[Andrew S. Quinn]

DU QUOIN, Ill.-Short-track superstar Bryan Clauson will race in the 5th annual Great Clips Battle at the Center presented by K & N Filters on Dec. 20, a POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series non-points event which features at all-star field on the Mini-Magic Mile at the Southern Illinois Center on the grounds of the Du Quoin State Fair.

"It's a tough event to win, a race that is kind of young and is growing every year," Clauson said. "Obviously, it is a tune-up for the Chili Bowl."

The 25-year-old Clauson has two wins on the one-sixth mile Southern Illinois Center track, the Battle at the Center in 2011 and a regular season POWRi feature in 2012. He was running second and challenging eventual winner Tony Stewart for the lead with seven laps remaining at the 2012 Battle at the Center when contact from behind took him out of contention. He finished eighth.

Clauson of Noblesville, Ind., had five feature victories in POWRi Midgets this year and has 27, second on the all-time list to Brad Loyet's 33, in 64 starts in his career. Clauson had 21 victories this year in POWRi and USAC National Midgets and Sprint Cars and has 66 USAC National wins in his career. He's been USAC National Driver of the Year three times and twice champion of USAC's National Midgets and Sprint Cars.

Clauson's greatest triumph in midgets was the 2013 Chili Bowl, a prestigious five-day event that brings together short track drivers from all forms of dirt racing to the Tulsa, Okla., Expo Center. It had nearly 300 entries last year.

"It was a big win, maybe the biggest of my career," Clauson said. "It's something that people don't realize how hard it is to win. I'm excited about going back in January (12-17) and trying to win it again."

Clauson has vast experience on dirt. He also drove selected events in the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series, the American Sprint Car Lucas Oil National Series and the Midwest Open Wheel Association's Sprint Cars this year. Clauson also has experience in NASCAR's XFINITY (formerly Nationwide) Series.

Clauson will be returning to the Indianapolis 500 in May driving for Jonathan Byrd's Racing. He raced at Indianapolis in 2012, finishing 30th as a rookie.

General admission tickets are $20 and children ages 12-and-under are free. Tickets will be sold only on the day of the event. Spectator doors open at 3:00 p.m., hot laps begin at 5 with racing immediately following. The feature will be 40 laps.

For more information, go to www.powri.com.

CONTACT:
Tim Tuttle
POWRi Media Relations for the Battle at the Center
(765)721-7599
Timetuttle@aol.com
POWRi Racing Official Sponsors
Auto Meter - "The Official Instrumentation" of POWRi Racing
Afco - "The Official Shock" of POWRi Racing
Ford - "The Official EcoBoost Challenge" of POWRi Racing
Great Clips - "The Official Salon" of POWRi Racing
Hoosier Tire - "The Official Race Tire" of POWRi Racing
Impact Racing - "The Official Safety Equipment" of POWRi Racing
K&N Filter - "The Official Filter" of POWRi Racing
Lucas Oil Products - "The Official Oil" of POWRi Racing
Speedway Motors - "The Official Parts Store" of POWRi Racing

[ISF]

We were at The Battle In The Center back in December of 2011 and watched T-Mez and Clauson put on an epic show. Still one of the best midget races I've seen in a long, long time. Gonna' make the 5 hour trip South this year, too. There is something about this race being so close to Christmas kinda' gives it a festive feel. Maybe it's a bit hokey but it takes on just a bit of a special feel with Christmas just a few days away.

The Christmas Lights Fair is a really cool way to spend a half hour driving through the fairgrounds lit up spectacularly for the holiday when the last time we'd seen the place it was 90 degrees and filled with the hustle and bustle of the Du Quoin State Fair and racing on the Magic Mile.

[i love dirt track racing]

Sounds like the madman Robert Ballou will be in the household.

[Andrew S. Quinn]

WoO Sprint Car star Joey Saldana to race in POWRi Midgets Battle at the Center in Du Quoin
Tuesday, December 9th 2014


DU QUOIN, Ill.-World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car star Joey Saldana will race in uncharted waters on Dec. 20 in the fifth annual Great Clips Battle at the Center presented by K & N Filters.. The non-points event organized by the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series will be his first time on the one-sixth Mini-Magic Mile at the Southern Illinois Center on the grounds of the Du Quoin State Fair and only his sixth career event in a Midget.

"I'm out of my element, but I'm looking forward to it," the 42-year-old from Brownsburg, Ind., said. "I've never been there, but it seemed like a good idea before I go to the Chili Bowl."

Saldana has had distinguished career in Sprint Cars. He has 91 career wins in the World of Outlaws including seven last season driving for Motter Equipment teams, the team he'll return with in 2015. He was fifth in the WoO championship and third in laps led with 336. in 2014. Saldana's career-best season in WoO was 21 victories in 2009.

"We had a good year," he said. "We had 24 fast times (best in series) in qualifying, We definitely had the speed. We just need to win more races."

Saldana made his Midget debut in a USAC National at Bloomington (Ind.) Speedway in 1991, finishing fourth. He's also raced in the Chili Bowl, midget racing's most prestigious event held in Tulsa, Okla., four times. Saldana finished 16th in the C Main at the Chili Bowl, which had nearly 300 entries, last year. It will be held Jan. 12-18 next year.

Saldana has purchased a new Spike and will have Esslinger power at Du Quoin and the Chili Bowl. He is preparing it with the help of Bryan Clauson Racing and Spike manufacturer John Godfrey.

"We've got a lot of work to do," Saldana said. "We're working with Big Al at Clauson and John Godfrey, who helped me get the engine from Esslinger. It will be fun to Du Quoin and the Chili Bowl, but we're also serious about it."

General admission tickets are $20 and children ages 12-and-under are free. Tickets will be sold only on the day of the event. Spectator doors open at 3:00 p.m., hot laps begin at 5 with racing immediately following. The feature will be 40 laps.

For more information, go to www.powri.com.

CONTACT:
Tim Tuttle
POWRi Media Relations for the Battle at the Center
765 721-7599
Timetuttle@aol.com
POWRi Racing Official Sponsors
Auto Meter - "The Official Instrumentation" of POWRi Racing
Afco - "The Official Shock" of POWRi Racing
Ford - "The Official EcoBoost Challenge" of POWRi Racing
Great Clips - "The Official Salon" of POWRi Racing
Hoosier Tire - "The Official Race Tire" of POWRi Racing
Impact Racing - "The Official Safety Equipment" of POWRi Racing
K&N Filter - "The Official Filter" of POWRi Racing
Lucas Oil Products - "The Official Oil" of POWRi Racing
Speedway Motors - "The Official Parts Store" of POWRi Racing

[miledirt]

Ballou, Clauson, Saldana.... shaping up to be another very good event!

[mc/rider]

This could be the beginning of the Corn Chowder Bowl,prelude to the Chili BowlPresent the winner with a well diggers trophy since its usually colder than a well diggers arse this time of year

[wtvwrocks]

Originally Posted by chathamracefan This will be my first visit to the Battle at the Center. Was gonna go last year til Mother Nature intervened. Lookin for a good BBQ joint on the way down from Springfield area. Hillbilly's in Nashville looks like a good spot on our way. Any comments on it? I hope Rico makes the trip east for this one!

I grew up 15 minutes from DuQuoin......there is also a 17th Street in Marion - not as good as the Murphy location but it is still pretty good. We like Bandana's better - they have one in Mt. Vernon.

Sacha Ballou

[Andrew S. Quinn]

Christopher Bell going for 28th victory of year in POWRi Midgets Battle at the Center
Thursday, December 11th 2014


DU QUOIN, Ill. - Christopher Bell of Norman, Okla., will be going for his 28th victory to close out a remarkable year in the fifth annual Great Clips Battle at the Center presented by K & N Filters on Dec. 20 at the one-sixth Mini-Magic Mile in the Southern Illinois Center on the grounds of the Du Quoin State Fair.

Bell will be driving a Toyota-powered Bullet, a car the 19-year-old won 11 POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget and a total of 16 Midget features this season, for Keith Kunz Motorsports of Columbus, Ind. Bell is the National Midget Driver of the Year for the second straight season. He's also won races in Sprint Cars and Super Late Model stock cars in 2014 to establish himself as one of motor racing's fastest rising stars.

"It's a race I really enjoy going to and I'm really excited about it," Bell said. "It's a fun event and a beautiful track. It definitely would be nice to win it. It's right in the middle of the off-season and it will help us get ready for the Chili Bowl."

Bell has raced once previously in the Battle at the Center, a non-points event sanctioned by POWRi. He was running third late in the 2012 feature before being caught up in a crash.

Bell's victory in the POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series $10,000-to-win 66 Mike Phillips Memorial at age 16 in 2011 launched his career. He moved into Midgets and Sprint Cars the next year and joined Kunz's powerhouse operation in 2013. Bell had four POWRi Midget victories and also won the Honda USAC National Midget championship in his first season with Kunz.

Driving a Toyota for Kyle Busch Motorsports, Bell won his first pavement race in his third Super Late Model start at Orange County Speedway in Rougemont, N.C., in October.

Bell finished third in the championship feature at the prestigious Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals a year ago. He doesn't have any definitive plans beyond the 2015 event from Jan. 12-17 at the Tulsa (Okla.) Expo Center.

"I know I'll be at the Chili Bowl with Keith," Bell said. "The Chili Bowl is my favorite race. After that, next year depends on what comes my way."

CONTACT:
Tim Tuttle
POWRi public relations for the Battle at the Center
765-721-7599
Timetuttle@aol.com
POWRi Racing Official Sponsors
Auto Meter - "The Official Instrumentation" of POWRi Racing
Afco - "The Official Shock" of POWRi Racing
Ford - "The Official EcoBoost Challenge" of POWRi Racing
Great Clips - "The Official Salon" of POWRi Racing
Hoosier Tire - "The Official Race Tire" of POWRi Racing
Impact Racing - "The Official Safety Equipment" of POWRi Racing
K&N Filter - "The Official Filter" of POWRi Racing
Lucas Oil Products - "The Official Oil" of POWRi Racing
Speedway Motors - "The Official Parts Store" of POWRi Racing
Team POWRi Racing
Advanced Racing Suspensions, Aggressive Graphics, Bell Helmets, BT Machine Inc., Butler Built Seats, Competition Suspension Inc., Engler Machine & Tool Inc., Esslinger Engineering, Factor 1 Racing, Kitchen Cooked, Leading Edge Composites, Millennium Components, MPD Racing, MoMo's Racing Engines Purpose Wreckers, Race Bumpers.com, Rod End Supply, Roof Bolt Express, Schoenfeld Headers, Spike Chassis, Stanton Race Engines, The Engine Heater, Ti64, Total Power, TOYOTA

[ronmil]

Originally Posted by wtvwrocks I grew up 15 minutes from DuQuoin......there is also a 17th Street in Marion - not as good as the Murphy location but it is still pretty good. We like Bandana's better - they have one in Mt. Vernon. Sacha Ballou

Sacha,

I thought the Marion location was their flagship operation. I've only been to the 17th Street location in O'Fallon, and I loved their brisket, best I've ever found. Sorry that it closed. I now satisfy my brisket craving at Hicks in Belleville when I go to Belle-Clair. We have Bandanas in Evansville, and we like it. However, their beef is actually a different cut, not brisket. The server gave me a sample of it last time we were there, and I wound up getting a meal of it. It wasn't bad, but I prefer the brisket at 17th Street or Hicks. When going to DuQuoin from Evansville, I've found that Larry's BBQ in Christopher, IL is pretty good.

[Charles Nungester]

This would be a perfect Buddy gift for Christmas for those who could make it and take their racing friend. This race was awesome to me two years ago, Totally worth the trip. I guess luck had a bit to do with it as it was warm that weekend and the back doors were open so fumes weren't a problem. They pretty much had to keep one open anyway to get cars in and out as about a dozen or so couldn't fit in the arena pits and were out back in the barn.

If the weather is good, Get there at opening, Mark your seat with a jacket and the pit pass is totally worth it as you will have a hour or so to browse and chat.

I was really impressed at how good the track was, The racing was two and three wide and at times trying for four. 8 hotlap sessions, 10 heats, Two consi's and four qualifiers with a 40 lap feature all were done about 1030.