Indiana Open Wheel - POWRi:Belleville

King Claims Micro Season Opener, Bayston Scores Career First in National Midgets
April 11, 2015

Belleville, IL - 2014 POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series Rookie of the Year Spencer Bayston earned his first career POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series feature win in a thrilling battle with 2014 POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series Champion, Zach Daum, while Dereck King took the POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series season opener for the "Battle at Belle-Vegas I" at Belle-Clair Speedway.

Darren Hagen of Riverside, California started on the pole with the defending POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series champion Zach Daum to his outside. On the initial start trouble would ensue in turn one as a pile up of cars would occur including Daniel Robinson, Tyler Robbins, Kyle Schuett, and Tucker Klaasmeyer. A complete restart would be called for as Hagen and Daum would again lead the field to green, only for Chett Gehrke to bring out the yellow as he slowed to a stop entering turn one after contact along the front stretch. Hagen and Daum would again pace the field back to green for another complete restart only for the red flag to fly as Justin Grosz would flip wildly in turns three and four, taking down a bill board. Grosz would be alright, but done for the remainder of the event.

Due to multiple attempts to start the race, the field would be lined up single file for this restart as Darren Hagen would lead the field to green. Flexing the muscles right out of the gate, Hagen's Esslinger-powered BOSS Chassis would power into the lead rim-riding the 1/5th mile Belle-Clair Speedway. In a matter of 10 short laps, Hagen would rapidly close in on lap traffic. Just as quickly as Hagen closed in on lap traffic, bad luck would strike as Andrew Felker and Dalton Camfield would tangle atop turns three and four, collecting leader Darren Hagen.

Capitalizing on Hagen's misfortune, Zach Daum would inherit the lead on lap 12 and lead the field back to green followed by Dereck King, Nick Knepper, and Spencer Bayston. Entering turn one on the restart, Bayston would dive to the bottom and slide Knepper for third as Daum would take off. On lap 16 Bayston would overtake King for second and set his sights on Daum. As Bayston would try to reel in Daum, Kyle Schuett and Nick Bailey would tangle on the bottom side of turn one bringing out the caution.

With 18 laps in the books, Zach Daum would lead the field back to green followed closely by 2014 POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series Rookie of the Year, Spencer Bayston. As the green flag would fly, Bayston would dive to the bottom of turn one and slide Daum for the lead and hold off repeated attempts by Daum to regain the lead. On lap 24 Seth Motsinger would slow on the front stretch bringing out the caution, bunching the field back together, and allowing Daum the opportunity to regain the lead.

With five laps left Bayston would lead the field back to green and fend off two more laps of attempts from Daum before gaining enough ground to pull away. Crossing the line first and claiming his first career POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series feature win was the 53rd different feature winner in POWRi history, Spencer Bayston. Crossing in second was Zach Daum of Pocahontas, Illinois and coming in third was Daniel Robinson of Ewing, Illinois. Fourth was Austin Brown of Millstadt, Illinois and Darren Hagen rounds out the top five.

"I'm speechless right now," exclaimed an ecstatic Spencer Bayston. "I'm worn out for sure. Great job by the track crew, the place was hooked up and the car was hooked up. I'm just glad I'm in victory lane right now. I'm pretty happy."

"We didn't have nothing for that thing," stated 2013 and 2014 POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series Champion, Zach Daum. "He deserves that one. "

"Thanks everybody for coming and thanks to A.J. Felker for letting me drive his car tonight," said third place finisher Daniel Robinson.

Driving the Josh Kilgore-owned, Honda-powered BOSS Chassis, Dereck King of Vienna, Illinois won the action packed 20 lap POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series feature after inheriting the lead from Nathan Benson's misfortune on lap 17 and fending off a last lap, last corner slide job from Aaron Andruskevitch. King's win was his 25th career POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series feature victory.

"It was tough," said King. "I hated to see Nathan break and to win one like that. We was struggling from the get-go, we left the right front unhooked from the car. I could run with Nathan, but as the track went on I couldn't adjust what I needed to. Unfortunately he was getting better and I was getting worse."

"We had a good night tonight," stated runner-up Aaron Andruskevitch. "I had a good car at the beginning of the run. I got up into third after a couple of wrecks there. Just kind of holding my own. I didn't really think I had a lot for Nathan or Dereck and once the latter part of the race came, the car kept coming to us. Unfortunately Nathan popped a motor tonight, but me and Dereck put on a season opener best."

"I got really lucky tonight," said third place finisher Aryton Gennetten. "Luck was pretty much the key for tonight. Started 7th and ran 3rd. It's a good way to start off the season for us. Hope to do better now and throughout the year. "

Midgets

Ford Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: 5D - Zach Daum, Heat 2: 63 - Bryan Clauson, Heat 3: 55 - Nick Knepper, Heat 4: 39 - Spencer Bayston

Great Clips Feature Winner: 39 - Spencer Bayston

POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series Feature Results (30 laps): 1. 39 - Spencer Bayston 2. 5D - Zach Daum 3. 37 - Daniel Robinson 4. 7 - Austin Brown 5. 17 - Darren Hagen 6. 3N - Jake Neuman 7. 5C - Colten Cottle 8. 91 - Dereck King 9. 9K - Kyle Schuett 10. 89 - Nick Bailey 11. 86C - Dave Camfield 12. 2 - Seth Motsinger 13. 35T - Tyler Robbins 14. 55 - Nick Knepper 15. 91T - Tyler Thomas 16. 11A - Andrew Felker 17. 10C - Dalton Camfield 18. 11C - Chett Gehrke 19. 27 - Tucker Klaasmeyer 20. 99G - Justin Grosz 21. 63 - Bryan Clauson 22. 11R - Ryan Criswell

Micros

Ford Heat Race Winners: Heat 1: 1 - Dereck King, Heat 2: 98P - Miles Paulus, Heat 3: 3 - Ayrton Gennetten, Heat 4: 8 - Robby Larson, Heat 5: 21 - Aaron Andruskevitch, Heat 6: 2B - Nathan Benson

Great Clips Feature Winner: 1 - Dereck King

POWRi Speedway Motors 600cc Outlaw Micro Series Feature Results (20 Laps): 1. 1 - Dereck King 2. 21 - Aaron Andruskevitch 3. 3 - Ayrton Gennetten 4. 14 - Kurt Westerfield 5. 20 - Dylan Benscoter 6. 45 - Tony Lawrence 7. 3B - Shelby Bosie 8. 65E - Chad Elliott 9. 27 - Tucker Klaasmeyer 10. 23 - Jeremy Camp 11. 77W - Joey Wirth 12. 22S - Slater Helt 13. 12C - Carlee Gress 14. 58H - Luke Hanning 15. 42 - Andy Bishop 16. 83 - Jeff Beasley 17. 4C - Rob Cook 18. 8 - Robby Larson 19. 2B - Nathan Benson 20. 94 - Andrew Peters 21. 98P - Miles Paulus 22. 63 - Bill Wirth 23. 9 - Austin Stewart

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Contact:
Derek Schuett
POWRi Media
info@powri.com