News

Following Fridays’ Tri-City Speedway rain out, POWRi Midget driver Ryan Criswell out of Mt. Vernon, IL, traveled up to Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, IL, for the next POWRi contest on the 1/5th mile high banked dirt oval. With an outside pole start in the heat, sophomore season driver took the lead early on the first lap and led the heat flag to flag winning his first heat race of the POWRi 2009 season. Ryan then started the Hawk Racing Engines Spike Chassis on the outside of the second row for the main event and made it up to third early on, but had to settle for the third place finish. “Right off the trailer the car was pretty good,” mentions Ryan, “Our goal is to be a contender for the POWRi Series Championship and consistent top five finishes like we've been getting lately is what we need. My biggest thing as a racer is to be consistent, and with consistency, wins will follow.” Ryan is three for four on top five’s early in this 2009 season, and like he says, “With consistency, the wins will follow.” Stay up to date with the young Mt. Vernon, IL, native through his team website, www.ryancriswell.com. Go to the contact page and be sure to sign yourself up for his weekly press releases. Special thanks to Hawk Racing Engines, Hoosier Racing Tires, Team RFC, Super Shox, Spike Racing Chassis, Weld Wheels, Met-Tec and Driver Websites.com.

Nearly a month ago, young Ryan Criswell took the Hawk Racing Engines Spike Chassis midget to the Dean King Memorial in DuQuoin, IL to start out the season with the O’Reilly POWRi Midgets. Criswell started in the third row of the heat race at this 1/6th mile slightly-banked dirt oval and raced his way up to the number four spot just missing the transfer to the main event. Winning the semi put Ryan on the inside of the ninth row for the start of the main. “We had a pretty decent car going into the main event,” explains Ryan, “I knew I had to put the elbows up to make the night into a decent points night.” Ryan raced up inside the top ten at ninth to put him in a very respectable position to start out the 2009 season with the O’Reilly POWRi Midgets.
With almost a month break it was time to hit the next race with the POWRi and travel to Morgan County Speedway in Jacksonville, IL. Ryan took fourth in the heat after starting in the last row and acquired enough passing points to transfer into that precious main event. Criswell and the Hawk Racing Engines Spike Chassis lined up 13th for the main event and raced up to fifth while gaining on the top four but on lap 6, Ryan noticed a sputter through the corners and realized he was running out of fuel. “I was really coming on strong there towards the end and I thought we had a decent chance for a top three,” says Ryan, “but once I started racing on fumes I thought I better tone it down a bit to make sure I could make it to the checkered.”
Following the night in Jacksonville it was off to make a debut appearance at the 1/5th mile high-banked oval of Macon Speedway in Macon, IL. With a history of drawing poorly, Criswell pulls a high numbered pill and starts at tail end of the heat. Using his starting spot to his advantage, Ryan wheeled through the field up to the third position to guarantee himself a top five starting position in the main event. The sophomore season driver started fourth in the main and drove himself up to 2nd to cap off the evening.
Now sitting second in the O’Reilly POWRi Midget Series presented by Lucas Oil, Criswell is going to take his Hawk Racing Engines Spike Chassis to the fourth race on the schedule this coming weekend to Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, IL for the attempt of his first Midget and POWRi Series victory. Keep a tight eye on young Criswell throughout this 2009 season, for that first win is just around the corner and be sure to stay up to date with the Mt. Vernon native through his website, www.ryancriswell.com and sign up on the mailing list. Special thanks to Hawk Racing Engines, Hoosier Racing Tires, Team RFC, Super Shox, Spike Racing Chassis, Weld Wheels, Met-Tec and Driver Websites.com.

POWRi Midget Racer, Ryan Criswell out of Mt. Vernon, Illinois is proud to announce the release of his new website, www.ryancriswell.com designed and developed by Driver Websites. Ryan will be racing the entire POWRi schedule of ’09 and will also actively pursue an opportunity with either a sprint car or silver crown team. Keep a tight eye on Ryan through his website, for that once the season gets under way at the end of this month, his site will be updated regularly with new photos, results and press releases. Special Thanks to Hawk Racing Engines, Hoosier Tires, Team RFC, Super Shox, Driver Websites, Spike Racing Chassis, Keizer Wheels, Met-Tec and Criswell Auto Brokers.

The 2008 season went very well for young Criswell, as it was his Rookie Season in a Midget. He started out by leading his first ever Midget Main Event in Belle-Clair, Illinois for 26 out of the 30 laps and then finished second in his first heat race on the legendary Knoxville Raceway against Midget Racing’s finest. He also came from deep in the field beyond the 7th row and charging to second at both Spoon River and Paducah. The biggest thing for Criswell in his Rookie Season, was simply to learn the set-up’s of the traditional dirt midget over his past experiences with the Mini-Sprint. Then, learning how the car reacted and what he had to do to it to fit his driving styles on the different types of race surfaces. One of his most gratifying experiences of the ’08 season was driving for the owner of Hawk Engines, Steve Smith, at Angel Park Speedway in Wisconsin. “Now that my rookie season is under my belt in the ranks of Midget Racing, I feel more confident than ever going into next season,” explains Ryan. “I now know what the car likes, what I like and being able to put that together, I believe I’ll have a consistent season and will be able to make an honorable charge for that championship.” Keep in tune with Ryan and his charge for the championship throughout 2009 via his new website, www.ryancriswell.com. Special Thanks to Hawk Racing Engines, Hoosier Tires, Team RFC, Super Shox, Driver Websites, Spike Racing Chassis, Keizer Wheels, Met-Tec and Criswell Auto Brokers.