Speedway, Indiana (July 7, 2025)………It’s back to Mid-America for the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship in July.
USAC Mid-America Midget Week presents Great Plains bullring USAC action between July 8-12 across three states with four events in a span of five nights across Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.
Starting the week is a return to Missouri’s Sweet Springs Motorsports on Tuesday, July 8. Then, we head down the road to Beloit, Kansas for the 14th running of the Chad McDaniel Memorial at the Mitchell County Fairgrounds on Wednesday, July 9.
Closing out the Mid-America adventure is Fairbury, Nebraska’s Jefferson County Speedway for two consecutive evenings on Friday, July 11, and Saturday, July 12, for the Midwest Midget Championship, culminating with a 40-lap feature paying $10,000-to-win on the final night.
An entire weeks’ worth of excitement awaits a trio of racy bullrings. And we’re ready for it! So, here are the contenders that are sure to make some noise at Mid-America Midget Week 2025.
JUSTIN TIME
Justin Grant enters the week as the USAC National Midget point leader, a position he has held since the Sweet Springs round in mid-May. However, his current point lead of 66 is his largest yet to date.
Last week, he garnered his third win of the 2025 USAC National Midget season on the opening night of the BC39 at IMS, then nearly swept the event the following night, leading all but the last three laps when a tangle ended his changes.
He’s won twice during Mid-America Midget Week, both at Jefferson County Speedway in 2018 and 2024.
DRAKE BACK IN MID-AMERICA
The last time Kale Drake was in Mid-America, he was a winner. The first of his two USAC National Midget wins this season to date came at Sweet Springs in mid-May, when he made a late-race pass to steal the win with two laps remaining.
Drake stands second in the season points and captured the Indiana Midget Week title in June. However, at the BC39, it was mostly heartbreak after spinning while leading with four laps to go on the opening night, then finishing a distant 13th in the finale.
CANNON IS BOOMING
Cannon McIntosh is fresh off one of the most miraculous performances in USAC National Midget history when he charged from 19th to 1st to win the BC39 last Wednesday night.
Now, he’s rolling in with momentum to work his way back into the championship fight where he presently stands third in the standings, 75 points behind leader Justin Grant.
McIntosh has twice won at Sweet Springs in his career and has finished a best of 4th at Mitchell County in 2022 and a 2nd at Jefferson County in 2024. The last time he was on Kansas soli, he won at the Belleville Short Track in May of this year. Expect him to be a prime contender at all four shows this week.
DENNEY ALWAYS A CONTENDER
Jacob Denney is seemingly a threat to win anywhere he goes on the USAC National Midget trail, as evidenced by his three victories this season, tied for the most in the series with Justin Grant.
Ranking 4th in the series standings, Denney too was among the late race contenders at the BC39, finishing 3rd and was leading the race coming to the white flag.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for Denney, but the season moves onward to some of his most successful tracks. He won at Sweet Springs in 2023, was 4th at Mitchell County in 2023 and 2024 and was 4th again in Jefferson County in 2024.
KTJ STAYING SOLID
Kevin Thomas Jr. has picked off two Mid-America Midget Week victories in his career, both of which have come at Mitchell County, first in 2015 and then backed it up again in 2018.
In addition, he’s run as high as second at Jefferson County in 2019 and 2021 and was 6th at Sweet Springs back in 2019.
KTJ currently ranks a solid fifth in the standings and is vying for his first series win as a member of 4 Kings Racing. For himself, he’s trying to get back to USAC National Midget victory lane for the first time since Arizona Speedway in 2019. He’s been on the brink this year, finishing 2nd at Circle City Raceway and 3rd at Belleville.
SEAVEY’S BREAD & BUTTER
Logan Seavey has already picked up wins with the USAC Silver Crown division and the USAC National Sprint Car series this year. However, a USAC National Midget victory has eluded him thus far in 2025, running over a year since his last victory.
But the Mid-America Midget Week tracks have been his bread and butter over the years. In fact, he’s won at Sweet Springs twice in 2018 and 2024. During his USAC National Midget championship season of 2023, he topped Jefferson County.
The USAC career Triple Crown has come up just short of the Mid-America Midget Week trifecta, taking a best finish of 2nd Mitchell County in 2018. He won as recently as Saturday with the USAC National Sprint Cars and now would like to translate that good mojo to the midgets.
MILLER’S TIME
Gavin Miller finished as the runner-up two nights in a row at last week’s BC39, which a welcoming change after two consecutive series finishes of 16th or worse during Indiana Midget Week in June.
While they were solid results, it’s not enough solace for the driver looking to rejoin USAC National Midget victory lane for the first time since June of 2023 at Bloomington Speedway during Indiana Midget Week.
At Mid-America Midget Week tracks, he’s hovered around 6th and 7th place with a best of 6th at Sweet Springs in May, a 7th at Mitchell County in 2024 and a 6th at Jefferson County in 2024.
FIRST-TIMERS
Six different drivers have scored their first career USAC National Midget win at Mid-America Midget Week tracks. It’s happened twice at Sweet Springs: Tanner Carrick (2019) and Buddy Kofoid (2020). Bryant Wiedeman did the deed at Mitchell County in 2023. A trio have accomplished the feat at Jefferson County: Chad Boat (2016), Jason McDougal (2019) and Mitchel Moles (2022).
Three drivers among the bottom half of the top-10 of the standings are in that spot. Drake Edwards has finished on the podium twice this season with the series, one of them being a 3rd at Sweet Springs. Top Rookie Steven Snyder Jr. has finished a high of 2nd at Kokomo in April. Gunnar Setser has picked up the pace of late in his Rookie season, scoring a 7th at Paragon during June’s Indiana Midget Week.
Hayden Reinbold is coming off two consecutive top-four finishes in USAC National Sprint Car competition this past week. Perhaps the time has come for a midget racing breakthrough as well this weekend.
COONS CONNECTION
Another Rookie, Cale Coons, was also impressive in a USAC Sprint Car of late, taking 6th in his first career start over the weekend. He too will jump back in a midget for the Dooling Autosports/Cur-Agajanian team, which has won three times during Mid-America Midget Week.
The famed black No. 63 has won on three different occasions at Mitchell County, with Bryan Clauson in both 2014 and 2016 and again in 2018 with Kevin Thomas Jr.
Cale’s father, USAC career Triple Crown champion Jerry Coons Jr., will return to the seat race alongside his son for this Friday and Saturday’s rounds at Jefferson County in the Central Motorsports No. 85. One more victory would push Coons into the land of the few as he aims to join Bobby Unser as the only driver to win a USAC-sanctioned feature event in five different decades. He’s already one of 13 to have won a USAC main event in four decades along with Unser, Hank Butcher, A.J. Foyt, Russ Gamester, Mel Kenyon, Ralph Liguori, Wally Pankratz, Johnny Parsons, George Snider, Bryan Stanfill, Brian Tyler and Bob Wente.
RACE DETAILS:
On Tuesday night, July 8, at Sweet Springs, Missouri’s Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex, the program features the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship, plus NOW600 Non-Wing Micros. Pits open at 4pm Central with the grandstands opening at 5pm, the drivers meeting at 6:15pm and cars on track at 6:45pm with qualifying and racing to follow. General admission tickets are $20 for ages 13 on up. Kids age 12 and under are free. Pit passes are $35.
On Wednesday night, July 9, it’s the 14th running of the Chad McDaniel Memorial at Beloit, Kansas’ Mitchell County Fairgrounds featuring the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship, plus the NOW600 Non-Wing Micro Sprints & Restricted Micro Sprints. Front gates open at 5pm Central with the drivers meeting at 6pm and hot laps at 6:30pm followed by qualifying and racing. General admission tickets are $20 with high school students and younger just $5. All access passes are available as well for $35 and will be available at the pit and main grandstand gate on the day of the show only.
To close out Mid-America Midget Week on Friday and Saturday, July 11-12, it’s on to Fairbury, Nebraska’s Jefferson County Speedway for two-straight nights of the Riverside Chevrolet Midwest Midget Championship presented by Westin Packaged Meats and Schmidt’s Sanitation featuring the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship, plus the NOW 600/Jayhusker Non-Wing Micro Sprints. Gates open at 5pm Central with the drivers meeting at 5:30 and cars on track at 6pm. General admission tickets are $20 on Friday and $30 on Saturday with high school students and younger just $5. Reserved seating is $60 for a two-day pass and is available online only at www.JeffersonCountySpeedway.com under the “Buy Tickets” tab. All access passes are available as well for $40 ($10 for kids 5 and under) and available at the pit gate on the day of the show only. A free concert will be held after the races both nights at the beer garden.
On Thursday, July 10, USAC Midget practice plus a full race program for the NOW600/Jayhusker Non-Wing Micros will be held. There will be a free Shrimp Boil/BBQ at the track campground at 8pm CT after practice for all race teams, fans, etc. Gates open at 5pm Central. Hot laps at 5:30pm. Racing at 6pm. General admission is just $15. High school students and younger are just $5. All access pit passes are $30 and will be available at the pit gate and front gate on the day of show only.
All four races of Mid-America Midget Week can be watched LIVE on FloRacing at https://flosports.link/usac.
USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Justin Grant-687, 2-Kale Drake-619, 3-Cannon McIntosh-612, 4-Jacob Denney-602, 5-Kevin Thomas Jr.-570, 6-Drake Edwards-550, 7-Gavin Miller-547, 8-Logan Seavey-536, 9-Steven Snyder Jr.-502, 10-Gunnar Setser-451.
SWEET SPRINGS MOTORSPORTS COMPLEX USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINS:
2-Buddy Kofoid & Cannon McIntosh & Logan Seavey
1-Tanner Carrick, Jacob Denney & Kale Drake
SWEET SPRINGS MOTORSPORTS COMPLEX USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINNERS:
2018: Logan Seavey (7/15)
2019: Tanner Carrick (7/14)
2020: Cannon McIntosh (9/4) & Buddy Kofoid (9/5)
2022: Cannon McIntosh (9/9) & Buddy Kofoid (9/10)
2023: Jacob Denney (5/21)
2024: Logan Seavey (5/19)
2025: Kale Drake (5/18)
SWEET SPRINGS MOTORSPORTS COMPLEX USAC NATIONAL MIDGET TRACK RECORDS:
1 Lap - 9/9/2022 - Ethan Mitchell - 11.361
10 Laps - 5/21/2023 - Cannon McIntosh - 1:58.47
12 Laps - 9/9/2022 - Jace Park - 2:35.70
30 Laps - 9/9/2022 - Cannon McIntosh - 6:45.81
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MITCHELL COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINS:
2-Christopher Bell, Bryan Clauson & Kevin Thomas Jr.
1-Thomas Meseraull, Daison Pursley, Tanner Thorson & Bryant Wiedeman
MITCHELL COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINNERS:
2013: Christopher Bell (7/30)
2014: Bryan Clauson (7/29)
2015: Kevin Thomas Jr. (7/28)
2016: Bryan Clauson (8/3)
2017: Christopher Bell (8/2)
2018: Kevin Thomas Jr. (7/11)
2021: Tanner Thorson (7/15)
2022: Thomas Meseraull (7/13)
2023: Bryant Wiedeman (7/12)
2024: Daison Pursley (7/10)
MITCHELL COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS USAC NATIONAL MIDGET TRACK RECORDS:
1 Lap - 7/11/2018 - Holly Shelton - 11.944
10 Laps - 8/3/2016 - Ryan Greth - 2:02.67
12 Laps - 7/15/2021 - Daison Pursley - 2:32.00
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JEFFERSON COUNTY SPEEDWAY USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINS:
3-Tanner Thorson
2-Tyler Courtney & Justin Grant
1-Emerson Axsom, Chad Boat, Buddy Kofoid, Jason McDougal, Mitchel Moles, Logan Seavey, Ryan Timms & Chris Windom
JEFFERSON COUNTY SPEEDWAY USAC NATIONAL MIDGET WINNERS:
2016: Chad Boat (8/2)
2017: Tanner Thorson (8/1)
2018: Justin Grant (7/14)
2019: Jason McDougal (7/12)
2019: Tyler Courtney (7/13)
2020: Chris Windom (7/17) & Tyler Courtney (7/18)
2021: Tanner Thorson (7/16) & Emerson Axsom (7/17)
2022: Mitchel Moles (7/15) & Buddy Kofoid (7/16)
2023: Logan Seavey (7/14) & Tanner Thorson (7/15)
2024: Justin Grant (7/12) & Ryan Timms (7/13)
JEFFERSON COUNTY SPEEDWAY USAC NATIONAL MIDGET TRACK RECORDS:
1 Lap - 7/12/2019 - Logan Seavey - 10.685
10 Laps - 7/16/2021 - Justin Grant - 1:50.360
12 Laps - 7/17/2020 - Sam Johnson - 2:24.855
