PEVELY, Mo. — The most grueling test of the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota season has arrived.
The best drivers in dirt midget racing contest the two-day Federated Auto Parts Ironman 55, joining the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park, Aug. 1-2.
Friday’s program commences with drivers chasing $5,000 through 25 laps around the third-mile oval before Saturday night’s finale boasts the largest check of the season as $7,000 awaits the newest champion of the prestigious event through 30 laps.
HALF IN HALF
Jacob Denney’s first half with the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets has provided pure dominance aboard the No. 67 JBL Audio LynK Chassis in his first season with Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports.
Denney’s six wins, 10 top-five finishes, and 12 top-10s, so far, this season have earned him a massive points margin of 130-plus markers over Gavin Miller in the championship standings.
His first two visits to I-55 with the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets in June saw him finish fourth on the opening night and then climb 23 positions in a backup car to win the finale on Saturday – setting a record.
SOONER REPEAT
While Denney swept the series’ last two races in Oklahoma, he wasn’t the only KKM car with two good runs. His teammates Cannon McIntosh and Gavin Miller sat on the podium with him both nights.
McIntosh, the reigning series champion, is on a string of six straight top-five finishes, including his back-to-back second-place finishes in Oklahoma. That momentum has helped the No. 71k Mobil 1 Toyota climb the standings from 16th to third since the beginning of the season.
Miller, in his third year with Xtreme, owns a series-high nine podium finishes with the No. 97 SoundGear Toyota this year.
Two of them came during the St. Louis Firecracker Faceoff weekend at I-55 in June when he scored back-to-back third-place finishes.
He currently sits second in points, two points ahead of McIntosh and 133 behind Denney.
SHARK WATCH
Driving through the gates of I-55 as the defending Ironman champion, Karter Sarff is looking for redemption and a reminder as to why he enjoys racing in Pevely.
In the June finale of the St. Louis Firecracker Faceoff, Sarff was leading the feature until an accident with seven laps remaining kept Sarff out of driving the No. 21k until July 18 at Spoon River Speedway. In his midget return, “The Shark” finished in sixth place.
After winning the 2023 opener at I-55 and sweeping the 2024 weekend, the Ironman weekend is a chance for Sarff to reset and hold a couple more trophies in front of the Pevely crowd again.
JOE B. SMOOTH
When Joe B. Miller was planning to attend the Xtreme Outlaw Canton Clash at Spoon River Speedway, he was presented a last-minute opportunity to race in Thomas Meseraull’s No. 7x Engler Machine and Tool midget.
Miller took the chance presented and drove the car toward his first career national mdget win around the Illinois high banks against Chase McDermand and Jacob Denney.
Miller will be back in the No. 7x for the Ironman 55 along with piloting the No. 51b sprint car, as he’ll go up against both sides of the Outlaws in the “Show-Me State.”
