By Ken de la Bastide
The 2026 Kenyon Midget Series season will be remembered as one of the closest in history.
Four drivers entered the final weekend at Anderson Speedway with a shot at the championship in the longest race of the year, the Don and Mel Kenyon Classic at 75-laps.
Ayrton Houk claimed the championship on the final weekend by setting fast-time and scoring his third win of the year. He claimed the title despite missing one race during the year while racing an IMSA Sports Car in Virginia.
“I think we had a great season,” Houk said. “We were strong every weekend and always battling for the win. I can't thank the JK Racing guys enough for giving me a car that was capable week in and week out.”
He said there weren't many regrets to the season, although mentioning the Berlin Raceway event that he was leading late in the race when a carb issue resulted in a fifth place finish.
“Current plans for 2027 are to continue striving for a full season in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge as well as racing in the All Star National Midget series,” Houk, who is now a two-time Kenyon Series champion, said.
Isaac Johnson entered the last race of the season with a slim point lead over Houk and did everything possible to lock up the title finishing fifth. “I'm very proud of our season,” Johnson said which included his third career win at the Indianapolis Speedrome. “The BHR team gave me great cars all year long and we showed speed at all the races.”
Johnson said he didn't view anything during the year as a disappointment.
“Just would have liked to have came out of Anderson one spot better in points,” he said of the championship runner-up year.”
Johnson said he is unsure of his plans for 2027 and it will depend on sponsorship funding. “I'd love to at least get back to ARCA for a race or two next year and race for a championship in another series whether that's Kenyon's, All Stars, or something else.”
Four-time Kenyon Midget Series champion Dameron Taylor scored one victory in 2026, bringing his career total to 39. It was a year where the team struggled to get the handling of the Kenyon Midget resolved on the flat short tracks like the Speedrome and Salem where he could dominate.
“The beginning of the year was definitely the biggest let down,” Taylor said. “If I would have had a decent finish in the first race then we would have been in the battle for the championship. With so many cars on the opening race it ruined the whole season.”
Taylor finished 17th at the opening race of the year at Anderson Speedway and didn't score a podium finish until a win at that track in June. “Our plans for next year is the All Star Series and maybe get the sprint car out,” Taylor said. “We will also be running some Kenyon events.”
Since coming to the Kenyon Midget Series Evan Hammond has never finished lower than fourth in the season point standings. He captured the Redline Ace rookie of the year honors in 2023 and finished fourth in the point standings. Hammond finished second in season points in both 2024 and 2025 and fourth this year.
“This year was a bit of a let down,” he said. “We didn't get in a lot of races that we wanted this year due to weather, and our weakness in setups showed this year. The biggest disappointment for us is definitely the mechanical trouble, and our wreck at Anderson,” Hammond said. “That hindered our championship in a massive way.”
The father and son team has been testing the dirt sprint car racing scene and the plans for 2027 have not been finalized.