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Monday, August 5, 2013

Chad McDaniel Memorial Race @ Solomon Valley Raceway 7-30-2013

  It was a dark and stormy night.........just kidding Jim. Actually, the weather DID almost win this day as the event was said to be cancelled in the afternoon and then uncancelled after a flurry of posts on social media. The miscue didn't seem to have much effect, however, as the cars were already at the track and there were more fans in the stands than ever. It looks like the Beloit community is on the verge of becoming as midget mad as Belleville.
  I had gotten word from Cody Brewer that he was coming with a new car after a year's absence. He had been a fixture at the Midget Nationals for years and had become very popular with the fans as well as a good friend. He put the car together with George Malone after an offhand remark at the Chili Bowl set things in motion. It was great to see both of them again and to see the great looking car they'd created.
  Next, I had to go meet the two new hot shots driving for Keith Kunz. Rico Abreu is now the old hand in the Kunz stable, but Oklahoma's Christopher Bell and Tanner Thorson from Minden, Nevada have been impressing a lot of people recently with Bell holding the USAC points lead as a rookie. Keith must have a scout system like MLB, because he keeps coming up with amazing talent, and we were soon to see that these two are no exception.
  A bit later as I was looking at the Johnny Murdock cars I got a big surprise when I learned my little...make that young buddy (he's now taller than I am), Cole McDaniel, was going to make his midget debut in one of Murdock's cars. Cole has raced for years in the mini-sprints so it wasn't as if he wasn't ready. I asked if he was he was more excited or nervous and he said it was about equal.
  The crew had worked their tails off to get the rain drenched track into condition, but it was still very heavy by the time the cars took to the track which made hot laps very interesting. The racing was close all night, but there were no problems until late in the feature when Bryan Clauson and Caleb Armstrong bumped sending Armstrong's car into a series of rolls. Armstrong was unhurt and the car received little damage, but was done for the night. Rico Abreu and Christopher Bell, in a preview of Belleville, put on a great show with Bell taking the win with Abreu close behind. Jerry Coons Jr. made a last corner pass to take third away from Tracy Hines. The win extended Bell's USAC points lead and made him an even hotter favorite going into Belleville.
The Kunz lineup & Pete Willoughby

Cole McDaniel, Chado's nephew.

I told him people might call him Zero if they saw this.

Driver's meeting

Cole McDaniel turning his first laps in a midget.

Caleb Armstrong set quick time, but his week went downhill from there.
Cody Brewer

Christopher Bell

Darren Hagen

Bryan Clauson

Garett Hood

Brad Kuhn

Dalton Armstrong

Cody Brewer

The cars were getting a lot of bite out of the corners.


Jerry Coons Jr

Randy Boyer
Dusty Blake




Tracy Hines

Jeff Stasa

Cody Ledger

Tanner Thorson

Jay Sant


Chett Gehrke

CJ Johnson

Zach Daum

Shane Golobic

Andrew Felker

Rico Abreu


Bob Harr

Heat 1



Heat 2


No mosquitoes tonight.


Heat 3



Three wide salute before the A Main.









Thorson & Daum run close through 3 & 4.

Thorson got up high, but saved it.




Clauson & Caleb Armstrong bumped in #3 sending Armstrong on this ride.........



Notice the parade of cars that pass while he's tumbling.







Caleb wasn't hurt....this time.

The tow truck got stuck and had to be towed.






Bell & Abreu battling for the lead.


Bell used lapped traffic well.



Flagman Scott Criner, Keith Kunz, Rico Abreu, Christopher Bell, Kris Brown, & Pete Willoughby