Logan Seavey is a must-see generational talent competing on dirt.
He has won almost every major USAC event. The two-time defending Chili Bowl champion has accomplished feats that include winning the 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway in all three divisions in 2023, joining Jack Hewitt in 1998 and Kyle Larson in 2011 as the only drivers to do so.
Seavey also became the third driver, along with Billy Vukovich and J.J. Yeley, to win two different feature events on the same day at two different tracks on Aug. 20, 2023, when he won a Silver Crown race at Illinois State Fairgrounds during the day and a USAC Midget race at night 44 miles away at Macon Speedway.
Last season, Seavey strung together one of the most magical USAC National Midget seasons in recent memory with eight wins and 21 top-five finishes in 27 starts, resulting in a second career series title after achieving the same in 2018.
He also took the 2023 Silver Crown championship.
The only thing missing?
Seavey is 0-for-4 in the annual Driven2SaveLives BC39 presented by Avanti Windows & Doors at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He finished third in the feature last year.
This year’s race is Thursday, Sept. 26 through Saturday, Sept. 28 on the quarter-mile dirt oval inside Turn 3 at IMS. The 39-lap feature race is Saturday.
“That’s not been my best track, for the most part,” Seavey said. “Then last year, we were able to get on the podium. That was actually a disappointing podium because we had such a good Midget seat last year, and to show up there, we were really, really bad. Then on the final day, we kind of got our car going a lot better and got to that podium spot.
“The BC39 is such a big race. It’s at the Speedway, and everybody wants to win at the Speedway.”
Adding to the motivation for Seavey is his Abacus Racing owner Brent Cox owns a suite at IMS and said the BC39 is the biggest race he wants to win.
“I know for a fact that he’d rather win that one than the Chili Bowl,” Seavey said. “I know for our team, in particular, that race is by far the biggest race that we get to.
“When you pull in and you kind of realize you’re at the Speedway. Obviously, you’re not on the big track, but you can look around and see the Pagoda and everything that embodies the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It’s really cool. You’re right there in the corner, and the (asphalt) racetrack isn’t too far away. It just gives you that feeling that you are in a special place. The stands are packed. It’s such a cool event.”
What makes this race so challenging is that this is one of the few events for which teams rebuild their cars or bring a new car.
“The Chili Bowl (is huge), but I feel like the BC is probably already the second-biggest race that we have right now,” he said. “Everybody shows up with new cars or brings different drivers to try to bring in a little bit more to try and win that race. As much as we race, it’s hard to put in extra work to take your cars to special events, but that seems to be one that people work extra hard to make sure their stuff is right.”
Brady Bacon, Zeb Wise, Kyle Larson, Buddy Kofoid and Justin Grant are in a rare fraternity of five different drivers to have won the crown jewel event in five years.
Is Seavey on track to be the next?
California native Seavey won the Indiana Midget Week championship last year and Indiana Sprint Week this summer. The 27-year-old West Coast kid is starting to feel like an honorary Hoosier.
“I feel like over the last few years at these races, I feel like I get a lot more people coming up to me and talk to me,” he said of racing in Indiana. “That kind of makes you feel like you are part of the community a lot more, whereas, the first three of four years I was out here, I was still that California kid and unknown for the most part. I feel like finally everyone’s kind of accepted me as part of the group.”
The Driven2SaveLives BC39 presented by Avanti Windows & Doors takes place Thursday, Sept. 26 through Saturday, Sept. 28. Visit IMS.com for tickets and more information.
