IMW wrap-up, Macon preview

MIDGETS HEAD FOR MACON SPEEDWAY FRIDAY; COONS TAKES TORCO RACING FUELS "INDIANA MIDGET WEEK" TITLE; WINS GO TO COONS, COTTLE, SWINDELL & STENHOUSE

USAC National Midget point leader Jerry Coons Jr. leads the series to Friday night's race at the Macon (Ill.) Speedway, co-sanctioned by POWRi. Coons, of Tucson, Ariz., is fresh from winning the championship of last week's Torco Racing Fuels "Indiana Midget Week" presented by Pro Source Consultants.

Coons passed Darren Hagen and sprinted to a 97-point cushion after posting a first, third, fourth and fifth in last week's four "Indiana Midget Week" features. He led the final 20 laps to win Thursday's opener at Kamp Motor Speedway in Boswell in his Speedway Motors/K & N Filters Spike/Stanton Mopar. Kevin Swindell, Brady Bacon, Gary Taylor and Brad Mosen rounded out the "top-five."

Defending two-time "Indiana Midget Week" champion Shane Cottle of Kokomo, Ind. won Friday's 30-lapper at the Gas City I-69 Speedway on the final lap, passing Brad Sweet, who had led the first 29 laps! Sweet trailed Cottle's Pace Brothers Construction/DSR Fuel Systems Beast/Chevy to the checkered flag, ahead of Bacon, Dave Darland and Coons.

Swindell was the third and final leader in Saturday's 30-lapper at Lawrenceburg Speedway, putting his Kasey Kahne Racing Mopar/Team ASE Spike/Mopar in the lead for the last 11 laps to beat Hagen, Coons, Brent Beauchamp and Sweet.

Stenhouse was the fourth and final leader in a frantic finale Sunday at Kokomo Speedway, leading the last eight laps after passing Brad Loyet on lap 23. Trailing the Tony Stewart Racing Chevrolet/Bass Pro Shops Spike/Chevy at the finish were Swindell, Loyet, Coons and Darland.

Friday's race will be USAC's first for the Midgets at Macon in 11 years. Randy Koch was the winner there in 1996.

-credit: usac