LOS ANGELES — One of the interesting things about the USAC NOS Energy Drink Thanksgiving Midget Grand Prix at Ventura Raceway is the format.
It determines how drivers earn a starting berth in the 28-car, 98-lap event. The 10 fastest qualifiers earn starting positions one through 10. The top four finishers in the three 12-lap heat races earn positions 11-22.
A 15-lap semi-main event for finishers five through 10 in the three heats sends the first four finishers to starting positions 23-26 in order of their finishing positions. The final two positions go to drivers eligible to use a provisional starting spot.
It is informative to learn the order the 10 fastest qualifiers faced the timing clock. The fastest of 56 midgets was the No. 5t California-based car driven by versatile Kevin Thomas Jr., the 53rd driver to qualify.
Second through 10th fastest were USAC champion Buddy Kofoid (21st); Cannon McIntosh (55th); Bryant Wiedeman (fourth); Brody Fuson (15th); Chase Johnson (19th); Carson Macedo (48th); Logan Seavey (16th); rookie Jake Andreotti (51st); and rookie Daniel Whitley (37th). Clearly the well-prepared track surface allowed fast laps throughout time trials.
One of the things TNGP drivers look forward to is winning one of the unique Thanksgiving GP Jim Naylor-built trophies that will stand out in their trophy collection. This year TNGP winner Justin Grant received a replica 1960s era J. C. Agajanian white and blue No. 98jr midget atop a wooden base trophy.
Fastest qualifier Thomas, the 2014 USAC National Midget rookie of the year, received the large silver 1930s-era midget replica provided annually by a noted silversmith.
Kyle Larson, who raced from 22nd starting spot to finish second, was shown with a huge smile next to winner Grant in a post-race victory photo by racing photographer Steve Himelstein. Larson received the TNGP Hard Charger Award. He seemed to enjoy his fan-pleasing accomplishment as much as a victory and deservedly so.
Grant continued the TNGP tradition of kissing the bronzed Stetson hat atop the Aggie Trophy.
Larson was the first to do so in 2012.
Larson has raced in 10 TNGP events since 2011 at three speedways — Irwindale Speedway (paved) plus Perris Auto Speedway and Ventura clay tracks. He won the Don Basile Rookie of the Race award in 2011 for finishing fourth. An amazing fact is that Larson has never finished lower than fourth in his 10 TNGP races. He has three wins (2012, ’16 and ’19), four seconds (2015, ’17, ’18 and ’22), one third (2014), and two fourths (2011 and ’21). He skipped 2013 at Perris.
Grant, 32, became the 51st different TNGP winner this year in the 81st running of the midget classic.
He said his father brought him to see the TNGP from their Nor Cal home each year when the TNGP was held at Irwindale Speedway. He never dreamed he would someday win a TNGP. Four Indianapolis 500 winners — Bill Vukovich, Johnnie Parsons, A.J. Foyt and Parnelli Jones — have won the TNGP during their illustrious careers
Twelve drivers performed double duty and raced both a midget and a 360 sprint car at the TNGP. They included Ryan Timms, 16, from Oklahoma City, who won the Friday 15-lap sprint race and the sprint main Saturday in his No. 5t after leading all 30-laps from pole position. He also finished 14th in the 98-lap midget GP.
Other successful double-dippers who raced in both features were Mitchel Moles, Carson Macedo, Jake Swanson, Chase Johnson and Brody Fuson.
Troy Rutherford, Logan Calderwood, A. J. Bender, Nathan Byrd, T. J. Smith and Joey Bishop also raced in both divisions.
Female drivers entered in the midget portion of the TNGP were Jade Avedisian, Kaylee Bryson, Tuesday Calderwood, Mariah Ede, Randi Pankratz and Taylor Reimer. Avedisian was ill with the flu and did not race. Camie Bell, Elexa Herrera and Hannah Mayhew participated in the sprint car division.