[JessicaJ]

First Run at Indiana Midget Week Successful for Gage Walker
By Jessica Jenkins

When USAC rolled into Gas City I-69 Speedway on Wednesday, June 10th, it was just the start of five straight days of racing. For Gage Walker and his #7x team, they were embarking on their first time participating in the major week for USAC National midgets. Similar to most teams, Walker was planning on racing each night except Saturday at Lawrenceburg Speedway.

The week got off to a rough start for the Indianapolis-based driver as he missed both practice and qualifying in Gas City. Walker briefly described why: “We had issues with the car and it took us about two hours to figure out why it wouldn't run. The rest of the night goes by how you qualified, so since I didn't get a time, I had to start at the back of every race.” He hardly let that get him down though and worked hard to get himself back in contention, finishing sixth (from starting eleventh) in his heat race that sent him to the C Main. He quickly drove up from the last to third, transferring to the back of the Semi Feature. From there, he raced all the way from 19th into the top ten, falling just short of an immediate transfer to the Feature. However, he was saved by getting a provisional based on points and lined up 24th to start off the biggest race of the night before fighting and clawing his way to an 18th place finish. Speaking about the Feature, Walker explained, “By then the track was completely dry-slick. I moved forward a little bit but I just couldn't go anywhere.” Summing up the evening, he stated, “It was a really fun night overall though, considering the problems we had. I gained a lot of experience racing up through the fields with all those guys.”

Stepping ahead to the next night in Putnamville, IN, Walker and his family-owned team were even more prepared, qualifying 24th out of 42 cars. That run earned him the pole in his heat race which he easily won, sending him straight to the Feature. Thinking back over his first heat race victory in USAC, he narrated, “I just ran my own race and didn't worry about who was behind me, and I brought home the heat race win. It was nice not having to worry about running a B-Main. It was definitely a big confidence booster, though, because I had four really fast, top running cars behind me.” He then stated, “I knew I would be pretty good in the feature.” And he was, at least it started out that way. About five laps from the finish while nearing the top ten, he was involved in a little pileup but was able to continue on and regained the spots he lost, taking home a twelfth place finish. When asked about the race at Lincoln Park Speedway and the incident at the end, the 17 year old proclaimed, “I was moving forward, broke into the top 15, [and was] working on the few guys in front me. I was really fast, just having to go places on the track where there wasn't much moisture, trying to find a way around them. I was into 12th, and the car in front of me spun out. I got on the brakes and had the thing sideways. I barely clipped him with my right rear and kept it going. I would have been fine but the car behind me hit me in the left rear and spun me out too. Just one of those racing deals where there wasn't much time for everyone to react.” Overall, Walker said, “I was really happy with how the night went. The car was just about perfect all night long, and I picked up my first USAC heat race win.”

Pulling into Bloomington Speedway for a third straight night of racing, Walker was back at a track that was totally new for him. He conceded, “Bloomington didn't go so well for me. We had never been there, so we were kind of a fish out of water with the setup.” Considering that, he still did pretty decently, qualifying only 2 spots behind his run the night before. However, that was enough to keep him out of being one of the top 24 invert, lining him up seventh for his heat race. He wound up eighth and admitted “I couldn't really go anywhere.” It was a good enough run to place him tenth to start the Semi and ended the race in 17th. Speaking of how things went in the Semi, Walker observed that he “was into a transfer spot at one point, got to racing and got shuffled back a couple spots. On the last lap me and another car got together and I got torn up a little bit.” But that did not keep him from earning one of the two provisional spots and advancing to the Feature for the third night in a row, where he started 23rd and finished 18th. Walker wrapped up the day, concluding, “It was a rough night for us but we'll know better next time we come.”

With the decision to sit out night 4 of Indiana’s Midget Week, Walker had his sights set on Kokomo Sunday evening. But it was not to be as the rain that plagued all racing from the Midwest to Toronto (Canada) also washed out the race in North Central Indiana. Despite that, Walker reflected on the three nights he raced: “Overall my first Indiana midget week was pretty successful. I was happy with how most of the races went. Even though I didn't get all of the results I wanted, I still got a lot of experience and I know I can run with the best of the best out there.”

Next up for Walker is the rescheduled Kokomo race on Sunday, June 21, an event the young driver says he is looking forward to. Check out his new website at GageWalkerRacing.com for more of his schedule over the coming month.