Allgaier Passes Late to Win POWRi Midgets

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ ARCA Super-Car Series star Justin Allgaier swung past USAC veteran Hud Cone with 20 laps remaining and held on to capture the green flag Saturday night at the Southern Illinois Center as the O'Reilly Auto Parts/POWRi National Midget Series-presented by Lucas Oil-invaded Du Quoin.

Allgaier, from Springfield, became a POWRi midget feature winner for the second time in 2008 and held off a late challenge by series points leader Brett Anderson of Collinsville for the win.

Cone finished third with Jonathon Hendrick and Tony Roney rounding out the top five.

Vienna's Dereck King, who a few minutes prior had won the POWRi Micro-Sprint feature, was sixth. NASCAR's JJ Yeley placed 12th.

"I love racing this track," Allgaier said of the 1/5 mile oval.

"We were able to put together a pretty good package. We had to. There were some great cars and drivers in this race. I came in early and hope that can build some momentum towards Monday's race."

Allgaier was third behind Cone and Hendrick until lap #8, when he slid past Hendrick. Two laps later, Allgaier beat Cone out of turn #2.

Anderson, who moved farther ahead of second place Brad Loyet in the points chase, pushed Allgaier the final seven laps after overtaking Cone.

Loyet, a multi-feature winner in both POWRi divisions at Du Quoin and two-time Winter Series champion, was a notable absentee following an accident in Wisconsin Friday. His injuries were not serious, but did force the Sunset Hills, Mo. driver out of Saurday's action.

Another USAC Silver Crown regular, Shane Hollingsworth, left the feature early with engine woes and placed 20th.

POWRi Midget teams run next at Jacksonville, Il.

RESULTS

Heat 1-Daniel Adler, Rich Camfield, Shane Hollingsworth, Tony Roney, Mike Riley, Mark Bush, Daniel Robinson, Stephen Weber

Heat 2-Hud Cone, Justin Allgaier, Tyler Robbins, Derek Hagar, Steve Knepper, Danny Frye III, Kenny Brown, Donnie Cunningham

Heat 3-Jonathan Hendrick, Tim Siner, Zach Daum, Ryan Criswell, Kellen Conover, Nick Knepper, Vinnie Sansone

Heat 4-Brett Anderson, Dereck King, Austin Brown, JJ Yeley, Dave Camfield Jr, Kara King

Semi -Steve Knepper, JJ Yeley, Kellen Conover, Nick Knepper, Mark Bush, Daniel Robinson, Kara King, Danny Frye III, Donnie Cunningham, Dave Camfield Jr, Stephen Weber, Vinnie Sansone, Kenny Brown

National Midget Feature-Justin Allgaier, Brett Anderson, Hud Cone, Jonathan Hendrick, Tony Roney, Dereck King, Rich Camfield, Zach Daum, Mike Riley, Ryan Criswell, Nick Knepper, JJ Yeley, Daniel Robinson, Tim Siner, Tyler Robbins, Derek Hagar, Kellen Conover, Daniel Adler, Steve Knepper, Austin Brown, Shane Hollingsworth