SPEEDWAY, Ind. — About 20 years in the past, Michael Lewis was one of many premier pavement USAC racers of his period earlier than abruptly stepping away from the game.
Now, in 2026, the Noblesville, Indiana, native is again within the sport and can compete in all six pavement USAC Silver Crown occasions on the collection schedule aboard the Klatt Enterprises No. 6.
Lewis will wheel the automotive pushed by Jake Trainor through the 2025 USAC Silver Crown season. Trainor and the Klatt staff parted methods following the season. Jake Swanson will proceed because the staff’s grime driver in 2026.
Lewis’ most up-to-date USAC Silver Crown look got here through the 2005 season with a ninth place run at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Of his 29 profession collection begins, a second at Colorado’s Pikes Peak Worldwide Raceway in 2005 is his finest efficiency thus far.
The resume for Lewis reveals 4 profession USAC Nationwide Dash Automobile victories at Winchester, Hawkeye Downs, Salem and Toledo. Plus, he earned an extra eight triumphs in USAC Nationwide Midget competitors at Anderson, Phoenix’s Copper World Traditional, Nazareth, Kentucky, the Night time Earlier than the five hundred at IRP, Pikes Peak and at Irwindale twice, together with the 2002 Turkey Night time Grand Prix.
Alongside the way in which, Lewis earned accolades because the 1998 USAC Nationwide Midget Rookie of the Yr, the 2003 USAC Nationwide Dash Automobile Rookie of the Yr and because the 2003 USAC Western Dash Automobile champion. Nonetheless, on the age 28 in 2006, Lewis stepped away from the game. Within the time since, he’s gotten married and raised three kids.
However by August 2025, he was again behind the wheel of a midget at IRP. Now at age 47, the seat of a race automotive nonetheless appears like dwelling.
“You by no means lose the need to do it,” Lewis stated concerning his 19 yr hiatus. “I had a possibility to run the midget race at IRP and that was simply type of hook, line and sinker for me. Once I used to race, I didn’t have a spouse and children. Now that I do, there’s a complete totally different emotion that goes together with it. It’s fairly neat seeing my children’ pleasure.”
Upon his return this previous season, Lewis proceeded to win a warmth race, then ran third in a subsequent characteristic race later that night time. In October, he was again in a midget in addition to the upper horsepowered dash automotive at IRP and working close to the entrance of the pack when an accident ended his day early.
Within the dash automotive occasion, Lewis drove for Klatt with Corridor of Famer Bob East serving as crew chief. Lewis remembered commenting that he’d like to run their automotive at IRP sooner or later, not pondering something would occur.
However it did, and Lewis, Klatt and East had been all happy with their velocity. Then, East requested if Lewis can be taken with driving their Silver Crown automotive. With out hesitation, Lewis stated, ‘completely.’
“You at all times marvel for those who can nonetheless do it; you by no means know,” Lewis contemplated. “However I used to be fairly pleased with how issues went. One factor led to a different and right here we’re. We’re going Silver Crown racing subsequent yr.”
Lewis, who works within the radiator enterprise for PWR North America, recurrently competed towards the Klatt/East automotive through the 2000s in Silver Crown and Dash Automobile competitors.
It’s a machine that Lewis has at all times admired and needed to drive, and one thing he thought would by no means occur. This chance is one Lewis cited as “a dream come true.”
After profitable on USAC’s dash automotive and midget trails, a Silver Crown victory can be additional particular for Lewis, particularly contemplating the circumstances. In any case this time, the starvation has by no means dissipated, and Lewis is able to make his mark.
“It’s simply enjoyable racing,” Lewis stated of the Silver Crown collection. “I’ve received USAC midget and dash automotive races, however I’ve by no means received a Silver Crown race. In 2005, we lastly bought our stuff collectively and I believe we had a second and a 3rd. The vehicles are enjoyable and the space is enjoyable. Now I’m prepared, and I’d like to win a Silver Crown race.”
