HUMBOLDT, Kan. — The Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota dives into its debut in Kansas this weekend with a Friday-Saturday doubleheader at Humboldt Speedway and 81 Speedway, May 5-6.
The field will compete for $4,000 grand prizes on both nights, joined by non-wing sprint cars and factory stocks at Humboldt on Friday, then the sprint cars and 316 Mods at 81 on Saturday.
Though the Xtreme Outlaw Series has yet to visit either venue, both tracks have hosted midget competition in the past. Both POWRi and USAC have taken their national midget series to each and put on programs that showcase the speed midgets are capable of. At three-eighths of a mile, 81 Speedway will take over as the biggest track the series has visited since its inception last year.
Here are the drivers to watch and storylines to follow this weekend:
NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN
After posting back-to-back top-five finishes in the last two series races, Kyle Jones has taken over the points lead by 13 over Cannon McIntosh.
Jones, 29, put his Spike/Stanton, PDIDiesel.com No. 7U on the podium in the Saturday night portion of the Xtreme Outlaw Showdown in Du Quoin back in March, then followed that up with a fourth-place run at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 three weeks ago.
He and the Trifecta Motorsports team now ride into Humboldt Speedway on Friday where they competed together in 2020, resulting in a 13th-to-ninth charge for Jones in his first start at the track.
ON THE RISE
McIntosh jumped a total of six spots in the series points standings after his second win of the season three weeks ago at I-55, and now rides 13 points behind leader Kyle Jones in second place.
McIntosh has been keeping his skills sharp in the downtime this season, wheeling a micro sprint on a weekly basis at Millbridge Speedway for his team’s micro program at Dave Mac-Barnhill Motorsports.
Five feature wins there already this year has proved its benefits for the 20-year-old Toyota Racing Development driver as he continues the chase for his first national midget series championship.
McIntosh has previously visited Humboldt on multiple occasions, last making the trip out in 2020, where he finished 11th in a POWRi event during his tenure with Keith Kunz Motorsports. Prior to that, he made starts in 2019 (DNF), and recorded his best finish there in 2017 — a fifth-place run with his family team, then known as Dave Mac Motorsports.
THE CLIMB BACKÂ
Making her debut at both venues this weekend, Jade Avedisian has some work to do to reclaim the series points lead after dropping back to third in the standings three weeks ago.
The 16-year-old Californian struggled at I-55, fading back to 16th from her seventh-place starting spot and giving up the points lead she held coming into the race. Historically, I-55 has not been Avedisian’s cup of tea, but Humboldt and 81 will be clean slates. She’s yet to compete in any capacity at either venue, which gives her a brand-new opportunity for redemption this weekend.
Though she’s raced on big quarter-miles like Humboldt before, Saturday will be her first Xtreme Outlaw start on a three-eighths-mile track. The series has yet to visit a track larger in distance than the one-third-mile of I-55.
BACK IN THE SADDLE
Climbing back behind the wheel of a midget for the first time since January, Ashton Torgerson has teamed with Tanner Thorson Racing this weekend to take on the Kansas doubleheader.
Torgerson, 16, was injured in a scary incident at the Chili Bowl Nationals in January where he was ejected from the seat of his car after flipping several times down the backstretch. Torgerson sat out for several weeks to recover but has since made multiple micro sprint and winged sprint car starts in his efforts to get back in the racing groove.
Friday at Humboldt will be his first official midget start since the night of his accident.
Like several others in the field, Torgerson will be making his first appearance with the Xtreme Outlaws, as well as his debut at both tracks.
BEEN THERE, RACED THAT
While several competitors will be making their midget debut at Humboldt this weekend, Zach Daum will be one of the veterans in the field with prior experience. Like McIntosh, Daum raced the POWRi event at Humboldt in 2020, and finished fourth behind Daison Pursley, Kaylee Bryson and winner Buddy Kofoid.
Daum moved up five spots in the series standings after a runner-up finish to McIntosh at I-55 three weeks ago. He now sits sixth — 57 points back of leader Jones in pursuit of his second consecutive Xtreme Outlaw points championship.