INDIANAPOLIS — Former Kenyon Midget champion Ayrton Houk put together a perfect night Friday at the Indianapolis Speedrome.
Houk set fast time during qualifications, won his heat race and led all 30 laps of the feature race.
Following the two heat races, Houk pulled a zero for the inversion which put him on the front row along side of defending champion Dameron Taylor.
Houk took the lead at the start chased by Jack Macenko, Taylor, rookie Jaden Cox and Kyle Ford.
While Houk remained on the point there was an intense battle for the second spot among Taylor, Macenko and Cox.
The race was red-flagged on lap 18 when the midget of Brian Harmon made contact with the front straight retaining wall and flipped to a stop. Harmon was unhurt.
A second red-flag waved on lap 22 when Landon Brown appeared to have lost an engine putting fluids on the track.
Prior to the stoppage Taylor and Macenko were swapping the second spot once or twice on every lap with Cox and Ford lurking just behind.
On the 23rd circuit Taylor and Cox got inside of Macenko for the second and third spots. But on the final lap Macenko passed Cox in the final corner to come home in third.
“My car was hooked up tonight,” Houk said following his fourth career win and second at the Speedrome. “The JK Racing machine was just awesome it was on rails.”
He said starting up front is something not to be upset about.
“Everybody was shuffling around all night,” Houk said of the tight racing. “It was good racing. Jack (Macenko) and Dameron (Taylor) were on my tail the whole night, keeping me honest.”
Taylor said it was funny battling for position.
“I wish we would have run more laps, because I do well in passing lapped traffic,” he said.
Feature Finish (30 Laps)
1) Ayrton Houk; 2) Dameron Taylor; 3) Jack Macenko; 4) Jaden Cox; 5) Kyle Ford; 6) John Robbins; 7) Cash Wyke; 8) Dezi Pedregon; 9) Ryan Huggler; 10) Landon Brown; 11) Kyle Sheard; 12) Evan Hammond; 13) Taylor Tecco; 14) Phil Brown; 15) Brian Harmon; 16) Tanner Tecco