9/13/2024
POWRi
Ricky Lewis Reigns Supreme in Hockett/McMillin Night One Thriller with POWRi WAR
Wheatland, MO. (9/12/24) Ricky Lewis would outduel all others in the action-packed opening night of the Fourteenth Annual Jesse Hockett/Daniel McMillin Memorial at Lucas Oil Speedway with the POWRi Wingless Auto Racing Sprint League to notch his second career feature victory kicking off the premier weekend racing event in superb style.
Racing onto the quick surface of Lucas Oil Speedway, POWRi WAR would find traditional sprinter Kyle Shipley set the quickest hot-lap time of 15.430-second lap as Ricky Lewis, Wyatt Burks, and Wesley Smith each earned heat racing victories.
Kick-starting the initial green flag start with high-point qualifier Wesley Smith and Wyatt Burks lined up in the front row as Wesley Smith would gain the lead on the opening lap with Wyatt Burks blasting into the runner-up spot ahead of Ricky Lewis, Jack Wagner, and Riley Kreisel inside the top five.
Clinging to the high-side hustle, Wesley Smith would start the action-packed event with the lead as battling action behind the leader would ensue with Ricky Lewis, Wyatt Burks, Jack Wagner, and Riley Kreisel all throwing sliders and crossovers on either side of the track all within the top five.
Leading just past the half-way point, Wesley Smith and Ricky Lewis would begin a battle for the ages with neither driver buckling under the added pressure up front with Ricky Lewis taking over the preferred positioning on the track as Wyatt Burks, Riley Kreisel, Tom Curran, Kyle Jones, and Kyle Shipley all attempted to run down the speedy pair.
Holding steady for the final twelve laps up front, Ricky Lewis would emerge victorious with the POWRi WAR Sprint League at Lucas Oil Speedway to notch his first yearly league victory. Staying in the hunt and using a perfect late race restart, Riley Kreisel would finish runner-up as Wyatt Burks completed the final podium placements.
“I was trying to save my tires early but I knew with Wesley out front I had to go. The race track was really racy tonight and you could really set it anywhere, I know I was sending it in deep into the corners but the car was on a rail tonight and just stuck” said victorious Ricky Lewis in the Wheatland Missouri victory lane celebrations. Adding, “Everybody on this team works so hard, it feels great to be here and hopefully can repeat on Championship Night this year.”
Challenging closely behind would find Kyle Jones finish fourth as recovering from a late race mishap Wesley Smith rounded out the top five finishers for the POWRi WAR at Lucas Oil Speedway on Night One of the Hockett/McMillin Memorial.
Lucas Oil Speedway | POWRi WAR | 9/12/24:
Hoosier Racing Tire Quick Hot Lap Time: 4U-Kyle Shipley(15.430)
Flying A Motorsports Heat Race 1 Winner: 41-Ricky Lewis
Auto Meter Heat Race 2 Winner: 11W-Wyatt Burks
Engler Machine & Tool Heat Race 3 Winner: 44-Wesley Smith
Victory Fuel High Point Qualifier: 44-Wesley Smith
Meru Safety Hard Charger: 4U-Kyle Shipley(+11)
Toyota Racing Development Feature Winner: 41-Ricky Lewis
Toyota Racing Development A Feature (25 Laps): 1. 41-Ricky Lewis[3]; 2. 91-Riley Kreisel[4]; 3. 11W-Wyatt Burks[2]; 4. 79X-Kyle Jones[7]; 5. 44-Wesley Smith[1]; 6. 4U-Kyle Shipley[17]; 7. 77-Jack Wagner[5]; 8. 11X-Tom Curran[8]; 9. 15E-Dakota Earls[9]; 10. 2-Chad Goff[18]; 11. 1-Paul White[11]; 12. 73V-Blake Vermillion[10]; 13. 10-Bryan Debrick[12]; 14. 46M-Dusty Murray[16]; 15. 21M-Michael Moore[19]; 16. 7S-Wade Seiler[14]; 17. B52-Blake Bowers[13]; 18. 49-Brian Ruhlman[15]; 19. 06-Rylan Gray[6].
Flying A Motorsports Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 41-Ricky Lewis[2]; 2. 91-Riley Kreisel[3]; 3. 73V-Blake Vermillion[1]; 4. 15E-Dakota Earls[6]; 5. 49-Brian Ruhlman[5]; 6. 46M-Dusty Murray[7]; 7. 4U-Kyle Shipley[4].
Eibach Racing Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 11W-Wyatt Burks[3]; 2. 79X-Kyle Jones[2]; 3. 06-Rylan Gray[4]; 4. 1-Paul White[5]; 5. B52-Blake Bowers[6]; 6. 2-Chad Goff[1].
Auto Meter Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 44-Wesley Smith[4]; 2. 77-Jack Wagner[3]; 3. 11X-Tom Curran[5]; 4. 10-Bryan Debrick[2]; 5. 7S-Wade Seiler[6]; 6. 21M-Michael Moore[1].
Start2Finish Qualifying 1: 1. 4U-Kyle Shipley, 00:15.430[6]; 2. 91-Riley Kreisel, 00:15.689[4]; 3. 41-Ricky Lewis, 00:15.738[3]; 4. 73V-Blake Vermillion, 00:15.812[1]; 5. 49-Brian Ruhlman, 00:15.881[2]; 6. 15E-Dakota Earls, 00:16.366[5]; 7. 46M-Dusty Murray, 00:16.684[7].
Start2Finish Qualifying 2: 1. 06-Rylan Gray, 00:15.934[4]; 2. 11W-Wyatt Burks, 00:15.983[1]; 3. 79X-Kyle Jones, 00:16.065[5]; 4. 2-Chad Goff, 00:16.331[2]; 5. 1-Paul White, 00:16.484[3]; 6. B52-Blake Bowers, 00:16.894[6].
Start2Finish Qualifying 3: 1. 44-Wesley Smith, 00:15.764[4]; 2. 77-Jack Wagner, 00:15.804[1]; 3. 10-Bryan Debrick, 00:16.262[5]; 4. 21M-Michael Moore, 00:16.570[3]; 5. 11X-Tom Curran, 00:16.597[6]; 6. 7S-Wade Seiler, 00:17.461[2].
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Photo Credit: High Fly'n Photos
Submitted By: Cassy Staley