Marion, IL – For what was a hard-fought battle right to the very end, Harley Hollan’s victory at Southern Illinois Raceway helped the veteran driver claw his way past a 20-point deficit to Austin Schaeffer, capturing the 2018 POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro League championship. Hollan’s SIR victory is his third of 2018.
Starting deep in the field in 11th, Hollan had his work cut out for him in the action-packed feature event. Enduring several cautions on the initial start, BJ Gatewood led the opening lap. Immediately after that, Nathan Benson took over the top position and battled with Holley Hollan for the lead as her father continued to move up positions.
By lap 14, SIR regular Jake Palmisano moved into the second position behind Benson. But, following a red on lap 15, trouble struck Benson as he caught a nerf bar that ended his run. Inheriting the lead, Palmisano led followed by Holley Hollan with Harley in third. Moving past Holley, Harley took over second and set his sights on Palmisano and the lead.
As the laps wound down, Harley Hollan closed on Palmisano and took over the top spot on lap 28. With two laps left and in lapped traffic, Harley Hollan took the checkers first followed by Palmisano and Holley Hollan. Riley Goodno finished fourth with Willie Urish in fifth.
“We just had to race the racetrack,” commented Harley Hollan. “I’m so proud to see my daughter up there running good. She’s had a little bit of a tough night tonight and it was good to be up there with her. It’s nice to see three D1s up here. I appreciate all the fans coming out and staying. I know it got cold, but I appreciate it and all the other drivers do, too. It doesn’t get any better than this.”
“We had a lap car that I couldn’t get around,” said Jake Palmisano. “He was right in my line and Harley was able to sneak in under me and then underneath him. It was over after that. I just couldn’t get around him without moving him. But, I’ll take this. We’ve had a trying year trying to get stuff underneath us, so to come out here and lead a few laps of this race and really have a shot at it – you see three D1s line up like Harley said – is pretty neat. I can’t thank these guys enough for helping me, my dad for putting a car underneath me and my wife for supporting me.”
“What a surreal moment,” stated Holley Hollan. “It’s always been a dream of mine to race against my dad like that. So to be able to be on the track with him claiming his first POWRi championship, it doesn’t get any better than that. I’m lucky that Driven allows me to come back and run the micro with me being off running the midget so much, they’ve been really flexible with my schedule and I’m so grateful to be able to run some of the fastest micros.
Micros
Speedway Motors Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: 14JR-HOLLEY HOLLAN, Heat 2: 71S-AUSTIN SCHAEFFER, Heat 3: 28-GUNNER RAMEY, Heat 4: 88-BJ GATEWOOD, Heat 5: 44-TREVIN LITTLETON
Toyota Semi Feature Winner: 24-GARET WILLIAMSON, 99-DANIEL ROBINSON
Mesilla Valley Transportation Feature Winner: 14H-HARLEY HOLLAN
POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro League Feature Results (30 laps): 1. 14H-HARLEY HOLLAN 2. 2P-JAKE PALMISANO 3. 14JR-HOLLY HOLLAN 4. 11-RILEY GOODNO 5. 15U-WILLIE URISH 6. 88H-GARRETT HULSEY 7. 88-BJ GATEWOOD 8. 3J-JORDAN HOWELL 9. 72-MICHAEL BRUMMITT 10. 24-GARET WILLIAMSON 11. 2R-TYLER RUST 12. 99-DANIEL ROBINSON 13. 38-JACKSON FRISBIE 14. 82-AYRTON GENNETTEN 15. 187-BLAKE DANIELS 16. 37X-AYDEN GATEWOOD 17. 2-JAXON BISHOP 18. 49K-NATHAN BENSON 19. 71S-AUSTIN SCHAEFFER 20. 44-TREVIN LITTLETON 21. 28-GUNNER RAMEY 22. 6-NICK MCFARLAND 23. 82V-GABE VERARDI
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