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Hess, Shuman Win O’Reilly POWRi Midget Series Debuts at Valley, Lucas Oil Speedways in Missouri Mike Hess won Friday’s race while Casey Shuman’s last lap pass on Hess gave him Saturday’s triumph MILLSTADT, Ill. (May 18, 2008) – Mike Hess (Petersburg, Ill.) and Casey Shuman (Tempe, Ariz.) won in O’Reilly POWRi National Midget Series competition over the weekend at the series’ debuts at Valley Speedway and Lucas Oil Speedway in Missouri. Hess won Friday’s race at Valley after leading the final 12 laps, while Shuman bested Hess on Saturday at Lucas Oil, taking a Lucas Oil-sponsored Midget to victory on the last lap. Hess Takes First Win of Season at Valley Speedway Mike Hess took advantage of a problem by early leader Brett Anderson on Friday at Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Mo. to win his first POWRi Midget feature race of 2008. Hess led the final 12 laps of the 30-lap race after Anderson’s broke a U-Joint while leading on Lap 19. Hess, who started 13th in the 26-car starting field, drove around the outside of Anderson and was never headed in the race, the track’s season opener which comprised of seven caution periods, most of them at the start of the feature. Anderson, who entered the race as the series point leader after winning the season opener at Macon (Ill.) Speedway, led the opening 18 laps of the race before his mechanical problem forced him to finish 18th. Zach Daum finished second, ahead of Greg Lueckert, Joe Boyles and Dereck King. Lueckert, Chad McDaniel and Derrick Myers won heat races, while Nick Knepper won the pre-feature trophy dash. Valley Speedway Midget Feature Results: Mike Hess, Zach Daum, Greg Lueckert, Joe Boyles, Dereck King, Nick Knepper, Russ Harper, Daniel Robinson, Chris Walker, Tyler Robbins, Chad McDaniel, Will Pierce, Tim Siner, Kenny Brown, Bill Allen, Garett Hood, Cody Brewer, Brett Anderson, Austin Brown, Rich Camfield, Kent Schmidt, Johnny Murdock, Phil Heavelow, Derrick Myers, Todd Jackson, Dave Camfield Jr Shuman Wins First Career POWRi Race at Lucas Oil Speedway For the first time in his career, Casey Shuman earned a POWRi Midget victory, as he trumped Friday’s winner Mike Hess on the last lap of Saturday’s race at Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatfield, Mo. Driving a Lucas Oil sponsored Midget, Shuman dove underneath Hess on the 30th and final lap to take the checkered flag. It was only the second lap Hess had led during the race; the polesitter also led the opening lap before surrendering the lead to Brett Anderson. Hess looked to have been in a repeat position of Friday’s win at Valley Speedway. Like Friday, a mechanical failure – a broken right-front shock after running into a lapped car – sent Anderson out of contention for the victory after 18 laps. Anderson had led Laps 2-18. Hess set sail and planted himself behind a lapped car with a handful of laps left. However, a hard-charging Shuman – known better in the Midwest as a Sprint car driver – mounted his charge on the leader and made the winning move. Hess finished second, ahead of Chad McDaniel (who earned the Hard Charger Award after starting 14th), Nick Knepper and Austin Brown. Shuman, Brown and Rich Camfield won heat races, while Daniel Robinson won the semifeature. Lucas Oil Spedway Midget Feature Results: Casey Shuman, Mike Hess, Chad McDaniel, Nick Knepper, Austin Brown, Daniel Robinson, Russ Harper, Tyler Robbins, Rich Camfield, Mike Riley, Dave Camfield Jr, Zach Daum, Dereck King, Scott Christle, Matt Fox, Cody Brewer, Tim Siner, Brett Anderson, Greg Lueckert, Joe Boyles, Derrick Myers, Garrett Hood, Kenny Brown |