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Lucas Oil POWRi West "South Side Showdown" Story & Results

Season First for Felker in South Side Showdown

Cody Morris
Lucas Oil POWRi West Public Relations

Saturday, September 20th, 2014
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Photos courtesy Gary Pigg Photography

What an effort this show took! Originally scheduled for September 6th and promptly rained out by the remnants of Pacific Hurricane Norbert, POWRi West management called that show early in attempt to save teams as many miles as we possibly could.

But in that process, the promoting team also noticed that a record car count was set to arrive that night, so we worked diligently to reschedule the show for tonight.

But instead of a POWRi West point event, lock in a $1,000 to win / $125 to start “South Side Showdown”. We then began promoting the event once more, in fact we were even close to 30 entries before a rash of accidents, incidents, and another bleak forecast forced many to alter their plans.

In the middle of this past week, it looked like the remnants of another Pacific Hurricane were sure to dump 4-8 inches of rain on the Sooner State. And then of course in true Oklahoma fashion the forecast changed back to basically no chance of rain.

We entered race day with 23 entries and lost a couple of those to freak motor issues, the resulting 19 entries were still a season best for POWRi West in the State Capitol, and best since a two dozen entered in the first West solo show of the year at Creek Count Speedway back on April 11th.

With several regulars out due to prior commitments or ill times woes to their machines, it was an ultra nice time for several teams to make their series’ debut. 2012 POWRi Nationals Champ Andrew Felker headlined that group, along with another gem of an entry in Fort Worth, Texas sprint car veteran Kevin Ramey. Lillian, Texas’ Zane Lawrence also made his first Midget start with POWRi west, as did Paola, Kansas pilot Tucker Klaasmeyer. Former USAC West Coast champion and current Newalla, Oklahoma resident Tommy White also made his first appearance with POWRi West, as did Atoka, Oklahoma’s rising racer Austin Shores. New blood to true blood, we can’t wait to feature both the core of POWRi West regulars and this new crop that is emerging to challenge late in the first full season of POWRi West Midget racing.

To battle as hard as we did this for this show and this field, we’re filled to the brim with both excitement and anticipation for next week’s show at Tulsa’s Port City Raceway, as well as the rapidly approaching 2nd Annual Twister Nationals back at I-44 Riverside Speedway.

Heat Race action was highlighted by a sensational run from Broken Arrow’s Factor One Racing standout Jason McDougal in what was, by any measure, a loaded opening heat race. McDougal’s march from sixth to the win locked him in as the pole sitter for the 25 lap main event.

Pauls Valley’s Steven Shebester, another micro superstar cutting his chops in “big car” racing, trounced the third and final heat race from the five spot, and thus earned the outside front row starting spot.

McDougal moved out to early lead with Shebester in tow, but POWRi National Champ Felker quickly moved up from outside row three to claim third by the same round, before battling past Shebester for 2nd place near the 10th round.

McDougal led the opening half of the race, but was overcome by Felker on the 14th lap, with Texas’ Kevin Ramey moving his Print Place #7m into P3 with five laps remaining.

That’s when the race hit the skids. Jason McDougal lost power while running second, bringing out the first caution and moving Ramey up into the first challenger spot.

However, on the ensuing restart Ramey also slowed to a stop and an early entirement, which moved Shebester back into second place.

Felker took in the next 16 turns of the final four laps without serious challenge, earning his first Lucas Oil POWRi West victory of the season aboard Danny Felker’s Fontana powered, 66 Truck & Foreign Auto Salvage sponsored #11A Boss Chassis machine.

Shebester placed second, his best finish yet in his rookie run in the Texas based, Rick Bailey owned #51. Bixby’s Kevin Bayer rolled his Jet Motorsports #91B by in third to complete the podium finish.

Owasso’s Ty Hulsey overcame an unfortunate heat race scenario to charge from 12th to 4th in The Dirty Knuckle Tavern #21H, with Lillian, Texas’ Zane Lawrence claiming the Factor One Racing Hard Charger Performance with a blast from 18th to complete the top five running order, a fantastic debut for Lawrence.

South Side Mowers #14 Eric Fenton raced his way from 15th to sixth, with Heat Two winner Doug McCune claiming 7th followed by Newalla, Oklahoma‘s Tommy White, while Texans Jordan McPherson and Kevin Ramey completed the top ten finish.

Lucas Oil POWRi West Official Results
South Side Showdown

Heat One (8 laps): 1. 73 Jason McDougal (6); 2. 91B Kevin Bayer (2); 3. 11A Andrew Felker (5); 4. 8 Alex Sewell (4); 5. 7m Kevin Ramey (3); 6. 14B Tommy White (1); 7. 76 Zane Lawrence (7)

Heat Two (8 laps): 1. 9u Doug McCune (1); 2. 29s Grady Chandler (4); 3. 17 Travis Scott (5); 4. 27 Tucker Klaasmeyer (6); 5. 14E Eric Fenton (3); 6. 1ou AJ Burns (2)

Heat Three (8 laps): 1. 51 Steven Shebester (5); 2. 7x Jordan McPherson (3); 3. 8x Austin Shores (4); 4. 89 Nick Bailey (1); 5. 21H Ty Hulsey (6); 6. 96 Cody Brewer (2)

Lucas Oil POWRi West Midgets “South Side Showdown” A Feature (25 laps): 1. 11A Andrew Felker (6); 2. 51 Steven Shebester (2); 3. 91B Kevin Bayer (8); 4. 21H Ty Hulsey (12); 5. 76 Zane Lawrence (18); 6. 14E Eric Fenton (15); 7. 9u Doug McCune (4); 8. 14B Tommy White (19); 9. 7x Jordan McPherson (5); 10. 7m Kevin Ramey (14); 11. 73 Jason McDougal (1); 12. 17 Travis Scott (7); 13. 27 Tucker Klaasmeyer (10); 14. 96 Cody Brewer (17); 15. 1ou AJ Burns (16): 16. 8x Austin Shores (9); DNS: 89 Nick Bailey, 29s Grady Chandler, 8 Alex Sewell
Lap Leaders: Jason McDougal 1-13, Andrew Felker 14-25
Factor One Racing Hard Charger Award: Zane Lawrence +13

The Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget campaign is back in action next Saturday, September 27th at Port Coty Raceway for the first standalone appearance by the Westerners since launching the season with a two day co-sanctioned event back in March.

Only three point events remain with next week’s Port City appearance, followed by the two-day grand finale to the season in headlining I-44 Riverside Speedway’s 2nd Annual Twister Nationals.

Special thanks to our partners and sponsors: Factor One Racing, Fenton Graphics, Boss Chassis, MudX, Rod End Supply, KBR Performance, Tulsa Gas Technologies, The Dirty Knuckle Tavern, IRaceTv and of course our title sponsor Lucas Oil.

For more information regarding the Lucas Oil POWRi West Midget Series, Follow POWRi West on Facebook or visit www.powri.com.

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