Drivers ready to hit the dirt at Circle City
(Aaron Skillman photo)
By Ken de la Bastide
With the Kenyon Midget Series set to tackle the dirt oval at Circle City Speedway two drivers are looking for momentum. The race Friday is the first of four dirt races in 2024 with the series returning to Circle City Speedway and Paragon Speedway this summer.
Veteran competitor Ryan Huggler put together an impressive run last year during “Dirty August” with a second and fifth place showing at the Indianapolis oval. Huggler won heat races at all four 2023 events and captured the K&K Marketing fast qualifier award at Paragon.
“I'm hoping to build off the performances of last year,” Huggler said. “I prefer racing on the dirt which seems to be where I run the best.” He would like to find a full-time dirt ride sometime in the future. “The first time we went to Circle City, I struggled,” Huggler said. “Last year I started to figure it out. I'm hopeful of a win this year, it has been several years.”
Second year competitor Buddy Hollmeyer is also coming off a strong 2023 performance in the four dirt races. He scored two top-ten finishes at Circle City and a fifth and third at Paragon, winning the Advanced Racing Suspension Hard Charger award at the second Paragon race with a third place showing. He has some experience racing a go-kart on dirt in the past.
“I'm hoping to build on the dirt races from last year,” Hollmeyer said. “I'm really excited about going back to Circle City. I do a lot of iRacing in a dirt midget and the Limaland track is similar to Circle City, the iRacing has helped me out.” Hollmeyer said he knows you have to run on the inside, but understands the Kenyon Midgets have the horsepower to run the cushion.
The two Circle City races in 2023 saw Ayrton Houk score a win in the first visit to the track followed by Huggler and Kyle Ford.
Tanner Tecco got his first Kenyon Midget Series win in the second race followed by Ford and Dameron Taylor.
The season’s first dirt race is Friday May 3, 2024 at Circle City Raceway. Pit gates open at 4:00, spectator gates open at 6:00, and racing begins at 8:00. If you can’t make it to the track, check out the live stream on circlecityraceway.tv