Kenyon Classic attracting national interest
By Ken de la Bastide
The seventh running of the Don and Mel Kenyon Classic at Anderson Speedway is attracting two new drivers to the series. Kaylee Bryson will be driving a Jeff Hill owned Kenyon Midget with sponsorship from Sam Pierce Chevrolet and AP Driver Development. Bryson exploded on the national scene several years ago at the Chili Bowl Nationals and is running the USAC Silver Crown and select 500 Sprint Car Tour races for AP Driver Development. The goal is to enter Bryson in the 2024 running of the Lucas Oil Little 500.
Florida teenager Colton Bettis is making his first appearance in a car sponsored by Morgan Exteriors and Circle C Ranch. Known as “The Bolt” he won a non-wing sprint car championship in 2022 and has taken the next step up the racing ladder in a late model.
The Kenyon Classic is the longest race of the season for the series at 75 laps around the high banked quarter-mile oval. Trey Osborne won the inaugural race in 2017 with Dameron Taylor, Tommy Kouns and Chris Lamb recording victories. 2021 Kenyon Midget Series champion Colin Grissom won the last two races. Grissom is not on the early entry list.
Cash Wyke is leading the rookie point standings after three races and is coming off a second place finish at Berlin Raceway. “That was a fun track,” he said. “I was surprised that I passed Dameron (Taylor)”.
Wyke finished eighth in the season opening race at Anderson and is returning to the Indiana oval with more confidence. “There will be a lot of tire management in the race,” he said of the Kenyon Classic. “I want to be as smooth as possible, et the race play out and be there at the end,” Wyke said.
Tanner Tecco is hoping the fifth place finish at Berlin has removed the dark storm cloud from the team which has been fast but bitten by bad luck. “I hope we can keep things going,” Tecco said coming into the Anderson race fifth in the point standings. The goal is to make all 75 laps this year.
“I've had no luck at Anderson,” Tecco said. “We're going to try a couple of changes with the set-up to make the car better on the long run. Tire management and qualifying are going to be the key,” he said. “If you can qualify in the top five and manage the tires you should be able to get a good finish.”
Tecco said before the season opening race at Anderson his car was running pretty good. “We know the car is fast,” he said. “We just need some good luck.”
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The Don & Mel Kenyon Classic is being held on Saturday July 8, 2023 at Anderson Speedway. Racing starts at 7:30. Races will be live streamed by MAVTV on FloRacing