VENTURA, Calif. — Jacob Denney not only recorded the fastest single lap during Friday night’s practice for the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship at California’s Ventura Raceway, he turned the fastest three laps.
The Don Basile Turkey Night Grand Prix Rookie from Galloway, Ohio, timed in as the fastest overall of the 50 cars which hit the track for the open session in preparation for the 81st running of the ARP Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura on Saturday night.
Driving for the same team which captured the most recent Turkey Night Grand Prix victory in 2021, Denney’s three fastest practice laps of the night – 12.307, 12.367 and 12.377 – were faster than any other lap posted by any other driver in the field.
Denney, in his Tom Malloy/Trench Shoring – Rodela Specialty Fabrication/King/Ed Pink Toyota, was followed by Taylor Reimer (12.397) while Daison Pursley put two different cars into the top-four. He took the Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 67k to third at 12.399 and the No. 71p to 12.481.
Rounding out the top five on practice night was Tyler Courtney at 12.514 seconds. The 2019 USAC National Midget champion was at the wheel of the same, exact winning Tom Malloy-owned car driven to victory a year ago at Turkey Night by Logan Seavey.
Newly crowned back-to-back USAC National Midget champion Buddy Kofoid was 12th fastest while past Turkey Night winners, 2021 victor Logan Seavey and 2015 king Tanner Thorson, were 16th and 32nd, respectively.
Two on-track incidents occurred during the night. Jake Hodges flipped during the first session and was able to walk away under his own power. Later in the evening, Kaylee Bryson spun backwards into the turn three tire barrier at the pit entrance. Moments later, Spencer Bayston tried to avoid the stopped car of Bryson, but clipped Bryson, which knocked out Bayston’s left front.
The 81st running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix pays $10,000-to-win for the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship event at Ventura on Saturday night, November 26.
Serving as grand marshals for the event are National Midget Hall of Famer Wally Pankratz and Dick Woodland.
Sprint car semi-feature and feature events, plus a full program for the USAC National Midgets, take place on Saturday.
Keyword: Denney Is Quick In Turkey Night Drills