Lebanon, Mo.- The area of St. Louis Area Racing is gearing-up for the 2015 Lebanon I-44 Speedway Nascar Whelen Asphalt Action which begins on Saturday April 25th at 6PM.
In 2014, 14 year old Kyle Donahue captured the Missouri State Nascar Late Model Rookie Of The Year while capturing 1 win last season. After receiving an invitation to the Award Banquet in Charlotte, It really sparked a fire under the Donahue Racing team who fielded a 2 car team as older Brother Kevin had an up and down season despite capturing 2 feature wins. Kyle will be competing in a brand new Chassis this season with a Ford Body mounted on the sleek number 2 Vanguard Sponsored Pro Late Model after finishing in the tracks top 5 in points in the Nascar Weekly Premier Class.
20 Year old Kevin will be in his familiar number 7 again this season after having an up and down season in his 1st season as a Nascar Whelen Series driver. Showing he knows the fast way to the front, Kevin will be a contender every Saturday Night and with a little luck this season could find himself in contention for a track and State title. Both young lions from Wildwood has extensive Karting and Legends car experience and have proved after only 1 season of being contenders in the very tough Pro Late Model class in Missouri’s only Active Asphalt and Nascar Sanctioned track.
Engine builder Shane Fessler of Troy, Missouri helped place former 3-time Late Model Champion Tim Swearengin of Springfield back on the track in the Budweiser Modified Class in the Lewis Family Motorsports number 14 after 10 seasons away. For Swearengin, it was a great comeback season as he won 2 features with 12 top 5’s in the Nascar Tier 2 division at The “High-Banks” and a 2nd place in the final point standings only 5 points away from a title. This season with a New “ Black Widow” spec power plant under the hood, Swearengin looked very smooth in the only open practice session held so far. Swearengin will be battling for a title again in 2015 with the likes of 2014 titlest Stephen Counterman, Ricky Icenhower, Former 3 time champ David Bates and a Thundering pack of open wheeled drivers for the tough season starting Saturday April 25th.
For Sportsman driver Jake Piel of St. Louis, The off-season rule adjustments and the fact that the top spot is wide open as defending champion Paul Jepsen has moved to Late Models, a good start to the season might have the hard-charger reconsider only running a part-time schedule this season. Late last season, Piel had some outstanding runs in the front pack and finished 5th in the final standings despite not running the full schedule. Piel will be competing in his 3rd season of Nascar Whelen Short-Track Racing with a background in Karting in the Ultra-Shield 76.
Action at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway will begin at 6PM during April and May with gates opening at 5PM as cars will already be on the track practicing. For more information visit the website at WWW.I44Speedway.Net and be sure to like and visit the FaceBook page for more updates.