National Midgets and Micros Head to Belle-Clair on Friday, Fairbury for Midgets on Saturday
Belleville, IL – After their final appearance for 2016 at Southern Illinois Raceway, Joe B. Miller stole the show, making a clean sweep of the two POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series visits to the high-banked 1/8th mile in Marion, Illinois. Miller’s win at SIR tallies his 24th career victory, one win out of tying with the all-time winner for the POWRi micros, Dereck King.
The POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series had the weekend off and will return to Belle-Clair Speedway on Friday along with the POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series for the 25th Annual Knepper Memorial. Knepper, a Belleville native, was one of the most notable drivers to come out of the St. Louis area. He won five St. Louis Auto Racing Association Midget championships from 1954 to 1960. Knepper also drove in the Indianapolis 500 five times from 1965 to 1969. Some of Knepper’s notable wins are at the famed Little 500 Sprint Car race at Anderson, IN in 1962 in addition to six midget and two sprint car races in USAC national events. Knepper passed in Belleville, Illinois in 1992.
Since the inaugural Arnie Knepper Memorial in 1992, the event has established itself as a prestigious venue in midget racing. Some of the midget racing’s most recognized names have taken home an Arnie Knepper Memorial win, including Spencer Bayston (2015), Bryan Clauson (2014, 2013), Rico Abreu (2012), Brad Kuhn (2011) and Brad Loyet (2010). Steve Knepper, Arnie Knepper’s cousin, has won the event six times in 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2003.
Heading into the Knepper Memorial, Tanner Thorson holds a mere 30-point lead over three-time POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series champion, Zach Daum. Thorson has six wins so far in 2016, while Daum has a solo victory up to this point. Spencer Bayston holds the third position 180 points behind Daum, with Justin Peck in fourth. Andrew Felker holds fifth.
After Southern Illinois Raceway, Nathan Benson still holds the top spot in the POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series with Shelby Bosie in second. Jeremy Camp holds third, with a slightly smaller lead over Joe B. Miller after Miller’s win at SIR. Alec Long holds onto the fifth position.
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