INDIANAPOLIS – Isaac Johnson got a much-needed win with the Kenyon Midget Series at the Indianapolis Speedrome in his quest for the championship.
There are just two races remaining at the Sportsdrome and the season-ending Don and Mel Kenyon Classic at Anderson Speedway.
Johnson entered Saturday night with a slm 16-point lead over Aryton Houk.
Houk set fast time during K&K Marketing qualifying and went on to win a KRJ Race Products heat.
The redraw for the feature event put Danny O’Gara and Evan Hammond, a title contender on the front row. Johnson and Houk would start in the third row.
On the initial start Eli Fox made it three-wide going into the opening corner from the fourth starting position. As the field settled out it put Hammond on the point with Johnson already running second and O’Gara third.
The caution flag waved on lap five when O’Gara and Houk got together on the front straight. O’Gara was relegated to the tail and Houk was able to maintain the third spot.
Johnson stayed glued on the tail tank of Hammond’s car for several laps before making the pass for the lead with an inside move in turn three.
The top five were Johnson, Hammond, Fox, Seth Tozer and Houk when the second caution flag waved on lap 27 when O’Gara and Lucas Stiles spun in the first corner.
Tozer was forced out of the event with only eight laps remaining after running the entire time among the race leaders.
At the finish it was Johnson followed by Hammond, Fox, Houk and Aiden Slightom. O’Gara who had won three races in a row had to settle for the sixth spot.
For Johnson it marked his third career win and second at the Indianapolis Speedrome.
“Did what we needed to do,” Johnson said in the Jeff Hill Trailers Victory Lane. “Brad Hayes gave me a really awesome car for the feature.
“The win has been a long time coming, we’ve had a lot of podiums, but a lot of bad luck,” he said of the Brother’s Body and Paint sponsored Midget.
Hammond remained in the championship hunt with his second place finish and battled a push during the feature event.
“We were pretty much on the same page as (Isaac) Johnson,” he said of the Snap On Tools entry. “But the car wasn’t comfortable in the corner and wasn’t get up to speed. Overall it was a good night.”
Fox said on the opening lap he had to go three-wide because the leaders were stacked up.
“There was tight racing all night,” Fox said. “It was kind of frustrating at the start because the front row didn’t take off. You have to race where they’re not.”
Houk suffered some suspension damage after making contact with the outside retaining wall on the fifth lap.
Tozer led the entire distance to win the second KRJ Race Products heat race and Johnson was the Advanced Racing Suspensions Hard Charger award winner. Slightom was named the Brad Hayes Performance rookie of the race.
The finish:
1) Isaac Johnson; 2) Evan Hammond; 3) Eli Fox; 4) Aryton Houk; 5) Aiden Slightom; 6) Danny O’Gara; 7) Logan Huggler; 8) Dameron Taylor; 9) Evan Patton; 10) Brian Richardson; 11) Lucas Stiles; 12) Seth Tozer; 13) Jase Petty
