VENTURA TURKEY NIGHT MIDGET GP – Part II
By noderel:
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LOS ANGELES – On November 25 Kyle Larson continued his amazing string of top four main event finishes in NOS Energy Drink USAC Turkey Night National Midget 98-lap features. In 11 races at three speedways (paved Irwindale half-mile, Perris dirt half-mile, and Ventura dirt fifth-mile) he has finished in each of the top four positions. He won his first TNGP at Perris in 2012 and added victories at Ventura in 2016 and 2019, before adding his fourth victory in 2023 in Ventura. Kyle was present in the Perris pits for the 2013 but as a NASCAR driver he did not compete and just assisted the Keith Kunz team in the pits.
Larson's fourth place in 2011 at Irwindale earned him rookie of the race honors. He finished third and second at Perris TNGP races in 2014-15. Ventura has hosted TNGPs since 2016 when Kyle won his second TNGP. He finished second to fellow NASCAR Cup driver Christopher Bell in 2017-18 after they exchanged the lead often with memorable slide jobs. The COVID pandemic canceled the 2020 race. Larson returned in 2021 and placed fourth; he was second in 2022. His 2023 TNGP victory after starting tenth was his fourth triumph. So in 11 TNGP features since 2011 Larson compiled the following record: P. 1- four, P. 2 – four, P. 3 – one, P. 4 – two. He has won in KKM midgets and in his own midget, one of three he keeps in Sacramento.
PURSE: The TNGP purse distribution per USAC showed the feature winner received $10,000 as in 2021-22. It paid $6,000 in 2019 prior to COVID. The TNGP and Tulsa Chili Bowl now pay the annual final night feature winner $10K. TNGP finishers in P. 2 through tenth receive the following: $5,000, $4,000, $3,000, $2,500, $2,000, $1,500, $1,200, $1,150, and $1,100. Eleventh through 20th receive $1,050, $1,000, $950, $925, $900, $875, $850, $825, $800, $800, and $775. Finishers 21st through 26th each received $750. Semi-main non-transfer to the feature each received $200. All other non-transfers received $125.
Other contributors to the TNGP purse as sponsors were: Automotive Racing Products, of Ventura, a five figure sponsor of the TNGP for many years. This year Ken Clapp and the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame added $5,000 to the midget and sprint car purse. Harold Osmer, the $10. TNGP program editor/publisher since 2001, added $900 to the purse from sale of racing books, magazines and other items at his program booth staffed by his family. Most items came from the estate of the late Dusty Brandel, long-time president of the AARWBA media organization. Osmer said the money went to three midget and three sprint drivers who just missed transferring to their main events.
The 82nd TNGP program cover had 2022 winner Justin Grant (No. 2 RMS Racing) on the cover. The beautiful and informative program was 34-pages and had some changes this year. All seven prior TNGP races at Ventura (1997 and 2016-2022) had individual paragraphs and color photos of the winner and an account of each race. Jim Naylor, who has been promoting races at Ventura for 45 years, received well-deserved recognition in a seven paragraph story. USAC National Midget 2023 champion Logan Seavey, the 2021 TNGP winner, also had a program page and photo in his blue No. 57 Spike. All appropriate top ten in season points, entry rosters for midgets and sprints, the top five finishers in all prior 81 TNGP mains, photos of the past winners, and an autograph page were included.
FEMALE DRIVERS: The 2023 TNGP had five female drivers in midgets. Three were in Keith Kunz-midgets—Jade Avedisian, Taylor Reimer, and Mariah Ede--plus self-entered Randi Pankratz and Shannon McQueen, a CPA who announced she is retiring from racing after the six race 2023 USAC Midgets six race swing at four speedways from November 14 through November 25. Four females raced in 360 ci. sprint cars. They were Mariah Ede, Camie Bell, Elexa Herrera and Stevie Rogers, 19.
The 26-car midget feature field had 13 teams represented. Keith Kunz had all eight of his entries in the field. Chad Boat had all three of his cars (Nos. 81, 84 and 86) in it, as did AME Reinbold-Underwood. Both Dyson cars made the field. One of two cars from both Dean Alexander, and from Graunstadt-Streeter made the main. The balance of the field came from single-car teams. They were: RMS Racing, Abacus, K. Larson, Rusty Carlile, Dick Woodland-Jimmy May, Willie Kahne, Pete Davis, and 2021 winning owner Tom Malloy.
DOUBLE-DUTY DRIVERS: Eleven drivers raced in both midget and sprint divisions at the 2023 TNGP. They were: Ryan Timms, fastest midget qualifier and high-point sprint car driver, Carson Macedo, Mariah Ede, Brody Fuson, TNGP newcomer Chase McDermand, Blake Bower, Max Adams, David Gasper, Gage Rucker, Ricky Lewis, and 2023 sprint car and midget newcomer Cole Wakim, 22-year old son of NMRA-TQ midget winner Chris Wakim. Cole, from Simi Valley, raced well in both divisions.
Macedo, Timms, and McDermand raced impressively. Oklahoman Timms won the TNGP 30-lap sprint feature in his family-owned No. 5 for the second consecutive year. After finishing third in the midget feature, WoO 410 sprint car winner Macedo sped into turn four on the cool-off lap, jumped the cushion, hit the wall and flipped the Dyson No. 99au. He emerged from the overturned car and walked to the infield post-race ceremonies. Macedo's third place equaled his TNGP best-finish as a rookie in 2016.