USAC Honda .25 Pavement Series Announces 2014 Champions 

The last of the 9 Pavement “GenNext” Series for 2014 was completed at Columbus Motor Speedway’s little track – The Buckeye Quarter Midget Club and although there are 9 stops over 6 months, just four events count toward a drivers points championship. The anticipation is truly incredible. The Columbus event was dubbed a “Wild-Card” event, meaning many drivers could become the series champ literally at the checkered flag. 

“Some of our divisions were incredibly close,” said series Director, Kyle McCain. “It’s really cool watching all the families pull together to get drivers back on the track, even if they are competing in the same class.  But that’s been what our series has been about all year long. I’d like to thank all of the families that travel across the country to follow the USAC National Pavement Tour and all of our staff for the hard work and devotion that they put in to make the series what it is.” 

Congratulations to our 2014 USAC Honda .25 Midget Pavement National Champions! Brady Johnson of Mooresville, NC (Junior Honda), Christopher Oplinger of St. Holly, NC (Senior Honda), Carson Hocevar of Portage, MI (Heavy Honda, Heavy 160, Senior Animal, Heavy AA), Logan Heath of Hereford, AZ (Light 160, Light World Formula), Tanner Reif of Henderson, NV (Junior Animal), Danny Sams III of Englewood, FL (Unrestricted Animal), Berklee Jimenez of San Antonio, TX (Heavy World Formula), Famous Rhodes of Lakeland, FL  (Light Mod), and Jack Wehmeyer of Sellersville, Pa (Light AA).

There were many tight battles in the 12 divisions.  The Sr. Honda Class was separated by just 3 points between winner Christopher Oplinger and runner-up Famous Rhodes.  In Hvy Honda, second and third-place was separated by just 3 points between Jagger Parker and Hudson Halder.  The Hvy 160 battle came down to just 6 points total, as 3 points separated Hudson Halder and Berklee Jimenez and 3 points between Jimenez and fourth place Ben Mikitarian.

Briggs Jr. Animal points were so tight that Preston Auld missed a top 5 spot, which is celebrated at the National Banquet, by just 6 points.   A pair of Eastern drivers, Aaron Bollinger and Connor Gross tied for fourth and fifth in Briggs Sr. Animal just 3 points from third-place finisher Michael Clancy who was in a 4-wheeler accident and wasn’t able to attend.  Another 3 points separated second-place Conner Gross and third-place Aaron Bollinger in Briggs Lt. World Formula.  Berklee Jimenez, Inaugural Honda Race of Champions winner at the Brickyard, overtook Carson Hocevar by just 3 points to win Briggs Hvy. World Formula.   But Hocevar, who ran all 9 pavement events for the season, brought home 4 championships.  A total of just 3 points separated Chase Burda and Brady Johnson for second and third in the Mod class while Jack Wehmeyer and Aaron Bollinger tied in the Briggs Lt. World Formula Class only to have Wehmeyer get the championship because of the tiebreaker.

Everyone of the USAC .25 midget drivers, are winners. They spend weekends with their families traveling the U.S. and making friends across the nation.  It is with great pride that the United States Auto Club salutes all of their drivers racing at their more than 30 sanctioned tracks.

More details about the 2014 “USAC .25 Midget Showcase of Champions” banquet in downtown Indianapolis will be announced in the coming weeks.