INDOOR RACING ROUTINELY PRODUCES FIRST-TIME WINNERS

INDOOR RACING ROUTINELY PRODUCES FIRST-TIME WINNERS

By: Richie Murray – USAC Media

Du Quoin, Illinois (February 27, 2020)………What’s the deal with indoor races producing new winners in the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget ranks over the last six-and-a-half decades?

Is it based mainly on the fact that the tracks are usually on the smallish side, which produces tight racing where the variables for trouble are more prevalent? Is it because passing opportunities are more inopportune on such close quarters? Is it because most indoor races occur early in the year when most teams have yet to hit their stride, thus opening the door for several different teams and drivers to thrive? Or is just pure happenstance?

The answer probably lies somewhere in the middle of all those theories, as it's never easy to win a USAC National Midget race. But one thing for certain is that over the first four years of the Shamrock Classic, four first-time USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget winners have emerged in Shane Golobic (2016), Justin Grant (2017), Logan Seavey (2018) and Cannon McIntosh (2019), all of whom are talented wheelmen who have earned their victories at the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin, where the series returns Saturday, March 7, for the fifth annual edition of the event.

While the outdoor Indianapolis Raceway Park / O'Reilly Raceway Park / Lucas Oil Raceway in Brownsburg, Ind. has produced the most first-time winners in USAC National Midget competition over the years with 21 different drivers reaching victory lane for the first time, by sheer percentage, the most often spot you’ll witness a first-time winner is at an indoor facility.

Twenty-seven drivers have won their first USAC National Midget feature event indoors, which have come at nine different venues. Ft. Wayne, Indiana’s Memorial Coliseum has hosted the most with 11, followed by Southern Illinois Center (4), Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum (3), Cincinnati Gardens (2), Louisville’s Freedom Hall (2), Chicago’s Rosemont Horizon (2), Chicago’s International Amphitheatre (1), Seattle's Kingdome (1) and the Mecca in Milwaukee (1).

The very first race in USAC’s history took place 64 years ago indoors at Ft. Wayne, and quite obviously, the event found a new USAC Midget winner in Gene Hartley. The most recent indoor USAC Midget race produced the same result with Cannon McIntosh becoming the 27^thdifferent indoor winner with the series in just 148 indoor points race opportunities, meaning that nearly one out every five times USAC National Midgets race indoors, there’s a new winner.

Thus far, the Shamrock Classic is batting 1.000 in the new winner department. There’s several names out there set to keep the streak alive coming up, namely Penngrove, California’s Buddy Kofoid, who is driving the same Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 67 that Logan Seavey raced to a “Shamrock” win in 2018. His teammate Daison Pursley (Locust Grove, Okla.) has been fast in the early going of the 2020 season as has 2019 series Rookie of the Year and Ocala 3^rd place finisher Andrew Layser (Collegeville, Pa.).

Like Kofoid, Rossville, Indiana’s Cole Bodine is set to pilot a car for a team (Clauson-Marshall Racing) and number (39BC) that has been to Shamrock Classic victory lane once before, in 2017 with Justin Grant. Robert Dalby (Anaheim, Calif.), the reigning USAC Western States Midget champ, is looking for a breakthrough National win as is five-time Western States Midget titlist Ronnie Gardner (Corona, Calif.)

Indoor midget racing has forever been unpredictable, and unpredictability has been the theme since the dawn of the Shamrock Classic in 2016. You can predict that to be the motto once again on March 7, 2020.

Competitors can enter the Shamrock Classic presented by Dooling Machine Products Midget at https://usacracing.ticketspice.com/2020-shamrock-midget-entry until Thursday, March 5th at noon eastern time. After that deadline, entries for the midget division will increase to $100. Early entry is highly suggested as officials prepare to set heat race lineups with a “draft,” similar to that used previously at Du Quoin’s “Junior Knepper 55” in 2018 and the 2019 “BC39” at the IMS Dirt Track.

Shamrock Classic tickets are on sale at https://usacracing.ticketspice.com/2020-usac-shamrock-classic with reserved seats at $25, while general admission tickets are $20 for ages 13 and up. Children’s general admission tickets (Age 6-12) are $10. Kids 5 and under are free. Pit passes for Saturday are $35, and those attending both days can purchase pit passes for $55. Tickets and pit passes will be available at the door both days.

Doors open on Saturday, March 7, at 1pm Central to prepare for hot laps starting at 4pm. More information can be found at http://www.ShamrockClassicDuQuoin.com.

LOCATIONS OF FIRST-TIME USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINNERS: (1956-2019)

**Tracks that are bolded and italicized are indoor venues.

(21 Times) Indianapolis Raceway Park / O'Reilly Raceway Park – Brownsburg, IN

(17) Ascot Park / Ascot Stadium – Gardena, CA

(12) Springfield Speedway – Springfield, IL

(11) Ft. Wayne Memorial Coliseum – Ft. Wayne, IN

(8) Kokomo Speedway – Kokomo, IN

(7) Santa Fe Speedway – Hinsdale, IL

(6) Angell Park Speedway – Sun Prairie, WI

(6) Gardena Stadium – Gardena, CA

(5) Belleville High Banks – Belleville, KS

(5) Hales Corners Speedway – Hales Corners, WI

(5) Terre Haute Action Track – Terre Haute, IN

(4) Bakersfield Speedway – Bakersfield, CA

(4) Indianapolis Speedrome – Indianapolis, IN

(4) Olympic Stadium – Kansas City, MO

(4) Southern Illinois Center – Du Quoin, IL

(4) Sportsdrome – Jeffersonville, IN

(3) 16th Street Speedway (Paved) – Indianapolis, IN

(3) Anderson Speedway – Anderson, IN

(3) Berlin Raceway – Marne, MI

(3) Cloverleaf Speedway – Valley View, OH

(3) Columbus Motor Speedway – Columbus, OH

(3) Eagle Raceway – Eagle, NE

(3) Gas City I-69 Speedway – Gas City, IN

INDOOR RACING ROUTINELY PRODUCES FIRST-TIME WINNERS - USAC Racing (2024)