Fresh off his first career Chili Bowl Nationals victory a week-and-a-half ago, Logan Seavey has announced his intentions to compete full-time with the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship in 2023 behind the wheel for Abacus Racing. (A.J. Johnson Photo)
Courtesy USAC Media Relations: Indianapolis, Indiana (January 24, 2023)………Fresh off his first career Chili Bowl Nationals victory a week-and-a-half ago, Logan Seavey has announced his intentions to compete full-time with the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship in 2023 behind the wheel for Abacus Racing.
Seavey (Sutter, Calif.), the 2018 USAC National Midget champion, will pilot the No. 57 for the Indianapolis, Ind. based entrant. It marks the first time the team, formed in 2021, will make a full-season points run in a national series.
“I am very excited to drive for Abacus in 2023,” Seavey exclaimed. “Our goal is to win races and win the championship, and after driving for them in California late last year, I honestly feel like we have a chance to do it.”
Seavey drove for the team during the last seven races of the 2022 USAC National Midget season, giving the team a pair of top-five finishes at California’s Bakersfield Speedway and Merced Speedway.
“The equipment was good, and I really enjoyed the team atmosphere while working with Johnny (Cofer) and Kirk (Simpson) for those races,” Seavey stated.
Brent Cox, Team Principal of Abacus Racing, is looking forward to working with Seavey and continuing to build on what the team has already accomplished.
“To say we are excited is an understatement,” Cox said. “The team has continued to progress in so many areas. To make the decision to make a run for a championship is something we do not take lightly but having Logan in the car this year was something we just could not pass up.”
Seavey has already built an extensive resume in the midget ranks. He earned the season championship and Rookie of the Year honors with USAC in 2018, then captured the Turkey Night Grand Prix at California’s Ventura Raceway in 2021, one of his eight career series victories. It was Cox’s passion and future plans that has him intrigued, which include both near-term and long-term goals for the team.
“For a new car owner, Brent has a lot of goals and future plans, and I liked what I heard,” Seavey acknowledged.
For Cox, he has the driver he wants and a full slate of events ahead. Now, the goals are clear – to be competitive, to run up front and, ultimately, to win feature number one for the Abacus team.
“Going into 2023, our first goal is to lead laps in feature races,” Cox said. “From there, you want podiums and then of course you want race wins. We have won several heat races, but the goal is a feature win. With Logan at the wheel, and with the team we have, I think that is a realistic goal. It’s not an easy one given the competition in the series, but it’s realistic.”
In addition to the USAC National Midget races, Seavey will also pilot the team’s pavement car at the National Pavement Midget Championship races at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2023. That’s something that Cox is also looking forward to.
“Last year with every race at IRP, we made steady gains,” Cox said. “We finished the last race (Championship Saturday) in fourth place with Justin Grant as our driver. We feel like, with the baseline we have, we can start off the pavement season strong and put ourselves in contention for the midget championship there too.”
Seavey, who finished 2nd in both the 2021-2022 USAC Silver Crown Championship, shares the same sentiment.
“I had a good season on pavement and dirt last year,” Seavey remarked. “Having the ability to do the entire midget season with the Abacus team will give us the ability to make improvements throughout the year, which will hopefully yield the results we are looking for.”
The 2023 USAC National Midget Series kicks off on April 21-22 at Indiana’s Kokomo Speedway for the Kokomo Grand Prix. The first National Pavement Midget Championship race at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park takes place on May 26 with the Carb Night Classic.
