By Adam Mackey
(Lincoln, IL) Drivers from all over the country are set for a Thursday night race, this Thursday, June 17 at Lincoln Speedway, in Lincoln, IL. The Logan County Fairgrounds ¼-mile dirt track is the site for the second of five events on the 2021 POWRi Illinois Speedweek tour.
The 9th Annual Illinois Speedweek begins on Wednesday night in Charleston, IL before heading to stops in Lincoln, IL on Thursday, Jacksonville, IL on Friday, Macon, IL on Saturday, and Brownstown, IL on Sunday. In addition to the headline division, the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League the POWRi Engler Machine & Tool Micros will be competing each of the five nights.
Coming into the week, Franklin, IN driver, Emerson Axsom, leads the POWRi Midget National standings by 60 points over last year’s champion, Jake Neuman. Neuman, from New Berlin, IL, was the 2020 POWRi champion and is looking for back-to-back titles. Each driver has claimed one win this season. Each of the top five drivers in points represent a different state as Bryant Wiedeman from Colby, KS, Brenham Crouch from Lubbock, TX, and Brent Crews of Denver, NC round out the top five.
The POWRi Engler Machine & Tool Micros are led by Locust Grove, OK’s Daison Pursley. Pursley has claimed one win this season but has also claimed top fives in each of his other starts, giving him a 120 point advantage. Millersville, MO veteran driver, Joe B. Miller is second in the standings, claiming two feature wins in five starts. Frank Alusha, Bradley Fezard, and Tyler Kuykendall complete the top five.
46 different drivers have been on track after a strong start to the season for the Midwest Big Ten Series Pro Late Models. Jose Parga, of New Berlin, IL, the DIRTcar national point leader, took the first two wins on the tour this year, both at Lincoln. He added a second place finish at Fairbury in the most recent race, to help build an eight point lead on Jake Little. Matt Hammond, of Bourbonnais, IL, claimed the Fairbury Speedway victory. Parga also leads the Lincoln Speedway track points.
Rounding out Thursday’s action will be the DIRTcar Modified class. So far this season, it has been all Ray Bollinger. The Kewanee, IL veteran racer has claimed four of the six feature wins this season. Tommy Sheppard, Brian Lynn, Austin Lynn, and Carter Sinkhorn round out the top five in points. Hunt Gossum and Allen Weisser have won the other two features.
Pit gates open Thursday at 3:00, grandstands at 5:00, hotlaps will begin at 6:00, and racing will take the green at 7:00 PM. Grandstand admission is $20, while kids 11 and under are free.
About Lincoln Speedway:
For more information on the track, follow Lincoln Speedway online at www.lincolnspeedwayil.com, on Facebook (www.facebook.com/LincolnILSpeedway), and Twitter (@LincolnILSpdwy). Updates are also available by calling the Track Enterprises office at 217-764-3200.
Lincoln Speedway is located at the Logan County Fairgrounds, in Lincoln, IL. The physical address is 1408 Short 11th St., Lincoln, IL 62656. Lincoln Speedway races a number of DIRTcar UMP classes as well as specials on a near bi-weekly schedule of Friday and Sunday evenings. The track is also home to the DIRTcar Fall Nationals.