MORE TNGP Midget Notes - Part III
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One of the interesting things about the USAC NOS Energy Drink Thanksgiving Midget GP at Ventura each year is the format. It determines how drivers earn a starting berth in the 28-car, 98-lap main event. The ten fastest qualifiers earn starting positions one through ten. The top four finishers in the three 12-lap heat races earn positions 11-22. A 15-lap semi-main event for finishers five through ten in the three heats sends the first four finishers to starting positions 23-26 in order of their finishing positions. The final two positions go to drivers eligible to use a provisional starting spot.
It is informative to learn the order the ten fastest qualifiers this year faced the timing clock from 4:20 to 5:01 pm on Saturday, November 26. The fastest of 56 midgets was the No. 5T California-based car driven by versatile Kevin Thomas, Jr., the 53rd driver to qualify. Second through tenth fastest qualifiers in order (with their qualifying order in parenthesis) were: USAC 2021-22 National Midget Champion Buddy Kofoid (21st); Cannon McIntosh (55th); Bryant Wiedeman (4th); Brody Fuson (15th); Chase Johnson (19th); Carson Macedo (48th); Logan Seavey (16th); rookie Jake Andreotti (51st), and rookie Daniel Whitley (37th). Clearly the well-prepared track surface allowed fast laps throughout time trials.
One of the things Ventura TNGP drivers look forward to is winning one of the unique Thanksgiving GP Jim Naylor-built trophies that will stand out in their trophy collection. This year TNGP winner Justin Grant received a replica 1960s era J. C. Agajanian white and blue No. 98jr midget atop a wooden base trophy. Fastest qualifier Thomas, the 2014 USAC National Midget rookie of the year, received the large silver 1930s-era midget replica provided annually by a noted silversmith. Both drivers posed happily for photos with their beautiful trophies.
Kyle Larson, who raced from 22nd starting spot to a closing second place, was shown with a huge smile next to winner Grant in a post-race victory photo by racing photographer Steve Himelstein. Larson received the TNGP Hard Charger Award for racing from 22nd starting to a closing second place. He seemed to enjoy his fan-pleasing accomplishment as much as a victory and deservedly so. Grant continued the TNGP tradition of kissing the bronzed Stetson hat atop the Aggie Trophy. Larson was the first to do so in 2012.
Larson has raced in ten TNGP events since 2011 at three speedways—Irwindale (paved) plus Perris and Ventura clay tracks. He won the Don Basile Rookie of the Race award in 2011 for finishing fourth. An amazing fact is that Larson has never finished lower than fourth in his ten TNGP races. He has three wins (2012, 16 and 19), four seconds (2015, 17, 18 and 22), one third (2014), and two fourths (2011 and 21). He skipped 2013 at Perris.
Larson's TNGP duels with fellow NASCAR Cup star Christopher Bell were epic, fan-pleasing contests in which the two stars traded the lead numerous times with slide-jobs at Ventura where each driver defeated his rival. Larson won in 2016 and 19; Bell won in 2017-18. Their intense battles for a TNGP victory reminded me of the mid-1960s first place battles between Parnelli Jones and A. J. Foyt at Gardena's Ascot Park clay half-mile.
Grant, 32, became the 51st different TNGP winner this year in the 81st running of the midget classic. He said his father brought him to see the TNGP from their Nor Cal home each year when the TNGP was held at Irwindale Speedway. He never dreamed he would someday win a TNGP. Four Indianapolis 500 winners—Bill Vukovich, Johnnie Parsons, Foyt and Parnelli—have won the TNGP during their illustrious careers. It was nice to see the 2022 victory go to a driver who appreciates the event so much.
Twelve drivers performed double duty and raced both a midget and a 360 ci sprint car at the 2022 TNGP. They included Ryan Timms, 16, from Oklahoma City, who won the Friday 15-lap sprint race and the sprint main Saturday in his No. 5T after leading all 30-laps from pole position. He also finished 14th in the 98-lap midget GP. Other successful double-dippers who raced in both features were Mitchel Moles, Carson Macedo, Jake Swanson, Chase Johnson, and Brody Fuson. Troy Rutherford, Logan Calderwood, A. J. Bender, Nathan Byrd, T. J. Smith and Joey Bishop also raced in both divisions.
Female drivers entered in the 2022 TNGP were: MIDGETS—Jade Avedisian, Kaylee Bryson, Tuesday Calderwood, Mariah Ede, Randi Pankratz, and Taylor Reimer. Avedisian was ill with the flu and did not race. SPRINT CARS—Camie Bell, Elexa Herrera, and Hannah Mayhew. ….. Duplicate midget car numbers in 2022 were: 1, 5, 7, 8, 19, 25 (with four cars) 57, 71 (also with four) 73, 88. 89 and 97. Duplicate sprint car numbers were: 8, 21 (with three cars) and 51.
Automotive Racing Products, of Ventura, again contributed sponsorship money to the Thanksgiving GP purse. It was spread throughout the field not just to the top positions. The two-night TNGP now pays the 98-lap feature winner $10,000 for years after paying the winner $6,000 for decades. The Monday through Saturday,six-night Tulsa Chili Bowl also pays $10,000 to the winner of Saturday's 55-lap A-feature.