Tanner Thorson took a comfortable win on night 3 of USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Car Series – Eastern Midget Week in Swedesboro, New Jersey. The Series first visit to the big 4/10th of a mile highbanks.
East Coast stand out Alex Bright, a Western Springs 50 Lap Classic winner set fast time of the 22 cars on hand. His time of 16.275 seconds in the Tom Malloy owned King – Toyota the lap record. Current National Series Champion Chris Windom was 2nd fastest with Thorson 3rd. The top 9 within 0.2 of each other.
The BSL Racing paring of Aucklanders Travis Buckley and Hayden Williams in their Buckley Systems Limited – Lucas Oil sponsored Bullet by Spike – Esslingers qualifying 19th and 17th respectively.
With 24 cars allowed to start the Feature all cars in attendance knew they had a starting spot of the Feature. Heat race 1 went to Emerson Axsom who was 2nd in last night’s Feature ahead of former 2NZ Zach Daum and Bright from grid 6. Buckley home 7th in this race.
Heat 2 was taken out by Keith Kunz Motorsports driver and Series point’s leader Buddy Kofoid who it was revealed has his right wrist and left foot in a cast after breaking both in a Late Model race accident on 24th of July. Williams starting on the front but finishing in 6th.Last night’s winner Daison Pursley won heat 3 ahead of former team mate Canon McIntosh.
The field lined up with Axsom on pole position with McIntosh to his outside. Thomas Meseraull was inside row two starting directly behind the driver he had cross words with on the previous night at Action Track USA. Thorson started 4th with Windom, Bright, Chase Randall and Former USAC Midget Champ Logan Seavey rounding out the top 10 starters.
Axsom took the early lead with Thorson immediately on his tail. A few cars ventured up to the high line early on however the track had slicked off and worn out by the modified’s racing beforehand. Most of the racers running middle to low.
The race seeing its first caution flag on lap 4 when plumes of smoke emanated from Zach Daum’s Honda. He pulled the car infield forced to retire while running 10th.
At the restart Axsom lead but left te door open for Thorsom who was set up well for the low line and took the front within a lap. Meanwhile Meseraull rolled the bottom to get into 3rd as McIntosh stayed high. Meseraull then passed Axsom to be take 2nd where he eventually finished.
At the half way mark Thorson had established a huge 6 second gap over Meseraull. Kofoid and Windom both advancing past McIntosh into the top 4 but no one had an answer for Thorson who won by 8.429 seconds, lapping up to 9th position.
Kofoid 3rd with season’s points chase rival Windom in 4th. Axsom held on to 5th with Kevin Thomas Jr., McIntosh, Bright, Randall and Justin Grant in the top 10. Williams 12th from grid 17 and Buckley starting and finishing in 19th.
“As soon as I fired off, I went down there and I was able to feel it out and I knew that was going to be the place to be” Said Thorson explaining how he picked his line.
The Round 4 of Eastern Midget Week is on 6th August at Bloomsburg Fair Raceway – Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.
USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship Points
1-Buddy Kofoid-1386
2-Chris Windom-1367
3-Emerson Axsom-1339
4-Tanner Thorson-1255
5-Justin Grant-1240
6-Daison Pursley-1212
7-Thomas Meseraull-1146
8-Kevin Thomas Jr.-1145
9-Logan Seavey-1135
10-Cannon McIntosh-1031.
For live and on demand footage visit https://www.floracing.com/