Kenyon Classic vital part of series history
2023 winner of the Don & Mel Kenyon Classic, Colton Bettis accepts the trophy from Mel Kenyon.
By Ken de la Bastide
Drivers are looking to add a race win to their resume this weekend at the Don and Mel Kenyon Classic at Anderson Speedway. The race is entering its eighth year in honoring the founders of the USSA Kenyon Midget Series and “The King of the Midgets”, Mel Kenyon.
The race has produced six different winners with Colton Bettis the defending race winner in his only start. Anderson's Colin Grissom is the only driver with two wins in the Kenyon Classic.
Clayton Gaines won the opening race of the season at Anderson Speedway and is looking forward to the return to action. “It would mean a lot to win a race to honor Mel and Don Kenyon,” Gaines said.
He recorded a career best fourth in the 2022 race. Gaines said he hopes to qualify Saturday in the top six for the redraw for the start of the 75-lap race. “I'm looking for a strong run,” he said. “I made some adjustments to the car to make it faster. The plan is to start up front and settle in for the first 45 or 50 laps and try to make a strong run at the finish,” Gaines said.
Buddy Hollmeyer finished eighth in the Kenyon Classic and is coming off a runner-up finish at Circle City and a seventh in the Dick Jordan Classic at Anderson. “It would mean the world to win that race,” he said. “Don and Mel are great guys. One of my biggest supporters watched Mel race in the midgets.”
Like most of the competitors, Hollmeyer is anxious to get back racing. “My strategy like with any race is to stay clear of trouble and conserve the tires,” he said. “I struggled last year at the end of that race because I was physically drained.”
Hollmeyer said the plan is to stay conservative and out of trouble early in the race. “I hope to be able to run with the leaders,” he said. “I've struggled on asphalt so a strong run would be a confidence boosters. A good finish or even a win would be a big accomplishment.”
Evan Hammond, the 2023 rookie of the year, finished sixth a year ago in the Kenyon Classic and is hoping to improve on that performance. “It would mean a lot,” he said of a win. “It's the biggest race of the year and would be a good race to put on a resume. We're lucky to have Don and Mel there to help us.” Hammond finished third in the opening race at Anderson and followed that with a fifth at Circle City.
“It seems like every time we get better at Anderson,” he said. “Patience is going to be important.” Hammond said being a 75-lap race the competitors will have to develop a strategy to finish strong which would help if eventually moving up to the 500 Sprint Car Tour and the longer races.
“Right now we're getting ready for Anderson,” he said. “We're working on the tire strategy for the rest of the year.”
The Kenyon Midget Series returns to action on Saturday July 13 for the Don & Mel Kenyon Classic at Anderson Speedway. The event will be live streamed by DIRTVision.