By the URSS

Special to The Hays Daily News

DODGE CITY (July 5) -- Round No. 2 of the Firecracker Nationals saw 25 teams check in to do battle on a beautiful night for racing at Dodge City. The fans in the stands saw some great battles as the drivers drove high and low and used lapped traffic to their advantage as the laps wore on. When the dust settled, 14-year-old Taylor Milton took the win after surviving repeated challenges by veteran C. J. Johnson, who claimed the runner-up spot.

Dodge City's Kris Moore led the field to the green and jumped to the early lead, followed closely by Darren Bowman, Milton, Johnson and Dennis Fair to round out the top five. Moore's evening ended abruptly as the engine in his mount gave way on lap two. On the restart, Kinsley's Darren Bowman took the lead, with Milton on his bumper. On lap three, Milton grabbed the top spot, bringing Johnson along with him.

Garden City's Jeff Crook joined the battle for the fourth position with Tanner Mullens in fifth. Johnson continued to pressure Milton as the pair started to encounter lapped traffic. Milton stayed on the high side as Johnson shadowed closely behind his tire tracks. Further back in the pack, Mullens, Crook, Ty Williams and Bowman continued their battle for positions three through five. Williams turned up the heat on Crook as the pair went toe-to-toe for a handful of laps before Williams took the spot on lap 20.

Williams quickly went to work on Mullens, with Ray Seemann coming up to challenge Crook for the fifth spot. Williams made the pass on Mullens with one to go as Seemann continued to pressure Crook for the fourth position. Up front, Johnson used all of his experience to try to unseat Milton. The pair diced their way through traffic lap after lap, but the youngster from Woodward, Okla., wouldn't be denied as he took the checkers with Johnson, Bowman, Williams and Mullens rounding out the top five.

Following the race, Williams and Mullens did not pass post race technical inspections.

The Weld Racing Wheels "Hard Charger Award" went to Milton, who raced his way from his eight place starting spot to take the win.

The B-Main winner was Ty Williams.

Heat race winners were Tanner Mullens, Darren Bowman, Taylor Milton and C. J. Johnson.

A-Main (Official Results)

1-Taylor Milton (91X), 2-C.J. Johnson (45X), 3-Darren Bowman (9B), 4- Jeff Crook (52), 5-Ray Seemann (72), 6-Dennis Fair (74), 7-Darren Berry (12), 8-Barry Crane (30C), 9-Brian Herbert (97), 10-Reed Bernbeck (C3), 11-Taylor Velasquez (21), 12-Justin Chaffin (69), 13-Mike Woodruff (83X), 14-Ken Lutters (79), 15-Jerry Caldwell (80), 16-Steve Dalton (12D), 17-Nick King (83), 18-Kris Moore (49), DQ-Tanner Mullens (02), DQ-Ty Williams (1)

B-Main: 1-Ty Williams, 2-Nick King, 3-Reed Bernbeck, 4-Brian Herbert, 5-Barry Crane, 6-Ken Lutters, 7-Taylor Velasquez, 8-Jerry Caldwell, 9-Justin Chaffin, 10-Steve Dalton, 11-Brian May, 12-John Colbert, 13-Richie Dewell, Corey Lutters DNS, Corey Koberstien DNS