Taylor takes over point lead after Mt. Lawn victory

By Ken de la Bastide

NEW CASTLE – Two-time Kenyon Midget Series champion Dameron Taylor parlayed a perfect day at Mt. Lawn Speedway to take over the championship point lead. Taylor captured the K&K Marketing Fast Qualifier award, scored a KRJ Race Products heat race victory and led the entire distance for his second feature win of the year.

While Taylor was enjoying a clean sweep on the tricky Mt. Lawn track, Jackson Macenko for the second consecutive race ran into misfortune. Aside for the first race of the year Macenko had built up a 168-point lead over Taylor. But an accident in the heat race at Anderson Speedway caused Macenko to miss the feature event allowing Taylor to close to within 41 markers. At Mt. Lawn, Macenko qualified second quick, won the second KRJ Race Products heat race but failed to finish the feature event.

That has propelled Taylor into the point lead by eight points with two races remaining. Those being Anderson Speedway and US24 Speedway.

Taylor is the only two-time champion with the Kenyon Midget Series and is looking for his third championship.

Macenko has three feature wins this year at Gas City, Anderson and Mt. Lawn. “I've dug myself a hole now, I have to do better,” Macenko said on social media.

Taylor and his father, Tim, made several adjustments to the familiar No. 8 before the Mt. Lawn race and hit on the right combination.

Kyle Ford scored a career best second place at Mt. Lawn and has all but locked up rookie of the year honors when his closest rival Dave Osborn didn't compete at Mt. Lawn. Ford's performance earned him the Advanced Racing Suspensions Hard Charger award.

Clayton Gaines continued his strong season with a third place finish followed by Dezi Pedregon, making his second start, and Tanner Tecco scoring a season best fifth place showing. Gaines is only 18 points ahead of Ford for the third spot in the championship point standings.