The second of three USAC National Sprint Car & Midget doubleheaders kicking off the 2009 season took place at the fast Las Vegas Motor Speedway half mile on Wednesday night. Chad got off to a rough start in the midget division by losing a motor in hot laps. Despite the team’s best efforts to get the motor changed in time for qualifying, it couldn’t be done. Timing in as the 45th fastest car with no time, Chad was forced to start at the tail of the third heat race. Chad methodically picked his way through the nine car field to finish in the fourth position, and lock him into the night’s A Feature event.

            52 cars were on hand to contend for the victory in the Sprint Car division, and Chad got off to a quick start, qualifying his Maxim - Speedway Chevy in the third position. His quick qualifying time lined him up in the eighth starting spot in the ten car field. Having to finish fourth or better to transfer directly into the nights main event, Chad did just that, driving to a third place finish behind two previous National Sprint Car champions.

            The National Midget feature was the first main event of the night to be run, and Chad was scheduled to start in the 24th position. Steadily working his way through the field on a rubber-down racetrack, Chad was up to the 15th position when the red flag came out on Lap 14. Electing to continue running on his SP-3 tire he started with, Chad stayed out on the racetrack while many cars came in to change tires. Chad restarted the race in the third position and quickly moved into the second position on the restart. Riding behind the veteran Jerry Coons Jr, Chad stayed on his bumper for nearly the remainder of the race, conserving his tires. The red flag came out again on the white flag, giving Chad one last restart, and one lap to get by Coons. The car had different plans, stuttering a little bit on the restart, and enabling the 39 of the Bryan Clauson to get by him for the second position. Chad settled for a third place finish on the night. “It’s kind of a bummer to be so close to winning, and having to settle for a third place finish instead,” Chad said after the race, “but after the night we had, changing a motor, starting last in the feature, and running third, isn’t too bad either.” By virtue of his third place finish, Chad took the USAC National and Western Midgett Car Championship points lead by 3 points over Jerry Coons Jr.

            The Sprint car feature put a wrap on a long night, with a lot of tire changes. Chad’s third place qualifying effort lined him up in the fourth starting position for the A Main event. Fighting an extremely tight race car on the rubber-down racetrack, Chad was struggled to make moves towards the front. He would have to settle for a hard fought, ninth place finish. Chad’s next race will be at the Perris Auto Speedway in California to put a wrap on the final of three National doubleheaders to begin the season.