Caleb Armstrong Gets Midget Win; Wilsdon, Welch Record Wins

Caleb Armstrong led all 30 laps but it was not a walk in the park as the top six drivers battled for position in USAC National Midget competition at Anderson Speedway on Friday.

Armstrong got the jump at the start chased by Canadian driver Allison MacLeod, Jeremy Warren, Mario Marietta and Kyle Hamilton.

The top five ran nose to tail for the first 14 laps, each waiting for the other driver to make a mistake with Dakota Armstrong closing on the lead pack.

MacLeod slipped inside of Armstrong to battle for the top spot entering Turn three on lap 15 but was unable to complete the pass. Two laps later Hamilton used the same move to grab the fourth spot from Marietta.

The caution flag waved with three laps remaining when Dakota Armstrong spun coming off the fourth corner setting up a shoot-out for the win.

On the restart Warren got inside of MacLeod but was unable to challenge Armstrong for the lead. Hamilton got inside of MacLeod for the third spot, but MacLeod was able to hold on at the checkers for the spot. Hamilton and Marietta rounded out the top five.

New Castle’s Caleb Armstrong and Danville’s Hamilton scored heat victories in USAC Regional Midgets competition. Dakota Armstrong was the fast qualifier turning a lap in 11.686 seconds.

Michigan driver Adam Wilsdon got his first victory by leading all 30 laps to capture the Ford Focus Midgets feature.

Wilsdon was pressured for the first half of the race by Joe Ligouri, who was looking to make a pass on the inside but couldn’t complete the move.

Wilsdon went on to win by eight-tenths of a second over Ligouri. Jimmy Simpson took advantage of lapped traffic to slip inside of Katie Hargitt with three laps remaining to grab third. Hargitt finished fourth with Tyler Cottongim rounding out the top five.

Heat winners were Ligouri, Tampa, Fl., and Indianapolis driver Simpson. Ligouri was the quick qualifier with a time of 12.466 seconds

Dillon Welch dominated the Kenyon Midget feature pulling away from the drop of the green flag to win by more than three seconds. It marked Welch’s third win at Anderson Speedway this season.While Welch was crusing to the victory there was a good battle for second between Grant Galloway, Dalton Armstrong, Taylor Ferns and Jared Marks for the next four positions.

Early in the race Galloway and Marks made slight contact on the back straight on lap seven while battling for the second position. Both drivers were able to continue. Marks got loose as a result of the contact and lost two positions.

Trailing Welch at the finish was Galloway, Armstrong, Ferns and Marks.

Welch of Indianapolis, who was the fast qualifer with a lap of 12.729 seconds, and New Castle’s Dalton Armstrong recorded the heat wins.

The fastest race cars to compete at Anderson Speedway return Saturday with the H.O.S.S. Winged Sprints taking to the high banked quarter-mile oval. Joining the winged sprints will be the UMRA Midgets, ImmediaDent Figure-8 and Front Wheel Drive division on the oval. Racing starts at 8 p.m.

For additional information on Anderson Speedway call (765) 642-0206.