By KEN de la BASTIDE
For the past few years DK Promo-tions has been conducting competition for several USAC midget divisions in the Midwest, but that will all change in 2010.
Don Kenyon, president of DK Promotions, announced last week the formation of the United States Speed Association (USSA) to sanction and conduct open wheel racing in three divisions on short tracks in Indiana and Illinois.
DK Promotions was conducting USAC regional midget, Ford Focus and Kenyon Car events at several Hoosier ovals but primarily at Anderson and Mt. Lawn speedways.
Next year the USSA will be conducting 15 events for midgets, Kenyon Cars and Thunder Roadsters. The opening event is May 26 at Anderson Speedway for the Kenyon Cars.
The events toward the end of this racing season suffered from a lack of car counts.
The USSA is lowering the minimum age for competitors in the Kenyon Cars to 11 if drivers complete an approved driving school and can demonstrate three years of prior experience in motorized vehicles. The minimum age for the Midgets is 15 with a probationary license available to 14 year old drivers if they have competed for a full season in a DK Promotions division.
USSA will also give competitors a chance to lease a Kenyon Car for the 2010 season. The team has to agree to run all the events, pay a crash deposit and are required to purchase all tires and fuel from DK Promotions. A portion of the crash deposit will be returned at season’s end.
Dick Jordan with USAC media relations said the organization will be conducting regional midget competition, mainly at the Speedrome in Indianapolis and Ford Focus events, but no dates have been set.
“It was not a surprise,” Jordan said of the DK Promotions decision. “They decided to go in a different direction.”
He said this year DK Promotions conducted several events which didn’t meet USAC age mandates and the national sanctioning body pulled out of those races. Jordan said USAC decided to maintain its age restrictions.
I have watched several DK Promotion events over the past few years and some offered excellent midget racing, while other suffered from a lack of competitors.
The USSA will provide more opportunities for competitors to race in 2010 and the chance for younger drivers to gain much needed experience. I hope that it doesn’t further dilute the number of cars at USSA and USAC events in Indiana.
USSA will be conducting races at Plymouth Speedway and Illiana Motor Speedway in additon to Anderson and at the Grundy County Speedway in Illinois.
In other racing news
Avon’s Levi Jones has locked up the USAC Sprint Car national championship title. Lincoln’s Dave Darland is second in points with two west coast races remaining.
• Ken de la Bastide may be reached at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com or 765-454-8580.
