(Photo by A to Z Photography)
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – As the summer continues to heat up into July, Overland Park, Kan. racer Luke Howard hopes for more of what June brought him on the dirt tracks of west central Missouri. Howard earned the first midget win of his career early in the month, one week after his runner-up finish in his family’s Esslinger-powered Boss Chassis. In addition, the 13-year-old tacked on three top-ten results in four starts in the month of June behind the wheel of a Pace Chassis micro sprint.
Howard had finished in the second position on numerous occasions last season, always falling as the bridesmaid to his self-described mentor Riley Kreisel Kory Schudy, and Schudy’s father Pat. However, on June 10 at Valley Speedway, the elder Schudy was forced to the pit area in the main event, leaving Howard to assume the lead and readily speed to victory on the Grain Valley, Mo. third-mile oval.
Over the following two Saturdays, Howard returned to Sweet Springs (Mo.) Motorsports Complex to do battle in the stock and nonwing micro sprint divisions. Highlighted by a third-place effort on June 17 in the stock class, “Lightning” Luke posted seventh-place results in nonwing on that night, as well as in stock action on June 24. Though unable to follow up in nonwing with another top-ten, he still managed to power forward nine positions from 22nd on the starting grid to finish in 13th.
Howard Racing Team would like to thank Bob Sight Ford, Canyon Stone, Cash Kid Digital Studios, Nathan Benson Motorsports, AdvanTec Dyno Services, Schure Built Suspension, Sandberg Farms, and Shell Shock Designs for their continued support.
Howard is next scheduled to compete on July 1 at Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Mo. with the POWRi Allstar Midget League in the family-owned No. 2H midget entry.
Quick Results
June 3 – Grain Valley, MO – Midget – Heat: 2nd (5); Feature: 2nd (2)
June 10 – Grain Valley, MO – Midget – Heat: 3rd (4); Feature: 1st (3)
June 17 – Sweet Springs, MO – 600cc Stock – Heat: 5th (6); Feature: 3rd (6)
June 17 – Sweet Springs, MO – 600cc Nonwing – Heat: 3rd (6); Feature: 7th (13)
June 24 – Sweet Springs, MO – 600cc Stock – Heat: 6th (5); Feature: 7th (10)
June 24 – Sweet Springs, MO – 600cc Nonwing – Heat: 4th (4); Feature: 13th (22)
2017 Stats
12 races, 10 features, 1 win, 3 podiums, 4 top-fives, 8 top-tens, 0 DNFs