MARNE, Mich. — Probably in the history of the Kenyon Midget Series, no driver has experienced the success that Danny O’Gara has in 2026.
In just four races O’Gara has scored three feature wins, the most recent coming Saturday at Berlin Raceway.
O’Gara in the Peterman Brothers sponsored Midget took the lead on lap 18 when apparent race winner Aryton Houk experienced a mechanical failure.
Evan Hammond took the lead off the start from the pole position followed by the invert chased by Jase Petty, Dameron Taylor, Houk and Seth Tozier.
On the fifth circuit both Houk and O’Gara slipped inside of Taylor and a lap later Houk was running second with a pass of Petty.
The caution flag waved on lap 6 when Brian Richardson slowed to a stop and it negated Houk’s move into the second spot.
On the restart both Houk and Taylor passed Petty, who was stuck in the high groove.
Houk took the lead from Hammond on lap nine with an inside pass coming off the fourth turn.
The second caution flag waved on lap 13 when Hunter Peri got off the track on the back side.
O’Gara was running fourth on the restart passing Taylor for third entering turn one and a lap later passed Hammond for second with Houk holding a comfortable lead.
On lap 18 Houk slowed which put O’Gara on the point with Hammond coming in second followed by Taylor, Tozer and Houk.
“It feels great,” O’Gara said in victory lane. “It was a great race for us.”
Houk in the Wings and Wheel Foundation sponsored car had surrendered the point lead a week earlier to Isaac Johnson to race with IMSA in Virginia, broke the track record during qualifying, won his heat race and appeared headed to a sweep of the night at Berlin.
“The engine cut out,” he said of the lap 18 loss of the lead to O’Gara. “It was an unfortunate ending to the night. We had a great car, it felt planted and we drove away from the field.”
Johnson struggled during qualifying and dropped out of the heat race. He swapped cars with Jackson Macenko for the feature and drove from the tail to a seventh place finish.
“Not the best of nights, but part of racing,” he said. “Looking forward to next week.”
Hammond said they had the fortune to draw the pole position for the feature event.
“Unfortunately the car just wasn’t there to capitalize on it,” he said. “I’ve had tough luck recently, but we’ll keep fighting to learn and get this car right.”
Taylor, who had two previous wins at Berlin Raceway, said he was fighting a push for most of the night.
“Bumping was a little excessive tonight, but over all a good night,” he said. “Top three should put me about 60 points out of the championship instead of the 100 entering the night.”
The finish:
1) Kyle O’Gara; 2) Evan Hammond; 3) Dameron Taylor; 4) Seth Tozer; 5) Aryton Houk; 6) Kyle Sheard; 7) Isaac Johnson; 8) Eli Fox; 9) Lee Pierce; 10) Hunter Peri; 11) Jase Petty; 12) Brian Richardson; 13) Evan Patton
