Speedrome a staple with series

Evan Hammond leads his heat race to the Speedrome in 2023. (Aaron Skillman photo)

By Ken de la Bastide

The tricky 1/5 mile oval at the Indianapolis Speedrome has been offering challenges for the Kenyon Midget Series competitors for many years. The penultimate race of the 2024 season is set for this Saturday with both veteran and rookie drivers looking for success.

There were two races on the Indianapolis oval in 2023 with Ayrton Houk and Jackson Macenko picking up the victories. The series didn't compete at the track in 2022 and staged only one race there in 2021 with Houk again emerging as the race winner.

Ryan Huggler enters the weekend as the point leader over Evan Hammond by 88 points and Landon Brown is the leading rookie of the year contender with a comfortable margin over Ryan Shilkulski. Huggler is coming off his second win of the season at the Paragon Speedway, but last year only recorded a ninth and 11th place showing at the Speedrome.

“I've both done well there and I've struggled there,” Huggler said of the Speedrome. “I feel like I've built some good momentum over the last handful of races and know I just have to hit my marks.” He said the team had good speed at the Salem Speedway oval, which should be a benefit at the Speedrome.

Hammond had a 12th and sixth place finish a year ago at the Indianapolis oval and the 2023 Redline Ace rookie of the year, said it's a quick turnaround going from the dirt oval at Paragon to the paved Speedrome facility.

“I feel good about it,” Hammond said. “I had a good experience to work off of last year and worked on the set-up.” He said last year the car had plenty of speed, but he lacked some comfort in the race car through the tight corners. “I think our chances are good at the Speedrome,” Hammond said. “We've battled through some adversity this season to be second in the points.” He said a mistake while leading in the heat race at Paragon put the team deeper in the field, but was still able to finish in the top five.

Brown scored two top ten finishes a year ago at the Speedrome and is leading the Redlin Ace rookie point standings with two races remaining.

“I'm looking forward to the last two races,” he said of the Speedrome and Anderson Speedway. “We finished third at Salem, which is a track a lot like the Speedrome.” Brown said the Speedrome is a tricky track and the team will be using a set-up similar to the Salem oval. “We finally figured out Salem,” he said. “We struggled all day, but made the right changes before the feature.”

Brown said in the rookie of the year chace that it helped that Trisdon Brown missed the Paragon race while working at Eldora Speedway last weekend.

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The Kenyon Midget Series races at the Indianapolis Speedrome on Saturday September 28. Pit gates open at 3:30 and racing begins at 7:00.