The USAC National Midgets returned to Mitchell County Fairgrounds Raceway on a hot Wednesday night for the 15th annual Chad McDaniel Memorial, featuring a thrilling 30-lap feature among 24 cars.
Jacob Denney, who last won earlier this year in the National Midget Series Championship in the second race at Kokomo Speedway, was seeking another in-season victory. He put on a trio of good consecutive finishes from Paragon Speedway through Bloomington Speedway. However, Denney had a great car in Beloit, Kansas, and won after starting from the third position and maintaining his composure amid numerous late-race yellows.
“I didn’t feel very good anywhere,” Denney said to Flo Racing on the frontstretch. “I started to do some different stuff, and I could make more speed down the straightaways. I felt good everywhere, but just not how I felt to run away (with the lead). I kept changing some stuff up and changing my restarts up. Just keep telling yourself to shut up under caution because you start getting in your head. Just want to thank my team. They have been busting their tails, and I’ve been complaining a lot, and I haven’t been the best, and we had some bad luck.
“They stuck to it, and they give me a great car every night. I just can’t thank them guys enough as well as my sponsors and everyone who makes this possible.”
Entering the event, there were 30 cars for 24 spots with four heat races, including a semi-feature. The heat races took the top five, while the semi-feature saw four cars transferring to the feature.
Prior to the heat races, there was a two-lap qualifying portion. One incident to note: Caiden Warren flipped up and over in the middle of Turns 1 and 2. As qualifying concluded, last year’s event winner, Drake Edwards set the fastest lap. This is the second time this week he did so after setting the pace Tuesday night in Missouri at the Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex. His lap time was 12.238 seconds.
In the first heat race, Kale Drake moved up four positions and took the heat win after using the bottom lane. After the eight-lap heat race was done, it was Drake who held on to get the victory. A fierce battle for the last transfer spot took place between Adam Trimble and Drew Sherman. However, it was Trimble who got the better advantage. Moving on were Drake, Bradley Cox, Jakeb Boxell, Edwards, and Trimble, the top five.
Ethan Mitchell started outside pole in the second heat and used the momentum to his advantage by taking the high side. Mitchell was greeted by a short battle with Mak Leopard in the waning laps, but Mitchell went on to take the win. The remaining transfer spots were Leopard, Cannon McIntosh, Kyle Jones, and Kevin Thomas Jr.
Justin Grant won the third heat race after starting in the third position on the inside lane right behind Trey Zorn, who started on the pole. Grant went straight to the top once the green flag waved and then made it three wide in Turns 3 and 4 between Zorn and Gaige Weldon. Taking the top five were Grant, Hayden Reinbold, Cale Coons, Brecken Reese, and Zorn.
For the fourth and final heat race, Gavin Miller made up four starts after starting fourth. Miller made the pass off the exit of Turns 1 and 2 using his momentum to help him win the heat. As the eight-lap heat was done, Miller, Denney, Garrett Benson, Sherrell, and Colton Robinson were the final five transfers for the heat races.
As for everyone else, their final hopes to make the main event would see a 12-lap semi-feature. Sherman and Weldon started on the front row. Sherman led the majority of the semi-feature, including the white flag lap. However, Brandon Carr worked the bottom lane and was wheel-to-wheel with the leader, Sherman. They nearly touched entering Turn 3. Following the near touch, Carr gathered it up and went on to claim the top spot in a thrilling 12-lap race.
Carr, Sherman, Weldon, and Zack Merritt were the final four transfers.
As track prep concluded, it was time for the 30-lap main event. McIntosh and Drake were your front row starters, followed by Denney and Brecken Reese. The green flag flew, and Drake led the opening lap with Reese, McIntosh, Denney, and Thomas Jr the top five. Drake got a little high on the cushion off Turn 4, which allowed Reese to close in and challenge for the lead.
With 18 laps to go, Denney moved into the second position and set his eyes on leader Drake. One lap later, with 17 to go, Denney had the lead cut down to half a second. With 16 to go, Denney was on the back of Drake. Drake would use the lap car of Merritt as a pick to try and slow Denney up. However, the move wasn’t enough for Drake, as Denney took the lead down the backstretch with 15 laps to go.
But the battle wasn’t done, as the two raced side-by-side with each other with 14 to go. Drake took the lead momentarily on the backstretch, however, Denney came back around the frontstretch to maintain the top spot. A near-miss almost took place when a caution came out with 13 laps to go. A car was stopped on the high side of Turns 1 and 2, which then saw Denney take action to avoid the sitting competitor, Weldon.
Following the brief stoppage, the race resumed. Denney began to break out with the lead, but a battle ensued from second through fourth with Drake, McIntosh, and Grant all challenging for position. McIntosh eventually got the better of the battle with eight laps to go and moved into second. While it looked as though the leader of Denney was going to check out with the lead, another caution happened with five laps to go.
The 27 of Kyle Jones slid off the track in Turns 3 and 4 to set up a five-lap run to the finish. Denney, McIntosh, Drake, Grant, and Jakeb Boxell were the top five as the event went back green. The battle among the top five was short-lived, as another yellow flew for Sherman, who was stalled in the middle of Turns 3 and 4.
Despite the final caution, Denney was unmatched and unchallenged for the lead, as he went on to secure the victory at the Mitchell County Fairgrounds.
Official Race Results Following The USAC National Midget at Mitchell County Fairgrounds Raceway
- Jacob Denney
- Cannon McIntosh
- Kale Drake
- Justin Grant
- Jakeb Boxell
- Brecken Reese
- Kevin Thomas Jr
- Hayden Reinbold
- Gavin Miller
- Matt Sherrell
- Garrett Benson
- Colton Robinson
- Drake Edwards
- Ethan Mitchell
- Bradley Cox
- Mack Leopard
- Cale Coons
- Branon Carr
- Trey Zorn
- Kyle Jones
- Gaige Weldon
- Drew Sherman
- Adam Trimble
- Zack Merritt
Up Next – The USAC Nos Energy Drink National Midget travels a few miles north up the road to Fairbury, Nebraska at the Jefferson County Speedway for a two-night swing on Friday and Saturday night, July 10-11. A practice night is scheduled for Thursday night, July 9. Action can be seen on Flo Racing.
