Top Midget Drivers Head For “Cornhusker Midget Challenge” July 24-25 at Junction Motor Speedway

Drivers will shoot for $5,000-to-win prize in second night of competition

From POWRi

MILLSTADT, Ill. ( July 8, 2007 ) – Brady Bacon (Tulsa, Okla.) flashed his teenage smile in victory lane during last year’s “Cornhusker Midget Challenge” at Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb. But that was last season. Bacon hopes to duplicate his efforts and win outright in this year’s two-race swing, which is scheduled for July 24-25. It will mark the third annual event for the O’Reilly POWRi National Midget Series, which is welcoming USAC as a co-sanctioning body for the first time. Both races will be 30-lappers.

Many of USAC’s top teams will join with POWRi’s top drivers in the two-race clash. That list includes Bacon, who will look for his second straight win, this time with Kasey Kahne Racing. His teammate is Kevin Swindell ( Memphis , Tenn. ), son of former World of Outlaws champion Sammy Swindell.

And Kahne isn’t the only NASCAR Nextel Cup Series star fielding a team for the “Cornhusker Midget Challenge.” Two-time series champion Tony Stewart and his Tony Stewart Racing Enterprises two-car team will bring Levi Jones (Olney, Ill.) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Olive Branch, Miss.), the only driver this season to win in all three of USAC’s National divisions. Stenhouse won the POWRi-USAC co-sanctioned race May 12 at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt , Ind.

In addition, current series points leader Darren Hagen (Riverside, Calif.), defending USAC National Midget Car Series champion Jerry Coons Jr., Nine Racing teammates Dave Darland (Lincoln, Ind.) and Davey Ray (Davenport, Iowa) and 2005 USAC National Midget Car Series titlist Josh Wise (Riverside, Calif.) will look to top Bacon’s performance and earn the $5,000-to-win prize for Wednesday’s night triumph. Tuesday will offer $3,000 to the winner. Ray is a former race winner.

But USAC isn’t the only sanctioning body bring the names to McCool. O’Reilly POWRi Midget points leader Mike Hess ( Petersburg , Ill. ) will be back in his own car after securing an engine to run the rest of the season. Hess, who has three victories, has frequently competed in other cars but is expected to be back in his No. 51 Hess Motorsports machine.

Brad Loyet (Sunset Hills, Mo.), who has run among the top five in POWRi all season, has mended following a frightening accident at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway and will continue his pursuit for the POWRi championship at McCool, as will Kuhn, currently second in the POWRi standings. Several top Southern Midget Racing Series (SMRS) drivers, including points co-leaders Gary Taylor and Matt Sherrell, both of Oklahoma , are expected to compete in the race as well.

The races mark the second and third co-sanctioned races between POWRi and USAC. POWRi also competed at McCool early this season, with Keith Rauch scoring his first career series win.