LEMOORE, CALIFORNIA (September 9, 2016) – 11 year-old Ben Silliker is used to being the youngest driver wherever he goes in his racing career. But the Team Silco Development Driver and Northern Alberta, Canada transplant recently took a major step. Silliker qualified for the feature in Tuesday's Kyle Larson Outlaw Kart Showcase at Cycleland Speedway in Oroville, CA, making the main event for the 500cc Open class against over 100 entries.

The massive entry list included NASCAR and World of Outlaws drivers including Rico Abreu and Kyle Larson. Making the feature event adds to an impressive season with seven race wins across Micros, Outlaw Karts, and pavement Jr. Late Models. Silliker ranks in the top-five of the inaugural USAC Micro Series restricted national championship and third in the world's first Madera 51FIFTY Jr. Late Models, televised on MAVTV. Tuesday's run in the second annual Kyle Larson Showcase made him the youngest feature starter ever.

Monday night's competition was a standalone preliminary, with no bearing on Tuesday's Showcase. Silliker flexed his muscles early by running eighth out of 105 entries in hot laps. With no time trials, fields for the heat races were set by random draw where Silliker ran sixth in his heat race and failed to make the feature.

Silliker only ran 91st out of 129 cars in hot laps on Tuesday but again it did not affect his placement in the heat races. He charged forward from the back of his qualifier, running ninth after the opening lap but working his way up to third at the checkered flag. Passing points qualified Silliker directly into the dash where he finished eighth.

The 40 lap feature saw 29 karts on the grid with Silliker starting fourth. He jumped up to third on in the opening laps before a flat tire relegated him to the back of the field. The young driver was undeterred and battled with drivers such as Larson and Abreu as he tried to make his way back through the pack. He eventually crossed the checkered flag in 16th position to end a busy main event in a career-defining night.

Silliker ran the weekend before with mechanical problems at Plaza Park Raceway during their two-day show, followed by a Sunday appearance at Delta Speedway where he ran third in the Restricted Micros main event during the "Dual at Delta"

He ended August with the sixth round of the world's first 51FIFTY Jr. Late Models, a full-size stock car series at Madera Speedway. A third place finish in that event has him in strong contention for second in the standings as the youngest driver in a series that averages 13 entrants per race.

His 2016 campaign with wind down with additional USAC Micro Series national races at Dixon Speedway this weekend and Plaza Park Raceway on Friday September 23rd. Lemoore Raceway will be the destination on September 17th while Madera Speedway will compete on September 24th.

His October and November plans will include many special events such as Madera's Short Track Shootout and Delta's Turkey Bowl XVI. Two-day shows at Dixon and Plaza Park are also tentatively on the Team Silco Racing schedule in November.

Race fans can follow Ben Silliker's progress from Madera on MAVTV every Thursday night or on the LucasOilRacing.TV app. Many of his major Outlaw Kart and Micro Sprint races are streamed on FastFourMedia.com Check the website for dates and times.

More information on Team Silco Racing can be found at www.TeamSilco.com or on Facebook and Twitter.

Team Silco Racing is presented by Hamblin Motorsports, Micro Blue Bearings, Evolution Racing Products, Blakesley Sports Media, CSI Shocks, Vahlco Wheels, and Motion Media Wraps.