Tight rookie battle heads to Paragon

Clayton Bohanon leads the Redline Ace Rookie of the Year standings after three races. (Aaron Skillman photo)

By Ken de la Bastide

Through the first three races of the Kenyon Midget Series 2025 campaign the battle for Redline Ace Rookie of the Year honors is shaping up into a two man battle.

Only three rookie drivers have started the first three events of the season and as can be expected hold down the top point positions.

Clayton Bohanon holds a slim 27-point lead over Andrew Wall. Bohanon scored a season best second in the Dick Jordan Classic at Anderson Speedway and finished seventh in both races at the Sportsdrome and Indianapolis Speedrome.

Wall opened the season with a fourth place finish at the Sportsdrome, followed that up with a seventh at Anderson and 11th at the Speedrome. “I was leading the rookie standings early, but didn't buy four tires for the Speedrome, which hurt me,” Wall said.

He really liked the flat track at the Sportsdrome and described Anderson as a “different animal”. “Because of the banking you're running at such a high speed,” Wall said of Anderson. “I really liked the Speedrome and next time there I will buy four tires to drive off the corners better.”

With the series traveling to Paragon Speedway for the only race on dirt this year, neither Bohanon or Wall competed at the track in 2024.

Wall said he is really looking forward to making his first start at a dirt track. “The challenge will be about adapting to the track,” he said. “I watched the race last year and the track was really racey.”

Brian Richardson is third in the point standings, but trails Wall by 134 points after three races. His best finish to date was a ninth at Anderson.

Evan Patton is next and has scored two fifth place showings at Anderson and the Speedrome after missing the opening race of the season.

Patton finished sixth at Paragon a year ago and is the only rookie contender to have raced at the dirt track a year ago.

Kaleb Case is 15th in points and missed the Speedrome race. He finished tenth at the Sportsdrome and 13th at Anderson.

Austin Pierce sits 16th overall in the point standings making starts at the Sportsdrome and Anderson, but didn't compete at the Speedrome.

Pierce had a season best eighth place finish at Anderson after finishing 13th in the season opening event.