LINCOLN, Ill. (June 22, 2012)—Thirteen-year-old Justin Peck of Monrovia, Ind., became the youngest winner of a feature in the POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series on Friday at Lincoln Speedway.
“It feels awesome,” Peck said. “Running against these drivers, some of the top drivers in the nation, that’s amazing.”
Peck replaced Paul Nienhiser of Chapin, Ill., in the record book of the 8-year-old series. Nienhiser was 14 when he won in 2010 at Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill.
Peck entered five POWRi Micro events in 2011 and made the feature in the final two with a top finish of 12th at Macon (Ill.) Speedway, where the series races tonight in the Building Systems of Indiana Macon Micro Nationals. Peck has entered all seven events and made seven features including third at Macon on May 12.
“I’m tickled to win,” father and crew chief Steve Peck said. “We were hoping to get a couple of top fives when we came into POWRi at the start of the season.”
Peck led all 20 laps on the quarter-mile track and finished six car lengths in front of Joe B. Miller of Millersville, Mo. Aaron Andruskevitch of Riverton, Ill., was third.
Peck started on the outside of the front row next to pole sitter Steven Russell of Springfield, Ill.
“The start went pretty well,” Peck said. “Steven Russell went about where I expected and I went to the top and drafted him coming out of the second corner. I went real hard into turn three and it stuck and we went on from there.
“I thought the bottom would take rubber and I got down there in turn one right after taking the lead. Two laps into the race, it was taking rubber.”
The feature had one caution, restarting on the sixth lap, and Peck’s Shively-built, Yamaha-powered Sawyer was putting cars a lap down by the 11th lap.
Peck stayed with his low line in traffic.
“Everybody was running a little higher and I was able to keep my line and run a little bit lower,” Peck said. “The car got a little tight and I was able to free it up with a wing adjustment.”
The 21-year-old Miller, twice runner-up in the POWRi Micro championship, finished second for the third time in seven features this season.
“I’m tired of finishing second,” he said.
Miller climbed from eighth starting spot to third by the fifth lap.
“I moved to the bottom and got into lapped traffic and I thought that would help me catch him (Peck),” Miller said. “But it rubbered up and it didn’t help.”
Andruskevitch and Miller dueled for second in the final 10 laps.
“I passed him for second with about eight to go and he passed me back with two to go,’ Andruskevitch said.
POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series results (20 laps): 1. Justin Peck, 2. Joe B. Miller, 3. Aaron Andruskevitch, 4. Nathan Benson, 5. John Plotner, 6. Brad McDaniel, 7. Spencer Montgomery, 8. Steven Russell, 9. Cale Thomas, 10. Evan Weyant, 11. Cole Campbell, 12. Devin Feger, 13. Will Harvey, 14. Jake Neuman, 15. Jimmy Wells, 16. Kyle Schuett, 17. Jeremy Camp, 18. Greg Northrop, 19. Bradan Fickas, 20. Bailey Goldesberry, 21. Andrew Felker, 22. Max Pozsgai.
For more information, go to www.POWRi.com.