SPEEDWAY, Ind. – Tanner Thorson, who suffered serious injuries in a highway crash on March 4, will return to the cockpit of a USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget in time for the start of the 15th annual edition of Indiana Midget Week June 4-9.
Thorson will make his return to the Keith Kunz Motorsports/Curb-Agajanian team for the upcoming six-race mini-series aboard the Walker Filtration-sponsored No. 98. The team reunites after a successful run that resulted in 12 USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget feature wins and the 2016 series championship.
Two of Thorson’s 12 series victories came during Indiana Midget Week, including his first triumph in 2015 at Gas City I-69 Speedway and in 2016 at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Ind. Among other notable victories for the Minden, Nev., native are the Turkey Night Grand Prix in 2015 and the Gold Crown Midget Nationals in 2015 and 2016.
Thorson was injured earlier this year in a multi-car incident on Highway 99 in Modesto, Calif. Thorson underwent surgery for a broken left arm and right foot and also sustained a cracked sternum, broken ribs and a punctured lung.
The accident occurred while Thorson was on his way back home to the Tri-C Motorsports team’s Sacramento, Calif., shop after competing in the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car events at the Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
In the first two events of the 2019 USAC National Midget season, Thorson finished ninth on the opening night of Winter Dirt Games X at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla., and seventh in the second event where he charged from 24th to seventh to earn hard charger honors.
“I’m back! Excited to get back with these guys for my comeback/race week,” Thorson said in an Instagram post earlier Thursday.
I’m Back! Excited to get back with these guys for my come back race/week! @USACNation @KeithKunz pic.twitter.com/J378L4yf00
— Tanner Thorson (@Tanner_Thorson) May 30, 2019