LITTLE ROCK, ARK. (October 19, 2019) – It was a chaotic 30-lapper on Saturday night as the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League debuted at I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark. After suffering battery trouble and going to the tail on lap seven, Jesse Colwell of Red Bluff, Calif. roared back through the field and with a little fortune, found himself leading by the 23rd circuit. He cruised throughout the final seven laps and picked up his second career POWRi National Midget League victory aboard the Keith Kunz Motorsports, IWX Motor Freight, Bullet/Toyota No. 71.
Earning PAC Racing Springs High Point Man honors, it was Colwell who led the field to the green flag on Saturday night, but his KKM teammate Holley Hollan of Broken Arrow, Okla. controlled the opening circuit. Driving her SIRIUS XM, Bullet/Toyota No. 67, Hollan had pulled away and looked mighty fine in pursuit of her first-career National Midget League win, but a caution for a slowing Colwell halted her torrid pace.
While Colwell dropped to the work area from second, he was joined by Cannon McIntosh of Bixby, Okla., who slipped from third with trouble of his own. Both drivers returned to the tail as Hollan led us back to green. However, the chaos was just getting started, as Hollan floated her No. 67 into turn one before hopping, biking and going for a flip. She was okay and climbed out of the car under her own power, but her impressive bid for that elusive had come to a heartbreaking end.
Inheriting the lead was Ace McCarthy of Tahlequah, Okla. until he himself encountered a problem in his No. 28, which sent him to the pit area. Thus, it was Jake Neuman of New Berlin, Ill. who ultimately brought the field back to life on the eighth lap. Over the next 15 circuits, Neuman walked away from the field as Colwell had begun marching through the field and eventually drove by Andrew Felker to take second with ten to go.
On lap 23, the final chord of mayhem rang, when Neuman spun his BRANDT, Spike/SR-11 No. 3N to a stop in turn two, sending him from the point and to the back with just seven to go. His misfortune was like striking gold for Colwell, who inherited the race lead after going tailback just 15 laps prior.
Jesse Colwell cruised through the final restart and drove away to his second-career victory with the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League. The Red Bluff, Calif. native completed a remarkable come-from-behind win to extend his championship lead to 350 points, which he can officially clinch next weekend at Creek County Speedway.
14-year old Daison Pursley of Locust Grove, Okla. matched his career-best finish of second aboard his Toyota Racing No. 9. Andrew Felker of Carl Junction, Mo. notched his third-straight podium finish with the POWRi National Midgets in third.
Finishing out the top ten at I-30 Speedway was Howard Moore in fourth, Hank Davis in fifth, Derek Hagar in sixth, Kory Schudy in seventh, Noah Gass in eighth, Jake Neuman in ninth and Mark Chisholm in tenth.
Holley Hollan (Auto MeterHeat 1), Daison Pursley (KSE Racing Products Heat 2) and Ace McCarthy (Advanced Racing Suspensions Heat 3) split a trio of POWRi National Midget League heat races at I-30.
The POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League 2019 season concludes next weekend at Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, Okla. on Friday and Saturday, October 25-26.
For those unable to attend, you can watch the entire night of racing LIVE on www.speedshifttv.com.
For more information on POWRi Racing, you can visit www.powri.com online, follow @POWRi_Racing on Twitter and Instagram, or like POWRi on Facebook.
Auto Meter Heat One (8 Laps):
- 67-Holley Hollan, Broken Arrow, OK (3); 2. 08-Cannon McIntosh, Bixby, OK (4); 3. 42-Hank Davis, Sand Springs, OK (5); 4. 44S-Andrew Felker, Carl Junction, MO (6); 5. 5B-Bobby Brewer, Cabot, AR (1); DNS, 7U-Kyle Jones, Kennedale, TX.
KSE Racing Products Heat Two (8 Laps):
- 9-Daison Pursley, Locust Grove, OK (2); 2. 71-Jesse Colwell, Red Bluff, CA (6); 3. 28K-Kory Schudy, Springfield, MO (1); 4. 3N-Jake Neuman, New Berlin, IL (5); 5. 9JR-Derek Hagar, Marion, AR (3); 6. 56X-Mark Chisholm, Cheyenne, WY (4).
Advanced Racing Suspensions Heat Three (8 Laps):
- 28-Ace McCarthy, Tahlequah, OK (3); 2. 41-Howard Moore, Memphis, TN (2); 3. 20G-Noah Gass, Mounds, OK (4); 4. 8M-Kade Morton, Coweta, OK (5); DNS, 7S-Pat Schudy, Springfield, MO.
POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League Main Event (30 Laps):
- 71-Jesse Colwell (1); 2. 9-Daison Pursley (4); 3. 44S-Andrew Felker (9); 4. 41-Howard Moore (7); 5. 42-Hank Davis (6); 6. 9JR-Derek Hagar (13); 7. 28K-Kory Schudy (12); 8. 20G-Noah Gass (8); 9. 3N-Jake Neuman (10); 10. 56X-Mark Chisholm (15); 11. 5B-Bobby Brewer (14); 12. 8M-Kade Morton (11); 13. 28-Ace McCarthy (3); 14. 67-Holley Hollan (2); 15. 08-Cannon McIntosh (5); DNS, 7S-Pat Schudy; DNS, 7U-Kyle Jones (17).
Lap Leader(s): Hollan 1-7; Neuman 8-23; Colwell 24-30.
Hard Charger(s): Hagar +7.