7/11/2017
RacinBoys
Allstar POWRi Midget Series defends home turf at Valley Speedway
RACINBOYS EXCLUSIVE By Ray Cunningham (Grain Valley, MO) -- This Friday and Saturday night at Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Mo. The Allstar POWRi Midget Series will defend their home turf during a two day event against the POWRi National, and POWRi West Series. Also on the card both nights will be the POWRi WAR Sprint Car National Series. Bringing "4 times" the open wheel fun to the KC area for the second time in 2017!
PHOTO CREDIT: John Lee of High-Fly'n Photos -- http://www.highfly-nphotos.com
In May over 50 Midgets from three branches of POWRi descended on the Valley dirt track for an exciting program that ended with Oklahoma driver Tyler Thomas taking the win. On that occasion 4 racers, Riley Kreisel, Wesley Smith, Kory Schudy, and Pat Schudy, from the Allstar Powri Series made the A feature. Leading the way for the locals was Riley Kreisel from Warsaw, Mo. driving the Caspers Farms #93K. Kreisel, came home in 8th after running as high as 5th in the main event. Nixa racer Wesley Smith, earned a front row starting spot in the feature himself. However, the All Metal Recycling #44 was taken out during an accident on the opening lap, sidelining the all-time feature winner in the Allstar Series. Smith, and Kory Schudy of Springfield, are the only drivers to be in the top 10 in points in both the Allstar and West divisions of the POWRi in 2017. So far this season, Smith has won three times In the Allstar Series, while Kory took a win driving the Jon Sawyer #28 at Garden City in a POWRi West Series race. Kory's father Pat, a two-time Allstar Series champIon, rounds out the four that made the feature that night. Schudy, the elder statesman of the Allstar POWRi Series has raced up front all season at Valley, but recently mechanical issues have kept the family owned #7s on the sidelines. All but Kreisel will be back this weekend to challenge the interlopers.
Meanwhile, those four will be joined by at least 7 others from the Allstar Series for this special two day show. Among them are teammates Dustin Gilbert, and the father & daughter duo, Chad, and Morgan Frewaldt. As well as, Chad Winfrey, Luke Howard, Robert Bell, and Rick Murcko. Gilbert from Lawrence, Kansas, leads the series point standings in his own #3 midget, and won the last time out at CMS Speedway. Chad Frewaldt, from Kansas City, Ks. has won twice this year in the #4F. His daughter Morgan from South Dakota, has been as high as second place this Summer, and has been near the top of the standings over the last month in the #926. While Liberty, Mo. driver Winfrey has several top three finishes in the series this season, including the last two races where he finished 2nd, and 3rd. Luke Howard from Overland Park, Ks. became the youngest winner in Allstar Series history last month at age 13 driving the Trevor Howard #2H. While Iowa's "Colfax Comet" Robert Bell, the 2016 series champ, and Rick Murcko of Iola, who both scored top 5's over the July 4th weekend will round out the known POWRi Allstar competitors.
The POWRi National Series will be once again well represented. Zach Daum, the point leader, and multi-time series champ will be at Valley. The Pocahontas, Illinois driver will be driving the family owned #5, and has plenty of momentum after winning the Pepsi Nationals for the second time at Sun Prairie, Wisconsin last Sunday. Northern California racer Logan Seavey is second place in points in the 4A, and former Allstar racer Tucker Klaasmeyer of Paola, Ks.a winner this year in the POWRi West Series at OKC rounds out the top three in national points driving the 27TK. The POWRi West Series also has a great group of drivers joining the fray. Including point leader Grady Chandler, second in points Matt Moore, and defending POWRi West Champ Steven Shebester.
And not to be forgotten are the POWRI WAR Sprint Cars raced under the leadership of open wheel veteran Casey Shuman of Rattle Snake Bend, Arizona. The WAR Series was won last year by Clinton Boyles, whose grandfather Ray, and father Joe won three SMRS Midget Championships together over the last decade. Clinton who hails from Greenwood, Missouri, recently moved to Indianapolis, but has still found time to compete off and on in the WAR Series this year. Boyles has victories this season in WAR competition at both Lakeside Speedway, and Lucas Oil. Meanwhile, Illinois racer Korey Weyant has taken over the WAR Series so far in 2017. Driving his #99 sprinter, Korey, who traces his racing lineage back to former Indy and midget star Chuck Weyant, among other family members, has been the man to beat leading the point standings by 117 so far, while winning at I-35, Valley, and the last race at Farmington. Topeka's Wyatt Burks driving the Clauson/Rumsey 11W is second place in points. Burks, a winner at I-35 Speedway earlier in WAR competition, is always a tough customer at Valley, where he won multiple times last year in weekly Sprint Car action. Rounding out the top three in the WAR Series is former champ of the series Chris Parkinson. Parkinson driving the family owned number #65 is a third generation racing star from Gladstone, Missouri . Chris, has several top finishes in the WAR Series for 2017, but is still looking for that first win this season racing with his father, former I-70 Sprint Car champ Junior Parkinson.
Join us both Friday night, June 14th, and Saturday night, June 15th, at Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Missouri for a POWRi double header you will not want to miss.
Submitted By: Kirk Elliott