INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is celebrating the return of the Driven2SaveLives BC39 Powered by NOS Energy Drink USAC National Midget race to IMS with its second act of From Dirt Tracks to the Brickyard.
The event is an interactive panel discussion Tuesday, Sept. 3, with USAC racing legends and current stars.
From 4-6 p.m. in the IMS Museum gallery, join USAC legends Mel and Don Kenyon, along with current standouts Chad Boat, Michael Pickens and Chris Windom, for a two-hour trip through USAC racing history and current storylines.
Longtime USAC public address announcer and historian Pat Sullivan will serve as emcee.
The Kenyon brothers will be the featured guests for the first 40 minutes, and then Windom, Boat and Pickens will join the panel.
The early start time reflects a second invitation: Immediately following the Museum event, fans are invited to the BC39 draw party at USAC headquarters, 4910 W. 16th Street in Speedway, just west of IMS Turn 1.
The draw will determine starting positions for the first night of BC39 racing at The Dirt Track at IMS on Wednesday, Sept. 4.
Tickets for From Dirt Tracks to the Brickyard are now on sale, and the audience is limited to 75, first-come, first-served. IMS Museum member tickets are just $15, and non-members are just $20.
Kenyon finished fourth in the Indianapolis 500 twice (1969, 1973) and in eight starts he earned a total of four top-five finishes, but it’s his midget racing prowess that places him among short-track racing’s legends.
Mel and Don, who served as crew chief, won seven USAC National Midget Series championships, finished second in points eight times and won more than 110 USAC national midget features, plus many more races in other series.
Windom has three USAC 2019 National Sprint car wins to date, most recently July 20 at Kokomo, the third race of Indiana Sprint Week. It was a major milestone for the Canton, Ill., native, the 24th win of his USAC National Sprint Car career, breaking a three-way career wins tie with A.J. Foyt and Roger McCluskey.
Auckland, New Zealand-resident Pickens has eight New Zealand Midget championships and won the 2016 Australian Speedcar series, the first New Zealander to do so.
His most recent USAC midget victory was June 1 in the southern Illinois town of Wayne City, less than 24 hours after a 13-hour flight from Auckland to Chicago.
Boat, the son of 1998 Indianapolis 500 pole winner Billy Boat, finished second in the inaugural BC39 a year ago. He has competed in Indy Lights and in numerous NASCAR races, including the Xfinity Series race at IMS in 2014.