Leading USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Rookie of the Year contender C.J. Leary got the call to be the new pilot for the Steve Reynolds No. 21KS beginning this weekend when the series travels to Dirt Oval 66 in Joliet, Ill.

Leary, of Greenfield, Ind., takes over the seat vacated by Jason McDougal following “Indiana Midget Week.”  Leary becomes the third driver of the Reynolds-owned car in 2019, following Karter Sarff, who made two starts for the team at the opening rounds in Ocala, Fla. in February, and McDougal, who drove to three top-four finishes in eight starts this year, including a 2^nd place result at the “Kokomo Grand Prix” in April.

Leary had racked up five top-ten finishes in his first five starts for FMR Racing.  After a tumultuous beginning to “Indiana Midget Week” with three finishes outside the top-ten, Leary and FMR parted ways.  Former FMR driver Brady Bacon moved into the ride at that point.

Leary had been as high as third in the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship standings prior to IMW.  Coming into this weekend’s event, though, he’s now 10^th in points, just 13 ahead of fellow Rookie Jesse Colwell (Red Bluff, Calif.).

Leary now resumes his fight for the Midget Rookie of the Year title.  If he was to pull it off, he’d be the first son of a past USAC National Midget Rookie of the Year to accomplish the same feat.  C.J.’s father, Chuck, was the top Rookie in 1993.

Leary could also become just the second driver to win the Rookie of the Year award in all three USAC National divisions: Silver Crown, Sprint Car and Midget, joining Ryan Newman.  Leary previously won the 2012 USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car and 2015 Silver Crown RoY honors.

Saturday’s event also features the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions and the Bumper to Bumper IRA Outlaw Sprint Series.  The parking lot opens at 3pm (Central), front gates at 3pm, pre-race party at 3pm and showtime at 7:30pm.

Adult general admission tickets are $25, children general admission is $10, reserved adult tickets are $30, adult pit passes are $40 apiece and children pit passes are $10.

Watch the Dirt Oval 66 race live and on-demand at http://www.FloRacing.com/.  Listen live on the USAC app.  Follow along with live updates on https://www.facebook.com/usacracing/ and https://twitter.com/USACNation, plus live timing and scoring on the Race Monitor app.