Tulsa, OK (October 27, 2016) When the 2016 POWRi West schedule was released, everyone knew that it would take a strong team to earn the season championship. With 31 originally scheduled events, as the season progressed, the season got smaller and smaller thanks to Mother Nature and track closings. At the end of it all, 22 events were completed and Steven Shebester from Paul’s Valley, Oklahoma shined through to pick up his first POWRi West Midget Championship. In the 22 races, Shebester ran 20 A-mains, earning four wins, 10 top five finishes and 17 top 10 finishes. His consistency throughout the season scored him a 750 point advantage over second place Grady Chandler and 1,500 points over third place Blake Edwards. Jason McDougal finished fourth and Matt Sherrell rounded out the top five, with both of these drivers earning POWRi West/POWRi National co-sanction wins early in the season during the Turnpike Challenge at Port City Raceway.
Shebester, driving the MelMark sponsored Spike Chassis found Victory Lane at I-30 Speedway, RPM Speedway, Lawton Speedway and Airport Speedway in Garden City, KS. Second place Chandler was unable to find Victory Lane, but came close on several occasions, including a stretch of four straight podium finishes and leading laps during a POWRi West/POWRi National co-sanctioned event at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Missouri. Third place finisher Blake Edwards had a breakout season as he also picked up his first midget A-main win this year at I-44 Riverside Speedway. McDougal and Sherrell both earned multiple wins this season but were unable to compete in all 22 events.
Drivers also earning finishes in the top 10 in POWRi West points include sixth place Michelle Decker, seventh place Hunter Fisher, eighth place Kade Morton, ninth place Andrew Deal and Ty Hulsey rounded out the top 10.
Up next for the POWRi West Midgets will be a two-day non-points race at Creek County Speedway on Friday, November 4th and Saturday, November 5th. Pairing up with the ASCS National Sprint Cars for the first time this season, it will be a great night of open wheel racing when the Fall Fling kicks off in just a few days. This will be the last time to see the POWRi West midgets in 2016, so if you are in the area, be sure to come out and support Creek County Speedway.
POWRi West would like to thank all the sponsors that helped make the 2016 season a great one including Lucas Oil, Max Papis Innovations (MPi) the official steering wheel of POWRi West, A-1 Machine Shop, Smith Titanium, JET Motorsports, Saldana Racing Products, R & M Race Trailers, Tulsa Gas Technologies, Inc, Integrity Customs, Four in the Fluff Motorsports Marketing & Promotions, iRaceTV, RaceBumpers.com, Rod End Supply, Mud-X, BOSS Chassis, Day Motorsports, and Keizer Aluminum Wheels.
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