STARS/USAC Midgets Speed Into Kalamazoo Saturday Night

By: Rich Murray

(KALAMAZOO, MI)—On Saturday night, August 16th, the D’Arcy GMC STARS National Midgets take a road trip to the state of Michigan where they will compete in a co-sanctioned event with the Honda USAC Pavement Midget Series at Kalamazoo Speedway.

The race at Kalamazoo comes just one week after the two series competed alongside each other at Grundy County Speedway in the 50-lap “Border Battle.” Kyle Hamilton was able to capitalize on a spin by race leader, Austin Prock, with five laps remaining to earn his second consecutive “Border Battle” victory. Prock, the current D’Arcy GMC STARS National Midgets point leader, is looking forward to regaining his mojo at a track that, to him, feels like a second home.

“My driving has cost us the past two races so I'm looking to redeem myself,” Prock said. “Kalamazoo really seems to suit my driving style, so I'm excited to get out there.”

Last week’s pole sitter, Kyle O’Gara, also had a night he would much rather forget in Grundy County’s “Border Battle.” O’Gara was able to lead the first lap of the feature, but was soon passed by both Prock and Mario Clouser heading into turn one. A tangle in turn two sent Clouser spinning into the infield and brought out a yellow flag. During the caution, O’Gara came to a stop on the front straightaway. When trying to push off and restart O’Gara’s car, the engine failed to re-fire, putting an early end to his night.

Despite his misfortune, O’Gara earned enough points to take over the top spot in the Honda USAC Pavement Midget standings by a single marker over Kody Swanson. O’Gara, a STARS/USAC Midget feature winner at Kalamazoo Speedway in 2012, believes he has an ace up his sleeve at the 3/8-mile, high banked, paved oval.

“When the schedule was released at the beginning of this year, Kalamazoo was one of the races that I circled on the calendar,” O’Gara said. “I feel as if we have something there that no one else does. Kalamazoo is one of my favorite tracks that I have ever driven. It has good banking; it is fast; and you have to have confidence in yourself and your car.”

Heading into the Kalamazoo race, Avon, Indiana’s Austin Prock remains the D’Arcy GMC STARS National Midget point leader with a 146-point advantage over Tyler Trainor in second. Ryan Probst, Billy Hulbert, and Nick Baran sit in the third, fourth, and fifth spot, respectively. Kyle Kettmann, Brad Greenup, Kyle Hamilton, Nick Wagner, and O’Gara currently hold down spots six through ten.

The Honda USAC Pavement Midget point standings are led by O’Gara, who holds a scant one-point lead over Kody Swanson with Tracy Hines, Derek Bischak, and Nick Hamilton rounding out the top-five. The sixth through tenth spots in the standings are occupied by Michael Fanelli, Bret Sanderson, Austin Prock, Bryan Nuckles, and Kevin Studley.

The night’s schedule also includes the HPD USAC Midwest Pavement Midgets and the STARS Classic Modifieds. Gates open at 5:00. Hot laps start at 6:00. Qualifying begins at 6:30. Racing gets underway at 7:20 and concludes with the 40-lap D’Arcy GMC STARS National Midget/Honda USAC Pavement Midget Series feature. Kalamazoo Speedway is located at 7656 Ravine Rd, Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Here is the schedule of events for the D'Arcy GMC STARS/Honda USAC Pavement Midget race at Kalamazoo Speedway on Saturday night, August 16th. The night also features the HPD USAC Midwest Pavement Midgets and the STARS Classic Modifieds.

(ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN)

3:00 - Pit Gates open
5:00 - Front Gates Open
5:30 - Drivers Meeting
6:00 - Hot Laps
6:30 - Qualifying
7:10 - Opening Ceremonies
7:20 - Racing

See you there!

D'Arcy GMC STARS National Midget Point Standings (Going into Kalamazoo)

1. 41-Austin Prock (866)
2. 25-Tyler Trainor (720)
3. 99p-Ryan Probst (709)
4. 88-Billy Hulbert (702)
5. 87-Nick Baran (579)
6. 6-Kyle Kettmann (516)
7. 4-Brad Greenup (486)
8. 33h-Kyle Hamiton (480)
9. 32-Nick Wagner (474)
10. 99-Kyle O'Gara (453)
11. 99-Mario Clouser (426)
12. 32-Nick Hamilton (412)
13. 11-Tyler Baran (407)
14. 11y-Travis Young (321)
15. 6T6-Terry Ahern (309)
16. 36-Jim Anderson (263)
17. 15-Rich Corson (231)
18. 16g-Grant Galloway (180)
19. 75-Charley Judd (145)
20. 33-Pat Wilda (107)
21. 22-Patrick Bruns (100)
22. 3 Kody Swanson (94)
23. 93-Travis Mahoney (91)
24. 9-David Gough (85)
25. 32w-Brandon Wagner (70)
26. 17c-Jack Cross (69)
27. 16-Erica Ensor (68)
28. 12-Alex Watson (61)
29. 9-Adam Wilsdon (20)

It is raceday at Kalamazoo Speedway!!! The racing card for tonight features the D'Arcy GMC STARS National Midgets/Honda USAC Pavement Midgets, the HPD USAC Midwest Pavement Midgets, and the STARS Classic Modifieds. It's going to be a great night of thrilling open-wheel pavement racing!

(ALL TIMES EASTERN)

3:00 - Pit Gates open
5:00 - Front Gates Open
5:30 - Drivers Meeting
6:00 - Hot Laps
6:30 - Qualifying
7:10 - Opening Ceremonies
7:20 - Racing

Heading that way. Pavement midgets in home state.

Austin Prock wins tonight's STARS/USAC Midget feature at Kalamazoo Speedway!! His fourth STARS win of the year! Prock was followed to the checkered flag by Nick Baran, Tyler Trainor, Jim Anderson, and Tyler Baran.

D'ARCY GMC STARS MIDGETS/HONDA USAC PAVEMENT MIDGETS
KALAMAZOO SPEEDWAY
AUGUST 16, 2014

FULL RESULTS:

QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Jim Anderson, 99, Guess-12.547; 2. Austin Prock, 41, Prock-12.652; 3. Nick Baran, 87, BBOYZ-12.697; 4. Patrick Wilda, 33, Wilda-12.708; 5. Ryan Probst, 99p, Probst-12.716; 6. Kyle O’Gara, 27, RW/Curb-Agajanian-12.773; 7. Nick Wagner, 32w, Wagner-12.779; 8. Grant Galloway, 16g, Galloway-12.865; 9. Tyler Baran, 11, BBOYZ-12.872; 10. Tyler Trainor, 25, Trainor-12.872; 11. Ross Rankine, 9, USAC-13.007; 12. Bryan Nuckles, 59, Nuckles-13.110; 13. Austin Nemire, 91, Nemire/Yager-13.176; 14. Erica Ensor, 16, Ensor-13.607; 15. Rich Corson, 15c, Corson-13.837.

FIRST HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Anderson, 2. N. Baran, 3. Probst, 4. T. Baran, 5. Nemire, 6. Corson, 7. N. Wagner. NT

SECOND HEAT: (8 laps)
1. Trainor, 2. Wilda, 3. Prock, 4. Nuckles, 5. Galloway, 6. O’Gara, 7. Ensor. NT

FEATURE: (40 laps)
1. Austin Prock, 2. Nick Baran, 3. Tyler Trainor, 4. Jim Anderson, 5. Tyler Baran, 6. Nick Wagner, 7. Kyle O’Gara, 8. Bryan Nuckles, 9. Grant Galloway, 10. Patrick Wilda, 11. Ryan Probst, 12. Austin Nemire, 13. Erica Ensor, 14. Rich Corson, 15. Ross Rankine. NT

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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-25 Wagner, Laps 26-40 Prock.