USAC HONDA SERIES INTRODUCES FIRST EVER
"RACE OF CHAMPIONS"
National Youth Tour Stops at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
So many people spent hours and hours on the idea. There were many changes but USAC pulled it off! The inaugural "RACE OF CHAMPIONS, was nothing less than AWESOME! History was made by fourteen year-old, Berklee Jimenez of San Antonio, Texas.
"It was really great to be part of this, to see so many people rally around these drivers," said John Jimenez. "It was a whole lot of work to add this Race of Champions to the already jam-packed Brickyard event, but it was worth it"! With just 45 minutes following the last race of the day and during the awards ceremony, 12 crews put in Honda 160 spec engines and bolted on Hoosier spec tires. There were 2 minutes of practice for 6 cars at a time and then the green was dropped.
From HONDA ENGINES to HOOSIER TIRE, to SHORTY MUFFLERS (John Furrey), RPM Motorsports (Andy Nock), and a whole lot of work and preparation it happened! Fifty laps by 12 cars, on a newly paved parking lot surface at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, put on a spectacular show with side by side racing and just 4 yellow flags! They said it couldn't be done! Berklee Jimenez and her dad, John, race 3 cars with just the two of them making up the crew and they don't pull in the pit area with a big stacker trailer. John is a physician and works everyday before going home to wrench on race cars in the evening.
The 2014 "Battle at the Brickyard" is now in the books. With over 200 cars in attendance, the event was really great. Trailers loaded into the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday. Practice was held Wednesday with heat races Thursday, Lower Mains Friday and A Mains Saturday. USAC Champion Bryan Clauson headlined Opening Ceremonies recalling his fond memories of his days racing quarter-midgets. Afternoon rains caused a 4 hour rain delay. IMS, proved to be a wonderful host and was diligent with drying the surface in just 30 minutes. Race 10 of 16 total mains, were in the books before the delay.
USAC hosted a Street Party in downtown Speedway on Thursday evening, providing a fun event for drivers and their families. Food and drink along with face painting, custom created balloon figures and upper division USAC Drivers were in attendance. Former USAC and Indy 500 Vetern, Johnny Parsons spoke on stage about how he was a quarter-midget driver as a kid, before they even had roll cages! Special guests appeared daily for autograph signing; 2014 Indianapolis 500 Pole Sitter, Ed Carpenter, USAC Champion Bryan Clauson, USAC Triple Crown Winner Jerry Coons, Jr, USAC HPD Champion Gage Walker, USAC driver Dillon Welch, USAC HPD Turkey Night Winner, Ross Rankine, USAC HPD driver Emmy Gray, NHRA driver Chris Hacker, former USAC Midget driver Chuck Gurney, Jr, Jeremy Sherman, Multi-time Sprint Car Champion and current Midget driver Justin Peck. All of these drivers have quarter-midget driving in common.
Teaching sportsmanship to young competitive racers can sometimes be challenging, but the USAC .25 drivers voted Jake Garcia as the guy who befriends others, is a good driver, and is an all-around good guy to have fun with.
Crossing the line first in the Rookie divisons were PJ Majors, Carlie Freis and Jace Clark, receiving gold participation medallions. First, second and third place winners in the competitive divisions were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals respectively, along with an engraved brick from the original start/finish line at IMS. Zeb Wise of Ohio came all the way from the D Main in Honda Lt 160 and also stole the show in Lt ‘AA. Carson Hocevar of Michigan recorded 2 more wins in Honda Hvy 160 & Briggs Hvy World Formula Classes. Georgia drivers Charlie Auld (Jr Honda) Will Roland (Sr Honda) and Hudson Halder (Hvy Honda) also took home those special bricks, as did Florida Drivers, Danny Sams, III, (Un-restricted Animal) & Famous Rhodes (Mod). Top honors were also earned by Aaron Bollinger of Pa (Sr Animal). First time USAC wins went to Jaxon Bishop of Alabama (Briggs Lt WF), & the "Flying" Ryan Ellinger (AA).
Next stop on the USAC Honda National Tour will be Aug 1 – 3 Oswego in Fulton, NY and Hagerstown, Maryland for the Dirt Series Aug 22 – 24.
For more information, check out the website at USACRacing.com
Complete Results
Race Of Champions
1. Berklee Jimenez
2. Justin Oplinger
3. Jack Wehmeyer
4. Carson Hocevar
5. Logan Heath
6. Chase Randall
7. Gage Painter
8. Will Roland
9. Chase Burda
10. Neal Allison
11. Zeb Wise (Dnf)
12. Andrew Molleur (Dnf)
Red Rookie – A-1 Main
1. P.J. Majors
2. John Macartney
3. Katie Yonchuk
4. Trevor Dutting-Morrell
5. Stone Christy
Red Rookie – A-2 Main
1. Carlie Freis
2. Cael Ruthenbeck
3. Natalie Doney
4. Julianne Parker
5. Kayla Martin
Blue Rookie – A Main
1. Jace Clark
2. Cody Conover
3. Reed Whitney
4. Brayden Crow (Dnf)
5. Edward Hartley (Dnf)
6. Sam Sylvester (Dna)
Jr. Honda – A Main
1. Charlie Auld
2. Brady Johnson
3. Tanner Reif
4. Greyson Springer
5. Preston Auld
6. Bradon Sampson
7. Tyler Reif
8. Katelyn Hettinger
9. Colsen Cochran
10. Tyler Conver (DQ)
Jr. Honda – B Main
1. Tyler Reif
2. Colson Cochran
3. Greyson Springer
4. Katelyn Hettinger
5. Carson Dillion
6. Tally Wright
7. Preston Lattomus
8. Xavier Doney
9. Ryan Macartney
10. Chase Johnson
Jr. Honda – C Main
1. Ryan Macartney
2. Xavier Doney
3. Tally Wright
4. Preston Lattomus
5. Beau Brandon
6. Max Hennebaul
7. Cade Randall
8. Conor Jencik
9. Dalton Dowdy (Dnf)
Sr Honda - A Main
1. Will Roland
2. Christopher Oplinger
3. Chase Randall
4. Connor Yonchuk
5. Emerson Axsom
6. Christian Pitman
7. Chase Burda
8. Holt Halder
9. Juston Oplinger
10. Famous Rhodes
Sr Honda - B Main
1. Justin Oplinger
2. Connor Yonchuk
3. Holt Halden
4. Christopher Oplinger
5. Jackson Lee
6. Jaxon Bishop (Dnf)
7. Bryson Shaffer (Dnf)
8. Nick Loden (Dnf)
9. Brayden Clark (Dnf)
10. Evan Spaulding (Dnf)
Sr Honda - C Main
1. Connor Yonchuk
2. Justin Oplinger
3. Evan Spaulding
4. Brayden Clark
5. Chase Hyland
6. Jordan Empie
7. Austin Nigh
8. Brandon Freis
9. Ariana Jerick
10. Conner Dutting-Morrell
Sr Honda - D Main
1. Jordan Empie
2. Ariana Jencik
3. Brandon Freis
4. Conner Dutting-Morrell
5. Devon Jencik
6. Jd Coward (Dnf)
7. Justin Adams (Dnf)
8. Jacob Denney (Dnf)
9. Cole Christy (Dnf)
Hvy. Honda - A Main
1. Hudson Halder
2. Carson Hocevar
3. Harrison Halder
4. Ben Mikitarian
5. Jacob Borst
6. Paul Marks
7. Kyle Perry
8. Canon Cochran
9. Ryan Hatherill
10. Sam Rameau (Dnf)
Hvy. Honda - B Main
1. Harrison Halder
2. Ben Mikitarian
3. Paul Marks
4. Ryan Hatherill
5. Taylor Nibert
6. Carden Cochran
7. Kyle Midkiff
8. Matt Hollon (Dnf)
9. Gage Christy (Dnf)
10. Jagger Parker (Dnf)
Lt. 160 – A Main
1. Zeb Wise
2. Aaron Bollinger
3. Trent Beaver
4. Gage Painter
5. Andrew Molleur
6. Logan Heath
7. Jack Wehmeyer
8. Christian Pitman
9. Chase Burda
10. Neal Allison (Dnf)
Lt. 160 – B Main
1. Aaron Bollinger
2. Logan Heath
3. Zeb Wise
4. Chase Burda
5. Michael Clancy
6. Connor Yonchuk
7. Connor Gross
8. George Kurtz
9. Jaxon Bishop (Dnf)
10. Chase Randall (Dnf)
Lt. 160 – C Main
1. Aaron Bollinger
2. Jaxon Bishop
3. Zeb Wise
4. George Kurtz
5. Nick Loden
6. Will Roland
7. Justin Oplinger
8. Devon Borden (Dnf)
9. Evan Spaulding (Dnf)
10. Famous Rhodes
Lt. 160 – D Main
1. Aaron Bollinger
2. Zeb Wise
3. Justin Oplinger
4. Evan Spaulding
5. Ezekiel Torgesen
6. Jake Garcia
7. Jackson Lee
8. Bryson Shaffer
9. Holt Halder
10. Townsend Wright
Hvy. 160 – A Main
1. Carson Hocevar
2. Kyle Perry
3. Hudson Halder
4. Jacob Borst
5. Harrison Halder
6. Ben Mikitarian
7. Rylee Loveday
8. Berklee Jimenez
9. Danny Sams Iii
10. Preston Buckley
Hvy. 160 – B Main
1. Carson Hocevar
2. Hudson Halder
3. Harrison Halder
4. Preston Buckley
5. Jagger Parker
6. Canon Cochran
7. Sam Rameau
8. Taylor Nibert
9. Gage Christy
Jr. Animal - A Main
1. Charlie Auld
2. Preston Auld
3. Tyler Reif
4. Xavier Doney
5. Carson Dillion
6. Conor Jencik
7. Brandon Sampson
8. Brady Johnson
9. Tanner Reif
10. Max Hennebaul
Jr. Animal - B Main
1. Brandon Sampson
2. Tyler Reif
3. Max Hennebaul
4. Conor Jencik
5. Katelyn Hettinger
6. Colsen Cochran
7. Preston Lattomus
8. Dalton Dowdy
9. Tyler Conover
10. Chase Johnson
11. Ryan Macartney
Sr. Animal - A Main
1. Aaron Bollinger
2. Zeb Wise
3. Michael Clancy
4. Connor Gross
5. Carson Hocevar
6. Eekiel Torgesen
7. Neal Allison
8. Christopher Oplinger
9. Famous Rhodes
10. Chase Burda
Sr. Animal - B Main
1. Zeb Wise
2. Famous Rhodes
3. Christopher Oplinger
4. Aaron Bollinger
5. Will Roland
6. Devon Borden
7. Andrew Molleur
8. Jake Garcia
9. Townsend Wright
10. Jordan Empie
Sr. Animal - C Main
1. Zeb Wise
2. Andrew Molleur
3. Will Roland
4. Jake Garcia
5. Ryan Ellinger
6. Chase Randall
7. Emerson Axsom
8. Gage Painter
9. Justin Adams
10. Tyler Garner
Sr. Animal - D Main
1. Zeb Wise
2. Will Roland
3. Chase Randall
4. Justin Adams
5. Jacob Denney
6. Conner Dutting-Morrell
7. Cameron Wallace
8. Matthew Ferguson
9. Holt Halder
10. Matt Hollon
11. Paul Marks
Ur. Animal - A Main
1. Danny Sams III
2. Gage Christy
3. Sam Rameau
Lt. World Formula - A Main
1. Jaxon Bishop
2. Christian Pitman
3. Connor Gross
4. Ryan Ellinger
5. Logan Heath
6. Jack Wehmeyer
7. Trent Beaver
8. Will Roland
9. Neal Allison
10. Tyler Garner
Lt. World Formula - B Main
1. Will Roland
2. Logan Heath
3. Ryan Ellinger
4. Trent Beaver
5. Aaron Bollinger
6. Andrew Molleur
7. Zeb Wise
8. Michael Clancy
9. Devon Borden
10. Austin Nigh
Lt. World Formula - C Main
1. Ryan Ellinger
2. Trent Beaver
3. Michael Clancy
4. Andrew Molleur
5. Famous Rhodes
6. Jake Garcia
7. George Kurtz
8. Conner Dutting-Morrell
Hvy. World Formula - A Main
1. Carson Hocevar
2. Hudson Halder
3. Sam Rameau
4. Berklee Jimenez
5. Ben Mikitarian
6. Harrison Halder
7. Rylee Loveday
8. Danny Sams III
9. Preston Buckley
10. James Hartley
Hvy. World Formula - B Main
1. Sam Rameau
2. Preston Buckley
3. Danny Sams Iii
4. Harrison Holder
5. Carden Cochran
6. Will Hale
7. Jackson Boone
Lt. Mod - A Main
1. Famous Rhodes
2. Brady Johnson
3. Chase Burda
4. Matthew Ferguson
5. Chase Hyland
6. Xavier Doney
7. George Kurtz
Lt. AA - A Main
1. Zeb Wise
2. Andrew Molleur
3. Jack Wehmeyer
4. Michael Clancy
5. Connor Gross
6. Aaron Bollinger
7. Tyler Garner
8. Jacob Dolinar
Hvy. AA - A Main
1. Ryan Ellinger
2. Berklee Jimenez
3. Carson Hocevar
4. Rylee Loveday
5. Clay Siegel
6. Alex Siegel
7. Sam Rameau