A TRIFECTA OF SPEED2 MIDGET RACES ON TAP THIS SATURDAY IN VIRGINIA, ILLINOIS AND INDIANA
Virginia, Illinois and Indiana host USAC Speed2 Midget races this Saturday night. The Eastern series visits Shenandoah (Va.) Speedway and the Midwest Thunder series heads to Montpelier (Ind.) Motor Speedway while Spoon River Speedway in Canton, Ill. welcomes the Engler IMRA series.
Adam Lemke of Hollister, Calif. led all 30 laps to win Saturday night’s “Vukovich Classic” USAC Speed2 Western Midget race at Madera (Calif.) Speedway. He was trailed by Joey Iest, Cody Jessop, Blake Brannon and Elvis Rankin.
He only led for about five feet but Chase McDermand’s spectacular victory in Sunday night’s USAC Speed2 Midget race at the Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway was truly one “for the ages.” In one of the most spectacular USAC Midget race finishes in history, McDermand, of Springfield, Ill., rode the outside cushion from behind to nose out a last-lap victory over Andy Baugh to win the 20-lap USAC Engler IMRA/Midwest Thunder feature by just a wheel length! Chett Gehrke took third, Aaron Leffel was fourth and Alex Watson fifth. Baugh led the first 19 laps and was headed for victory before McDermand’s heroics left Baugh in the runner-up spot.
Jason Goff of Preston Hollow, N.Y. scored his first USAC feature victory in Saturday night’s 25-lap USAC Laquerre Sports DMA Speed2 Midget opener at Bear Ridge Speedway. He passed Jeff Champagne on lap six and led the rest of the way to beat Seth Carlson, Champagne, Mike Chaffee and Joe Krawiec. The race offered “double” points.
The Laquerre Sports DMA Midgets return to Bear Ridge Speedway in Bradford, Vt. May 19, while the next Western Speed2 Midget race marks the 2018 dirt opener May 18 at Kern County Raceway Park in Bakersfield, Calif.
USAC SPEED2 EASTERN MIDGET POINTS: 1-Jessica Bean-225, 2-Neal Allison-212, 3-Nolan Allison-210, 4-Dameron Taylor-189, 5-Jordan Empie-170, 6-Sam Hatfield-138, 7-Johnny Bridges-81, 8-Jake Garcia-74, 9-Chris Lamb-64, 10-Connor Gross-55.
USAC LAQUERRE SPORTS SPEED2 DMA MIDGET POINTS: 1-Jason Goff-156, 2-Seth Carlson-150, 3-Jeff Champagne-140, 4-Mike Chaffee-136, 5-Joe Krawiec-126, 6-David Moniz-108, 7-Will Hull-104, 8-Jeff Horn-104, 9-Justin Phillips-102, 10-Randy Higginson-92.
USAC SPEED2 MIDWEST THUNDER MIDGET POINTS: 1-Chase McDermand-77, 2-Andy Baugh-75, 3-Chett Gehrke-72, 4-Aaron Leffel-68, 5-Alex Watson-64, 6-Gedd Ross-56, 7-Stratton Briggs-55, 8-Trey Osborne-52, 9-Jon Steed-51, 10-Robby McQuinn-49.
ENGLER USAC SPEED2 IMRA MIDGET POINTS: 1-Chase McDermand-229, 2-Andy Baugh-226, 3-Gedd Ross-120, 4-Robby McQuinn-115, 5-Bart Andrews-115, 6-Shane Morgan-72, 7-Chett Gehrke-72, 8-Aaron Leffel-68, 9-Mark Billings-66, 10-Jeff Sparks-65.
USAC SPEED2 WESTERN OVERALL MIDGET POINTS: 1-Adam Lemke-327, 2-Blake Brannon-294, 3-Joey Iest-167, 4-Johnny Nichols-146, 5-Cody Jessop-74, 6-Toni Breidinger-72.
USAC SPEED2 WESTERN PAVEMENT MIDGET POINTS: 1-Adam Lemke-327, 2-Blake Brannon-294, 3-Joey Iest-167, 4-Johnny Nichols-146, 5-Cody Jessop-74, 6-Toni Breidinger-72.