A spectacular field of 50-plus USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship drivers have announced their intentions to compete in the 81st running of the 98-lap ARP Turkey Night Grand Prix on Saturday, November 26, at California’s Ventura Raceway.
At press time, 54 cars are entered for the Agajanian Promotions event at Jim Naylor’s Ventura’s 1/5-mile seaside dirt oval, including two past Turkey Night Grand Prix midget winners. Logan Seavey (Sutter, Calif.) comes in as the defending race victor from 2021 while Tanner Thorson (Minden, Nev.) captured the event win in 2015.
Seavey (2018) and Thorson (2016) are two of the five past USAC National Midget champions in the lineup along with Lebanon, Indiana’s Spencer Bayston (2017), Indianapolis, Indiana’s Tyler Courtney (2019) and Penngrove, California’s Buddy Kofoid (2021). Recently crowned USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Champion Justin Grant (Ione, Calif.) will be gunning for his first Turkey Night victory.
All the aforementioned drivers have captured USAC National Midget feature wins in their career and are among the 17 drivers who’ve tallied series feature wins. Those seeking a first Turkey Night Grand Prix score include 2022 series winners Cannon McIntosh (Bixby, Okla.), Jacob Denney (Galloway, Ohio), Mitchel Moles (Raisin City, Calif.) and Ryan Timms (Oklahoma City, Okla.).
International racing standout Michael Pickens (Auckland, N.Z.) can count himself in the group of USAC National Midget feature winners in the Turkey Night field along with Corey Day (Clovis, Calif.), Kevin Thomas Jr. (Cullman, Ala.), Shane Golobic (Fremont, Calif.), Emerson Axsom (Franklin, Ind.), Jason McDougal (Broken Arrow, Okla.) and Daison Pursley (Locust Grove, Okla.).
Furthermore, a trio of USAC Western States Midget champions will take on the national stars, a list of consisting of Hanford, California’s Michael Faccinto (2018 & 2022), Brentwood, California’s Blake Bower (2021) and Downey, California’s Steve Paden (2003).
Last year’s members of an all-female front row will return to the Turkey Night lineup this year – pole winner Kaylee Bryson (Muskogee, Okla.) and outside front row starter Taylor Reimer (Bixby, Okla.). Additionally, 2016 USAC National Midget Rookie of the Year Carson Macedo (Lemoore, Calif.) is back in the seat of a midget after scoring a series-high 11 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car wins in 2022.
Day, Denney and Bower are in the mix for the Don Basile Rookie of the Race award, which, thus far, encompasses 23 drivers. The award was captured in 2021 by third-place finisher Mitchel Moles. The most recent Rookie driver to win the Turkey Night Grand Prix is Warren Mockler in 1986 – 36 years ago.
RACE DETAILS:
The ARP Turkey Night Grand Prix officially gets underway on Friday night, November 25, with racing action from the USAC West Coast / VRA Sprint Cars as well as USAC Midget practice.
On Friday and Saturday, the pits open at 11am Pacific with the drivers meeting at 2:30pm, the grandstands opening at 3pm and cars on track at 3:30pm.
Friday’s tickets are $22 for adult general admission, $18 for Senior/Military/Students and free for children under 12. Pit passes are $45 apiece for members and $50 for non-members.
On Saturday, all tickets that are not reserved are $35. Reserved seats are $45 for ages 13 and older and $25 for ages 12 and under. Pit passes are $45 for members and $50 for non-members.
USAC PR
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