.25 MIDGETS CROWN FINAL CHAMPIONS AT COLUMBUS


Five Ohio drivers claimed the final six USAC .25 Midget “Generation Next Tour” championships for 2009 during Saturday racing at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway. The races concluded the rained-out events from September 20.


 


Erika Newcombe of Pickerington, Ross Rankine of Willard, Craig Swartz of New Paris, Ryan Fleming of Xenia and Daniel Hall of Columbus emerged as respective .25 Midget champions by virtue of their performances at CMS.


 


Newcombe won the Light AA Class feature to claim her title, while Rankine won his title by taking the Light World Formula feature. Swartz earned a pair of championships with second-place finishes, taking the Heavy World Formula and Heavy AA titles. Fleming won the Light B crown with his fourth place finish and Hall claimed the Half championship with his second place finish. Rankine’s title was his second, having wrapped up the Senior Honda honors the previous week.


 


Josh Staten of Shelby Township, Mich. won the Heavy World Formula race at Columbus, while Lauren Longbrake of Columbus won the Heavy AA feature, Frankie Nervo of Stow, Ohio won the Light B finale and Dean Creech of Clawson, Mich. won the Half Class finale.


 


The above-mentioned champions will join the following champions for recognition at the November 14 USAC “Generation Next” Night of Champions at the Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, Ohio: Jeff Dunfee III of Mantua, Ohio, Cooper Clouse of Ohio City, Ohio, Nathan McCauley of Millersport, Ohio, Gage Walker of Fairland, Ind., Josh Daugherty of Pendleton, Ind., Justen Garmenn of Grand Rapids, Ohio and Cody Coughlin of Delaware, Ohio.