Dupo, IL (June 9, 2015) Starting this past Thursday and wrapping up on Sunday night, the drivers in the Lucas Oil POWRi midget series just completed their busiest week of the summer season. Known as Illinois SPEED Week, the cars and teams of POWRi, as well as non-regular competitors from across the country and across the ocean came together for four nights of ultra-competitive midget and micro sprint racing. Thursday, June 4th and Friday June 5th, saw the series head to the CILTRAK promoted tracks in Quincy and Jacksonville, Illinois. Saturday was the first visit to Macon Speedway this year after having rain force the canceling of two earlier scheduled events. The finale of SPEED Week was back at the POWRi home track of Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Illinois. Four different tracks, three different winners, and a whole lot of racing memories.
Thursday night, the POWRi series headed to Quincy Raceways in Quincy, Illinois for its first appearance there of the season. Thirty-seven national midgets were on hand to do battle at the racey little quarter mile. Based on his pill draw, Kyle lined up fourth in heat race number two. In a heat race stacked with great competitors, Kyle finished fifth and was forced to run the B-main. Starting fourth in the B and needing to get to third, Kyle went to work quickly and made it all the way up to second and was able to put distance between himself and third place. At the end of the B, Kyle finished second and transferred on to the night’s 30 lap A-main. After transferring from the B, Kyle started in the 19th position for the main event. Making his way through traffic, Kyle was able to bring home an eighth place finish and earn the Hard Charger award for passing the most cars. This was Kyle’s first visit to Quincy in the midget and a great way to start off the Illinois SPEED Week.
On Friday night, 45 midgets filled the Jacksonville Speedway pit area, joined by the POWRi micro sprints and the MOWA sprint cars. Jacksonville is a track that Kyle has run before in the midget, but before this night, he didn’t really care for it too much. In heat race action, Kyle lined up fifth in heat race number two. After getting a great start, Kyle was able to pass cars and finish in second, earning a lot of passing points in the process. Based on those passing points, Kyle lined up sixth in the 30 lap A-main. On a night where slide jobs were rampant and guys were banging their right rears off the wall, Kyle ran a smooth race and was able to stay in the top seven all race long. Towards the end of the race, attrition started kicking in and those guys that kept hitting the wall were finally starting to have tire issues from all the contact. Kyle, who had been running the cushion but not banging the wall, was able to make a few passes and as cars dropped out, he saw himself moving further and further towards the front of the field. On a restart with just a few laps to go, Kyle found himself starting second behind eventual winner Christopher Bell. Bell jumped out to the lead and Kyle was challenged for second by another young guy, Payton Pierce. Pierce was able to get around him, but Kyle was able to hold off a late race charge from fellow BOSS Chassis driver, Austin Brown. This finish marked Kyle’s first podium finish in midget competition and his best finish of the 2015 season. On the front stretch, Kyle thanked his team and his teammates for everything they have done to help him.
After Friday night’s success, Kyle and his Schuett Racing team were excited about making their first visit of the 2015 season to Macon Speedway. Based on the car count, it appears everyone in the Midwest was ready for Macon Speedway as 54 midgets filled the pit area. Kyle lined up ninth in heat race number two based on his pill draw. With a fast race car, Kyle was able to make his way through traffic until hitting an inside tire and getting his BOSS Chassis number 9K upside down for the first time in his midget career. This would end Kyle’s heat race resulting in him being officially scored with a seventh place finish. The Schuett Racing team, along with help from the Austin Brown Racing team went to work to repair the damages so that Kyle could continue on in his primary car. Based on the passing points he did receive in the heat race, Kyle lined up 12th in the first midget qualifier event, with the top seven transferring on to the 30 lap A-main. Unfortunately for Kyle, he was only able to improve two positions and ended with a tenth place finish. Because Kyle currently sits so high in the POWRi point standings, he was able to use a provisional so that he could start the A-main in 22nd position. On the small 1/5 mile track, Kyle was able to pass eight cars and come home with a 14th place finish. After the way his night started, bringing home another top 15 finish was a great way to rebound and earn some highly coveted points.
The final night of Illinois SPEED Week brought the POWRi midgets back to Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Illinois. One of the most fun midget tracks in the country, “Little Belleville” always provides a great night of racing action. To start the night, Kyle lined up and finished third in heat race number two. This put him lining up eighth in the first midget qualifier, where he would need a top seven finish to make the A-main. After fighting hard between seventh and tenth, a last lap red flag would lead Kyle to a seventh place finish and a transfer position into the 30 lap A-main. Based on his final transfer position, Kyle lined up 19th but was moving forward when he was hit by another car coming across the front stretch. After getting his right side stuck up on the other car, Kyle suffered no damage and was able to restart at the tail of the field. As the race progressed, Kyle was again caughtl up in an accident when a flipping car came to rest in front of him on the high side in turn four. Kyle again suffered no damage and was able to restart. Unfortunately for Kyle, being at the tail of the field on such a small track meant he would get caught a lap down and be unable to race anyone for position. After 30 tough laps, Kyle finished the SPEED Week finale with a 15th place finish.
While Kyle may have been a little disappointed with his finishes the last two nights, the results from Illinois SPEED Week are nothing to be upset over. With the number of cars and the quality of competitors that came together last week, earning four top 15 finishes is quite a feat for any driver, especially a young rookie in his first season of midget racing. Throughout the week, Kyle and his team worked hard and Kyle’s talent showed the driver he is quickly becoming. Going into Sunday’s Belleville race, Kyle was sitting fifth in the overall SPEED Week point standings; that means there were over 40 other competitors that would have loved to have had a SPEED Week like Kyle’s. Perhaps the best part of the weekend was the showing of Kyle’s true character; while on the front stretch Friday night at Jacksonville, Kyle was thanking his team and made the statement, “they do a lot for me and I’m very fortunate to be where I’m at.” Sometimes it’s easy to forget that racing is a team sport, but not for Kyle. He is very appreciative of all the support he gets from his parents, his crew, his sponsors, and his teammates – that’s something that can’t be forced or taught; fortunately for Kyle, it’s just how he is.
It was announced over the weekend that Kyle currently sits atop the National Midget Rookie Driver of the Year point standings. This is a compilation of points earned by all rookies in midget racing and at the end of the season, the top finishing rookie will be honored at the 2016 Chili Bowl, along with the National Midget Driver of the Year, and other special awards. While there are a lot of races left to go this season, it is a great place for Kyle to be sitting heading into the heart of racing season.
Kyle and his Schuett Racing team would like to thank everyone for their support and a big thank you to season sponsors - Illiana Insurance Agency, Progressive Propane, Bergfield Farms, KBR Performance, Rod End Supply, FK Indy, Hoosier Tire Midwest, AMSOIL by Roger Clapp, Steve Thomas Racing, Bell Racing, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, BOSS Chassis, R & B Powdercoating, J & K Rentals, and Keizer Wheels.
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