From Cody Morris
Oklahoma City, OK — (June 21, 2014) — The Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget Series stormed into Oklahoma City’s 1/5th mile red clay for the second time this month and fifth time since the start of the season. 17 entries tied a POWRi West best at I-44 Riverside. That the field trekked from five states is easily a first for the 2014 POWRi West campaign.
While Owasso’s Matt Sherrell formerly enjoyed the distinction of the only two time winner this season, he must now share that rewarding honor with fellow Tulsa area racer Alex Sewell, the POWRi West point leader who tonight became the first West pilot to earn two at Riverside.
The case could be made that Broken Arrow, Oklahoma’s Alex Sewell had some good karma headed his way after leading 23 laps of a West main event in Oklahoma City back in April, only to have tire pop late in the race and end that spirited effort for his first career win.
If karma does indeed work in that manner, then series’ promoter Eric Fenton is now owed a pretty sizeable deal of it.
Guthrie’s Michelle Decker earned the pole position for the 25 lap POWRi West main event with Piedmont, Oklahoma 14 year old Grady Chandler alongside in just his third career Midget start.
Chandler took an early lead, but a mechanical issue stopped the youngster for the second time in the last two West outings.
Jenks, Oklahoma’s Eric Fenton moved up to the outside front row and into the early lead with Alex Sewell and Matt Sherrell in tow.
After the yellow at the onset, the event ticked off 9 laps before becoming mired in a trio of stoppages, first for a Tyler Nelson spin, then a Michelle Decker turnaround and finally a broken front end for Texan Jordan McPherson.
The event went on to double up green flag laps on the dry, rubbered up surface, making to the 18th round when Decker mounted the rear of Bobby Brewer’s #1 machine.
Fenton kept Sewell at bay before and after. Sewell haunted the leader waiting for any opening that might offer up opportunity for a winning streak.
Fenton took the white flag with all indications of a first win in the Southside Mowers #14E, but as the leaders shot down the back chute, the final yellow flew for a slowed Pat Schudy.
That yellow set up a green-white-checkered finish with Fenton leading Sewell and the Jet Motorsports #91B entry driven by Kevin Bayer.
Fenton took the first four turns well enough, but with Sewell on his back bumper dove too deep into turn 1 and bottomed out, which allowed Sewell the breakthrough he had been seeking.
Alex Sewell slayed the next three turns to snare his 2nd POWRi West win in a row aboard the Esslinger powered, Sewell Mechanical and Action Auto Collision sponsored #8 Stealth. It is Sewell’s second win in two weeks after he grabbed a career first with a West score at I-44 on June 7th.
Fenton paced a perfect lead for 24 laps, but the one mistake relegated the racer/promoter to a runner up finish, of which the Jenks racer finds the cup half full since an extremely frustrating first half of the season.
Bayer earned third place with Sherrell and Broken Arrow’s Jason MCDougal completing the top five finish.
Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget Series Race #10 of 15
I-44 Riverside Speedway
Official Results
Heat One (8 laps): 1. 14E Eric Fenton – Jenks, Oklahoma; 2. 4m Michelle Decker – Guthrie, Oklahoma; 3. 29s Grady Chandler – Piedmont, Oklahoma; 4. 23A Hannah Adair – Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; 5. 1 Bobby Brewer – Cabot, Arkansas; 6. 7x Jordan McPherson – Haslet, Texas; 7. 73 Jason McDougal – Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; 8. 88 Tyler Nelson – Olathe, Kansas; DNS: 21H Ty Hulsey – Owasso, Oklahoma
Heat Two (8 laps): 1. 7$ Pat Schudy – Springfield, Missouri; 2. 35 Matt Sherrell – Owasso, Oklahoma; 3. 8 Alex Sewell – Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; 4. 17 Travis Scott – Washington, Oklahoma; 5. 91B Kevin Bayer – Jenks, Oklahoma; 6. 89 Nick Bailey – Cabot, Arkansas; 7. 9u Doug McCune – Fort Worth, Texas; 8. 62 Jacob Davis – Strafford, Missouri
POWRi West A Feature (25 laps): 1. 8 Alex Sewell (3); 2. 14E Eric Fenton (4); 3. 91B Kevin Bayer (10); 4. 35 Matt Sherrell (6); 5. 73 Jason McDougal (12); 6. 88 Tyler Nelson (16); 7. 62 Jacob Davis (15); 8. 4m Michelle Decker (1); 9. 17 Travis Scott (8); 10. 7$ Pat Schudy (5); 11. 9u Doug McCune (14); 12. 1 Bobby Brewer (9); 13. 89 Nick Bailey (11); 14. 7x Jordan McPherson (13); 15. 29s Grady Chandler (2); 16. 23A Hannah Adair (7); DNS: 21H Ty Hulsey
Lap Leaders: Eric Fenton 1-24, Alex Sewell 25
Stoppages: 6 yellows
Factor One Racing Hard Charger: Tyler Nelson +10
Dirty Knuckle Tavern: Jacob Davis (7th), Nick Bailey (13th)
The Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget Series will be back in action in just three short weeks with race #11 of the season at I-44 Riverside on Saturday, July 12th.
The Lucas Oil POWRi West promoting team, racers, and fans all extend our heartfelt thanks to the partners that have supported us in becoming the premier wingless open wheel series in the region, special thanks to Factor One Racing, Fenton Graphics, Boss Chassis, MudX, Rod End Supply, KBR Performance, Tulsa Gas Technologies, The Dirty Knuckle Tavern, and of course our premier sponsor Lucas Oil.
For more information regarding the Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget Series, Find, Like and Follow POWRi West on Facebook and Twitter, or visitwww.powri.com