Pit Stop Radio News

Christopher Bell took the lead on lap 19 and then held off teammate Logan Seavey to win the second night of the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League “Turnpike Challenge” at the I-44 Riverside Speedway in Oklahoma City Saturday night and sweep the double-header. Ryan Robinson placed third as Toyota-powered drivers finished one-two-three in a podium sweep. The manufacturer has won nine of the 10 national midget feature races run in 2018.

Bell has now captured eight consecutive Turnpike Challenge wins at his home track at I-44. The victory is the 48th national midget feature win for Bell, the most by any Toyota driver. Bell is in the midst of one of the most dominating runs in midget car history, having won 14 of the last 17 feature events he’s competed in.

Saturday’s win did not come easy for Bell, though, as he battled with Keith Kunz Motorsports (KKM) teammate Seavey through much of the event.  In fact, it was Seavey that got the early jump, moving into the lead at the green flag after starting on the outside of the front row, with Bell going from the seventh starting position into third.

Bell then used a slider to take over second from Jake Neuman as Seavey, the 2017 POWRi champion, stretched out an early lead. By lap 10 of 30, Bell had closed on Seavey and began to pressure for the lead before a caution flew on lap 12.

On the restart, Bell used a slider to take the lead from Seavey, but it was short-lived as Seavey crossed him back to regain the point position as the duo proceeded to pull away from the rest of the field. Behind them, KKM teammate Robinson had climbed into the top spot.

Bell made the key move of the race on lap 19 as the pair encountered traffic with Seavey going low and Bell powering past on the outside to assume the top spot.  Seavey wasn’t done yet, though, as he regained the lead with a slider in heavy traffic on lap 22, only to have a caution come out reverting the field back to the most recent completed lap and giving the lead back to Bell.

Bell would never again relinquish the lead on the way to his fourth consecutive midget victory this season, with Seavey earning his second straight runner-up finish.  Robinson would place third and Zach Daum was fourth. Fellow Toyota drivers Tucker Klaasmeyer (eighth), Holly Shelton (ninth) and Blake Hahn (tenth) also earned top-10 finishes.

Tanner Carrick and Andrew Felker rounded out the Toyota contingent in 11th and 12th, respectively.

Toyota drivers occupy the top four places in the POWRi point standings as Robinson continues to hold the top spot, while Daum moved into second ahead of Klaasmeyer. Felked currently sits. Fourth.

The POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League returns to action with a double-header at the Jacksonville (Ill.) Speedway, April 6-7.