Joe B. Miller’s six top-eight finishes including a pair of second places have carried him into the championship lead in the POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series going into events Friday (June 22) at Lincoln (Ill.) Speedway and Saturday (June 23) at Macon (Ill.) Speedway.
Miller, a 21-year-old from Millersville, Mo., has a 930-800 advantage in the points over Andrew Felker of Carl Junction, Mo., with six of 23 events completed. Jacob Patton of Bethalto, Ill., is third with 770 followed by Aaron Aundruskevitch of Riverton, Ill., with 750 and Jeremy Camp of Blue Mound, Ill., with 715.
“We’ve been pretty consistent, but we’re hoping to get a win this weekend,” Miller said. “We have a new car, a Hyper that is supposed to be built exactly the same as the one we ran last year, but it just handles a little bit different and we’re starting to figure it out. We’re struggling on the slick tracks.”
Miller has four POWRi Micro victories, two in 2009 and two in 2011. He finished second in the championship both seasons. Miller won at Macon in 2009, was second at the one-fifth mile track on May 12 and had third and fifth place finishes in three features last season. He finished third and fourth in two features at quarter-mile Lincoln last season.
Miller finished second at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., sixth at Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill., seventh at Fayette County Speedway in Brownstown, Ill, and eighth at Jacksonville (Ill.) Speedway and Peoria (Ill.) Speedway this season.
“Our plans are to run for the championship this year,” Miller said.
The 19-year-old Felker has three victories, at Jacksonville, Peoria and Fayette County, and was second at Belle-Clair this year, but was 20th at Macon and a blown engine in his heat race at Tri-State took him out of the event.
Felker has 13 career wins in POWRi Micros including one at Macon in 2011.
Saturday’s event is the Building Systems of Illinois Macon Micro Nationals.
The POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series, co-sanctioned by the Badger Midget Auto Racing Association, will also race at Lincoln and Macon.
POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series top-10 points standings (after six of 23 events): 1. Joe B. Miller 930, 2. Andrew Felker 800, 3. Jacob Patton 770, 4. Aaron Andruskevitch 750, 5. Jeremy Camp 715, 5. Cale Thomas 670, 6. Steven Russell 580, 7. Justin Peck 570, 8. (tie) Derek Schuett, Devin Feger 485, 10. Paul Nienhiser 450.
POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series 2012 race winners: Jacksonville, Ill.—Andrew Felker; Macon, Ill.—Alex Harris; Belleville, Ill.—Travis Senter; Peoria, Ill.—Andrew Felker; Brownstown, Ill.—Andrew Felker; Haubstadt, Ind.—Trent Beckinger.
For more information, go to www.POWRi.com.