McDOUGAL MOVING BACK TO INDIANA; SECURES INDIANA MIDGET WEEK RIDE
By: Richie Murray – USAC Media
Speedway, Indiana (June 15, 2020)………In transit between Indiana and North Carolina Monday afternoon, Jason McDougal revealed his plans to move back to the state of Indiana to resume his sprint car and midget driving career.
McDougal, a two-time winner in both the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Cars and USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midgets in his career, stepped back from full-time driving at the conclusion of the 2019 season to take on the role in driver development with Swindell Speedlab’s Micro Sprint program in North Carolina.
But, after half a year, the pull was too strong, and the 23-year-old McDougal had the itch to return to the seat and get back behind the wheel himself.
“That’s the plan,” McDougal said. “I’m ready to go back to sprint car and midget racing and build myself back up. I was doing the development deal with Swindell, and I mean, I loved what I was doing. I just like being around racing and everything. But I think my passion is more driving than working. I missed it, and there’s no place like Indiana.”
McDougal isn’t going to waste any time resuming his full-time driving career, securing a midget ride for all six nights of Indiana Midget Week June 16-21 in Steve Reynolds’ and Flea Ruzic’s No. 21KS, for whom the Broken Arrow, Okla. driver competed for in each of the last three seasons, including this past May’s T-Town Midget Showdown at Port City Raceway in Tulsa, Okla. where he qualified 4th and finished 13th in the feature.
While McDougal has found secure footing in the midget at the moment, his sprint car plans are up in the air, and for sure, he instantly will become one of the most desired free agents in the sprint car world.
“We’re going to try to turn this midget deal into a full-time thing,” McDougal revealed. “But on the sprint car side, I haven’t really hunted around a lot. But I’ve got a lot of good friends who’ll help me get me where I need to go. It’s going to feel good to get back, finally. I’m just really excited to race again.”
McDougal’s two career USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget victories came in 2019 at Jefferson County Speedway in Fairbury, Neb. as well as at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind.
He garnered two triumphs with the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Cars with the initial score coming in late 2018 at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo., then again in 2019 during Eastern Storm at Bridgeport (N.J.) Speedway.
First for McDougal on the 2020 Indiana Midget Week trail is the 3/8-mile of Paragon Speedway, located just a little less than an hour southwest of Indianapolis, which will make its debut on the Indiana Midget Week schedule by hosting its first USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget race since 1985 and its first USAC-sanctioned race of any kind since 1998.
Following the opener at Paragon, on Wednesday, June 17, the series travels northbound to the quarter-mile Gas City I-69 Speedway, whose origins with the IMW series date to the inaugural year in 2005. Next, on Thursday, June 18 and Friday, June 19, Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville joins the IMW docket for the 11th straight year, and for the first time, on back-to-back nights.
The 3/8-mile Lawrenceburg Speedway, which hosted the very first IMW event in 2005, serves as the penultimate race of the mini-series on Saturday, June 20. The 2020 IMW finale at Kokomo Speedway comes to the quarter mile venue on Sunday, June 21, which first hosted USAC Midget racing in USAC’s inaugural season of 1956.
All Indiana Midget Week events will follow state guidelines, limiting seating capacity to 50 percent at all venues. Tickets are expected to sell fast and will only be available online at www.usactickets.com while they last. In fact, the Paragon and Gas City events have already sold out.
There, you will be provided the option to upgrade to a pit pass. You will also have the option to purchase tickets for the full week of Indiana Midget Week events.
On the screen, there will also be a space to reserve children’s tickets. All children’s ticket prices will be based on each track’s policies. Children’s tickets will count toward the capacity level and we can keep track of all the numbers to stay within the 50 percent capacity guideline.
There’s also an option to order an Indiana Midget Week shirt that you can pick up at one of the Indiana Midget Week events you are attending.
All nights of IMW, along with all USAC National events in 2020, will be live on FloRacing.
2020 INDIANA MIDGET WEEK SCHEDULE
Tue., June 16: Paragon Speedway – Paragon, Indiana
Wed., June 17: Gas City I-69 Speedway – Gas City, Indiana
Thu., June 18: Lincoln Park Speedway – Putnamville, Indiana
Fri., June 19: Lincoln Park Speedway – Putnamville, Indiana
Sat., June 20: Lawrenceburg Speedway – Lawrenceburg, Indiana
Sun., June 21: Kokomo Speedway – Kokomo, Indiana