Joshua Powell’s motto is “I take it one race at a time, try to be consistent and finish in one piece.”

The 24 year-old driver from Sarver has been competing at oval tracks for three years. He started in the Crate Late Model class for a year and a half. When his motor blew up, he made a deal with a guy in Tennessee to swap his motor for a big block power plant.

Powell was formerly a crew chief for Late Model chauffeur Kenny Schaltenbrand. He purchased an old chassis from Kenny and started his own Late Model career with Schaltenbrand as his mentor. They park beside each other at the races.

“He taught me how to set up a car and make changes, throttle control and how to hit my marks on the track,” Powell said.

His only other racing experience was Motocross, where he raced from the age of 10-14 years old.

“I kind of got away from it after a bad crash that required shoulder surgery,” he said.

Powell tore his rotator cuff, damaged two ligaments and two metal anchors were put into the area. He uses the number 11 that was his high school sports number.

Joshua’s mom, Daralee, took him to Lernerville when he was a year and a half, along with his older sister Kristen,(who now is a physician’s assistant in Maryland). His dad, Frank has been in the Air Force for 28 years and is frequently deployed, but the family has kept their residence in the area.

Living near the Schaltenbrands, Joshua started helping him when he was 12 years old after attending classes in the Freeport School district.

After high school graduation, Powell attended CCAC for the two-year FORD Asset program and acquired an associate degree. They had shop classes in the morning and academics in the afternoon.

During that time, he worked for Butler County Ford for six years. Since receiving his degree, Powell now is employed at Allegheny Ford, in the South Side where he is a diesel mechanic.

During the last regular point’s night at Lernerville, Powell took a wild ride and went over the cushion on the front straight and rolled his car.

“It was the first time I was upside down. I just pulled my hands back and closed my eyes,” he lamented. “I destroyed my car and was a little sore for a couple of days.”

His aim to “finish in one piece’” apparently doesn’t apply to his race car. His goal this season was to have a feature finish in the top five. He had a second place. The other goal was to be in the top 10 in points and he is seventh.

Now he is looking for a chassis for 2019. His crew consists of his dad Frank, his girlfriend (Allison Rusak), Nick Rusak, Brendon Phillippi, Brandon Jeber and Brendon Fullerton.

Powell likes to watch his friend, AJ Flick, and also Mat Williamson race. In NASCAR he used to follow Dave Blaney and now checks to see how Dave’s son, Ryan finishes.

“The Blaneys are wonderful people,” he exclaimed.

Next year he would like to travel a little bit.

“I don’t get home until 6:30 p.m. on Friday, so I will be at Lernerville that night,” he added. A heat or feature victory will probably be some of his goals after he locates a new car.

A career first

After 25 years, Sprint driver Jack Sodeman Jr. earned a career-first feature win at Tri-City Speedway on the last race of the season.

The track championship went to Sye Lynch, which was a career first for the young lion.

Congratulations are also in order for Lernerville’s 2018 titleists, Sprints- AJ Flick; Late Models-Mike Norris; Modifieds-Russ King Jr., and Pure Stocks- Cory McPherson.

Saturday at Lernerville features the Back to School Bus Races, Kids Bike Races, Senior Series, Powder Puff, Demo Derby and Enduro 100.

Carol Gamble is a racing columnist for the Butler Eagle