Denney wins Chad McDaniel Memorial after late Drake pass
NXTbets Pro | Published On: July 9, 2026
Denney wins Chad McDaniel Memorial
Jacob Denney won the Chad McDaniel Memorial at Mitchell County Fairgrounds Raceway in Beloit, Kansas, and moved into the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship points lead. Denney started third, qualified fourth and worked through a 30-lap race that took shape around the middle stages. He passed Kale Drake for the lead on lap 16, then held the front spot for the final 15 laps and survived late restarts to take the checkered flag by 1.118 seconds. Cannon McIntosh finished second, Drake ran third, Justin Grant placed fourth and Jakeb Boxell finished fifth. The win gave Denney 697 points and a 22-point cushion over Kevin Thomas Jr. It also brought him the Clean Air Award for leading 15 laps. Grant added another mark to the night when he set a new track record in the third heat with a lap of 1:43.367. The race card produced speed early and stayed tight through the feature, but Denney handled the pressure when it mattered most.
Miller wins Sweet Springs
Gavin Miller won the 40-lap USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship feature at Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex in Sweet Springs, Missouri, and did it from sixth on the grid. McIntosh and Colton Robinson led early, but Miller took control in the closing stages and led the final 16 laps. McIntosh finished second, Denney came home third, Drake finished fourth and Ethan Mitchell took fifth. The result kept the title fight tight at the top of the standings. After the race, Denney led the series with 617 points and Kevin Thomas Jr. sat second with 614. Sweet Springs also delivered speed beyond the feature. Drake Edwards set fast qualifying time at 11.499 seconds, and the Five Star Bodies semi produced a new track record of 2:27.976. Miller’s drive showed how fast the race could flip once the track opened up. He waited for the right moment, took the lead and controlled the finish.
Mid-America Midget Week
The series now heads to Jefferson County Speedway in Fairbury, Nebraska, for the next Mid-America Midget Week races. The two-night stretch already produced different winners, a points change and a pair of strong drives from the leaders in the championship chase. Denney leaves Beloit on top of the standings after turning a third-place start into a feature win. Miller leaves Sweet Springs with the other headline result after charging from sixth and taking command late. McIntosh stayed in the hunt in both races, finishing second behind Miller and second again behind Denney. Drake also remained near the front, finishing fourth at Sweet Springs before running third in the Chad McDaniel Memorial. The week has already shown how narrow the margin is at the top. Denney, Thomas Jr., McIntosh and Drake have all stayed in striking range as the series moves to Nebraska. The next races will give those drivers another chance to reshape the standings, and the momentum from the first two nights puts every lap under the spotlight.
