By MIKE HUGHES

Special to The Hays Daily News

HAYS, KS (October 16-17) - Over 200 race teams converged on RPM Speedway in Hays, KS, for the 3rd Annual Fall Nationals on Friday & Saturday, October 16-17, representing 13 different states.

Qualifying heats were held Friday night, however a one hour rain delay forced track officials to postpone the second round of heat races for the IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars and Hobby Stocks until Saturday afternoon.

On Saturday, the make-up heat races were ran first, followed by last chance races and consolation features in all 5 divisions.

In the IMCA Modified main event, Chris Abelson of Sioux City, IA, jumped to the early lead of the 30-lap event, trailed by Will Brack and Jordan Grabouski, but on the following lap Grabouski took over the top spot. The red flag waved on lap 5 when Grant Junghans rolled at the end of the backstraight. He was okay but done for the night. Grabouski led the field back to green with Abelson, Benji Lacrosse, Ricky Alvarado and David Murray Jr. in tow. Grabouski led the field through lap 20, then Murray took control and led the remaining distance for the victory and the $5,000 winner's check. Lacrosse finished second, followed by Abelson, Grabouski and Alvarado.

Iowa's Tim Bengard took the lead at the drop of the green in the IMCA Stock Car main event, followed by Colby's Dustin Daniels, Cory Struckhoff and Terry Cunningham. Daniels took the lead on lap 8, only to have Bengard regain the top spot on the following lap. Bengard led the field at the halfway mark of the 25-lap race, but Daniels regained control on lap 16, still chased by Struckhoff, Bengard and Cunningham. The top four remained close the remaining distance but Daniels claimed the checkers and $3,000. Struckhoff, Bengard, Cunningham, and Randy Brands rounded out the top five.

The IMCA Hobby Stock main event saw Kelly Karnopp lead the first 3 laps before track and state point champion B.J. Dauer of Marquette took the lead. The caution flag waved several times throughout the 20 lap race but Dauer was able to hold on to claim the win and the $1,000 that went with it. Murray Haugen, Jerry Hudson, Karnopp, and Ryan Gilland would complete the top five.

Tyler Frye of Belleville dominated the IMCA Northern Sport Mod main event. Frye led from green to checkered for the victory. National champion Jesse Sobbing had to settle for the runner-up spot, followed by Rod Kliunker, Wade Wagenblast and Josh Rice.

Salina's Andrue Halpain also led wire-to-wire in the IMCA Sport Compact main event. Nick Wolff and Jesse Dunlap finished second and third.

Sponsors for the weekend's event were Jason Oil Co., Teels Trucks, and Skillett & Sons Trucking.

The 2nd Annual Kansas State Shootout Race of Champions also took place Saturday night and saw 2 repeat winners. Corey Lagroon of Salina was a repeat winner in the Modifieds as he led all 12 laps; Norton's Jason Davis won the battle with Adam Balthazor and Marty Barth to win the Stock Car race; and B.J. Dauer made a repeat appearance in the Hobby Stocks after passing Josh Latka. Sponsors for the Race of Champions included Phillips Motorsports, Frying Pan Racing Products, Aero Wheels, Belleville Motorsports, FRT Designs, Scott's Studios, Comb's Enterprises, Bills Built, Smileys, Pro Motor Sports, IMCA, Design 500, Brinn Inc., and KSE Racing Inc.

RESULTS

IMCA Sport Compacts

Feature: 1. Andrue Halpain, 2. Nick Wolff, 3. Jesse Dunlap, 4. Chris Lobdell, 5. John Annon, 6. Jamie Rice, 7. Kirk Pfannenstiel, 8. Art Herzog, 9. Michael Smith, 10. Shaun Woods, 11. Shelbie Thummel, 12. Nicole Woods, 13. #63, 14. Kellie Whittenburg (DNF), 15. Allen Rice (DNF), 16. Alex Loveless (DNF), 17. Brendon Lobdell (DNS).

IMCA Northern Sport Mods

Feature: 1. Tyler Frye, 2. Jesse Sobbing, 3. Rod Kliunker, 4. Wade Wagenblast, 5. Josh Rice, 6. Ethyn Heffner, 7. Kyle Olberding, 8. Joe Couse, 9. Jake Krone, 10. Troy Attwood, 11. Jerrod Couse, 12. Shane Meeks, 13. Robert McAfee, 14. Jerry Lambeth, 15. Tanner Portenier, 16. Jason Nelssen, 17. Ryan Grit (DNF), 18. Jerry Hinton (DNF), 19. Brian Fink (DNF), 20. Fred Traskousky (DNF).

IMCA Hobby Stocks

B-Feature (top 10 advance): 1. Ryan Gilland, 2. Luke Pfannenstiel, 3. Kirk Karst, 4. Kent Tammen, 5. Eric Stanton, 6. Mark Normandin, 7. Tony Slothower, 8. Casey Gilmore, 9. Dalton Dolan, 10. Rick Slothower, 11. Cody Williams, 12. Dennis Berry, 13. Brandon Belvill, 14. Duane McAnamey, 15. Chris Hupp, 16. Jason McIntyre, 17. Michael Lauber, 18. Roger Garrison, 19. Don Strecker, 20. Tim McBurney, 21. Dylan Book, 22. Michael Schamberger (DNF), 23. Mike Traskowsky (DNF), 24. Cody Graham (DNF), 25. Brad McCoy (DNF).

A-Feature: 1. B.J. Dauer, 2. Murray Haugren, 3. Jerry Hudson, 4. Kelly Karnopp, 5. Gilland, 6. Leon Pfannenstiel, 7. Karst, 8. Normandin, 9. T. Slothower, 10. Stanton, 11. Austin Davis, 12. G.W. Fuller, 13. Tammen, 14. Dolan, 15. Joel Younger, 16. Josh Latka, 17. Luke Pfannenstiel (DNF), 18. Jacob Williams (DNF), 19. Gilmore (DNF), 20. R. Slothower (DNF).

IMCA Stock Cars

Last Chance (top 10 advance): 1. Brian Sauser, 2. Darrin Adamy, 3. Dustin McClurg, 4. Bruce Plumisto, 5. Travis Taylor, 6. Geoff Jermark, 7. Keith Riley, 8. Gary Foxworthy, 9. Tex Zimmerman, 10. Scott Cossel (DNF), 11. Ethan Vogler (DNF), 12. Bobby Eubanks (DNF), 13. Mel Law (DNS), 14. Craig Werth (DNS), 15. Trevor Wadel (DNS).

D-Feature (top 10 advance): 1. Arnold Williams, 2. Mike Mauer, 3. Lloyd Meeske, 4. Adamy, 5. Wylie Pumarlo, 6. McClurg, 7. Mike Wadel, 8. Sauser, 9. Plumisto, 10. Bennie Turner, 11. Dan Lauer, 12. Jermark, 13. Cody Zimmerman, 14. Foxworthy, 15. Riley, 16. T. Zimmerman (DNF), 17. Cole Wilson (DNF), 18. Taylor (DNF), 19. Nick Tubbs (DNS), 20. Cossel (DNS).

C-Feature (top 10 advance): 1. Jason Rogers, 2. Mike Jergens, 3. Elijah Zevenberger, 4. Bryan Lariviere, 5. Brad Whitney, 6. Jason Davis, 7. Rex Higgins, 8. Travis Towns, 9. Pat Bedore, 10. Darrin Adamy, 11. Mauer, 12. Terry Franz, 13. Plumisto, 14. Meeske, 15. McClurg, 16. Turner (DNF), 17. M. Wadel (DNF), 18. Sauser (DNF), 19. Williams (DNS), 20. Pumarlo (DNS).

B-Feature (top 10 advance): 1. Travis Shipman, 2. ?, 3. Rogers, 4. Jeff Joldersma, 5. Lariviere, 6. Rod Staats, 7. Jay Hachmeister, 8. Jergens, 9. Doug Adamy, 10. Robby Rosselli, 11. Davis, 12. Higgins, 13. Whitney, 14. Towns, 15. Travis Sherfick, 16. Mauer, 17. Bedore, 18. J.R. McCreery, 19. Darrin Adamy, 20. Robert Rutherford.

A-Feature: 1. Dustin Daniels, 2. Cory Struckhoff, 3. Tim Bengard, 4. Terry Cunningham, 5. Randy Brands, 6. Mike Nichols, 7. Abe Huls, 8. Jergens, 9. ?, 10. Marty Barth, 11. Joldersma, 12. Staats, 13. Rogers, 14. Adam Balthazor, 15. ?, 16. Hachmeister, 17. Doug Adamy, 18. Shipman, 19. Rosselli (DNF), 20. Lariviere (DNF).

IMCA Modifieds

Last Chance #1 (top 5 advance): 1. Tim Watts, 2. Clinton Hockersmith, 3. David Solberg, 4. Jeff Tubbs, 5. William Matejovic, 6. Troy Plummer, 7. Grant Florence, 8. Rick Taylor, 9. Cory Simoneau, 10. Kevin Gray, 11. George Tyler (DNF), 12. Kenny Ziegler (DNF), 13. John Fose (DNS).

Last Chance #2 (top 5 advance): 1. Dylan Sherfick, 2. Eddie Belec, 3. Mike Moore, 4. Barry Maupin, 5. Jerry Teel, 6. Trent Gray, 7. Cole Hodges, 8. Mike Martin, 9. Jason Baccus, 10. Tyler Hahn, 11. Chadd Brown, 12. Cliff Shepard, 13. Aaron Hupfer.

D-Feature (top 10 advance): 1. Ronnie Hill, 2. Cody Gearhart, 3. Jerry Phillips, 4. Larry Sutton, 5. Chad Sterling, 6. Watts, 7. D. Sherfick, 8. Moore, 9. Marty Clark, 10. Belec, 11. Maupin, 12. Teel, 13. Nate Moore, 14. T. Gray, 15. Solberg, 16. Scott Brown, 17. Matejovic (DNF), 18. Rob Day (DNF), 19. Hockersmith (DNF), 20. Casey Jo Wanger (DNS).

C-Feature (top 10 advance): 1. Scott Drake, 2. Jason Schoenberger, 3. Corey Lagroon, 4. John Hansen, 5. Brendon Gemmill, 6. Gearhart, 7. Phillips, 8. Hill, 9. Chris Burk, 10. Delbert Smith, 11. Sterling, 12. Clark, 13. Belec, 14. Watts, 15. Moore, 16. D. Sherfick, 17. Perry Misner, 18. Travis Sherfick, 19. Sutton, 20. Ricky Stephan.

B-Feature (top 10 advance): 1. Dominic Ursetta, 2. Jeremy Frenier, 3. Drake, 4. Matt Brack, 5. Hansen, 6. Dave Hardesty, 7. Gearhart, 8. Danny Morrison, 9. Phillips, 10. Darrick Klima, 11. Gemmill, 12. Lagroon, 13. Smith, 14. Brian Calhoon, 15. Chase Junghans, 16. John Fabrizius, 17. Burk, 18. Hill, 19. Mike Petersilie, 20. ?.

A-Feature: 1. David Murray Jr., 2. Benji Lacrosse, 3. Chris Abelson, 4. Jordan Grabouski, 5. Ricky Alvarado, 6. Jeremy Mills, 7. Ursetta, 8. Jay Noteboom, 9. Gearhart, 10. Drake, 11. ?, 12. Hansen, 13. Phillips, 14. M. Brack, 15. Hardesty, 16. Rod Scheuerman, 17. Frenier, 18. Kurt Johnston, 19. Morrison, 20. Jarrod Johnston, 21. Matt Gilbertson (DNF), 22. G. Junghans (DNF), 23. W. Brack (DNF), 24. Klima (DNF).