Taylor carries momentum to Salem victory

Dameron Taylor in victory lane at Salem Speedway (Aaron Skillman photo)

By Ken de la Bastide

SALEM, IN – Dameron Taylor’s winning streak has now reached five in the past six Kenyon Midget Series feature events. Taylor posted his fifth win of the season and the 33rd of his career by leading all 25 laps at the Salem Speedway quarter-mile on Saturday.

Logan Huggler established a new track record for the series during K&K Marketing qualifying.

Landon Brown and Taylor won the KRJ Racing Products heat races.

Brown and Taylor started on the front row after the redraw followed by Kyle Sheard, Logan Huggler with point leader Ryan Huggler starting fifth and Evan Hammond in the sixth spot.

Taylor took advantage of starting on the outside to move into the lead at the start coming off the second corner chased by Landon Brown and Sheard. Ryan Huggler passed Sheard for fourth on the fourth circuit and moved into the second post a lap later with a pass of Brown coming off the fourth corner. By then Taylor opened up a comfortable lead going on to record the victory over Ryan Huggler by 2.1 seconds with Landon Brown, earning his third podium finish of the year and Sheard and Buddy Hollmeyer rounding out the top five.

“I knew the track was going to be extremely loose,” Taylor said in the winner's circle. “I realized in the heat race that you had to hung the bottom. Right now we have a good set-up on the car,” he said of the winning streak.

Huggler said the Salem Speedway oval was fun to drive, but tough to make a pass on. “I just didn't have the track position to give Dameron (Taylor) a run for his money,” he said. “I spent the first handful of laps working up to second, but by that point Dameron had pulled away.” Huggler said he gained some ground in the championship battle, but not enough.

Landon Brown said it was a good points night for the team. “We're trying to figure things out,” he said. “To finish third, I'm happy with that.”

Taylor missed the first race at Circle City and is currently third in the season point standings.

Ryan Huggler entered the night with a 19-point margin over Evan Hammond and extended that lead with the runner-up finish and Hammond coming home in seventh.

With his third place run, Landon Brown cut into the point lead of Trisdon Brown for the Redline Ace rookie of the year standings. Triston Brown finished eighth.

Jett Neal won the Advanced Racing Suspension Hard Charger award by advancing four positions driving to a ninth place showing after starting 13th.