“This is a great win,” said Lewis, who piloted the No. 40 Western Speed Racing CMX Xtreme.com/Wirtgen America Gerhardt/Esslinger. “There are three big pavement races for me each year – the ‘Copper World Classic,’ the ‘Turkey Night Grand Prix,’ and the ‘Night Before The 500.’ I was glad to finally get the third one tonight.”

Gregory was the man on the mission early. Starting fifth, Gregory didn’t prefer being patient, moving to third within the first four laps. A lap later, he passed Lewis’s teammate – Billy Wease – for second.

Meanwhile, Jerry Coons Jr. was quietly pulling away from the pack. He started on the pole and, after battling with Wease the entire first lap, steadily built an advantage of 10-plus car lengths.

Gregory began challenging Coons for the first time on Lap 12, and was within two car lengths by Lap 14. The first of two caution periods came on Lap 16, when Wease slowed on the front stretch. He finished 22nd.

Gregory fell back on the restart, but closed the gap and challenged again a couple of laps later. His charge was halted temporarily on Lap 28, when Mario Marietta flipped in Turn 3. He was uninjured in the incident.

Lewis changed a right rear tire during the red flag period. On the restart, Gregory smoothly slipped underneath Coons in Turn 2, and by the third turn was clearly in charge.

But on the move was Lewis. He continued to pick off cars, and was up to fourth when the final yellow flag flew on Lap 43, when defending series champion Bobby East and National Midget Car Series Rookie of the Year contender Brad Loyet spun on the backstretch.

Lewis didn’t hold back on the restart. He jumped past Coons and Wise on the restart and was challenging Gregory within two laps. Lewis tried multiple times to make the pass on the inside, but was unable to make the charge until the white flag lap.

Lewis raced Gregory thru Turn 1 as Gregory got high, then cleared Gregory coming out of Turn 2. By then, he wasn’t challenged again, and led only the most important lap of the race: the final one.

Gregory ended up second, while Coons, Wise and Tom Hessert III rounded out the Top 5.

The red flag period was by far the biggest break of the night for Lewis.

“I was just about getting ready to pull in when the red flag came out,” he said. “I’m just glad we were able to get the break when we did.”

Though a bit upset, Gregory said he gave it his all during the 50-lap event.

“The tires were just fading there at the end,” Gregory said. “Those tires are so important in a longer race such as this. All I could do was give it everything I had. But I have to give it to Michael; he drove a great race.”

Josh Wise set fast time at 20.797 seconds, while East and 2003 race winner Aaron Fike won 12-lap qualifying races.

Wise continues to hold the points lead heading into the “Buckeye Nationals” event June 18 at the Limaland Motorsports Park in Lima, Ohio.

USAC NATIONAL MIDGET CAR SERIES RACE RESULTS: May 28, 2005 – Indianapolis, Indiana – Indianapolis Raceway Park – 60th Coca-Cola “Night Before The 500”