Hunter Peri scored his first Kenyon Midget Series victory at Lincoln Park Speedway in 2026. (Aaron Skillman photo)
By Ken de la Bastide
The two top drivers contending for the Redline Ace Rookie of the Year honors displayed lots of talent recording a victory and picking it up with the veteran competitors. Hunter Peri finished sixth in the final point standings and Seth Tozer came home in eighth.
Hunter Peri driving as a teammate of 2026 Kenyon Midget Series champion Aryton Houk missed only one race during the year.
His closest rival, Seth Tozer from the Volunteer State of Tennessee, competed in six of the ten events, but proved to be a contender at the races where he was a competitor.
Peri scored his first career Kenyon Midget Series win in the second visit to the Lincoln Park dirt oval after a seventh place run in the first race at the Indiana track. “This was my first year ever racing on dirt,” Peri said. “To get a win in my second start was not expected.”
He said winning the rookie of the year honors was a goal entering the season and admitted not knowing what to expect as the 2026 season unfolded. “It was fun to race on all the different tracks, all were unique,” Peri said. “Berlin was really fast and I won a heat race in the first event at Anderson after lots of practice at the track.”
He said driving for the team with Houk meant everything during the year. “We've been friends for many years,” Peri said of the relationship. “I didn't want to race for anyone else. It's awesome to race with people you've had a long relationship with.”
Peri said his plans for 2027 have not been finalized, but would like to return to the Kenyon Midget Series for another full season.
Seth Tozer took a heat race win at the Speedrome. (Aaron Skillman photo)
Tozer said he is returning for the full 2027 Kenyon Midget Series along with some Legends and possible road course races. In his six races Tozer finished in the top ten five times with a season best fourth at Berlin Raceway.
“It was fun racing with Dameron (Taylor) and we almost claimed a podium finish there,” he said. “A lot of things happened during the year out of our control,” Tozer said. “We were chasing that first win and had high hopes for the 75-lap race at Anderson. I made a mistake that cost us a good finish.”
Seth said he is looking forward to the challenge of racing on a dirt track and to the challenge of all the tracks on the 2027 schedule. “I thought the last race at the Speedrome was going to be a good one for us,” he said. “I won the heat race and started fifth, but there was a lot of contact being made and it damaged our ride.”
Undeclared rookie of the year candidate in 2026, Danny O'Gara won three races at Anderson, the Speedrome and Salem and is expected to run for rookie of the year honors in 2027.