Kevin Thomas Jr. inherits BC39 opener win after Edwards DQ
NXTbets Pro | Published On: July 1, 2026
Thomas Jr. inherits
Kevin Thomas Jr. left the BC39 opener with the win after officials ruled on post-race inspection and moved Drake Edwards from first to last in the 30-lap USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship feature at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. Edwards had crossed the line first in the opening feature of the two-night BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors program, but the result changed after technical inspection.
Officials disqualified Edwards and also disqualified the Chase McDermand Racing No. 40D. They found the car’s EFI box was set above the legal RPM limit, a violation under sections 413.A.3 and 413.K of the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship rulebook. The ruling sent Edwards and Chase McDermand Racing to the back of the order and elevated Thomas Jr. and 4 Kings Racing from second to the feature victory.
The change handed Thomas Jr. the top spot on the BC39 opener and put another layer on a race that already carried weight as the first feature of the event. The official decision also reshaped the points and payout distribution from the race. It reached beyond the finishing order and changed the way the opener will stand in the BC39 record book.
Edwards leads early
Edwards earned the on-track win by taking control from Gavin Miller on lap 7 and leading the rest of the race. The run put him in command after a caution on lap 6 for an incident involving teammate Briggs Danner slowed the field and reset the pace. Once Edwards got clear, he stayed in front to the checkered flag before the post-race ruling changed the result.
Thomas Jr. finished second on the track, Miller ran third, Zach Wigal placed fourth and Jake Swanson finished fifth. Those positions now sit behind the official adjustment that put Thomas Jr. first and Edwards last. The on-track order still shows how the race unfolded in the closing laps, with Edwards building a margin after the restart and holding it to the finish.
The opener gave the field its first look at the speed and rhythm of the BC39 at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It also showed how quickly the race could change, from the lead swap between Miller and Edwards to the caution that slowed the field, then to the inspection that reversed the final order.
BC39 lineup changes
The ruling carried immediate consequences beyond the opener itself. Officials changed the points and payout distribution for the event, and the decision affected the starting lineup for the BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors finale. The opening race had served as the first step in a two-night program, and the correction at the top of the results altered the shape of the rest of the event.
The BC39 was set to conclude with a 39-lap main event paying $20,039 to win. Thomas Jr. now moves forward with the opener victory, while Edwards and Chase McDermand Racing drop to last in the official classification. That shift leaves the event with a revised order before the final race runs, and it gives the next night a different setup than the one the track first produced on the racetrack.
The opener also underscored the role of inspection in USAC competition. Edwards had done the work on track, but the technical ruling decided the official finish. Thomas Jr. and 4 Kings Racing got the win, Edwards lost the result, and the BC39 entered its final night with a new ledger at the front of the field.
