By MIKE HUGHES

Special to The Hays Daily News

STOCKTON (Aug. 14)--Racing action returned to Rooks County Speedway in Stockton on Thursday evening for the second night at the Rooks County Fair. The event was a points race for Wakeeney Speedway. Points were also added for the two days to determine fair champions in all 3 divisions.

Oberlin's David Murray Jr. picked up where he left off the night before as he won his second IMCA Modified feature in as many nights. Hometown driver Chad Sterling led the first 6 laps of the 20-lap race before he drifted high in turn 2 on lap 7, allowing 'The Minneapolis Missle' Dave Hardesty to take over the top spot. Hardesty led through lap 11 before the caution waved for the third time. On the restart, Murray shot past Hardesty and grabbed the lead. The caution waved on the final lap, setting up a one lap shootout with Murray, Hardesty, Jordan Grabouski, Jason Schoenberger and Randy Wilson in the top five spots. Nobody was able to make a pass and the top five remained the same at the checkers. Murray's wins for the two nights gave him the fair championship. Heat race winners were Murray, Wayne Houston, and Hardesty.

Hometown driver J.R. McCreery led the first 13 laps of the IMCA Stock Car feature before Norton's Jason Davis shot by. Davis led the remaining 7 laps to score the victory, trailed by Tyler Hahn, Cory Struckhoff, McCreery, and Nathan Glendening. McCreery and Davis won the two heat races. Struckhoff won a close points race to win the fair championship.

Mathew Crowell grabbed the lead at the drop of the green of the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature, but his bad luck continued as he stopped on lap 3 to bring out a caution. Heat one winner Jeromy Wagner inherited the lead, but at the halfway mark, Wagner had to pit, handing the lead over to Kensington's Jerry Hudson, the victor in heat 2. B.J. Dauer stayed glued to Hudson's bumper the remaining distance but could not make the pass and had to settle for the runner-up spot behind Hudson. Kirk Karst was third, followed by Rhett Kingsbury and Cole Emerson. Hudson's win was good enough to win the fair championship in a tiebreaker over Dauer.

Bonus money was also awarded to the top 3 drivers in each division for the 2 nights. Bonus money was sponsored by RSC Rental Service Corporation of Hays; Prowler Chassis of Stockton; Hahn Tire of Stockton; 183 Lanes & Café of Stockton; and the 1st Stop convenience stores in the surrounding area. The championship trophies were furnished by HRC Race Cars & Midwest Engine of Agra.

Results

IMCA Hobby Stocks

Heat 1: 1. Jeromy Wagner, 2. Mathew Crowell, 3. Luke Pfannenstiel, 4. Kirk Karst.

Heat 2: 1. Jerry Hudson, 2. B.J. Dauer, 3. Frank McClurg, 4. Brad McCoy.

Feature: 1. Hudson, 2. Dauer, 3. Karst, 4. Rhett Kingsbury, 5. Cole Emerson, 6. Crowell, 7. Josh Latka, 8. John McMurtrie, 9. McCoy, 10. McClurg, 11. Laura Hinger, 12. Jason Gross (DNF), 13. Ricky Runnion (DNF), 14. Kaid Calhoon (DNF), 15. Wagner (DNF), 16. Pfannenstiel (DNF) 17. Joey Carter (DNF).

IMCA Stock Cars

Heat 1: 1. J.R. McCreery, 2. Michael Zajic, 3. Travis Sherfick, 4. Tyler Hahn.

Heat 2: 1. Jason Davis, 2. Nathan Glendening, 3. Dustin McClurg, 4. Donald Dodds.

Feature: 1. Davis, 2. Hahn, 3. Cory Struckhoff, 4. McCreery, 5. Glendening, 6. Marty Barth, 7. McClurg, 8. Zajic, 9. Terry Cunningham, 10. Dan Lauer, 11. Dodds, 12. Trevor Thornton, 13. Sherfick (DNF), 14. Brian Ryff (DNF), 15. Adam Balthazor (DNF).

IMCA Modifieds

Heat 1: 1. David Murray Jr., 2. Tyler Hahn, 3. Jason Schoenberger, 4. Wes O'Bannon.

Heat 2: 1. Wayne Houston, 2. Mark Zorn, 3. Chad Sterling, 4. Barry Maupin.

Heat 3: 1. Dave Hardesty, 2. Gary Kline, 3. Randy Wilson, 4. Jordan Grabouski.

Feature: 1. Murray, 2. Hardesty, 3. Grabouski, 4. Schoenberger, 5. Wilson, 6. Sterling, 7. Houston, 8. Marty Clark, 9. Jeremy Zorn, 10. Jerry Phillips, 11. G. Kline, 12. Mitch Kline, 13. Corey Lagroon, 14. Maupin, 15. John Fose, 16. Dylan Sherfick, 17. Jerry Teel, 18. Jim Bell, 19. O'Bannon (DNF), 20. Hahn (DNF), 21. Josh Hudson (DNF), 22. Mike Petersilie (DNF), 23. M. Zorn (DNF), 24. Jeff Walters (DNF).