INDIANAPOLIS — Ninteen-year-old open-wheel hot shoe Jake Trainor may not have as much experience at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park as most of his veteran counterparts, but he has enjoyed measurable success in just a few seasons at the storied Indianapolis oval.
The Medway, Mass., native hopes to parlay that success into a rewarding USAC Silver Crown Series debut with Sam Pierce Racing on Oct. 19. Trainor will race the No. 126 Beast Silver Crown car as teammate to Team SPR’s primary driver, Kaylee Bryson, during IRP’s annual Championship Saturday event.
Trainor stunned last year after winning the Carb Night Classic National Midget event at IRP. He later went on to win the 70th Little 500 Sprint Car crown jewel event in his first attempt at Anderson Speedway the next night.
Saturday will be a busy night for Trainor as he will pull triple duty competing in all three open-wheel divisions. He will attempt to improve on his four career visits to IRP’s victory lane in midget competition driving Jeff West’s No. 29 and top his best sprint car performance at IRP of sixth in the Barry Kittredge-owned No. 29 in the 500 Sprint Car Tour 40-lap event.
“I just want to finish all 100 laps and bring home a clean race car,” Trainor said. “Dave Newman [SPR Crew Chief] builds fast race cars and AP knows how to tune them, so we’ll be competitive, I’m sure.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’d love the same result that Kaylee and I had last time we were teammates here [they finished one, two at IRP in MidgetCars in August] but I don’t want to put too much pressure on my shoulders.”