VENTURA, Calif. — Sixty USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midgets have been entered for the 81st running of the prestigious 98-lap ARP Turkey Night Grand Prix on Saturday, Nov. 26, at California’s Ventura Raceway.
The Agajanian Promotions event at Jim Naylor’s Ventura’s one-fifth-mile seaside dirt oval includes two past Turkey Night Grand Prix midget winners. Logan Seavey comes in as the defending race victor from 2021 while Tanner Thorson captured the event win in 2015.
Seavey (2018) and Thorson (2016) are two of the five past USAC National Midget champions in the lineup along with Spencer Bayston (2017), Tyler Courtney (2019) and Buddy Kofoid (2021). Recently crowned USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Champion Justin Grant will be gunning for his first Turkey Night victory.
All the aforementioned drivers have captured USAC National Midget feature wins in their career and are among the 17 drivers who’ve tallied series feature wins. Those seeking a first Turkey Night Grand Prix score include 2022 series winners Cannon McIntosh, Thomas Meseraull, Jacob Denney, Mitchel Moles and Ryan Timms.
Additional USAC National Midget feature winners in the Turkey Night field include Corey Day, Kevin Thomas Jr., Shane Golobic, Emerson Axsom, Jason McDougal and Daison Pursley.
Furthermore, a trio of USAC Western States Midget champions will take on the national stars, a list of consisting of Michael Faccinto (2018 & 2022), Blake Bower (2021) and Steve Paden (2003).
Last year’s members of an all-female front row will return to the Turkey Night lineup this year — pole winner Kaylee Bryson and outside front row starter Taylor Reimer. Additionally, 2016 USAC National Midget Rookie of the Year Carson Macedo is back in the seat of a midget after scoring a series-high 11 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car wins this year.
Day, Denney and Bower are in the mix for the Don Basile Rookie of the Race award, which, thus far, encompasses 23 drivers.
The award was captured in 2021 by third-place finisher Mitchel Moles.
The most recent rookie driver to win the Turkey Night Grand Prix is Warren Mockler in 1986 — 36 years ago.