Chad Grabs 2nd, 3rd in Kornhusker Midget Classic

Chad Boat rolled into the fast ½ mile at Junction Motor Speedway with a new car and engine using the race as a test run to the Belleville Nationals.  The new car and the driver did not disappoint, as Chad topped a 3rd place finish on Tuesday with a narrowly missed victory and 2nd place finish on Wednesday.

The two day POWRI “Kornhusker Nationals” featured all the POWRI regulars and many o the top USAC teams looking for a tune-up for Belleville. Chad started in the second row in his heat and finished second to Jerry Coons Jr, earning a front row start for the feature event.

At the drop of the green flag Chad out ran Dave Darland into turn one and looked to be on a rail as he pulled away from the field.  A yellow on lap 10 allowed the field to bunch up, and on the restart the car hesitated slightly, allowing Darland and Kevin Swindell to pull by in turn one. Chad drove back hard and finished on the back bumper of Darland as Kevin Swindell took the victory.  The third place finish locked Chad into the feature for Wednesday.

By virtue on a second place run in the preliminary dash, Chad started the feature event on the outside of row one next to Brad Kuhn.  Still struggling with the starting on the new engine, Chad headed off into turn one behind Kuhn and sets his sights on the lead.  The opportunity came on lap 8, as Kuhn slowed slightly for a lapped car and Chad drove around Kuhn and the lapper on the outside, with Kevin Swindell in hot pursuit.  Chad looked to be the car to beat, as he and Swindell pulled away from the field and sliced through lapped traffic.  A yellow flag with 12 to go slowed the field, and after the restart Chad’s car appeared tight as he struggled to keep the front end down against the cushion, resulting in Swindell slipping by on the bottom.  Chad drove the last five laps wide open and made a final run at Swindell on the last lap, but he came up short and ending up in second position.   

“I think our right rear bleeder went down a little bit on that last yellow and my car got real tight for a few laps,” Chad said after the race.  “I am a little disappointed because any time you can lead you want to win, but it does give us a little momentum going into Belleville.”