Pit Stop Radio News

Petry Motorsports’ Kevin Thomas Jr. placed second to lead Toyota at the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget season opener at Bubba Raceway Park Friday night in Ocala, Fla.

Four different Toyota drivers ran in the top three during the 30-lap event with Thomas joined by Tucker Klaasmeyer (Keith Kunz Motorsports), Chad Boat (Tucker-Boat Motorsports) and C.J. Leary (Frank Manafort Racing).

It was Klaasmeyer, the 2018 POWRi champion, who took the lead at the green flag, followed by eventual winner Tyler Courtney and Leary, making his first start with Manafort. 

Klaasmeyer held the top spot through the first four laps before Courtney moved to the outside coming out of turn four to take over the top spot on lap five. 

Boat then became the driver on the move, climbing past Leary and then overtaking Klaasmeyer for second on lap eight. After 10 laps, Boat, Klaasmeyer, Leary and Thomas held down four of the top five spots.

As the laps began to wind down, Boat was able to hold down the second position until Leary capitalized on a late-race restart to move into second with five laps to go. Behind him, Thomas was charging through the field, climbing up from seventh on the restart up to third by lap 27. 

On the final lap, Thomas powered past Leary for second, while Leary would slip to fourth to give Toyota two of the top-four finishers.

Behind them, Tanner Carrick would place sixth, followed by Klaasmeyer in seventh, Boat in eighth and Jerry Coons Jr. finishing 10^thas Toyota drivers claimed six of the top 10 positions.

The USAC Nos Energy Drink National Midget Series is back in action on Saturday night at Bubba Park.

Toyota Racing PR