Indianapolis, Indiana – From flipping upside down in a qualifying race to lifting the checkered flag just hours later, Cannon McIntosh delivered one of the most improbable and electrifying victories in the young history of the BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors. Racing at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday night, the 21-year-old Oklahoma native clawed his way through the 24-car field to become the first-ever two-time winner of the prestigious USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Championship event.
Starting 19th in the main event, McIntosh wasn’t on many radars early in the night. His path to victory wasn’t just steep — it was practically vertical. After suffering a violent crash during a qualifying race, the Bixby, Oklahoma driver had to regroup quickly. Not only did he have to repair his No. 71K Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports machine, he had to qualify for the A-Main through the semi-feature, the Elliott’s Custom Trailers & Carts race — a win-or-go-home scenario. He made it. Barely.
Once in the field, McIntosh had work to do — and a lot of it.
“I’m speechless right now – this is amazing,” McIntosh said in victory lane. “To do it in honor of Bryan Clauson here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway twice now, it’s just an honor. It’s all for him, and I’m sure he’s looking down, smiling and seeing another good race here.”
The win brought McIntosh $20,039 in prize money and a permanent place in BC39 lore. The race, now a fan-favorite annual event on the IMS calendar, honors the late Bryan Clauson — a USAC legend and three-time Indy 500 competitor whose passion for grassroots racing continues to inspire.
At the drop of the green, pole sitter Justin Grant took command and appeared well on his way to sweeping both nights of racing. The driver of the No. 87 CB Industries car had already won Tuesday night’s feature and was executing a near-flawless follow-up performance. He built a strong lead, resisting challenges lap after lap while McIntosh slowly worked his way from the tail end of the pack.
For most of the race, Grant’s closest rival was Jacob Denney in the No. 67 — another Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian entry. The two fought fiercely for control of the lead, trading slide jobs and battling door-to-door through the middle stages of the 39-lap feature. McIntosh lurked quietly but steadily, taking advantage of every opportunity, one car at a time.
By Lap 30, McIntosh had cracked the top three. A few laps later, chaos broke loose up front.
On Lap 36, Grant and Denney banged wheels while exiting Turn 4, triggering a shift in the battle for the lead. Then, in a daring move to regain position exiting Turn 2 a lap later, Grant’s front-right tire made contact with Denney’s left-rear. Grant’s car launched briefly off the ground and immediately slowed, his momentum broken, his front-left tire flattened, and his left-rear nerf bar mangled. The contact effectively ended Grant’s charge and handed second place to McIntosh.
The final two laps saw more fireworks.
With the white flag near, McIntosh and Denney collided while fighting for the lead off Turn 2, allowing teammate Gavin Miller — also driving for the Kunz/Curb-Agajanian powerhouse — to close in. Just moments later in Turn 4, McIntosh made a decisive move and slid past Denney to grab the lead as the white flag waved.
Behind him, Denney and Miller tangled slightly, sealing their fate and giving McIntosh the breathing room he needed to secure the win.
“A lot of guys moved up to the top there, and it was hard to make moves,” McIntosh said. “When you throw a slide job, you lose so much momentum. So, to try and get your momentum back without getting slid was tough. Luckily, I was the guy coming from behind and putting those guys in bad positions and was able to get to the next guy before they could get back to me. Just kept making moves.”
The Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports team had plenty to celebrate — sweeping the podium with Gavin Miller finishing second and Jacob Denney third. The team’s dominance in midget racing has been well-established, but to lock down all three podium spots on such a major stage underscored the depth and talent of their program.
While McIntosh soaked in the adoration and trophy, there was still more racing action earlier in the night.
Young Bryton Buoy turned in a flawless drive to win the Stoops Junior Sprint Invitational, leading all 20 laps. He had to hold off a late-race charge from Tuesday night’s Junior feature winner, Levi Ballard, who made up significant ground in the final five circuits but came up just short. Owen Larson — the son of NASCAR Cup Series and reigning Brickyard 400 champion Kyle Larson — impressed with a solid fifth-place result in the young driver showcase.
With another dramatic BC39 in the books, dirt racing fans won’t have to wait long for more action at The Dirt Track at IMS. The USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship returns on Thursday, July 24, as part of NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by Honest Abe Roofing. The sprint car race will mark the first time USAC Sprint Cars take to the IMS dirt oval, kicking off the festivities ahead of Brickyard Weekend for the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series.
Fans eager to catch more thrills can visit www.ims.com for tickets and schedule details.
As for McIntosh, his Wednesday night performance won’t soon be forgotten. From flipping in the dirt to flipping the field upside down, the 21-year-old didn’t just win a race — he reminded everyone that sometimes, the most unforgettable drives start from the back of the pack.
