Chris Windom couldn’t do anything more than win the final Feature at Kokomo Speedway, however Buddy Kofoid’s 7th place finish was enough to secure his first USAC Indiana Midget Week title.
Coming into the final round Kofoid was high point man after 2 wins and yet to finish outside the top five. Three points adrift was Keith Kunz Motorsport team mate, Locust Grove, Oklahoma teenager Daison Pursley. Also in with a mathematical chance at the title were Logan Seavey, Emerson Axsom, Windom, Kevin Thomas Jr. and Corey Day.
Chase Randall in the Reinbold/Underwood team car posted the best lap in qualifications just 0.1 seconds faster than Emerson Axsom. Jason McDougal, Chris Windom and Seavey also among the quickest of the 33 cars on hand.
After qualifying was complete a 3 hour rain delay slowed proceedings after the 33 cars on hand time trailed.
With a hot lap session restarting action after 10:30pm the night was to be a long one. During hot laps Ethan Mitchell car stopped ending his night and the Kevin Thomas’ Petry Motorsports Midget imploded with an audible boom heard around the track.
Heat race wins went to round 6 winner Tanner Thorson, Bryant Wiedeman, Jason McDougal, and night 5 winner Day with Kofoid 2nd in heat two after qualifying 10th and starting in 4th position. New Zealand Midget Champion Hayden Williams 3rd in his heat transferring to the 30-Lap Feature to start in the 11th row. Kiwis Travis Buckley and Glenn Waterland short of the mark in this elite level. Both slated to start in the Semi-main.
The 16 cars that missed the heat race transfer spots started in the 12-Lap semi-main with only the top 6 finishers advancing to join the rear of the main race. Thomas Meseraull won ahead of Pursley, who had finished 5th in his heat. Night 4 winner Kyle Cummins, Kaylee Bryson, Brian Carber, and Jonathan Shafer also transferring. Buckley and Waterland 10th and 14th respectively.
Californian’s Justin Grant and Seavey occupied the front row with Windom starting 3rd alongside McDougal with Axsom, Randall, Day, Wiedeman, Thorson and Shafer all starting in the top ten. Kofoid was in 13th with Pursley in 16th. The lone Kiwi in the line-up BSL Racing’s Williams in 21st spot.
On the opening lap Grant and Seavey were even down the back straight with Grant ahead slightly at the line and by lap 3 that had reversed. Seavey on the highline in the New Zealand designed King Chassis led with Grant down low building speed. By lap 9 he used a mistake by Seavey to take the lead.
Windom was all-the-while a close third and made his way by Seavey for second. Windom’s bottom parity for Grants top, as the pair gave no quarter. Side by side with Windom edging ahead at the half way point.
With only 9 Laps remaining to the series Crouch flipped his Keith Kunz car coming to rest on turn 3 causing all cars to stop on track. When the race resumed Windom was followed by Grant, Axsom, Day, Meseraull, McDougal and Kofoid who was up to 7th.
Windom stuck to the pole line that showed no sign of wearing out after the heavy rain mid meeting and used it to claim the win. Grant 1.7 seconds behind with McDougal challenged late for 3rd by a close following Axsom who had to settle for 4th position. Meseraull, Day and Kofoid to clinch his first Midget series title. Randall, Thomas Jr. and Seavey top ten.
A hamstrung Williams home in 17th lacking his familiar pace. Also finishing the week second equal most in Passing Master points, passing 43 cars across 8 events just 4 shy of Meseraulls’ 47.
“You know the last few nights have been some of the three crappiest nights I’ve had in a row in my career.
“To come and win tonight is all you can ask for on the last night of Midget Week.” Said Windom both pleased with the win but lamenting his latter-half series performance.
A 2021 Indiana USAC Midget Week series winner Kofoid spoke of his 8 race run “That was a fun week but I’m glad it’s over now. That was stressful!
“From winning, to getting upside down, to losing it, to winning again, to having today where we didn’t quite qualify great. Finished 2nd in the heat race but needed to win. Then started 13th when I needed to be starting front row. ” Said a relieved Kofoid.
2021 Indiana USAC Midget Week Final Points Standings:
POS. PTS. DRIVER, HOMETOWN
1 505 Buddy Kofoid, Penngrove, Calif.
2 485 Logan Seavey, Sutter, Calif.
3 483 Daison Pursley, Locust Grove, Okla.
4 478 Chris Windom, Canton, Ill.
5 474 Emerson Axsom, Franklin, Ind.
6 449 Kevin Thomas Jr., Cullman, Ala.
7 446 Corey Day, Clovis, Calif.
8 410 Thomas Meseraull, San Jose, Calif.
9 410 Justin Grant, Ione, Calif.
10 389 Jason McDougal, Broken Arrow, Okla.
11 378 Tanner Thorson, Minden, Nev.
12 377 Cannon McIntosh, Bixby, Okla.
13 339 Kyle Cummins, Princeton, Ind.
14 321 Brenham Crouch, Lubbock, Texas
15 293 Bryant Wiedeman, Colby, Kan.
16 272 Kaylee Bryson, Muskogee, Okla.
17 258 Hayden Williams, Auckland, N.Z.
18 229 Chase Randall, Waco, Texas
19 223 Trey Gropp, Lincoln, Neb.
20 210 Cole Bodine, Rossville, Ind.
21 195 Brian Carber, Lewisberry, Pa.
22 185 Brady Bacon, Broken Arrow, Okla.
23 162 Ethan Mitchell, Mooresville, N.C.
24 160 Jerry Coons Jr., Tucson, Ariz.
25 154 Chance Crum, Snohomish, Wash.
26 110 Sam Johnson, St. Peters, Mo.
27 105 Ryan Timms, Oklahoma City, Okla.
28 93 Hayden Reinbold, Gilbert, Ariz.
29 90 Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Olive Branch, Miss.
30 80 Blake Brannon, Morgan Hill, Calif.
31 65 Taylor Reimer, Bixby, Okla.
32 60 Travis Buckley, Auckland, N.Z.
33 59 Jonathan Shafer, Ashland, Ohio
34 40 Bryan Stanfill, Bakersfield, Calif.
35 40 Max Guilford, Auckland, N.Z.
36 40 Austin Barnhill, Wilmington, N.C.
37 36 Stephen Schnapf, Newburgh, Ind.
38 30 Chett Gehrke, Broken Arrow, Okla.
39 30 Tyler Nelson, Olathe, Kan.
40 30 Oliver Akard, Fort Myers, Fla.
41 20 Michael Clark, Brazil, Ind.
42 20 Glenn Waterland, Christchurch, N.Z.
43 10 Tommy Thompson, Ten Mile, Tenn.
44 10 Aiden Purdue, Clinton, Ill.
45 10 Kendall Ruble, Vincennes, Ind.
46 10 Jarett Andretti, Mooresville, N.C.
47 10 Jordan Calendine, Peru, Ind.
The next USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series is 11th July, Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex in Missouri on the small 1/6th Mile oval.
USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series Points
1-Buddy Kofoid-941
2-Chris Windom-894
3-Emerson Axsom-852
4-Justin Grant-820
5-Tanner Thorson-814
6-Thomas Meseraull-802
7-Daison Pursley-798
8-Logan Seavey-781
9-Kevin Thomas Jr.-732
10-Jason McDougal-693
For live and on demand footage visit https://www.floracing.com/
