Springfield,Mo.-
Brad Loyet drove to his third feature victory of the season Saturday in the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series at Springfield Raceway.
Loyet started from sixth position and used the outside line to move into the lead on the 16th of 30 laps, overtaking Austin Brown on the outside exiting Turn Four on the quarter-mile track. The 23-year-old from Sunset Hills, Mo., led the rest of the way.
It was the eighth POWRi Midget event of the season.
“Three wins in eight races, that’s a pretty good average,” Loyet said.
The POWRi Midget champion in 2007 and 2010, Loyet finished seventh Friday night at West Plains (Mo.) Motor Speedway.
“We rebounded from last night,” Loyet said. “We were able to fix the motor problems, spark plugs and ignition, we had. We definitely weren’t running on all four cylinders Friday. We had a really good car tonight, smoking hot. She was hooked up. The high groove was definitely the fast way. Our win was a big boost to the team.”
Jonathan Beason, of Broken Arrow, Okla., finished second, his best in POWRi Midgets. He started from 12th position, outside on the sixth row and, using the same high line as Loyet, moved up to second on the 22nd lap.
“I tried to run where the rubber came in first,” Beason said. “Both Brad and I were able to go up there. We gambled big time on the choice of tire and went for the softest of the three. We had just enough tire for the 30 laps. It was completely bald at the end of the race.”
Andrew Felker, of Carl Junction, Mo., was a season-best third in the Midget series. He started on the outside of the front row. He challenged Brown, the polesitter, for the opening 14 laps, but surrendered second to the flying Loyet on the next lap.
“I couldn’t get around Brown and Loyet and Beason got around me,” Felker said. “But I’m definitely happy with the run.”Felker and Brown thrilled the crowd with outstanding racing racing for the opening laps as Loyet was working the top side of the quarter-mile dirt oval.The race featured action all over the track and had only 1 caution in the 30 lap event presented by Jake Diemer and GreenLawn Funeral Homes of Springfield.The event drew 28 midget teams as the Power I made their first ever apperance at the Speedway along with 24 of the 600CC Outlaw Winged Micros Sprints
Tyler Thomas, of Collinsville, Okla., finished fourth from 15th on the grid and Nick Knepper, of Belleville, Ill., was fifth.
Trent Beckinger won his second POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micros feature of the season with a dominating performance. The 20-year-old from Evansville, Ind., started on the outside of the front row, took the lead exiting Turn Two on the opening lap and led all 20.
Beckinger’s victory was his third in POWRi Micros and he became the first to have two this season. Springfield was the seventh event of 2011.
Felker finished second. “We needed a good run after being taken out last night,” he said. “We need the points.”Felker,racing in front of what he considered his hometown fans had a very successful event in both classes.”I have alot of family and friends being that we are only about 50 miles from the track.I wanted to thank Jerry and Doug for scheduling this event and I believe everyone got an outstanding night of racing.The track was excellent.
Felker was running in the top-five on the final lap at West Plains before contact with another driver eliminated him. He finished 16th.
Brandon Hahn, of Tulsa, was third, Joe B. Miller, of Milersville, Mo., was fourth and Travis Senter Jr., of Oceola, Ark.
In Support Action,the Reliable Chevrolet SportMod feature saw Terry Beckham Sr grab the lead for the opening 6 laps as 3 wide racing was the norm.On lap 7 Young Jard Thulin took over the lead from the Joplin Veteran as GM Crate racer Don Luna followed through.The first caution waved on lap 11 involving Larry Tindle,Mike Hailman,JC Morton, and Beckham Sr.Thulin gave up the lead to andy Beauchamp on lap 14 as Beauchamp was looking for his first win while Gary Rodocker and Scott Drake were challanging also.A lap 17 caution set-up an exciting finish as Luna grabbed the high-side and made the winning pass on the final lap,final turn to take his first win of the season while Beauchamp,Drake,Thulin and Rodocker followed.Beauchamp and Drake had issues following the top 5 tech inspection which moved Jerry Lankton and Hailman into the top 5.
The Missouri Legends feature provided 3 wide action all night as Dave Bauer grabbed the opening lead over a strong field of cars.Caution waved on lap 2 as top runners Jay Reynolds and Colt Pruente were involved in an incident ending their night early.Bauer would then lead on the restart while Billy Cotrrill,Rolla’s Wayne Johnston,Tyler Horton,Dave Comer,point leader Park Jones and defending champion Justin Comer along with former champion Jason Rayle were exciting the crowd with 3 wide non stop action.Johnston and Dave Comer would overtake Bauer and swap the lead several times while Park Jones and J Comer were battling Rayle.The final 5 laps saw Johnston hold over many attempts from Comer and Jones to take his first ever Legends Feature as D Comer,Jones,J Comer and Rayle conpleted the top 5.
The Casey’s General stores Midwest Modz race featured wheel to wheel action also as Phil Harris took the opening lead.Joplin’s Bobby Gough charged from his 5th starting spot on lap 4 and never looked back in taking his first win of the 2011 season in a 15 lap featrue that saw only 1 caution.Point leader Trevor Drake surged from his 12th spot to take home the runner-up honors with great runs tonight by Phil Harris who finished third,Monte Padgett and Todd McGregor.Veteran Randy Belk who had problems early in the feature rallied from 17 to charge home with a 7th place finish and was prehaps the fastest car in the end.
The Wheeler Metals Purestock feature was a wild event with great racing action that featured 3 different leader and a near photo finish.Tanner Sitton grabbed the opening lead as point leader Jack Hamer followed.Hamer took the lead on lap 2 only to see Sitton back in front the next lap.Sitton would lead until lap 6 when Bryan Tillman who started 8th made the pass to lead as Hamer followed.Sitton had problems the following lap and would head to the pits.A late caution allowed Wayne Morris to quietly move up to challange Tillman in the closing laps as the duo went into the final lap side by side.Tillman found the top lane to his liking and held off Morris by 1 car length in taking his first Pure feature win of the season with Morris,Hamer,Matt Gruenburg and Philip Schloesser following.
Action continues next Sat night at the SpringfieldRaceway with Kid’s Bike Races at intermission and action featuring the USRA Modifieds,SportMods,Midwest Modz,Legends,PureStocks and StreetStocks in the Transport Graphics Chase for the Championship with the Grandstand gates opening at 5PM,Hotlaps at 6:15 and Racing at 7PM.Pitgates will open at 4PM.
Results
POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series results (30 laps): 1. Brad Loyet, 2. Jonathan Beason, 3. Andrew Felker, 4. Tyler Thomas, 5. Nick Knepper, 6. Chett Gehrke, 7. Gavin Galbraith, 8. Jimmy Glenn, 9. Eric Todd, 10. Austin Brown, 11. Rusty Dukes, 12. Kyle Neal, 13. Ronnie Burke, 14. Alex Sewell, 15. J.D. Black, 16. Pat Schudy, 17. Ken Brown, 18. Brett Anderson, 19. Tim Siner, 20. Ryan Criswell, 21. Tyler Robbins, 22. John Campbell.
POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series results (20 laps): 1. Trent Beckinger, 2. Andrew Felker, 3. Brandon Hahn, 4. Joe B. Miller, 5. Travis Senter, 6. Will Harvey, 7. Jacob Patton, 8. Jordan Campbell, 9. Chance Terrel, 10. Ryan Guyett, 11. Ryan Marsh 12. Devon Huff, 13. Kara King, 14. Dalton Wiseley, 15. Kade Morton, 16. Jake Neuman, 17. Kevin Horcher, 18. Harli White, 19. Cory Nelson, 20. J.B. Gilbert, 21. Blake Hahn, 22. Chris Andrew, 23. Paul Nienhiser.
Reliable Chevrolet SportMods
A Ft-1)Don Luna-St James 2)Jared Thulin-Miami,Okla 3)Gary Rodocker-Willard 4)Jerry Lankton-Lampe 5)Mike Hailman-ReedSprings 6)Bobby Maggard Jr-Republic 7)Wayne Graybeal-Springfield 8)JC Morton-Springfield 9)Charlie Gentile-Ozark 10)Terry Beckham Sr-Joplin 11)Derek Watson-Willard 12)Nathan Evans-Springfield 13)Larry Tindle-Springfield 14)Steven Steffe-Doolittle 15)Shawn Claspill-16)Derek Mincks-Bolivar DQ-Andy Beauchamp(Intake) Scott Drake(Intake)
1st Ht-1)Rodocker 2)Thulin 3)Maggard Jr 4)Mincks 5)Evans 6)Beauchamp(Intake found in feature tech-loss of points for the night)
2nd Ht-1)Beckham Sr 2)Morton 3)Graybeal 4)Lankton 5)Tindle 6)Drake
3rd Ht-1)Luna 2)Hailman 3)Watson 4)Gentile 5)Claspill 6)Steffe
Legends
A Ft-1)Wayne Johnston-Rolla 2)Dave Comer-Joplin 3)Park Jones-Joplin 4)Justin Comer-Joplin 5)Jason Rayle-Springfield 6)Tyler Horton-Joplin 7)Jim Hailman-ReedSprings 8)Billy Cottrill-Joplin 9)Dave Bauer-Webb City- 10)James McDugle Jr-Quapaw,Okla 11)Paul Horton-Joplin 12)Charles Gaines-Miami,Okla 13)Rick Nichols-Cassville 14)Brian Boucher-Joplin 15)Rocky Carp-Tombstone,Arz.16)Colt Pruente-Aurora 17)Jay Reynolds-Springfield 18)James McDugle Sr-Quapaw,Okla 19)Doug Wilson-Joplin DNS-Phil Harris-Springfield
1st Ht-1)Johnston 2)Jones 3)Rayle 4)Boucher 5)Hailman 6)McDugle Sr 7)Carp
2nd Ht-1)D comer 2)Pruente 3)Reynolds 4)Nichols 5)P Horton 6)Wilson 7DNS-Harris
3rd Ht-1)J Comer 2)Bauer 3)T Horton 4)Cottrill 5)Gaines 6)McDugle Jr
Wheeler Metals PureStocks
A Ft-1)Bryan Tillman-Branson West 2)Wayne Morris-Miami,Okla 3)Jack Hamer-Ava 4)Matt Gruenburg-Joplin 5)Philip Schloesser-Everton 6)Randy High-Springfield 7)Matthew Bowen-Strafford 8)Tanner Sitton-Bolivar 9)Lenny Bell-Springfield 10)Brett Testerman-Miami,Okla 11)Kenneth Woodruff-Springfield 12)Jeremy Thulin-Miami,Okla 13)Chris Woodruff-Springfield
1st Ht-1)Morris 2)Tillman 3)Gruenburg 4)K Woodruff 5)Bowen 6)Schloesser DNS-C Woodruff
2nd Ht-1)Sitton 2)Hamer 3)Thulin 4)Testerman 5)Bell 6)High
Casey’s General Stores Midwest Modz
A Ft-1)Bobby Gough-Joplin 2)Trevor Drake-Webb City 3)Phil Harris-Springfield 4)Monte Padgett-Joplin 5)Todd McGregor-Clever 6)Rusty Forrest-Ozark 7)Randy Belk-Joplin 8)Gary Krebs-Clever 9)Sam Petty-Niangua 10)Matthew Thulin-Miami,Okla 11)Shawn Eggeman-Willard 12)Jordan Green-Rolla 13)Shane Bias-Springfield 14)Brad Graves-Springfield 15)Rick Williams-Springfield 16)Dakota Maggard-Springfield 17)Jesse Parton-Oak Grove,Ark DNS-Ken Walker-Springfield
1st Ht-1)Drake 2)Krebs 3)McGregor 4)Harris 5)Belk DNS-Bias
2nd Ht-1)Parton 2)Green 3)Thulin 4)Petty 5)Eggeman 6)Walker
3rd Ht-1)Gough 2)Forrest 3)Padgett 4)D Maggard 5)Williams 6)Graves