2023 USAC Midwest Midget Championship at Jefferson County Speedway

Tanner Thorson Takes Self-Owned Team To USAC Midget Victory Lane

Tanner Thorson drove his self-owned No. 88 USAC Midget to victory lane for the first time Saturday night at Jefferson County Speedway.

Jul 16, 2023 by Brandon Paul

Tanner Thorson Takes Self-Owned Team To USAC Midget Victory Lane

The first 27 victories of Tanner Thorson’s USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship career had a common thread about them – they all came with him as a driver for another team.

Number 28, however, came in a different shape and form than the rest during Saturday night’s Riverside Chevrolet Midwest Midget Championship Presented by Westin Packaged Meats & Schmidt's Sanitation at Fairbury, Nebraska’s Jefferson County Speedway.

During the Fall of 2022, the Minden, Nev. native took on the challenge of team ownership, launching his own outfit to compete semi-regularly on the USAC trail and elsewhere. He made six USAC starts at the end of 2022, finishing a best of third at Placerville (Calif.) Speedway, and in six more USAC starts thus far in 2023, he’s yet to finish outside the top-ten.

The monetary reward for Saturday night’s victory is satisfying in itself with the 40-lap main event paying $10,000-to-win, but perhaps the most gratifying aspect of all is being able to rise to the occasion with something you created of your own volition. Thorson was prideful of that fact along with those who lent a hand in him reaching this point.

WATCH REPLAY

USAC Midgets At Jefferson County Speedway Highlights

Winning Quote From Tanner Thorson

“About freaking time this 88 got to victory lane. It’s a hell of a time to go race by yourself, but luckily, I have my amazing and supportive wife with me. The Abacus guys have kind of been helping me all week, same with Reinbold-Underwood and Mark Chisholm. There are a lot of people out there who’ve been helping me to make this possible."

USAC Midgets at Jefferson County Results

1. Tanner Thorson (2), 2. Logan Seavey (6), 3. Ryan Timms (5), 4. Cannon McIntosh (10), 5. Thomas Meseraull (3), 6. Jacob Denney (12), 7. Justin Grant (11), 8. Bryant Wiedeman (8), 9. Gavin Miller (14), 10. Jerry Coons Jr. (7), 11. Hayden Reinbold (16), 12. Daison Pursley (13), 13. Jake Andreotti (18), 14. Emerson Axsom (1), 15. Kyle Jones (19), 16. Chase McDermand (17), 17. Jade Avedisian (4), 18. Anton Hernandez (15), 19. Taylor Reimer (23-P), 20. Mariah Ede (22), 21. Chance Crum (21), 22. Zach Daum (9), 23. Don Droud Jr. (20)