Thorson unstoppable at Gold Crown Midget Nationals

Tanner Thorson Gold Crown National winner

Leading the Kunz Toyota Team in the absents of both Bell and Abreu Tanner Thorson leaped over the competition to secure both Gold Crown Features with dramatically different performances .Night one of the two night show was a flag to flag win with such domination that set up expectation that the main 40 lapper the following night would be a certain victory for the youngster from Minden Nevada.
Thorson’s win on the Championship night was spectacular. Right from the first heat and through to the dash Thorson had pocketed top points putting his Kunz/Toyota on the pole for the 40 Lap $10,000 to win a main.
Thorson was first over the stripe and headed the field as all 24 drivers were locked into the race for the Gold Crown Title and the $10,000 purse.

Thorson at Gold Crown Nationals

For 23 of the 40 laps Thorson was in control, Zach Daum had provided some challenges to the #67 but it was the cushion that forced the change in the race lead when Thorson bounced over the cushion wrecking his right rear tyre.The stoppage allowed Thorson’s team to make the wheel change and he was able to restart in 19th position.
17 laps to run, $10,000 to win and Thorson immediately set about reclaiming lost ground. This was turning into one crazy race. Four reds and cautions would help Thorson as he charged back through the field
Tyler Thomas, Darren Hagan and Kevin Thomas Jr all had chances to close in on the race lead but misadventure on the cushions would send each of them over ruining any chance they had of chasing down the race lead from Daum.
Thorson was relentless, charging onto the back on Daum’s Toyota #5 and on lap 39 started to build his race winning move .On the final restart Daum claimed the point quickly and worked towards the cushion while Thorson continued to power around the top with the hammer down and by the time the white was displayed Thorson had his nose in front and headed across the finishing stripe .620 seconds ahead of a disappointed Daum.

Thorson gets Daum at Gold Crown Nationals

This had been an inspired and calculated drive by Thorson and takes him to within 24 points of the lead in the race for the USAC National Honda Midget Championship. Three races left in the season and lots of points still on offer

Opening night results

FEATURE: (25 laps) 1. Tanner Thorson, 2. Thomas Meseraull, 3. Steve Buckwalter, 4. Zach Daum, 5. Tyler Thomas, 6. Darren Hagen, 7. Jerry Coons, Jr., 8. Dave Darland, 9. Tracy Hines, 10. Brad Loyet, 11. Spencer Bayston, 12. Chris Windom, 13. Payton Pierce, 14. Justin Peck, 15. Isaac Chapple, 16. Andy Malpocker, 17. Andrew Felker, 18. Jacob Patton, 19. Ryan Greth, 20. Jim Radney, 21. Joey Rinne, 22. Kevin Thomas, Jr., 23. Davey Ray, 24. Johnny Murdock. NT
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FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-25 Thorson.

Night two Crown Nationals-Results

FEATURE: (40 laps) 1. Tanner Thorson, 2. Zach Daum, 3. Chris Windom, 4. Dave Darland, 5. Thomas Meseraull, 6. Steve Buckwalter, 7. Payton Pierce, 8. Jerry Coons, Jr., 9. Brad Loyet, 10. Spencer Bayston, 11. Ryan Greth, 12. Jim Radney, 13. Korey Weyant, 14. Isaac Chapple, 15. Tracy Hines, 16. Tyler Thomas, 17. Darren Hagen, 18. Andrew Felker, 19. Andy Malpocker, 20. Kevin Thomas, Jr., 21. Davey Ray, 22. Jacob Patton. NT
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Podium at Gold Crown Nationals

**Radney flipped during practice. K. Thomas flipped on lap 22 of the feature. T. Thomas flipped on lap 34 of the feature. Hagen flipped on lap 34 of the feature and was transported to Gateway Regional Medical Center in Granite City, Ill. for precautionary measures. Hines flipped on lap 39 of the feature.

Driver post race interviews

Tanner Thorson “I was really mad at myself for making that mistake early in the race. I think it may have been going down already, but my crew got the tire changed and got me back out there to give us a chance. We’ve got a pretty amazing team and race cars to be able to do something like that. I figured Daum would slide across the bottom on the restart, so I knew I had to get my momentum there and try him on the other end. It’s been such a crazy year – I got my first USAC win and then got hurt, missed some races, but now we’ve gotten hot again and started chomping on the point lead to get back in it. It’s been a roller-coaster, but now we’ve won a big race and I’m ready for more,” Thorson said.

Zach Daum “This one hurts. This is basically a hometown race for me, and I come here all the time when we’re not racing ourselves. I’ve had so many near misses here, but I’ve never won one. Obviously, they were really good, but those late-race reds just cost us so much. I felt no pressure through the race, really, and then we couldn’t get a stretch without a yellow or red. That’s racing, though, and sometimes you’re the guy who’s the sitting duck out front. I slid myself on the restart, but he obviously got the momentum to get me on the other end,” Daum said.

Chris Windom “I just had a little stumble on restarts that wouldn’t let me get the run I needed to get in a good position on those. I was too snug on entry to run the cushion, so I kept working the bottom and hoping those guys would make mistakes, which is what they were doing. Obviously, Tanner was on a rail and was better than all of us, but I gave a big slider on Daum for second that he crossed over. I’m glad Rusty Kunz and Joe Dooling let me drive their car this weekend, and hopefully we can do it again,” Windom said.

FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-22 Thorson, Laps 23-38 Daum, Laps 39-40 Thorson.
NEW HONDA USAC NATIONAL MIDGET POINTS: 1-Hines-679; 2-K.Thomas-656; 3-Thorson-655; 4-Coons-607; 5-Rico Abreu-588; 6-Bayston-583; 7-T.Thomas-575; 8-Christopher Bell-415; 9-Hagen-385; 10-Buckwalter-325.
NEXT HONDA NATIONAL MIDGET RACE: September 26 – Rossburg, Ohio – Eldora Speedway – “4-Crown Nationals”

All pictures credit USAC Racing