BELLEVILLE, ILL. (May 10, 2019) – Leading from start-to-finish, Austin Brown of nearby Millstadt, Illinois was the hometown hero on Friday night as he dominated Belle-Clair Speedway for an impressive triumph in the 28th annual “Knepper Memorial.” The wire-to-wire score aboard his BOSS Chassis, Toyota Racing No. 17 marked the fifth-career POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League victory for Brown.
Earning the pole position via a strong sixth-to-first heat race win, Brown took the green flag for the 30-lapper with 16-year old Cannon McIntosh of Bixby, Oklahoma to his outside in the Dave Mac Motorsports, Spike/Toyota No. 08. Brown immediately shot to the lead as McIntosh fell back and three-time POWRi Midgets champion, Zach Daum, moved into second aboard his Daum Motorsports, Eagle/Toyota No. 5D.
With lap traffic looming, Daum and Tucker Klaasmeyer, the defending Knepper Memorial winner, were hot on the heels of Brown and ready to challenge. However, a lap 11 caution bunched the field back up and allowed Brown to sneak away while a frenzy ensued behind him with Daum, Klaasmeyer, McIntosh, and Carrick all squaring off.
Brown continued to pace the field while the battle raged for second with multiple position swaps between Daum and McIntosh. A red flag for top-ten running Tyler Thomas on lap 24 followed by a three-car tangle on the final lap between Tucker Klaasmeyer, Logan Seavey and Tanner Carrick shuffled the line up in the late stages.
On the final green-white-checkered restart, Brown quickly pulled away while Daum and McIntosh’s battle reached the boiling point. As Brown came out of turn four to take the double checkered flags, Daum and McIntosh collided and tangled at the apex, both halting to a stop and bringing a chaotic conclusion to the 30-lapper.
Nonetheless, it was Austin Brown’s night, as the native of nearby Millstadt, Illinois picked up his fifth-career POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League victory in dominating fashion. As he climbed atop the BOSS/Toyota No. 17 following his wire-to-wire run, a standing ovation and roaring applause greeted the new winner of the “Knepper Memorial.”
Escaping the wreckage of the final corner and leaving with a career-best second-place finish was California’s Jesse Colwell aboard the Keith Kunz Motorsports, KKM Giveback Classic, Bullet/Toyota No. 71. Rounding out the podium with another career-best finish was Oklahoma’s Ace McCarthy, who hauled from 17th-to-third in the Jim Neuman Racing, Two-Eight Drilling No. 28.
Finishing fourth-from-16th was Oklahoma’s Kaylee Bryson in the Dave Mac Motorsports, Spike/Toyota No. 11B and taking fifth-from-21st was Jake Neuman of New Berlin, Illinois in his No. 3N entry. Closing out the top ten at Belle-Clair was Nick Hoffman making his POWRi debut in sixth, rookie Daison Pursley claiming a solid seventh, Nick Knepper nabbing an eighth, Presley Truedson charging to ninth, and Chance Morton moving from 23rd-to-tenth.
Tomorrow night, the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League marches on to the “Mighty” Macon Speedway in Macon, Illinois. Joined by the POWRi Engler Machine & Tool Outlaw Micros, the gates are slated to open at 1:00 PM with driver registration from 3:00 PM to 5:15 PM followed by hot laps at 6:00 PM. Fans catch watch LIVE on www.speedshifttv.com!
For more information, visit www.powri.com online, follow @POWRi_Racing on Twitter, “like’ POWRi on Facebook.
Outlaw Winged Micros
A Feature 1
20 laps | 00:14:05.294
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | Aiden Purdue | Clinton, IL | 37 |
2 | 3 | Joe B. Miller | Millersville, MO | 51B |
3 | 6 | Gunner Ramey | Sedalia, MO | 14G |
4 | 15 | Austin Schaeffer | Kansas City, MO | 12C |
5 | 17 | Chase Porter | St. Joseph, MO | 2 |
6 | 4 | Chad Elliott | Cottage Hills, IL | 65E |
7 | 21 | Luke Verardi | Taylorville, IL | 28 |
8 | 8 | Breanna Wirth | Waterloo, IL | 8W |
9 | 9 | Matt Carr | 93 | |
10 | 18 | Rob Cook | 4C | |
11 | 5 | Tom Curran | Kansas City, MO | 11C |
12 | 20 | Jordan Clary | Edwardsville, IL | 94 |
13 | 16 | Kurt Westerfield | 14 | |
14 | 11 | Harley Hollan | Tulsa, OK | 14H |
15 | 19 | Michael Brummitt | Mount Zion, IL | 72 |
16 | 14 | Riley Goodno | Knoxville, IA | 11 |
17 | 22 | Scotty Milan | Fort Collins, CO | 97 |
18 | 12 | Steve Finn | Collinsville, IL | 18 |
19 | 1 | Kaylee Bryson | Muskogee, OK | 11B |
20 | 7 | Devin Feger | East Peoria, IL | 40 |
21 | 23 | Trevin Littleton | 44T | |
22 | 13 | Gabe Verardi | Taylorville, IL | 82 |
23 | 10 | Andy Bishop | Harrisburg, IL | 42B |
B Feature 1
10 laps | 00:00:00
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Chase Porter | St. Joseph, MO | 2 |
2 | 3 | Michael Brummitt | Mount Zion, IL | 72 |
3 | 2 | Luke Verardi | Taylorville, IL | 28 |
4 | 6 | Noah Key | Justin, TX | 14K |
5 | 8 | Drake Turner | Sullivan, IN | 32 |
6 | 10 | Sean Robbins | Collinsville, IL | 53 |
7 | 7 | Jake Cheatham | Bethalto, IL | 71 |
8 | 4 | Darrell Moser Jr. | 22 | |
9 | 9 | JAMES KOENIGSTEIN | BELLEVILE, IL | 76 |
10 | 11 | Alex Midkiff | 11X | |
11 | 5 | Bret Gale | Sparta, IL | 41 |
12 | 14 | Hunter Pruitt | 82H | |
13 | 12 | Bill Livezey | New Sharon, IA | 14B |
14 | 13 | Dustin Clary | Marine, IL | 949 |
B Feature 2
10 laps | 00:00:00
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Rob Cook | 4C | |
2 | 4 | Jordan Clary | Edwardsville, IL | 94 |
3 | 10 | Scotty Milan | Fort Collins, CO | 97 |
4 | 8 | Adam Johnson | St. Peters, MO | 72X |
5 | 9 | Cole Tinsley | Bonne Terre, MO | 00 |
6 | 13 | Jordan Howell | Columbia, MO | 3J |
7 | 7 | Gunner Bowden | Muskogee, OK | 8 |
8 | 14 | Trevin Littleton | 44T | |
9 | 5 | Matt Morton | Granite City, IL | 21M |
10 | 11 | Bryant Paver | Columbia, MO | 1G |
11 | 3 | Kyle Foutch | 15F | |
12 | 2 | Bryant Wiedeman | Colby, KS | 1 |
13 | 12 | Jackson Frisbie | 38 | |
14 | 6 | Cailin Hunt | Dalton City, IL | 1X |
Heat 1
8 laps | 00:00:00
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Matt Carr | 93 | |
2 | 4 | Gunner Ramey | Sedalia, MO | 14G |
3 | 3 | Bryant Wiedeman | Colby, KS | 1 |
4 | 5 | Kyle Foutch | 15F | |
5 | 2 | Adam Johnson | St. Peters, MO | 72X |
6 | 8 | Bret Gale | Sparta, IL | 41 |
7 | 6 | Jordan Howell | Columbia, MO | 3J |
8 | 7 | Hunter Pruitt | 82H |
Heat 2
8 laps | 00:00:00
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Andy Bishop | Harrisburg, IL | 42B |
2 | 2 | Riley Goodno | Knoxville, IA | 11 |
3 | 8 | Aiden Purdue | Clinton, IL | 37 |
4 | 6 | Rob Cook | 4C | |
5 | 4 | Cailin Hunt | Dalton City, IL | 1X |
6 | 3 | Scotty Milan | Fort Collins, CO | 97 |
7 | 5 | Alex Midkiff | 11X | |
8 | 7 | Dustin Clary | Marine, IL | 949 |
Heat 3
8 laps | 00:00:00
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 3 | Joe B. Miller | Millersville, MO | 51B |
2 | 1 | Austin Schaeffer | Kansas City, MO | 12C |
3 | 4 | Kurt Westerfield | 14 | |
4 | 6 | Luke Verardi | Taylorville, IL | 28 |
5 | 5 | Noah Key | Justin, TX | 14K |
6 | 7 | Jake Cheatham | Bethalto, IL | 71 |
7 | 2 | Bill Livezey | New Sharon, IA | 14B |
Heat 4
8 laps | 00:00:00
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | Chad Elliott | Cottage Hills, IL | 65E |
2 | 6 | Kaylee Bryson | Muskogee, OK | 11B |
3 | 4 | Chase Porter | St. Joseph, MO | 2 |
4 | 1 | Matt Morton | Granite City, IL | 21M |
5 | 3 | Drake Turner | Sullivan, IN | 32 |
6 | 7 | Gunner Bowden | Muskogee, OK | 8 |
7 | 5 | Bryant Paver | Columbia, MO | 1G |
Heat 5
8 laps | 00:00:00
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Harley Hollan | Tulsa, OK | 14H |
2 | 4 | Devin Feger | East Peoria, IL | 40 |
3 | 3 | Michael Brummitt | Mount Zion, IL | 72 |
4 | 7 | Gabe Verardi | Taylorville, IL | 82 |
5 | 6 | Jordan Clary | Edwardsville, IL | 94 |
6 | 5 | Cole Tinsley | Bonne Terre, MO | 00 |
7 | 2 | Jackson Frisbie | 38 |
Heat 6
8 laps | 00:00:00
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | Tom Curran | Kansas City, MO | 11C |
2 | 3 | Steve Finn | Collinsville, IL | 18 |
3 | 6 | Breanna Wirth | Waterloo, IL | 8W |
4 | 4 | Darrell Moser Jr. | 22 | |
5 | 1 | JAMES KOENIGSTEIN | BELLEVILE, IL | 76 |
6 | 5 | Sean Robbins | Collinsville, IL | 53 |
7 | 7 | Trevin Littleton | 44T |
Midgets
A Feature 1
30 laps | 00:21:49.523
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Austin Brown | Millstadt, IL | 17 |
2 | 6 | Jesse Colwell | Red Bluff, CA | 71 |
3 | 17 | Ace McCarthy | Tahlequah, OK | 28 |
4 | 16 | Kaylee Bryson | Muskogee, OK | 11B |
5 | 21 | Jake Neuman | New Berlin, IL | 3N |
6 | 7 | Nick Hoffman | Mooresville, NC | 21KS |
7 | 8 | Daison Pursley | Locust Grove, OK | 9 |
8 | 15 | Nick Knepper | Belleville, IL | 55 |
9 | 19 | Presley Truedson | Kennedy, MN | 5T |
10 | 23 | Chance Morton | Coweta, OK | 7M |
11 | 18 | Holley Hollan | Tulsa, OK | 67K |
12 | 4 | Tucker Klaasmeyer | Paola, KS | 27 |
13 | 5 | Tanner Carrick | Lincoln, CA | 71K |
14 | 9 | Logan Seavey | Sutter, CA | 67 |
15 | 3 | Zach Daum | Pocahontas, IL | 5D |
16 | 2 | Cannon McIntosh | Bixby, OK | 08 |
17 | 10 | Tyler Thomas | Collinsville, OK | 91T |
18 | 14 | Shelby Bosie | Sherman, IL | 3B |
19 | 11 | Jesse Love | Redwood City, CA | 97K |
20 | 13 | Daniel Robinson | Ewing, IL | 11 |
21 | 12 | Andy Malpocker | St. Charles, MO | 22 |
22 | 20 | Tyler Vantoll | Belleville, IL | 30T |
23 | 22 | Noah Gass | Mounds, OK | 20G |
B Feature 1
12 laps | 00:00:00
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 9 | Ace McCarthy | Tahlequah, OK | 28 |
2 | 1 | Holley Hollan | Tulsa, OK | 67K |
3 | 5 | Presley Truedson | Kennedy, MN | 5T |
4 | 4 | Tyler Vantoll | Belleville, IL | 30T |
5 | 18 | Jake Neuman | New Berlin, IL | 3N |
6 | 17 | Noah Gass | Mounds, OK | 20G |
7 | 13 | Tyler Robbins | Collinsville, IL | 35 |
8 | 15 | Daniel Adler | St. Louis, MO | 50 |
9 | 7 | Danny Frye III | St. Peters, MO | 5 |
10 | 16 | Devin Camfield | Decatur, IL | 17C |
11 | 11 | Thomas Chandler | 1T | |
12 | 10 | Ryan Mueller | Wildwood, MO | 5H |
13 | 3 | Broc Hunnell | Eolia, MO | 103 |
14 | 14 | Dave Camfield Jr | 16C | |
15 | 12 | Dalton Camfield | Decatur, IL | 86C |
16 | 2 | Austin Odell | Rochester, IL | 97A |
17 | 6 | Chance Morton | Coweta, OK | 7M |
18 | 8 | Kade Morton | Coweta, OK | 8M |
Heat 1
00:00:00
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Daison Pursley | Locust Grove, OK | 9 |
2 | 4 | Jesse Colwell | Red Bluff, CA | 71 |
3 | 3 | Kaylee Bryson | Muskogee, OK | 11B |
4 | 7 | Jesse Love | Redwood City, CA | 97K |
5 | 5 | Chance Morton | Coweta, OK | 7M |
6 | 2 | Thomas Chandler | 1T | |
7 | 6 | Daniel Adler | St. Louis, MO | 50 |
Heat 2
00:00:00
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | Tucker Klaasmeyer | Paola, KS | 27 |
2 | 4 | Nick Hoffman | Mooresville, NC | 21KS |
3 | 3 | Holley Hollan | Tulsa, OK | 67K |
4 | 5 | Broc Hunnell | Eolia, MO | 103 |
5 | 6 | Tyler Vantoll | Belleville, IL | 30T |
6 | 7 | Ryan Mueller | Wildwood, MO | 5H |
7 | 1 | Jake Neuman | New Berlin, IL | 3N |
Heat 3
00:00:00
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 5 | Cannon McIntosh | Bixby, OK | 08 |
2 | 2 | Daniel Robinson | Ewing, IL | 11 |
3 | 3 | Austin Odell | Rochester, IL | 97A |
4 | 7 | Andy Malpocker | St. Charles, MO | 22 |
5 | 4 | Kade Morton | Coweta, OK | 8M |
6 | 1 | Tyler Robbins | Collinsville, IL | 35 |
7 | 6 | Devin Camfield | Decatur, IL | 17C |
Heat 4
00:00:00
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | Tanner Carrick | Lincoln, CA | 71K |
2 | 3 | Logan Seavey | Sutter, CA | 67 |
3 | 7 | Zach Daum | Pocahontas, IL | 5D |
4 | 6 | Nick Knepper | Belleville, IL | 55 |
5 | 4 | Ace McCarthy | Tahlequah, OK | 28 |
6 | 1 | Dave Camfield Jr | 16C | |
7 | 5 | Noah Gass | Mounds, OK | 20G |
Heat 5
00:00:00
Pos | Start | Driver | Hometown | Car |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 6 | Austin Brown | Millstadt, IL | 17 |
2 | 3 | Tyler Thomas | Collinsville, OK | 91T |
3 | 4 | Shelby Bosie | Sherman, IL | 3B |
4 | 1 | Presley Truedson | Kennedy, MN | 5T |
5 | 5 | Danny Frye III | St. Peters, MO | 5 |
6 | 2 | Dalton Camfield | Decatur, IL | 86C |