Emerson Axsom (Franklin, Ind.) turned the fastest lap in Friday night’s USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship practice at Ventura (Calif.) Raceway in preparation for Saturday’s 82nd running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix Presented By the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame. (Rich Forman Photo)
By: Richie Murray – USAC Media
Ventura, California (November 24, 2023)……… Emerson Axsom led all drivers in Friday night’s USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship practice at California’s Ventura Raceway.
The four practice sessions were used in preparation for Saturday night’s 82nd running of the ARP Turkey Night Grand Prix Presented By the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame on November 25.
Axsom (Franklin, Ind.) turned a top time of 12.082 seconds in the second practice session in his Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports/Curb Records – TRD/Lynk/Speedway Toyota, which was the fastest among the 46 drivers on hand Friday.
Taylor Reimer (Bixby, Okla.) and three-time Turkey Night winner Kyle Larson (Elk Grove, Calif.) timed in second overall with equal times of 12.119. Jacob Denney (Galloway, Ohio) went fourth quickest at 12.136 while Jade Avedisian (Clovis, Calif.) rounded out the top-five at 12.156.
This year’s USAC National Midget Rookie of the Year Gavin Miller (Allentown, Pa.) was sixth fastest overall and was one of three Turkey Night Rookies who posted a lap among the top-10 fastest in the field along with Clovis, California’s Corey Day (9th) and Springfield, Illinois’ Chase McDermand (10th). All will be vying for Don Basile Rookie of the Race honors on Saturday.
Additionally, 2023 USAC National Midget champion and 2021 Turkey Night winner Logan Seavey (Sutter, Calif.) was 12th fastest while 2021-22 series titlist Buddy Kofoid (Penngrove, Calif.) was 13th and 2017 USAC National Midget champ Spencer Bayston (Lebanon, Ind.) was 22nd.
One driver notably missing from the practice session was defending Turkey Night winner Justin Grant (Ione, Calif.). Of note, Grant was also absent from practice during the 2022 running of Turkey Night and went on to win the 98-lap feature event.
On Saturday, more than 50 midgets are expected to compete in the event which debuted in 1934. This year’s edition will once again feature a doubleheader with the USAC West Coast Sprint Cars.
The pits open at 11am Pacific with the drivers meeting at 2:45pm, the grandstands opening at 3pm and cars on track at 3:30pm for Saturday’s race.
All tickets that are not reserved are $35. Reserved seats are $45 for ages 13 and older and $25 for ages 12 and under. Pit passes are $40 for members and $50 for non-members on Saturday. Pit passes are $45 for members and $50 for non-members on Saturday. Race tickets are available in advance now at www.venturaraceway.com.
Saturday’s Turkey Night Grand Prix can also be watched LIVE on FloRacing at https://flosports.link/40w7aPg.
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USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PRACTICE RESULTS: November 24, 2023 – Ventura Raceway – Ventura, California – 1/5-Mile Dirt Track – 82nd ARP Turkey Night Grand Prix Presented by the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame
PRACTICE: 1. Emerson Axsom, 68, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-12.082; 2. Taylor Reimer, 25K, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-12.119; 3. Kyle Larson, 1K, Larson-12.119; 4. Jacob Denney, 25, Malloy-12.136; 5. Jade Avedisian, 71, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-12.156; 6. Gavin Miller, 97, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-12.181; 7. Daison Pursley, 19, Reinbold/Underwood-12.189; 8. Bryant Wiedeman, 81, CBI-12.218; 9. Corey Day, 4, Kahne-12.225; 10. Chase McDermand, 8w, Ford-12.243; 11. Jake Andreotti, 00, Davis-12.251; 12. Logan Seavey, 57, Abacus-12.253; 13. Buddy Kofoid, 67K, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-12.268; 14. Jesse Love, 84, CBI-12.280; 15. Hayden Reinbold, 19AZ, Reinbold/Underwood-12.286; 16. Ryan Timms, 67, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-12.289; 17. Cannon McIntosh, 86, CBI-12.296; 18. Kale Drake, 71K, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-12.309; 19. A.J. Hernandez, 35H, MF-12.352; 20. Max Adams, 15, Hart-12.383; 21. Carson Macedo, 99AU, Dyson-12.385; 22. Spencer Bayston, 9AU, Dyson-12.422; 23. Braden Chiaramonte, 14J, Graunstadt/Streeter-12.425; 24. Jake Bubak, 27B, Bourke-12.438; 25. Peter Hunnibell, 65NZ, Covich-12.447; 26. Chance Crum, 68w, Six8-12.460; 27. Cade Lewis, 5K, Alexander-12.480; 28. Mitchel Moles, 19T, Reinbold/Underwood-12.495; 29. Michael Faccinto, 14T, Graunstadt/Streeter-12.505; 30. Mariah Ede, 71E, Kunz/Curb-Agajanian-12.544; 31. Kyle Beilman, 31B, Beilman-12.562; 32. Cole Wakim, 55, Lambert-12.595; 33. Blake Bower, 9, Boscacci-12.640; 34. Ricky Lewis, 6A, Pedregon-12.683; 35. C.J. Sarna, 20, Sarna-12.725; 36. Shannon McQueen, 7, McQueen-12.727; 37. Dane Culver, 50, Knuckles Up-12.764; 38. Caden Sarale, 32, Sarale-12.782; 39. Ryan Timmons, 5v, Alexander-12.824; 40. Gage Rucker, 21K, Kruseman-12.914; 41. David Gasper, 73, Ford-12.989; 42. Terry Nichols, 1p, Nichols/Peckfelder-13.087; 43. Jim Vanzant, 3v, Vanzant-13.135; 44. Bryan Drollinger, 71D, Drollinger-13.500; 45. Ron Hazelton, 15ws, Hazelton-13.535; 46. Joey Klemish, 35K, MF-NT.
USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Logan Seavey-1730, 2-Justin Grant-1479, 3-Ryan Timms-1400, 4-Bryant Wiedeman-1393, 5-Jade Avedisian-1380, 6-Daison Pursley-1378, 7-Jacob Denney-1305, 8-Gavin Miller-1190, 9-Cannon McIntosh-1167, 10-Taylor Reimer-1154.
OVERALL USAC NATIONAL PROSOURCE PASSING MASTER POINTS: 1-Daison Pursley-199, 2-Logan Seavey-173, 3-Justin Grant-142, 4-Emerson Axsom-119, 5-Shane Cottle-106, 6-Matt Westfall-105, 7-Robert Ballou-100, 8-Chase Stockon-95, 9-Brady Bacon-92, 10-Mitchel Moles-91.
NEXT USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE: November 25, 2023 – Ventura Raceway – Ventura, California – 1/5-Mile Dirt Track – 82nd ARP Turkey Night Grand Prix Presented by the West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame
