Daison Pursley made history in winning the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship.
Pursley, who suffered a spinal cord injury in 2021, completed a comeback story for the ages in winning seven features en route to the USAC title at age 20.
“I’m definitely sure there was doubt,” Pursley explained. “I would be lying if I didn’t say that. There were always goals. At first, I just wanted to be quote/unquote a normal person again and just live a normal life, which was just walking, eating on my own and breathing on my own. Just all the little things that we wake up and take for granted.”
In 2024, Pursley and his CB Industries/PristineAuction.com – NOS Energy Drink – TRD/Spike/Speedway Toyota compiled a series high seven USAC National Midget victories, while leading 87 laps, capturing 11 heat race wins and producing 16 top-five finishes in 23 feature starts.
In the process, Pursley provided CB Industries its first USAC National Midget entrant title, and the second for team principal Chad Boat who scored a series championship as part of Tucker-Boat Motorsports in 2020 with driver Chris Windom.
When Pursley clinched the USAC title with a third-place run in the season-ending Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura, eyes were drawn to the embrace between Daison and his father, a moment which represented so much more than just a congratulatory bear hug. It meant the entire world.
“I absolutely owe everything to my mom and dad,” Pursley said of his parents, Shawnda of Klint Pursley. “They’ve sacrificed so much for me and I can’t even begin to imagine everything that they’ve done for me. I don’t quite understand it because I’m not a parent by any means but I can’t imagine what they felt when their kid was at his absolute lowest and now he’s at the absolute highest, all within a three-year span. They are the best parents I could ever ask for and they’ve taught me how to be the person that I am today.”
Cannon McIntosh added three victories on his way to a career best second place finish in the standings, including May’s season opener at the Belleville (Kan.) Short Track which ended a 616-day dry spell since his last series win.
He also added September’s Firemen’s Nationals at Wisconsin’s Angell Park Speedway and the $20,039-to-win Driven2SaveLives BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors later that month at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Reigning series champion Logan Seavey finished third in points after notching a pair of wins at Missouri’s Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex in May before picking up another in June during Indiana Midget Week at Tri-State Speedway.
Zach Wigal earned rookie-of-the-year honors.
The Points
1. Daison Pursley 1,505
2. Cannon McIntosh 1,446
3. Logan Seavey 1,355
4. Ryan Timms 1,311
5. Jacob Denney 1,283
6. Zach Daum 1,256
7. Justin Grant 1,210
8. Gavin Miller 1,178
9. Zach Wigal 1,085
10. Kale Drake 1,063
Winners
Daison Pursley 7
Cannon McIntosh 3
Corey Day 2
Logan Seavey 2
Ryan Timms 2
Emerson Axsom 1
Kale Drake 1
Justin Grant 1
Kyle Larson 1
Carson Macedo 1
Chase McDermand 1
Tanner Thorson 1
Zach Wigal 1
