POWRi (Performance Open Wheeled Racing, inc.) is a dirt track racing sanctioning body based in the United States, founded by promoter Kenny Brown.[1][2]
It organizes the POWRi National Midget Series, a midget car racing series rival to the USAC National Midget Series, as well as the POWRi West Midget Series and POWRi Outlaw Midget Series feeder series. Also it organizes sprint car racing series such as the POWRi WAR Sprints (wingless), Bandit Outlaw Sprint Series and Desert Wing Sprint League (winged), plus the POWRi 600cc Outlaw Micro Sprints.
Drivers that have competed in POWRi events include Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson, Bryan Clauson, Brady Bacon, Christopher Bell, Dave Darland, Rico Abreu and Andrew Felker.
Cars
editSprint cars weight 1,475 pounds and have 410 cu in engines that produce 900 horsepower.
A typical Midget weighs about 1,000 pounds and produces up to 350 horsepower from its four-cylinder engine.[3] They are intended to be driven for races of relatively short distances, usually 2.5 to 25 miles (4 to 40 km).
History
editThe Gateway Racing Midget Series debuted in 2005, and was rebranded the POWRi National Midget Series in 2006 after a lawsuit by Gateway International Raceway owner Dover Motorsports.[2]
The POWRi West Midget Series was launched in 2012.[1]
POWRi is the only current midget series to compete at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri.[1]
POWRi has expanded to other countries in order to grow midget racing on an international level. It entered into a multi-year agreement to sanction the POWRi Lucas Oil Australian Speedcar Super Series and the POWRi Lucas Oil New Zealand Midget Super Series. The three series operate under the same technical regulations and procedures. It establishes a platform for a Midget World Championship, which POWRi organized for the 2013/14 season.[4] The 16-race series began in Australia and New Zealand in December 2013 and it ended in June 2014 with four events in Illinois, United States.[3]
In November 2016, POWRi announced that they would begin to sanction the POWRi WAR Sprint Car Series for the 2017 season. The organization sanctioned the Elite Sprint Car Series for the 2018 season, but the partnership was dissolved in 2019.
POWRi National Midget League
editThe National Midgets are 900 pound cars putting out up to 370 horsepower racing on dirt tracks from 1/5-mile bullrings to high banked half miles.
Drivers such as Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Ken Schrader, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell and Rico Abreu plus many others have used these cars as stepping-stones to Nascar and the IRL.
Champions
editPOWRi National Midget League
edit- 2023 - Karter Sarff (Mason City, IL)
- 2022 - Brenham Crouch (Lubbock, TX)[5]
- 2021 - Bryant Wiedeman (Colby, KS)
- 2020 - Jake Neuman (New Berlin, IL)
- 2019 - Jesse Colwell (Red Bluff, CA)
- 2018 - Tucker Klaasmeyer (Paola, KS)
- 2017 - Logan Seavey (Sutter, CA)
- 2016 - Zach Daum (Pocahontas, IL)
- 2015 - Darren Hagen (Riverside, CA)
- 2014 - Zach Daum (Pocahontas, Illinois)[6]
- 2013 - Zach Daum (Pocahontas, Illinois)[6]
- 2012 - Andrew Felker (Carl Junction, MO)[7]
- 2011 - Brad Loyet (Sunset Hills, MO)
- 2010 - Brad Loyet (Sunset Hills, MO)
- 2009 - Brad Kuhn (Avon, IN)
- 2008 - Brett Anderson (Belleville, IL)
- 2007 - Brad Loyet (Sunset Hills, MO)
- 2006 - Brad Kuhn (Avon, IN)
- 2005 - Mike Hess (Riverton, IL)
POWRi West Midget League
edit- 2023 - Michelle Decker
- 2022 - Emilio Hoover (Broken Arrow, OK)
- 2021 - Emilo Hoover (Broken Arrow, OK)
- 2020 - Andrew Felker (Carl Junction, MO)
- 2019 - Andrew Felker (Carl Junction, MO)
- 2018 - Kory Schudy (Springfield, MO)
- 2017 - Grady Chandler (Edmond, OK)
- 2016 - Steven Shebester (Pauls Valley, OK)
- 2015 - Anton Hernandez (Arlington, TX)
- 2014 - Alex Sewell (Broken Arrow, OK)
POWRi WAR Sprint Car League
edit- 2023 - Jack Wagner
- 2022 - Kory Schudy
- 2021 - Mario Clouser (Chatham, IL)
- 2020 - Riley Kreisel (Warsaw, MO)
- 2019 - Riley Kreisel (Warsaw, MO)
- 2018 - Riley Kreisel (Warsaw, MO)
- 2017 - Korey Weyant (Springfield, IL)
POWRi 410 Bandit Outlaw Sprint League
edit- 2023 - Ayrton Gennetten
- 2022 - Roger Crocket
POWRi 305 Wing Sprint Series
edit- 2023 - Brett Combs
POWRi 600cc Outlaw Micro Sprint League
edit- 2023 - Kale Drake
- 2022 - John Barnard
- 2021 - Bradley Fezard (Bonnerdale, AR)
- 2020 - Harley Hollan (Tulsa, OK)
- 2019 - Gunner Ramey (Sedalia, MO)
- 2018 - Harley Hollan (Tulsa, OK)
- 2017 - Joe B. Miller (Millersville, NO)
- 2016 - Nathan Benson (Concordia, MO)
- 2015 - Nathan Benson (Concordia, MO)
- 2014 - Nathan Benson (Concordia, MO)[6]
- 2013 - Nathan Benson (Concordia, MO)[6]
- 2012 - Joe B. Miller (Millersville, MO)
- 2011 - Trent Beckinger (Evansville, IN)
- 2010 - Jeremy Camp (Blue Mound, IL)
- 2009 - Dereck King (Goreville, IL)
- 2008 - Dereck King (Goreville, IL)
- 2007 - Dereck King (Goreville, IL)
- 2006 - Kevin Bayer (Bixby, OK)
- 2005 - Daniel Robinson (Mt. Vernon, IL)
POWRi WAR East / Wildcard Sprints
edit- 2018 - Landon Simon (Brownsburg, IN)
- 2017 - Korey Weyant (Springfield, IL)
POWRi Elite Sprints
edit- 2018 - Paul White (Waco, TX)
References
edit- ^ a b c Martin, Sam. "A Close Look At The Lucas Oil POWRi National Midget Series". Retrieved Nov 12, 2013.
- ^ a b Seelman, Jacob (April 30, 2020). "The growing power of POWRi". Speed Sport.
- ^ a b Eighinger, Steve (June 6, 2014). "U.S. drivers sweep at Bullring". Quincy Herald Whig. Archived from the original on August 9, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2014.
- ^ Tuttle, Tim. "POWRi sanctions Australian, New Zealand series with ambition to grow Midget racing in worldwide prominence". Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
- ^ "Brenham Crouch Claims POWRi National Midget League Championship".
- ^ a b c d Schuett, Derek. "Daum and Benson Repeat, Go Two in a Row for POWRi Championships". POWRi Racing. Archived from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
- ^ "Clauson Wins, Daum Is POWRi Champion". National Speed Sport News. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
External links
edit- Official website
- Official Facebook page
- Midget World Championship announced - Speedcafe, 20 December 2013
- POWRi To Sanction World Midget Series - National Speed Sport News, 18 December 2013