Tyler Thomas 4th in POWRi Midgets at Belle-Clair,

[rebelracewriter]

Tyler Thomas 4th in POWRi Midgets at Belle-Clair, New Smyrna Late Models rained out

BELLEVILLE, Ill. (Sept. 8, 2014)Tyler Thomas charged from 20th starting position to finish fourth in the Charlene Meents Memorial on Sunday in the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget Series at Belle-Clair Speedway.

The 18-year-old from Collinsville, Okla., was forced into the semifinal by a broken suspension on the right-rear of his Triple-X Midget and finished second to advance to the feature.

We had a great car all night and finishing fourth in the feature wasnt bad considering where we started, Thomas said. We were racing for the lead in the heat and I made a mistake and it broke the right rear torsion arm. It put us deep into the B main and we managed to get up to second.

We got up to the top five in the first 10 or 15 laps. We went up there before everybody else did and did all our passing. Once the leaders got up there, too, there wasnt any place to pass.

Thomas had his fifth scheduled race in the Late Model Pro division at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway rained out on Saturday. Hes had a win, a pair of seconds and a third in four Late Model races, his first in a stock car or on pavement.

We had one practice and were exited to see what we had for the race, Thomas said. Once it starting pouring, it never quit. We figured it might happen once or twice, its part of it. But its still disappointing.

There are no plans to replace the rain out. He has two Late Model Pro races at New Smyrna remaining, on Oct. 11 and Nov. 1.

Thomas will race in the POWRi Midgets on Friday at quarter-mile Jackonville (Ill.) Speedway in the Herb Barlow Memorial and Saturday at three-eighths mile Spoon River Speedway in Canton, Ill., in the Tom Knowles Memorial.

Jacksonville is my favorite track and Spoon River is always a blast, Thomas said. We can win at both tracks, its up to me. Our car is capable of winning.

Thomas finished fourth in the previous race this season at Jacksonville on April 25. It will be POWRis the first event at Spoon River in 2014.

For more information, go to www.TylerThomasMotorsports.com.