Thursday, June 8, 2017

Sunshine and The Kiwi Open Indiana Midget Week With Wins

The annual USAC Indiana Midget Week featuring six straight nights of racing around the Hoosier state kicked off on Tuesday night at the Montpelier Motor Speedway and then made the short trip west to Gas City on Wednesday night drawing large and enthusiastic crowds at each.

This was the second year in a row that I was able to attend these two events and my enjoyment was enhanced by the fact that I was able to sit with friends and neighbors despite the fact that we were all six or more hours from home.

Last year's opener at Montpelier was threatened by rain and ran late into the night. This year a lack of moisture in the surface created another long night as 41 Midgets, 20 wingless Sprints and 27 UMP Modifieds filled the pit area. Qualifying for all three divisions got underway shortly after the 6 p.m. schedule and by the time those were completed the cushion in turn two had been pushed all the way over the top of the banking. The Midget heats were dusty, but entertaining and thank goodness the stiff breeze was coming from behind the grandstand otherwise it might have been unbearable. When the Sprints came to the track for their three heats it was like they were skating on ice and the winners found that a light throttle right around the bottom was the way to go.

Officials knew that this would not be acceptable so out came the grader even before the four Modified heats and the entire track was turned over in the hour long session. I took advantage of the break to get in my walk around the sleepy northeast Indiana town and I returned just in time for the Midget C-Main. Modified heats followed with some good racing and the dust increased with each before the Midget B-Main was contested. It was now just past 10:30 and so instead of coming back with the Modified B, USAC officials called up the Midget headliner and the 23-car field was pushed to the track.

Yes, the dust would fly, but the action was intense as the drivers were able to use the entire track for the thirty lap finale with pole-sitter Alex Bright setting the early pace as drivers dodged and darted for position just behind him. Tyler Courtney, sporting the nickname "Sunshine" and current NASCAR Cup point leader Kyle Larson started in row three and both made quick moves to the front with Courtney's being more successful taking the lead on lap five. Larson made it up to third early before being shuffled back to sixth as Courtney pulled away to a big advantage.

When Tyler Thomas stopped at the top of turn four on lap 27 that would setup a three-lap dash to the checkers with Courtney once again in sight of his challengers. Sunshine was not to be denied though as he again pulled away over the final laps helped out by the fact that those behind him were waging a thrilling four-wide war for second. Brady Bacon had lined up for the restart in second, but at the finish he had been dropped to fourth with New Zealand's Michael Pickens and Larson getting by him at the checkers while Alex Bright, the current ARDC Midget point leader held on for fifth.

It was now just before 11 p.m. and with work commitments the following morning I was forced to skip the remaining events for the Modifieds and Sprints. While the Modifieds had nothing to do with the delay, after my two experiences here I would suggest that Montpelier go with only the Midgets and the Sprints if they are once again the opener of this week of racing in 2018 because as proven on Wednesday night at Gas City, these two divisions are more than enough to put on a fantastic show.

My friends were able to secure the best seats in the house at Gas City and I was relieved to see standing water on the track just before the 31 sprint Cars were called out for wheel packing before their combined hot laps and qualifying session. Tonight's track had character and while it did require some re-working on two occasions, they were quick sessions and helped the racing go from great to fantastic!

The Midgets were first up come feature time and for the second night in the row Alex Bright would bring the field to green for thirty laps from the pole position. Defending USAC National Champion Tanner Thorson would grab the lead though with Justin Grant taking up the challenge. Grant would bicycle in turn one on lap three though stalling his car and on the restart Ryan Robinson and Zach Daum would tangle in turn two sending all three contenders to the back of the field. Once back to racing Rico Abreu would swing wide around Thorson to take the lead on lap seven and he would first pull away a bit before Thorson reeled him back in to challenge. With Thorson now digging on the inside he and Abreu were locked in a battle for the lead when the red flag waved on lap 18 for a flip in turn one. Chance Morton who had won the C-Main, then raced his way into the top six in the B to earn an eleventh row starting spot in the feature was climbing out of his car uninjured after getting up to twelfth before the crash.

When the green waved the race for the lead resumed with Thorson getting by Abreu on lap twenty and the action was enhanced by Kyle Larson's charge on the outside making it a three-car battle. Larson had a big run on lap twenty-two, but he got sideways on the cushion in turn four and was just not able to make the save bringing out the caution once again. For the restart the previous night's top two, Courtney and Pickens were now in contention, but after one more lap of racing Courtney coasted to a stop to necessitate the final caution of the event with eight laps to go.

Pickens was the fourth fastest qualifier on the evening, but failed to transfer from his heat so he had to win the B-Main to make the show and he was announced as to be starting the feature just outside of the invert in seventh. However, as the field formed for the start he was on the inside of row six for some reason and perhaps he just wanted to make it more interesting for the group of fans that had come from New Zealand on a Motor Sports Tour to watch him compete for two weeks. On the restart Pickens applied the pressure to Thorson and when Tanner bobbled at the exit of turn four, Pickens tried to get under the leader who squeezed them both down nearly getting into the infield grass. This allowed Brady Bacon to join the battle and after being cut off down low, Pickens looked one line higher than Thorson and took over the lead with four laps remaining. Thorson tried to get back to the lead for a third time in this race, but he now had Bacon to deal with as the New Zealanders waved their flags with pride as Pickens scored the win. The race for second was too close to call with the transponders giving it to Bacon while Thorson was a dejected third-place finisher. Abreu would hold down fourth as Spencer Bayston came from the seventh row to finish fifth.

Very few fans made their way to the parking lot as the Sprint Cars came to the track for 25-laps to close out the evening and with Brady Bacon and Kevin Thomas Jr. starting from the front row you had to figure that this one would be a two-car battle. Shane Cottle had other plans though as he found a bite through the middle and drove past both of the rim riding leaders on lap eight. Caution waved for a slowing Logan Jarrett on lap thirteen and on the restart Bacon pounded the cushion once again to drive past Cottle on lap sixteen. A Kyle Simon spin with five laps to go saw Thomas searching for a new line and he found it on the restart entering turn one above the cushion and then vaulting through the middle off turn two to take second from Cottle. He was gaining on Bacon as well, but running out of laps until Travis Hery spun in turn one just as the lead duo took the white flag. Under USAC's method of split scoring there would be just one lap remaining on the restart and that one lap alone would be worth the price of admission on this night as Thomas used his new line to get a run on Bacon off of turn two. However, with Brady sliding up the track on the back stretch, Thomas stabbed the brakes and then dove into turn three to execute the perfect slide job catching the cushion in four to take the win. Bacon would hold off Cottle for second, Justin Grant was fourth and Robert Ballou came from the seventh row to finish fifth.

What a great night of racing and all completed by 11 p.m.! While Midget Week continues here in Indiana I will return home to Iowa anticipating another great weekend of open wheel racing, this time with the winged 410 Sprints as the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Cars are at the Knoxville Raceway Friday and Saturday night, I will be there for Saturday, and then the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions will be at 34 Raceway on Sunday night.

Hope to see you there!!

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