Felker, Bruce get wins as 2 drivers flip out of the ballpark
(Peoria, IL) New Zealand driver Michael Pickens captured his second consecutive Lucas Oil POWRi National Midget Series event as the series made its’ inaugural appearance at Peoria Speedway Saturday night.
Pickens, a three-time New Zealand and two-time Australian Speedcar Super Series champion, survived
a hard-fought battle with 2-time and defending POWRi Champion Brad Loyet for his second win in as many nights.
Pickens had taken the lead on lap 5 from 2008 POWRi Champ Brett Anderson and appeared to be cruising for a win. A caution on lap 12 tightened the field, and the 10th starting Loyet charged by Anderson for 2nd with a slide job in turn 4 on lap 19. Pickens had nearly a straightaway lead over Loyet when the caution flew on lap 22. Pickens got a terrific start, and took a commanding lead until another caution on lap 27 put Loyet on his back bumper again.
As the green flew on the lap 27 re-start, Loyet charged into turn 1 and slid past Pickens as they raced out of turn 2. Pickens re-gained the lead down the back stretch but Loyet threw another slide job at Pickens in turn 3 and nearly hit the turn 4 wall. Pickens had to check up for a split second as the 2 made contact, but turned the car left and drove past Loyet again at the judge’s stand. Pickens held on for a 2 car length win over Loyet, USAC star Jerry Coons, Jr., and Nick Knepper.
Pickens told the crowd: “I would like to thank my car owner for allowing me to race over here, without his support this wouldn’t be possible. That was a great race with Brad and the track was terrific. We had a great top groove to run. I’m only here for a few weeks, so we are trying to make the best of it.”
“Was that a great race or what?”, Loyet asked the fans after the race. “I was almost afraid to show my nose to Michael because I knew he would turn up the wick and he did. It’s fun to race with one of the best drivers in the world. The fans had to enjoy that one.”
Andrew Felker from Carl Junction, MO won his first POWRi 600 CC Mini-Sprint feature of the season over Trent Beckinger, who had won last night. Felker, who lives 5 miles from tornado-ravaged Joplin, MO told the crowd in victory lane: “It’s been a tough couple of weeks, but I want to thank my family and the fans for coming out tonight and braving the rain.”
The Mini-Sprint feature was red-flagged when Kyle Schuett nearly ended up in the parking lot, flipping over the wall and almost all of the way down the hill between turns 1 and 2. Schuett was uninjured, as was Midget driver Travis Berryhill. Berryhill wheel-hopped another car and launched out of the track in the middle of turns 3 and 4, resting next to a light pole which had already been knocked over earlier this season.
2010 Track Champion Erik Bruce won the UMP Modified feature over Tommy Duncan, who continues to post top 5 finishes. Duncan fought Donovan Lodge in a classic side-by-side battle over the first 3 laps of the 20 lap feature until taking control down the backstretch on lap 4. Bruce was using the high side of the track exclusively and had worked his way into 2nd with a pass of Lodge in turn 2 on lap 7.
A lap 7 caution bunched the field up, and Bruce immediately began to challenge Duncan, who was using the low side of the track. Brcue pulled even on lap 10 and they ran dead even until Bruce made the pass stick on the front stretch on lap 11. Bruce survived a lap 16 re-start and held off Duncan, Billy Tuckwell, Derrick Doerr and Matt Dillon for the $800 win.
“The high side was really working tonight for us”, said Bruce in victory lane. “A big thanks to the track crew who had to fight off heat and rain to give us a good track to race on. This feels good.”
Action resumes next Saturday night at Peoria Speedway with a full UMP racing program. June 15 will be NASCAR Night at the track, with Kenny Schrader and Kenny Wallace in action. June 17 the track presents an AMA Flat Track racing program.
OFFICIAL RESULTS, PEORIA SPEEDWAY, June 4, 2011
UMP MODIFIEDS (26 cars)
1. 2-ErikBruce, Norwood
2. 32-Tommy Duncan, Peoria
3. 23T-Billy Tuckwell, Metamora
4. 26D-Derrick Doerr, Peoria
5. D3-Matt Dillon, Peoria
6. Z1-Zac Oedewaldt, Hanna City
7. 26J-Mark Johnson, Glasford
8. 8-Gary Scharp, Peoria
9. 56-Joe Cook, Spring Bay
10. 268-Doug Sauder, Deer Creek
11. 11z-Zane Oedewaldt, Hanna City
12. 7-Scott May, Jr, Creve Coeur
13. 40JR-Mike Chasteen, Jr., East Peoria
14. 127-Jim Picardi, Mapleton
15. 32-Donovan Lodge, Moline
16. A9-AJ May, Creve Coeur
17. 7k-Kenny Egan, Peoria
18. C4-Chris Morefield, Edwards
19. 89-Noah Faw, Hanna City
20. 24-Quentin Schoffner, Monmouth
21. 59-Johnny Parlier, Peoria
HEAT 1: 1. Tuckwell 2. Duncan 3, AJ May 4. Bruce 5. Parlier 6. Cook 7. May Jr.
HEAT 2: 1. Lodge 2. Morefield 3. Sauder 4. Dillon 5. Zane Oedewaldt 6. Chris Culbertson (Chillicothe) 7. Johnson 8. Dan Turner (Princeville) 9. Scharp
HEAT 3: 1. Chasteen, Jr. 2. Zac Oedewaldt 3. Faw 4. Egan 5. Schoffner 6. Picardi 7. Steve Turner (Princeville) 8. Ray Bollinger (Kewanee)