Dakoda Armstrong of New Castle, Ind. won inaugural “Anderson Midget Classic 400” USAC Midget special event at the Anderson (Ind. ) Speedway and claimed the $10,000 winner’s check for winning the nation’s longest Midget race.
Armstrong led 131 of the 400 laps, including the final 75 in his Bungee North America/Anderson’s Grain Beast/Mopar. Armstrong started on the pole and was one of six race leaders. Alison MacLeod led 104 laps, Bobby East led 63, Ricky Ehrgott led 53, James Robertson led 26 and Tracy Hines led 23.
Ehrgott finished second ahead of MacLeod and East, all on the lead lap at the finish. Joe Liguori finished fifth. East lost five laps early in the race when he pitted with a tire problem. He made up four laps but was unable to catch the leaders at the end. Hines was leading until he spun and slipped several laps behind the leaders. Eight-time Little 500 champion Eric Gordon started 11th but was never a factor in the race due to multiple pit stops.
Armstrong revealed he lost his power steering 120 laps from the finish but was able to hang on in the closing laps to win by a half-lap.
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