Windom Holds Off Axsom In Toyota 1-2 At Grandview Speedway

Chris Windom held off a last-lap charge by Emerson Axsom to win the opening night of the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series’ Eastern Midget Week at Grandview Speedway, Tuesday.  

The victory is the third of the year for the defending USAC champion and his second consecutive triumph at Grandview. It marks the 36th national midget feature win for a Toyota-powered driver in 2021.

Windom started the feature from the inside of row one, but Chase Randall was able to use the high speed to take the lead on the opening lap, followed by Windom, Axsom, Tanner Thorson, Justin Grant and Daison Pursley.

Randall was able to hold down the top spot for the first six laps before Windom went underneath him into turn two to take the lead on lap seven. One circuit later, Axsom also would get past Randall for second.

From there on out, it would be a battle between the two Toyota drivers with Windom holding a comfortable lead for much of the race as Axsom continued to fight off Randall for second. By the midway point of the 30-lap event, Windom held a one-second advantage.

As the laps began to wind down, Windom would find himself in heavy traffic as Axsom cut his lead down to just .587 seconds on lap 28 and then closed right on Windom’s tail on lap 29, cutting his lead to .2 seconds.  As Windom continued to deal with lapped cars, Axsom would slide underneath him going into turn one on the final lap to take the lead, but Windom came right back underneath him coming out of turn two onto the back straight. Axsom stayed on his tail, but Windom was able to hold on for the victory. Randall would finish third, while Kevin Thomas Jr. made it three Toyotas in the top four.

Pursley finished sixth, followed by Grant, Thomas Meseraull, Cannon McIntosh and Buddy Kofoid as Toyotas claimed eight of the top-10 finishing positions.

USAC moves on to Kutztown, Pennsylvania, for night two of Eastern Midget Week at Action Track USA on Wednesday night.  

Toyota Driver Quotes: 

Chris Windom, CB Industries: “I didn’t really want it to be that exciting, but it sure was at the end.  I literally had nowhere to go and Emerson made a move on me, but we were able to get back by him. The track was great. We love coming here. All the CB Industries guys do a great job.”

Emerson Axsom, Petry Motorsports: “Chris doesn’t make mistakes. It’s hard to run him and even harder to pass him. I thought we had him for a second, but I knew it was going to be tough. I saw an opening and went for it. We came up short, but I can’t thank Petry Motorsports and all my sponsors enough. It was a good points night.”

TRD PR