6-RACE INDIANA MIDGET WEEK BEGINS TUESDAY

The expanded six-raced slate for this year’s “Indiana Midget Week” begins Tuesday night, May 31 at the series’ newest addition to the schedule – Montpelier Motor Speedway. Races will follow Wednesday at Gas City I-69 Speedway, Thursday at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Friday at Bloomington Speedway, Saturday at Lawrenceburg Speedway with the finale set for Sunday night at Kokomo Speedway.

Shane Golobic, by virtue of his indoor victory at DuQuoin, Ill. in March, leads the USAC National Midget Series standings, but a host of drivers will be out to knock him off the pedestal in the upcoming swing.

Rico Abreu repeated as “Indiana Midget Week” Champion last year, joining former IMW champs Shane Cottle (2005-06), Jerry Coons, Jr. (2007), Tracy Hines (2008 and 2010), Bryan Clauson (2009-2011), Brad Kuhn (who shared the 2010 title with Hines), Darren Hagen (2012) and Christopher Bell (2013).

Clauson leads in terms of all-time IMW victories at nine. Bell has four and several drivers have three. The 45 previous races have produced 22 different winners!

Defending race champs include Tanner Thorson (Gas City), Clauson (Putnamville), Bell (Bloomington) and Abreu (Lawrenceburg). Last year’s Kokomo race fell to the elements.

Tuesday’s race marks the inaugural appearance of USAC’s National Midget Series at Montpelier. The track has become a staple of USAC participants this year, however. Brady Bacon, currently second in the National Midget points, won USAC’s inaugural AMSOIL National Sprint Car race there April 23. Bacon trails Golobic by just nine points in the USAC National Midget points heading into “Indiana Midget Week.”