Rico Springs to International Opening Win

(December 26, 2014) – Newly crowned USAC Midget National champion Rico Abreu opened up the POWRi International Midget challenge by winning Friday night’s Boxing Day event at New Zealand’s Western Springs Speedway.

While Kiwi Brad Mosen led the way early on in the 25-lapper after taking the lead from initial leader Shayne Alach on the third round, seventh-starter Abreu from Rutherford, CA, took advantage of a late restart to slide into the lead in the final handful of rounds.

Abreu was chased to the line by Mosen with Alach claiming the show position, with Bryan Clauson racing form 9th to fourth and Tracy Hines rounding out the top five after starting from the pole position. Darren Hagen was sixth with Ryan O’Connor next across the line in seventh.

In the International Challenge, the Kiwi Team bested USA by a margin of 51 points to 49 with Australia a distant third with 29 points. Tracy Hines, making his first Springs Speedway appearance in ten years, earned the Herman Tross Memorial Shield by tallying the most points in the International Test Heat Races.

Feature Finish: 1. Rico Abreu; 2. Brad Mosen; 3. Shayne Alach; 4. Bryan Clauson; 5. Tracy Hines; 6. Darren Hagen; 7. Ryan O’Connor; 8. Peter Hunnibell; 9. Dave Darland; 10. Chris McCutcheon; 11. Ben Drummond; 12. Brock Maskovich; 13. Brett Thomas; 14. Bryce McKenzie; 15. Leon Burgess; 16. Nick Donaldson; 17. Jerry Coons, Jr.; 18. Hayden Williams; 19. Michael Pickens; 20. Lee Redmond.