New drivers test Kenyon Midgets ahead of 2026 season
Graham Huffman prepares to take his first laps in a Kenyon Midget at Anderson Speedway.
By Ken de la Bastide
Six drivers with backgrounds in karts and micro-sprints got the opportunity to test Kenyon Midgets this past week at Anderson Speedway. Five of the drivers got the chance to drive Kenyon Midgets owned by Brad Hayes Racing and Hunter Peri practiced in a car owned by Kevin Houk.
It didn't take long for all six drivers to figure out the racing line at the always tough high banked quarter-mile Anderson Speedway oval.
AJ Stoner, 13, Columbus, IN, has been racing go karts for the past seven years. “It felt pretty good,” he said of the test laps. “It was fast.” Stoner said he is hoping to run four or five Kenyon Midget Series races in 2026. “Probably the horsepower was the biggest difference,” he said of the Kenyon Midget.
Aiden Slightom, 14, Greenwood, has been racing quarter-midgets since 2022. “It was cool,” he said of testing the Kenyon Midget. “It was super fast. The horsepower and the handling was the biggest change.”
Slightom is a three-time regional champion and five-time state champion in the quarter-midgets. “I wanted to see what the Kenyon Midget was like,” he said. “I liked these cars.”
Paiten Burnham, 16, has been racing quarter-midgets for the past five years. The Connecticut native has been racing around the country this year. “I'm looking for opportunities,” she said. “I've never been on a quarter-mile track before.”
Graham Huffman said turning laps at Anderson was awesome. “The speed and the banking and the opportunity to test at an historic track like this,” he said. Huffman has been racing micro-sprints. “This is a big change,” he said. “Lots more horsepower and handling.”
Huffman said he hopes to run a few Kenyon Midget events next year. To learn the racing line at Anderson, Huffman watched some videos of races here in the past.
Braydon Rutter said it was a big difference from his experience in karting. “I had a good time,” he said. “I had the line down, but there are still some things I need to work on in the corners. I would love to have the opportunity to run some Kenyon Midget races next year,” Rutter said. “The Kenyon Midget is a lot different from what I'm used to.”
Hunter Peri, a recent graduate of Valparaiso University with a degree in computer science, said the Kenyon Midget was fast. “I'm having a blast,” he said. “That car was awesome. I watched some of the races from last season and got some help from Aryton (Houk).” Peri said he is hoping to run most of the 2026 season. “I like the challenge of racing at different tracks,” he said.
This test was made possible by Anderson Speedway, NewGen Motorsport, Brad Hayes Racing, and JK Racing.