plus non-wing micros. Pits open at 4pm Central with the grandstands opening at 5pm, the drivers meeting at 6:15pm and cars on track at 6:45pm with qualifying and racing to follow. General admission tickets are $25 for ages 13 on up. Kids age 6-12 are $10. Children age 6 and under are free. Pit passes are $40.
On Wednesday night, July 8, it’s the 15th running of the Chad McDaniel Memorial at Beloit, Kansas’ Mitchell County Fairgrounds featuring the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship, plus the NOW600/Jayhusker Non-Wing Micro Sprints. Front gates open at 4pm Central with the drivers meeting at 6pm and hot laps at 6:30pm followed by qualifying and racing. General admission tickets are $25 with high school students and younger just $10. All access passes are available as well for $40 and will be available at the pit and main grandstand gate on the day of the show only.
To close out Mid-America Midget Week on Friday and Saturday, July 10-11, it’s on to Fairbury, Nebraska’s Jefferson County Speedway for two-straight nights of the Riverside Chevrolet Midwest Midget Championship presented by Westin Packaged Meats and Schmidt’s Sanitation featuring the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship & the Centennial Midget Series, plus the NOW600/Jayhusker Non-Wing Micro Sprints. Gates open at 5pm Central with the drivers meeting at 5:30 and cars on track at 6pm. General admission tickets are $25 on Friday and $30 on Saturday with high school students and younger just $10. Reserved seating is $60 for a two-day pass and is available online only at www.JeffersonCountySpeedway.com under the “Buy Tickets” tab. All access passes are available as well for $40 ($10 for kids 5 and under) and available at the pit gate on the day of the show only. A free concert will be held after the races both nights at the beer garden. A driver autograph session will be held in the grandstand area at 5:15pm Saturday.
On Thursday, July 9, USAC Midget practice plus a full race program for the NOW600/Jayhusker Non-Wing Micros will be held. There will be a free Shrimp Boil/BBQ at the track campground at 8pm CT after practice for all race teams, fans, etc. Gates open at 4pm Central. Cars hit the track at 5pm. General admission is just $15. High school students and younger are just $5. All access pit passes are $30 and will be available at the pit gate and front gate on the day of show only.
All four races of Mid-America Midget Week can be watched LIVE on FloRacing at https://flosports.link/usac2026.
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USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Kevin Thomas Jr.-552, 2-Jacob Denney-547, 3-Justin Grant-525, 4-Kale Drake-493, 5-Jakeb Boxell-490, 6-Zach Wigal-486, 7-Gavin Miller-480, 8-Gunnar Setser-454, 9-Logan Seavey-453, 10-Cannon McIntosh-444.
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USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINS AT SWEET SPRINGS MOTORSPORTS COMPLEX:
3-Cannon McIntosh
2-Buddy Kofoid & Logan Seavey
1-Tanner Carrick, Jacob Denney & Kale Drake
USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINNERS AT SWEET SPRINGS MOTORSPORTS COMPLEX:
2018: Logan Seavey (7/15)
2019: Tanner Carrick (7/14)
2020: Cannon McIntosh (9/4) & Buddy Kofoid (9/5)
2022: Cannon McIntosh (9/9) & Buddy Kofoid (9/10)
2023: Jacob Denney (5/21)
2024: Logan Seavey (5/19)
2025: Kale Drake (5/18) & Cannon McIntosh (7/8)
SWEET SPRINGS MOTORSPORTS COMPLEX USAC NATIONAL MIDGET TRACK RECORDS:
1 Lap – 9/9/2022 – Ethan Mitchell – 11.361
10 Laps – 5/21/2023 – Cannon McIntosh – 1:58.47
12 Laps – 9/9/2022 – Jace Park – 2:35.70
30 Laps – 9/9/2022 – Cannon McIntosh – 6:45.81
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MITCHELL COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINS:
2-Christopher Bell, Bryan Clauson & Kevin Thomas Jr.
1-Drake Edwards, Thomas Meseraull, Daison Pursley, Tanner Thorson & Bryant Wiedeman
MITCHELL COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINNERS:
2013: Christopher Bell (7/30)
2014: Bryan Clauson (7/29)
2015: Kevin Thomas Jr. (7/28)
2016: Bryan Clauson (8/3)
2017: Christopher Bell (8/2)
2018: Kevin Thomas Jr. (7/11)
2021: Tanner Thorson (7/15)
2022: Thomas Meseraull (7/13)
2023: Bryant Wiedeman (7/12)
2024: Daison Pursley (7/10)
2025: Drake Edwards (7/9)
MITCHELL COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS USAC NATIONAL MIDGET TRACK RECORDS:
1 Lap – 7/11/2018 – Holly Shelton – 11.944
10 Laps – 8/3/2016 – Ryan Greth – 2:02.67
12 Laps – 7/15/2021 – Daison Pursley – 2:32.00
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JEFFERSON COUNTY SPEEDWAY USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINS:
3-Tanner Thorson
2-Tyler Courtney & Justin Grant
1-Emerson Axsom, Chad Boat, Buddy Kofoid, Jason McDougal, Cannon McIntosh, Gavin Miller, Mitchel Moles, Logan Seavey, Ryan Timms & Chris Windom
JEFFERSON COUNTY SPEEDWAY USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINNERS:
2016: Chad Boat (8/2)
2017: Tanner Thorson (8/1)
2018: Justin Grant (7/14)
2019: Jason McDougal (7/12) & Tyler Courtney (7/13)
2020: Chris Windom (7/17) & Tyler Courtney (7/18)
2021: Tanner Thorson (7/16) & Emerson Axsom (7/17)
2022: Mitchel Moles (7/15) & Buddy Kofoid (7/16)
2023: Logan Seavey (7/14) & Tanner Thorson (7/15)
2024: Justin Grant (7/12) & Ryan Timms (7/13)
2025: Gavin Miller (7/11) & Cannon McIntosh (7/12)
JEFFERSON COUNTY SPEEDWAY USAC NATIONAL MIDGET TRACK RECORDS:
1 Lap – 7/12/2019 – Logan Seavey – 10.685
10 Laps – 7/16/2021 – Justin Grant – 1:50.360
12 Laps – 7/11/2025 – Hayden Reinbold – 2:18.259