The seventh annual BC39 USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship points race on The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is moving to July this year, rather than racing in either August (twice) or September (four times), as it has for the past six iterations. This year’s contest will take place shortly after Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Ferrari Challenge races on June 21-22 on the Speedway’s road course. The quarter-mile Dirt Track is located inside the 2.5-mile oval’s third corner and was purpose built to host this race.
No racer has visited Victory Lane for the BC39 more than once, but the list of winners shows the cream of the crop of United States Auto Club (USAC) NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship racers. Cannon McIntosh earned the top prize last September when he took the lead with just more than a single lap to go in the 39-lap contest for a jaw-dropping victory. Other BC39 winners include NASCAR Cup Series champion and Brickyard 400 presented by PPG winner Kyle Larson, short-track stars Justin Grant, Buddy Kofoid, Zeb Wise and Brady Bacon.
USAC is planning a full two-day program staring on Tuesday, July 1, the first day of competition on this dirt track. Practice and heat race activities on that date conclude with a feature race, while Wednesday night’s July 2 finale includes the trademark 39-lap feature tribute to the late Bryan Clauson, both a USAC star and a three-time racer at the Indianapolis 500. Clauson died in August of 2016 following an accident at the Belleville Nationals. He was attempting to race 300 events in the 2016 calendar year and that particular event was No. 116.
Because Clauson was an organ donor, the race that honors him is known as the Driven2SaveLives BC39. Ticket renewals and application open February 11-21, with tickets going on sale to the general public on Wednesday, February 26. Visit IMS.com for complete details, and to renew, apply for or buy tickets for this extraordinary event.
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