Curious which drivers you should keep an eye on at each Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota event? Series Announcer Rob Klepper will bring you his five drivers to keep an eye on each race weekend.
This week: Xtreme Outlaw Midget Showdown at Arrowhead Speedway, July 25, and Xtreme Outlaw Open Wheel Mania at Tulsa Speedway, July 26
KLEPPER’S FIVE:
Jonathan Beason
Why: Well, heck… mostly because we’re in his home state of Oklahoma this week and this dude knows how to win there. Yes, he ran ninth at Arrowhead and 18th at Tulsa last year… BUT DID YOU KNOW he posted two top fives at I-44 Riverside Speedway with Xtreme in 2022? And that place is in Oklahoma! Always a threat when he shows up and as a former multi-time Tulsa Shootout winner (also in Oklahoma) whose won a preliminary night at the Chili Bowl (Yup, in Oklahoma too), he has 13 career POWRi West wins (most of which came in Oklahoma) and one career POWRi National win (which definitely came in Oklahoma). What’s the icing on the cake, you ask? In 2021, he did go to Victory Lane at the Tulsa Speedway where you can watch him this Saturday night. If that doesn’t mean he’s poised for a good run this weekend… I got nothin’ else for ya.
Emilio Hoover
Why: It’s cool that we get to see this kid from Broken Arrow back with us this weekend in his home state. It’s been a while since he ran 19th and 21st at Humboldt and 81 in Kansas in 2023. This year, he arrives as the current OCRS Sprint Car points leader with one win and seven top 10s in nine starts AND the win came at the Tulsa Speedway, where you and your family can watch him on Saturday night. Hoover is a Two-time POWRi West Champion with one career win at I-44 Riverside Speedway in OKC. Teaming up this weekend with Pat O’Dell, I see good things from the No. 17 car. Hoover may just vacuum up the competition this week. I don’t know ’bout you, but that was way too easy.
Chase McDermand
Why: This one is simple… because he’s due. Last year coming into this Colcord/Tulsa swing he was winless then won at the Tulsa Speedway (his most recent Series win). This year, coming into the forthcoming Colcord/Tulsa swing, he’s also winless. Hmm… I see a pattern. McDermand currently sits second in Series points just 74 behind Jacob Denney and he’s coming off his best run of the year as he ran second at “The Spoon” (podium appearance #2 this year). Accolades galore follow this Illinois driver everywhere he goes… three-time BADGER champ, 2023 Appalachian Midget Week champ, and 2022 POWRi Rookie of the Year to name a few. He’s tied for second on the all-time Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series win list with eight, AND holds more Series track records than any other driver with six. Toss in this fact… and this is fact… last year around this time it was his birthday. I feel it could happen again this year in OK along with No. 40 going to Victory Lane. “That’s gold, Jerry! Gold!”
Kyle Jones
Why: One of the most versatile drivers in Midgets and Sprint cars, Wing and Non-Wing is Mr. Jones and this one doesn’t need a song written about him. He’s from Kennedale, TX which is way down by Fort Worth and is probably a Cowboys fan (I won’t hold that against him), but unlike Dak, Kyle knows how to finish. In 2015, he won the Mountain Creek Speedway 305 championship and in 2017 took home the USAC Gulf Coast Speed2 Midget title. Oh, don’t even get me started that he’s a multi-time Mini Sprint Champ and won an Echotech Golden Driller at the Tulsa Shootout in 2018. Add that with the fact that in the inaugural season of the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series he finished fourth in Series points. Yes… last year at Arrowhead and Tulsa he ran 20th and ninth, respectively, BUT he has run second twice at Tulsa with POWRi West. So, there’s that. This weekend could be good for Kyle. Far better than “Mis-ter Jones and me… telling each other fairy tales.”
Brecken Reese
Why: Definitely a up-and-coming driver with a whole bunch of wins under his belt. Could we see one this weekend in OK? Yes we could. This kid has over 60 wins in Micros and Sprint Cars since 2020. That in itself says he’s one to watch. So far this year he’s run three times with Xtreme with the best being a ninth-place run at Airport Raceway in Kansas BUT he’s notched four total wins in Micros and Sprint Cars AND he drives for Grady Chandler. Chandler was the 2017 POWRi West champ and ran second at Arrowhead that same year… Now that’s what’s up. I predict the kid known as “Rocket” WILL post his best career Xtreme Outlaw finish this weekend… mark my words.
You can follow these drivers and more all weekend at Arrowhead Speedway on Friday, July 25, and Tulsa Speedway on Saturday, July 26, by getting your tickets in advance online for the race at Tulsa and at the gate for the event at Arrowhead.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every lap live – with Rob Klepper – on DIRTVision.
UP NEXT: World of Outlaws Ironman 55 at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park, Aug. 1-2
