Tanner Thorson had suffered two blown engines in two nights as his Hayward Motorsports team was dealt a bad hand in the two races leading up to the June 21 Indiana Midget Week finale at KokomoSpeedway.
Out of powerplants and out of options, the team received a lifeline in the 11th hour from none other than a fellow competitor. A middle-of-the-night scramble ensued, and a borrowed Toyota engine was installed in his car.
Despite the lack of sleep, the thrashing and the unknowns that were unloaded from their trailer on Sunday night, Thorson still believed that all signs pointed to victory.
“For some reason, I felt like it was going to be the day to win. I don’t know why,” Thorson admitted. “I went to bed about 4:30 or 5 this morning and got back up at 8. Dave McIntosh, Cannon Mcintosh’s father, is the reason why were able to race tonight. He and Cody Cordell, who takes care of all of Cannon’s personal equipment. I can’t thank them enough for allowing us to borrow a motor and be able to race.”
Thorson and Team Hayward defied all the odds that were stacked against them to claim their third USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget victory of the season with a slip underneath on a late-race restart with three laps remaining, then outlasting 2020 Indiana Midget Week champion Kyle Larson to beat him to the line in a photo finish by half a car length — 0.065-second.
Thorson’s 16th career USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget feature victory moved him into the top 40 all-time alongside Rico Abreu, George Amick, Billy Cantrell, Lee Kunzman, Bobby Olivero and Henry Pens.
Larson wins Lawrenceburg
A one-race “losing” streak was more than enough for Kyle Larson to endure as he got back on the winning track and returned to Victory Lane on June 20 in the penultimate round of Indiana Midget Week at Lawrenceburg Speedway.
The Elk Grove, California, native had won eight features in a row across USAC, World of Outlaws and All Star competition over the past couple of weeks prior to finishing as the runner-up on June 19 at Lincoln Park Speedway’s Indiana Midget Week event.
Larson’s impressive victory at “The Burg” came on a late-race restart with four laps remaining as he slid by leader Thomas Meseraull for the pinnacle position to earn his fourth Indiana Midget Week score in the last five nights and his ninth career victory at IMW, tying him atop the all-time list for most IMW wins with Bryan Clauson.
The triumph was also Larson’s 23rd in the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget division, moving him into the top 20 all-time alongside Christopher Bell, Tom Bigelow, Pancho Carter, Tommy Copp, Kevin Olson and Billy Vukovich.
Jennings go-kart results
The Jennings County Outlaw Kart Racing, which holds events on Friday Nights at the Jennings County 4-H Fairgrounds in North Vernon, conducted its second event of the 2020 season on June 19.
Race winners were T.J. Garris (380 clone), Jacob Beck (340 clone), Payton Watts (beginner box stock), Jentry Cash (rookies), Connor Perry (youth champ), Ethan Turner (jr. champ), Kevin Cunningham (rwyb and flat heads), Jake Roell (jr. 1), Layden Burton (boxstock outlaw), Jacob Chadd (jr. 2), Aaron Fields (limited open), Kyle Thayer (400 clone), Robert Doyle (senior champ) and Evan Shatto (jr. 3).
Miles wins again at Brownstown
Shelby Miles of Bloomington made it 3-for-3 this season winning the pro late model feature on June 20 at Brownstown Speedway. Tyler Neal of Paragon finished second to Miles, with Greg Kendall of Paoli, Tyler Cain of Seymour and Tyler Collins of North Vernon rounding out the top five finishers.
The rest of the top 10 in the pro late model main were Alan Magner, Brad Cummings, Isaac Rainey, Keegan Cox and Raymond Humphrey.
In preliminary action for the 33 entrants, heat races were won by Steve Peeden, Neal, Miles and Collins. Colton Sullivan won the B-main.
Cole Falloway of Owensboro, Kentucky won his first career Brownstown modified feature. Jared Bailey of Bedford was second; followed by Jacoby Hines of Trafalgar; Bryan Barber of Buffalo, Kentucky, and Brayden Watson of Bloomington trailing the victor. Completing the top 10 in the modified feature were Trent Green, Shawn Negangard, Matthew Morris, Michael Wesselman and Bobby Burleson.
Heat races for the 27 cars on hand were taken by Bailey, Matt Hamilton and Green. Matt Boknecht took the A-main.
The hornet division feature came down to the checkered flag with Gage Clark of Cross Plains barely edging out Lucas Jackson of North Vernon for the win. Brian Mitchell of Salem took third, with Bryce Burton of Edinburgh coming home in fourth and Jaden Mayhan of Elizabethtown finished fifth. The rest of the top 10 finishers in the hornet main event were Dylan Wheeler, Tony Lucas, Donnie Modesty, Warren Hopkins and Shane Wheeler.
The heat races for the 32 entrants were won by Jackson, Mitchell, Cordell Moore and Clark. Michael Brewer won the B-main.
Ethan Barrow of Bloomington took the top honors in the RaceSaver 305 sprint cars. Bradley Sterrett and Andy Bradley finished behind their fellow Monroe County resident, with Ryan Tusing and Bradley Galeridge taking fourth and fifth at the end.
Tonight, Brownstown will host “Kids Night” with a full racing program of super late models, pro late models, modifieds, super stocks and hornets. For more info, visit brownstownspeedway.com
All-Star midgets kick off season
Tony Stewart’s All-Star Circuit of Champions TQ Midgets finally was able to kick-off its 2020 season on June 20 at the Rush County 4-H Fairgrounds in Rushville. A field of 28 cars were on hand, with Joey Paxson of Connersville taking the feature win.
Hometown driver Matthew Hedrick finished in second, followed by Ron Combs of Greensburg, Matt Lux of Manilla and Ayrton Olsen. Completing the top 10 finishers in the feature were Austin Nemire, Addison True, Adam Bolyard, Johnny Goff and Ashlea Albertson.
In preliminary action Paxson, Combs, Tate Martz and Stephen Davis won heat races. The semi-feature went to Lux.
The next three scheduled events for the series will be in Rushville on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This week in racing history
From this weekend in 1970 at Brownstown, Jack Owens won the late model feature over Dick Brinegar, Junior Pace, Ira Bastin and Gene Dalton.
Also from 50 years ago this weekend at Paragon Speedway, there were two sprint car features run. The winners were Danny Bowlen and Orval Yeadon.
From 1970 at Haubstadt, Larry Miller won the sprint car feature race over Chuck Amati, Rex Mitchell and Gene Henson.
From 40 years ago in 1980 at Charlestown Motor Speedway, Ira Bastin won the late model feature over Pete Willoughby, Paul Crockett, Russ Petro and Dick Phillips. Steve Trabue grabbed the hobby stock feature over Bobby Carrier Sr., John Mull, Steve Boley and Steve Brown. Larry Plessinger won the street stock feature over Bill Franks, Chuck Gilpin and Willie Sallee.
Also from 1980 at Haubstadt, Tom Helfrich won the late model feature race over Ira Bastin, Fred Gerteisen, Don Hester and Terry Messenger.
In 1980 at Putnamville, Noel Witcher won the late model feature over Ray Godsey, Roger Absher, Steve Barnett and Denny Carpenter.
From 30 years ago in 1990 at Brownstown, Bob Pierce won the Hoosier Dirt Classic for late models over John Gill, Doug McCammon, Jim Curry and Ray Godsey. Scott Patman won the street stock feature race over Darren Davis, Mark Barber, Dave Kerr and Gary Green. Ray Hughes took the bomber feature over Brad Schlehuser, Kevin Sebastian, Bob Johnson and Dennis Barber.
Also from 1990 at Bloomington Speedway, Todd Shields won the sprint car feature over Tray House, Gary Trammell, Kelly Kinser and Jeff Pritchard.
James Esses writes a motorsports notebook for The Republic. Send comments to sports@therepublic.com.
