Circle City key to title chase

Aaron Skillman photo

By Ken de la Bastide

With the 2022 Kenyon Midget Series season entering the home stretch, the two top contenders are ready to do battle. Jackson Macenko leads Dameron Taylor by almost 200 points and the top two rookie contenders Dave Osborn and Kyle Ford are separated by a single point.

Macenko captured the win at Circle City in 2021 while Taylor has never seen the bullring. This year on the dirt ovals Macenko has a fourth place finish and a victory while Taylor has finished fifth and eighth.

“It's similar to Gas City,” Macenko said. “The track layout is similar, but last year it was pretty rough. If the track is smooth, it should be a really good race,” he said. “Exiting one and two is different from Gas City and you have to run the bottom.” Macenko said racing in the low groove makes for a more technical and interesting race while exiting the corners. “I prefer pavement,” he said, “but I really like racing on dirt. I like that we run both in the series.”

Looking for that first championship, Macenko said he is feeling confident, but aware that everything can change in a hurry.

Taylor said he has never seen the Circle City oval and joked he knows it's dirt. “I'm going to wing it,” he said. “I think the track will come to me after a few laps.”

Like Macenko, Taylor prefers to race on pavement. “I don't do bad on dirt, but I'm more comfortable on the pavement. “Right now I need some solid finishes and hope Jack (Macenko) messes up a little bit,” Taylor said.

In the rookie battle, Osborn has a sixth place showing at Montpelier and a fourth at Gas City. Ford came home in eighth at Montpelier and 12th at Gas City.

Thomas Schrage, a winner at Anderson Speedway, returns to action and finished second to Trey Osborne at Montpelier.

Ryan Huggler is entered at Circle City and drove to a third place finish at Gas City.

German driver Marcel Berndt returns and posted a fifth place finish at Gas City.