Kyle Larson won Tuesday’s opening round of the 16th Annual USAC Indiana Midget Week at Paragon Speedway with a late-race pass of Tanner Thorson four laps from the finish to claim his sixth consecutive win behind the wheel between World of Outlaws, All Star and USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget competition over the past couple of weeks.
The victory also marked Larson’s eighth straight victory when competing in a midget inside the United States, with victories in the final three USAC National Midget features to conclude the 2019 season in California at Placerville, Bakersfield and Ventura, then both nights of the Gateway Dirt Nationals in St. Louis during the month of December. He then promptly won his first two starts of 2020 in January with a prelim win and a final night triumph at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Larson’s sixth career Indiana Midget Week win, which ranks second all-time behind Bryan Clauson’s nine, was also the 20th of his USAC National Midget career, tying him with A.J. Foyt for 32nd all-time. And it came in the first USAC National Midget race held at Paragon since 1985.
Prior to Tuesday night, only once had Larson visited Paragon Speedway. That occasion came as a spectator of a sprint car race at the 3/8-mile several years ago.
“I’ve been waiting a long time to come here to Paragon to get my chance to race,” Larson said. “I’m glad I could add my name to the winner’s list here.”
Thorson finished second, followed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chris Windom and Justin Grant. The rest of the top 10 were Tanner Carrick, Tyler Courtney, Logan Seavey, Buddy Kofoid and Kevin Thomas Jr.
Larson then won both the June 17 race at Gas City I-69 Speedway and the June 18 race at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville to start off the 2020 Indiana USAC Midget Week with three wins in fie first three races.
The USAC Indiana Midget Week races tonight at Lawrenceburg Speedway and Sunday night at Kokomo Speedway to conclude the week.
Brownstown
race results
Matt Boknecht of Seymour became the third different winner in three super stock feature events on June 13 at Brownstown Speedway. For the first time this season, the track was allowed to have race fans in the main grandstand, and a good-sized crowd was on hand for the five divisions of racing.
Boknecht held off fellow Seymour racer Jamey Wilson to score the feature win. Steve Hollars, who won last week’s feature race, was third, followed by Trey Chastain of Bedford and J.T. Huffman of Salem. Completing the top 10 in the super stock main event were Josh Divine, Derek Clegg, Webb Lee, Colton Sullivan and Josh Turner.
The super stock heats were taken by Boknecht, Huffman and Chastain. Tommy East won the consy.
Dusten Carr of Underwood won the Don Russ Tribute pure stock special feature over Dalton Fleenor of Salem, Dave Palmer of Clarksville, Josh Hayes of Seymour and Mickey Hines of Scipio. Rounding out the top 10 were Troy Clark, Daniel Moore, Keaton Streeval, Brent McMillan and Tanner Huffman.
The pure stock heats were won by Mark Hines, Palmer and Carr. Zach Hoover took the B-main.
Shelby Miles became the first two-time winner this season in the pro late model division. The Bloomington racer led Steve Peeden of Paragon, Tyler Neal of Paragon, Marty O’Neal of Spencer and Billy Green of Walton, Kentucky, across the finish line. The remainder of the top five in the pro late model feature race were Bra Barrow, Tyler Collins, Keegan Cox, Isaac Rainey and Raymond Humphrey.
The pro late model heat races went to Neal, Peeden and Mason Covey. Josh Boller won the B-main.
Derek Groomer, also of Bloomington, took his first open wheel modified feature of the year, surviving a tightly-contested battle with Ryan Thomas of Brownstown and Bloomington’s Jordan Wever. Tim Rivers of Salem took fourth, with Bill Lewis of Lynn completing the top five drivers. The rest of the top ten in the open wheel modified feature race were Shawn Negangard, Colin Green, Zachary Stalker, Jake Leitzman and Jeremy Helton.
The modified heat races were won by Groomer, Wever and Jacoby Hines. Michael Fish took the consy win.
The crown vics division made their season debut at Brownstown for 2020, with Aaron Seay of Jeffersonville taking the win in the feature over Eric Lewis, Brandon Cranmer, Carl Harding and Phillip Boudreaux.
Tonight, Brownstown will host the pro late models, modifieds, RaceSaver 305 sprints and the MMSA mini-sprints. The MSCS sprint car show scheduled for tonight has been cancelled due to scheduling conflicts. The hornet division has been added to tonight’s program. For more info, visit brownstownspeedway.com.
This week in
racing history
From 50 years ago tonight in 1970 at Brownstown, Jack Owens won the feature race over John Warner, Ira Bastin, Jim Curry and Gene Dalton.
Also from 1970 at Bloomington Speedway, Bob Kinser won the sprint car feature over Dick Gaines, Bob Papoy, Rex Mitchell and Danny Bowlen.
From 50 years ago this weekend at Haubstadt, Larry Miller won the sprint car main event over Bob Kinser, Richard Poe, Rex Mitchell and Chuck Amati.
From 40 years ago at Brownstown, Ray Godsey won the late model feature over Paul Crockett, Kenny Simpson, Pete Willoughby and Charlie Reed. Ernie Barrow took the hobby stock feature Tony Moore, Lee Fleetwood, Cooley Singer and Mike Jewell. Scott Holt won the street stock main over Mac Swim, Larry Kiser and Bob Johnson.
Also from 1980 at Putnamville, Russ Petro won the late model feature over Ray Godsey, Larry Taylor, Roger Absher and Carl Collins.
From 40 years ago at Haubstadt in 1980, it was Tom Helfrich winning the late model feature over Ira Bastin, Fred Gerteisen, Jim Curry and Doug McCammon.
The brand-new Charlestown Motor Speedway in Charlestown opened this weekend in 1980 with Paul Crockett winning the late model feature over Godsey, Willoughby, Collins and James Underwood. Roger Zellner won the hobby stock feature over Steve Boley, Marvin Strong, Bobby Carrier Sr. and Mike Jewell. Bud Seymour won the street stock feature race.
Also from 1980, Russ Petro won the late model feature at Twin Cities over Tommy Day, Buck Ridenour, Johnny Robbins and Dee Kramer. Jack Smith took the street stock feature over R.C. Calton, Bill Franks, Troy Burton and Larry Plessinger.
From 20 years ago in 2000 at Brownstown, Steve Barnett won the late model feature over Richie Hedrick, Brett Davis, Steven Godsey and Doug Ault. Tim Clark took the street stock feature race over Greg Kendall, Brad Cummings, Keith Deppe and Mike Fields. Matt Bex won the bomber feature over John Phelps, Troy Clark, Rick Applegate and Andrew Davis.
