FF: RegM/KM/IN/MW: Weekly news 2008-06-16

PLYMOUTH, ANDERSON HOST "REGIONAL" EVENTS; 9 DIFFERENT "REGIONAL" FEATURE WINNERS CROWNED

USAC's "regional" racing events unfold at Plymouth and Anderson, Ind. this week. The Regional Midgets, Midwest/Indiana/UMARA Ford Focuses and Kenyon Midgets combine for an Open Wheel Extravaganza "tripleheader" at Plymouth Speedway Wednesday night, while the Kenyon Midgets return to action Friday at Anderson Speedway.

Travis Young (Regional Midgets), Kyle Hamilton (Indiana Midgets) and Caleb Armstrong (Kenyon Midgets) are the respective series leaders in "Open Wheel Extravaganza" Wednesday night action entering the Plymouth program. A 30-lap feature for each series is on tap.

Canadian Alison MacLeod, Mishawaka, Ind. driver Jordan Pennington and New Castle, Ind. resident Caleb Armstrong scored "regional" feature victories Saturday night at Grundy County Speedway. The victory by MacLeod in the 50-lap "Mel Kenyon Classic" Regional Midget race was her fourth in USAC competition and the 31st by a female, the first in nearly a year. She piloted the Janice East Ribwear/Ford Racing Beast/Ford to the win over fast qualifier Brian Olson, Jim Anderson, series point leader Young and David Byrne. Pennington led all 20 laps of the Midwest/UMARA Ford Focus race in his Pennington Racing Bullet to beat Midwest point leader Kyle Hamilton, Marc Wachter, Tony Devea and UMARA point leader Brad Greenup. Armstrong led all 20 laps of the Kenyon Midget feature in his Bungee North America/Anderson Grain Yamaha to beat Drew Charlson, Jeff Wimmenauer, Mike Terry Jr. and Dillon Welch.

Six more different feature winners emerged from Wednesday night's historic USAC regional event at the Anderson Speedway, which included two Regional Midget features, two for Kenyon Midgets and two for the Midwest/Indiana Ford Focuses. Chris Windom of Canton, Ill. and Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind. won the Regional Midget races, while Mike Terry Jr. of Plainfield, Ind. and Drew Charlson of New Bremen, Ohio won the Kenyon Midget races. The Ford Focus features went to Kyle Hamilton of Danville, Ind. and Steven Mathews of New Liskeard, Ont., Canada.

The first three features in the program presented by the Richard Petty Driving Experience were 25-lappers saluting the 75-year history of Midget racing which occurred June 4, while the second round of main events were 20 laps each.

Windom passed Sammy Imel on lap 20 and led the rest of the way in the first Midget race in his Central Abrasives Beast/Esslinger Ford to beat Stephanie Mockler, Dakoda Armstrong, Brian Olson and Jeremy Warren. Clauson came back to lead all 20 laps of the Midget nightcap in his Watson Gravel/Wholesale Connection Beast/Esslinger Ford to beat Mockler, Windom, Brent Beauchamp and Travis Young. Armstrong emerged as the new series point leader.

Terry paced all 25 circuits of the first Kenyon race in his Pioneer Real Estate/Cropper Trailer Sales Yamaha to beat Imel, Grant Galloway, Caleb Armstrong and Charlson. In the Kenyon finale, Charlson passed Dillon Welch on lap 15 and led the final six laps in his Century 21 Mid-America Properties/Aluma Trailer Yamaha to beat Welch, Imel, Terry, and Adam Wilsdon. Caleb Armstrong is the new series point leader.

Auston Harris led the first 20 laps of the first Ford Focus race but an accident sidelined him, leaving Hamilton to lead the last five laps in his Curtis Motor Sales/Pit Fit Training Beast. He was followed at the finish by Mathews, Jordan Pennington, J.T. Hiltibran and Katie Hargitt. The 20-lap Ford Focus finale saw Mathews pass Hargitt on lap five and lead the rest of the way in his JRP/Bill Mathews Motors Beast. Hamilton, Pennington, Hargitt and Hiltibran rounded out the "top-five," with Mathews (Midwest) and Hamilton (Indiana) emerging as the new series leaders.

Each event of the 13-race Anderson program was named after historical drivers in the sport of Midget racing.

-credit: usac