MACON, Ill. (Sept. 25, 2012)—Brett Anderson trails Andrew Felker by 220 points going into the next-to-last event of the season in the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series on Saturday (Sept. 29) at one-fifth mile Macon Speedway.
Anderson needs to win at Macon and in the season-concluding event at Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill., on Oct. 6 to have a chance to overtake Felker, who has a one race advantage in the points.
“We need to win both of them to try to win it,” Anderson said. “It’s going to be tough unless Andrew has another DNF.”
The 27-year-old from Bellville, Ill., has had an outstanding season with two wins, seven more top-fives, three more top-10s and has driven in the feature in all 19 events he’s entered. Anderson, the 2008 POWRi National Midget champion, missed five events at midseason because of illness.
“We’d be right in there close for the championship if we hadn’t missed those,” Anderson said.
Anderson, fourth on the all-time list for POWRi Midget race wins with 12, is driving in his final season for father Keith Anderson’s team.
“My dad is retiring from racing to spend more time with the family and I’m going to be on my own next season,” Anderson said. “Hopefully, I can find some rides or even a full season. It would be very nice to go out looking good and, hopefully, finish of the year with the championship.
“I’ve been in talks with a couple of people about next year, but nothing is set in stone.”
Felker leads Anderson, 2,820-2,600. POWRi awards 200 points for feature wins, decreasing by 10 per position to awarding 10 for 20th place and below. POWRi also requires a driver to drop its lowest two finishes. Felker, a 19-year-old from Carl Junction, Mo., has raced in all 27 features this season, which effectively reduces his lead to 200 points. Felker has two wins, three more top-fives and eight more top-10s this season. He can clinch the championship by finishing ahead of Anderson at Macon.
The previous winners of POWRi National Midget features at Macon this season have been Zach Daum on May 12, Bubba Altig on June 23 and Bryan Clauson on Aug. 18.
Joe B. Miller of Millersville, Mo., has clinched the championship in POWRi’s Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series, but the race for second through fifth in the points is tight going into Macon. It’s also the next-to-last event of the season.
Aaron Andruskevitch of Riverton, Ill., holds second by 30 points over Jeremy Camp of Blue Mound, Ill., 85 over Cale Thomas of Fairland, Ind., and 175 over Jeremy Patton of Bethalto, Ill.
Alex Harris of Atwood, Ill., on May 12, Andruskevitch on June 23 and Miller on Aug. 18 are previous winners in POWRi Micro features at Macon this season.
POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series top-10 points standings (after 27 of 29 events); 1. Andrew Felker 2,820, 2. Brett Anderson 2,600, 3.Austin Brown 2,270, 4. Jake Blackhurst 2,185, 5. Daniel Robinson 2,155, 6. Tyler Thomas 2,100, 7. Brad Kuhn 2,040, 8. Chett Gehrke 2,000, 9. (tie) Dillon Welch, Zach Daum 1,670.
POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series 2012 race winners: Kennedale, Texas—Brady Bacon; Kennedale, Texas—Dave Darland; Jacksonville, Ill.—Mario Clouser; Grain Valley, Mo.—Brett Anderson; Wheatland, Mo.—Jake Blackhurst; Macon, Ill.—Zach Daum; Belleville, Ill.—Danny Stratton; Peoria, Ill.—Andrew Felker; Brownstown, Ill.–Brett Anderson; Haubstadt, Ind.—Brady Bacon; Grain Valley, Mo.—Michael Pickens; Springfield, Mo.—Michael Pickens; Lincoln, Ill.—Danny Stratton; Macon, Ill.—Bubba Altig; Wilmot, Wis.—Andrew Felker; Sun Prairie, Wis.—Rico Abreu; Beloit, Kan.—Scott Hatton; McCool Junction, Neb.—Rico Abreu; Cameron, Mo.—Kyle Larson; Belleville, Ill.—Rico Abreu; Lincoln, Ill.—Bryan Clauson; Macon, Ill.—Bryan Clauson; Sun Prairie, Wis.—Brad Kuhn; Du Quoin, Ill.—Tyler Thomas; Du Quoin, Ill.—Bryan Clauson; Jacksonville, Ill.—Danny Stratton; Canton, Ill.—Brad Kuhn.
POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series top-10 points standings (after 17 of 19 events): 1. Joe B. Miller 2,440, 2. Aaron Andruskevitch 1,975, 3. Jeremy Camp 1,925, 4. Cale Thomas 1,890, 5. Jacob Patton 1,800, 6. Andrew Felker 1,770, 7. Justin Peck 1,700, 8. Spencer Montgomery 1,315, 9. Derek Schuett 1,290, 10. Jake Neuman 1,260.
POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series 2012 race winners: Jacksonville, Ill.—Andrew Felker; Macon, Ill.—Alex Harris; Belleville, Ill.—Travis Senter; Peoria, Ill.—Andrew Felker; Brownstown, Ill.—Andrew Felker; Haubstadt, Ind.—Trent Beckinger; Lincoln, Ill.—Justin Peck; Macon—Aaron Andruskevitch; Marion, Ill.—Chris Andrews; Marion, Ill.—Justin Peck; Marion, Ill.—Chris Andrews; Belleville, Ill.—Jeremy Camp; Lincoln, Ill.—Trent Beckinger; Macon, Ill.—Joe B. Miller; Du Quoin, Ill.—Andrew Felker; Du Quoin, Ill.—Jake Neuman; Jacksonville, Ill.—Trent Beckinger.
For more information, go to www.POWRi.com.