FAIRBURY, Nebraska — In the USAC Midget National Championship’s return to the state of Nebraska after a nine-year hiatus, Chad Boat broke through in his 65th series start, leading the final 19 laps to take his first series victory in front of a standing-room-only crowd at Jefferson County Speedway.
The Riverside Chevrolet Tuesday Night Thunder program was USAC’s first ever visit to the Fairbury, Nebraska facility.
The night’s 35-lap feature marked just the sixth the time a USAC National Midget main event of that distance had been held, and the first occasion since February 1979, when Bob Wente took the victory at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum.
On the opening laps of the 35-lap feature, pole sitter Holly Shelton waged a side-by-side battle with Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports teammate Spencer Bayston, who started on the outside of the front row. Bayston appeared to have the upper hand at the entrance to turns one and three, but each time, Shelton fought back on the inside line to retain the top spot.
On the third lap, fourth-running Tanner Thorson got bottled-up on the topside of turn four, sliding to a stop at the exit of the turn to bring out the night’s first yellow flag.
On the lap four restart, third-running Tyler Thomas — returning from a two-month break from midget racing — dove to the bottom in turn one, going three-wide alongside Shelton (middle) and Bayston (outside). Thomas was able to edge ahead to the lead, albeit briefly, before both Shelton and Bayston made a Thomas sandwich off of turn two, resuming their high-low battle for the lead as Thomas slid back to third.
On lap five, Bayston was finally able to slip by Shelton for the lead on the outside with Thomas in tow, shuffling Shelton back to third.
On the tight confines of the fifth-mile dirt oval, real estate was at a premium, but that wasn’t any hindrance to sixth-starting Boat — who sailed his way past Thomas for the second spot on lap 12.
Boat was able to chase down Bayston in the ensuing laps and made his first bid for the lead on the inside of Bayston in turn one at lap 16, but was unable to make the move stick. Undeterred, Boat stayed right with Bayston as the two sped down the back straightaway into the third turn, ripping the bottom as he propelled himself past Bayston for the lead at the flagstand at the conclusion of lap 17.
Meanwhile, Thomas found his second wind as Boat found himself fenced-in while negotiating lapped traffic. But, with 11 laps to go, an incident involving the cars of Terry Goodwin, Lance Bennett and sixth-running Ryan Greth in turn three slowed the pace, bringing out a caution and, thus, removing lapped traffic from play to give the leaders a clear track ahead on the restart.
Boat aimed for the bottom on the lap 25 restart as Thomas shadowed just behind in second. One lap later, Thomas showed Boat his nose entering the first turn, but Boat was able to withstand the pressure to hold onto to the lead as the pair exited turn two.
With just seven to go, Greth’s once-promising night went from bad to worse after flipping wildly down the front straightaway. He would climb away from the wreckage uninjured.
Boat got a solid jump on Thomas on the final restart on lap 29, distancing himself out in front by roughly five car-lengths by the time the two hit the back straightaway.
The final spot on the podium was still up for grabs, though. After starting 13th, Bryan Clauson, who was utilizing a backup car after experiencing troubles with the primary car during qualifications, had carved his way through the pack to get by Bayston with an outside turn two pass for third with six laps to go while ProSource Fast Qualifier Bacon was able to slip by Bayston for the fourth position.
The see-saw battle between the two saw Bacon fight back to regain the third spot from Clauson with four laps to go. Yet, Clauson would battle back to regain the spot on the white flag lap. However, a bobble on the cushion on the final lap by Clauson allowed Bacon to shoot by Clauson to claim the third position for good.
Up front, Boat was in total control, pulling away from Thomas after the final restart to take the victory by 0.981 seconds over Thomas, Bacon, Clauson and Bayston.
