Anyone unsure of either quantity or quality concerning the first full campaign of the Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget Series had their questions answered loud and clear as 24 entrants checked in to Creek County Speedway for the first 2014 POWRi West Midget standalone event.
Owasso seems to churn out talent like few other metropolitan suburbs and tonight was yet another testimonial as Matt Sherrell made the most of an early race opportunity to become (technically) the second Lucas Oil POWRi West winner this season.
The Rundown
Washington, Oklahoma’s Travis Scott returned to “big car” racing for the first time in many years and earned the pole position starting spot with Bixby, Oklahoman Kevin Bayer to his right. Bayer burst out to the first lead, but Broken Arrow rising star and fellow Factor One Racing standout Jason McDougal was first to the lap two line moments before Texan Doug McCune flipped hard following contact with Wyoming’s Mark Chisolm and Dewey’s Andrew Deal.
McDougal steadily built a commanding advantage for the next several laps before a shocking twist. McDougal closed in on lapped traffic and while working to put Bubba Hunt a lap down became entangled with Hunt’s #3H.
McDougal was not able to work free as the pair came to a rest in the turn 1 infield, and damage was extensive enough to force J-Mac to an early, gut wrenching exit.
Bayer inherited the lead and aced the 8th round, but Owasso’s Matt Sherrell rocketed by to top the ninth circuit before a slurry of stoppages set in at the midway point of the 25 lap main event, with the second being the most prominent when Bayer was pinballed while running second, leaving Andrew Deal with nowhere to go and tagging Bayer hard enough to tip the latter on his side. Bayer returned, but Deal would not.
Tulsa’s Alex Sewell moved into the first challenger spot and pressed the leader following the final stoppage at lap 14.
Tension arose when Sherrell got into lapped traffic, but the 27 year old avoided the same beast that bit McDougal earlier and eased his Esslinger powered (and Wesmar doctored) #35 into victory lane where an exuberant Sherrell shared “ It’s been a while since I’ve been able to run a full, consistent schedule; it feels good to get this one under my belt, to sweep with the heat and feature win.”
Sherrell’s victory extends his series lead as he aims for a weekend sweep in Saturday night Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget action at Oklahoma City’s I-44 Riverside Speedway.
Alex Sewell settled for a hard fought runner up finish with Choctaw’s Cody Brewer moving up from 7th to complete the podium. Sapulpa’s Danny “The Caretaker” Smith (coolest nickname candidate) advanced a half dozen positions to take fourth with Edmond’s Matt Johnson moving up a few spots to complete the top five running order.
Hurricane Hannah Adair turned in an exceptional effort moving from 13th to finish sixth, with Collinsville’s Dustin Morgan rebounding from a lap 14 spin to get the best of a wild last lap battle with Owasso’s Ty Hulsey (8th), while Tulsa‘s Johnathan Halford earned Factor One Racing Hard Charger honors with a mover from 19th to ninth. Kevin Bayer raced his way back to a tenth place finish after leading at two intervals and bringing out a red flag at the midway point.
Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget Series 4-11-14 Official Results:
Heat 1 (8 laps): 91B Kevin Bayer. 2. 5$ Danny Smith. 3. Eric Fenton. 4. 93 Dustin Morgan. 5. 19N Nick O'Neil. 6. 21H Ty Hulsey. 7. 3H Bubba Hunt. 8. 22 David Stephenson
Heat 2 (8 laps): 1. 8 Alex Sewell. 2. 96 Cody Brewer. 3. 85 Matt Johnson. 4. 15D Andrew Deal. 5. 4m Michelle Decker. 6. 9u Doug McCune. 7. 3F Kevin Battles. 8. 83 Johnathon Halford
Heat 3 (8 laps): 1. 35 Matt Sherrell. 2. 73 Jason McDougal. 3. 10 Travis Scott. 4. 23 Hannah Adair. 5. 31E Evan Sewell. 6. 56x Mark Chisolm. 7. 1ou Brandon Boggs. 8. 87c Coby Hughes
Lucas Oil POWRi West B Feature ( 15 laps - for position only): 1. 56x Mark Chisolm (1); 2. 3F Kevin Battles (2); 3. 83 Johnathon Halford (4); 4. 9u Doug McCune (3); 5. 87c Coby Hughes (6); 6. 3H Bubba Hunt (5); 7. 22 David Stephenson (7); 8. 1ou Brandon Boggs (8)
Lap Leaders: Mark Chisolm 1-15
Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget A Feature (25 laps): 1. 35 Matt Sherrell (5); 2. 8 Alex Sewell (4); 3. 96 Cody Brewer (7); 4. 5$ Danny Smith (10); 5. 85 Matt Johnson (8); 6. 23 Hannah Adair (13); 7. 93 Dustin Morgan (9); 8. 21H Ty Hulsey (14); 9. 83 Johnathan Halford (19); 10. 91B Kevin Bayer (2); 11. 31E Evan Sewell (16); 12. 87c Coby Hughes (21); 13. 19N Nick O’Neil (12); 14. 14E Eric Fenton (11); 15. 4m Michelle Decker (15); 16. 56x Mark Chisolm (17); 17. 15d Andrew Deal (6); 18. 22 David Stephenson (23); 19. 73 Jason McDougal (3); 20. 9u Doug McCune (20); 21. 3H Bubba Hunt (22); 22. 1ou Brandon Boggs (24); 23. 10 Travis Scott (1); DNS: Kevin Battles
Lap Leaders: Kevin Bayer 1, 8; Jason McDougal 2-7; Matt Sherrell 9-25
Stoppages: 4 yellow, 2 red
Factor One Racing Hard Charger: Johnathan Halford +10
THE Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget Series continues the weekend with a Saturday night finale, headlining I-44 Riverside Speedway’s Blue River Classic.
Gates open at 3pm, sign ins close when hot laps begin at 515pm. An epic program jumps off at 630pm.
I-44 Riverside Speedway is located in tornado alley, southwest Oklahoma City exit I-44 at the SW 149th st. exit and head ¼ mile east and follow signs south. Pit passes $30. General admission $12.
Everyone wear blue as we blue up the grounds in racing to raise autism awareness. For more on how you can help, please visit www.oklahomaautism.org.
For more information on I-44 Riverside Speedway, visit www.i44riversidespeedway.com or contact speedway at 405.633.1583 or Cody Morris at 405.641.1191.
Cody Morris
Lucas Oil POWRi West Public Relations
Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget Series
Friday, April 11th, 2014 / Sapulpa, OK
Creek County Speedway / Event 3 of 15
- Admin Account on Apr 13, 2014
- Article Date: 4/13/2014