McDermand Takes One “For The Ages” at Kokomo
Kokomo, IN……..He only led for about five feet but Chase McDermand’s spectacular victory in Sunday night’s USAC Speed2 Midget race at the Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway was truly one “for the ages.” In one of the most spectacular USAC Midget race finishes in history, McDermand, of Springfield, Ill., rode the outside cushion from behind to nose out a last-lap victory over Andy Baugh to win the 20-lap USAC Engler IMRA/Midwest Thunder feature by just a wheel length! Chett Gehrke took third, Aaron Leffel was fourth and Alex Watson fifth. Baugh led the first 19 laps and was headed for victory before McDermand’s heroics left Baugh in the runner-up spot. The two series resume action next Saturday night, the Engler IMRA Midgets at Spoon River Speedway in Canton, Ill. and the Midwest Thunder Midgets at Montpelier (Ind.) Motor Speedway.
USAC ENGLER SPEED2 IMRA/MIDWEST THUNDER MIDGET RACE RESULTS: May 6, 2018 – Kokomo, Indiana – Kokomo Speedway – “King of Kokomo”
FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Chett Gehrke (#11c Gehrke), 2. Chase McDermand (#40 McDermand), 3. Alex Watson (#3 Watson), 4. Bart Andrews (#69 Trone), 5. Gedd Ross (#51R Johnson), 6. Andrew Hennig (#2A Hennig), 7. Jon Watson (#25 Watson), 8. Bret Watson (#17k Watson), 9. Tyler Kalb (#32T Kalb), 10. Cody Downard (#3D Downard). NT
SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Andy Baugh (#37 Raymond), 2. Aaron Leffel (#11L Taylor), 3. Robby McQuinn (#09 McQuinn), 4. Jon Steed (#7 Steed), 5. Ryan Barr (#21B Barr), 6. Trey Osborne (#11T Taylor), 7. Cory Guingrich (#11g Guingrich), 8. Kent Kriegbaum (#12 Kriegbaum). NT
FEATURE: (20 laps) 1. Chase McDermand, 2. Andy Baugh, 3. Chett Gekrke, 4. Aaron Leffel, 5. Alex Watson, 6. Stratton Briggs (#71 Briggs), 7. Gedd Ross, 8. Trey Osborne, 9. Jon Steed, 10. Robby McQuinn, 11. Jon Watson, 12. Bart Andrews, 13. Cory Guingrich, 14. Ryan Barr, 15. Bret Watson, 16. Andrew Hennig, 17. Kent Kriegbaum. NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-19 Baugh, Lap 20 McDermand.
NEW USAC ENGLER SPEED2 IMRA POINTS: 1-McDermand-229, 2-Baugh-226, 3-Ross-120, 4-McQuinn-115, 5-Andrews-115, 6-Shane Morgan-72, 7-GeehrkeLeffel-68, 9-Mark Billings-66, 10-Jeff Sparks-65.
NEW USAC SPEED2 MIDWEST THUNDER POINTS: 1-McDermand-77, 2-Baugh-75, 3-Gehrke-72, 4-Leffel-68, 5-A.Watson-64, 6-Ross-56, 7-Briggs-55, 8-Osborne-52, 9-Steed-51, 10-McQuinn-49.
NEXT USAC SPEED2 MIDWEST THUNDER RACE: May 12 – Montpelier (IN) Motor Speedway
NEXT USAC ENGLER SPEED2 IMRA RACE: May 12 – Canton, IL – Spoon River Speedway
Sources: USAC PR