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-POWRi Challenge Series at Doe Run Raceway, Sept. 5, and Highland Speedway, Sept. 6
KLEPPER’S FIVE:
Chase McDermand
Why: A frequent flyer of my Drivers to Watch is due. Yes, I’ve said it before but I’m saying it again… he’s due. As we head back to Chase’s home state on Saturday to Highland Speedway, where he won in 2023, he’s the odds-on favorite in my book. Toss in the fact that he holds the 1 Lap Track Record at Highland as well, and you can see where I’m going with this. You also can’t count him out at Doe Run Raceway on Friday Night. Though he hasn’t had the best of luck there in two Xtreme starts with a 14th in 2023 and ninth last year, he may surprise you. You know what WOULDN’T be a surprise? McDermand grabbin’ a broom and sweepin’ both nights.
Zach Daum
Why: Another driver who shows up from time to time in my thoughts but doesn’t always show up to the track. This weekend… Daum is in the house. We haven’t seen the inaugural Xtreme Outlaw Midget champ, 2021 MOWA champ and three-time POWRi champ since an eighth-place finish at I-55 on June 21, so I’m sure he’s excited to get back to Doe Run where he won in 2023. This weekend, it’s a new look for Zach as he’ll be wheeling the Royal Powersports No. 16 for Dan Minear, looking for his ninth career Xtreme win and 24th with POWRi. Daum ran fifth at Highland in 2023, the same year he won the Xtreme Outlaw / POWRi Challenge Series title… so it could be another Dauminating weekend for the Pride of Pocahontas.
Jacob Denney
Why: Jacob Denney is ALWAYS a driver to watch… but I only get to pick five (I don’t make the rules). Denney not only brings a 64-point lead into the final two Challenge Series events but a massive 273-point lead in the chase for the Xtreme Outlaw Midget championship and an even more massive 300-point lead in the POWRi National Midget League title chase. Wait… there’s more! With eight Xtreme wins the season, he is the all-time series single season win leader and that number may grow this weekend. The kicker? He’s never raced at either track. But I don’t think that matters much to the “Buckeye State” driver. #PointsLeadsWillGetEvenMoreMassive
Hayden Wise
Why: She just continues to impress… that’s why. On May 10 at 81 Speedway, she posted her first career Xtreme top-10 finish of 10th. The next race, 14 days later, she led 14 laps (makes sense) and picked up her first career top five, finishing fourth. Fast forward to our most recent race at “The Clyde” on Aug. 9, Miss Wise finished a career-best third… her first podium. Wow! Along the way she’s captured three Heat Race wins, one Hi-Point driver award, and most recently went to Victory Lane in a Micro back at her new favorite track (I’m assuming) Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway. Could this be the weekend that we see her in Victory Lane? She’s a wise choice for sure.
Trey Marcham
Why: All the way from Newcastle, OK comes a multi-time Tulsa Shootout Driller and 13-time POWRi West winner named Trey. Always cool to see Marcham bring the No. 32 to an Xtreme race. Last time he ran with us was back in May at Coles County where he finished 14th on consecutive nights. Prior to that he ran fifth at DuQuoin in 2024 and currently he’s second in POWRi West Series points behind Andrew Felker. Marcham could certainly be a player to spoil the weekend for Series regulars and take the big check back to the “Sooner State.”
You can follow these drivers and more at Doe Run Raceway by getting your tickets at the gate, and at Highland Speedway by getting your tickets at the gate or in advance – click here for tickets.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every lap live – with Rob Klepper – on DIRTVision.
UP NEXT: Honest Abe Roofing Open Wheel Showdown at Jacksonville Speedway, Oct. 3-4
