By the URSS

CALHAN, Colo. -- Oh, what a difference a week makes. Just ask Blake Smith Jr. After his car caught fire a week ago at the fourth annual Wheatshocker Rebel Nationals in Hays after a broken fuel line, Smith rebounded with a solid run Saturday night as the United Rebel Sprint Series hit the dirt track at El Paso County Speedway in Calhan, Colo.

Smith won the nonwing show to claim his first career URSS win.

"It's huge," Smith said. "To get that first win in a sprint car is huge. It makes you know you can do it." Smith started outside the second row and moved into third on the initial start.

"I tried to be patient," he said. "I knew the car was fast. I just had to follow them around there and pick my spots."

Reed Bernbeck started on the pole and ran second behind Levi Wisecup until Smith got by Bernbeck to slip into the runner-up spot. About the halfway point, Smith got by Wisecup for the lead. "It was kind of a one-lane track," Smith said. "You had to go get on the bottom. You had to put yourself on the bottom and put yourself in a position to pass the others. I worked on Levi for a good 10 laps to get him set up in one and two. I would get a run on him, and he would hold his line. It went back and forth. I just had to put myself in position."

Once around Wisecup, Smith distanced himself from the field, eventually building a straightaway lead before the checkered flag dropped.

Meanwhile, Patrick Bourke was making his way from his eighth-place starting spot. He moved to the outside of the track while the rest of the field hugged the bottom. After jumping three spots on the initial start, he finally got by Bob Sheaffer to move into fourth, then passed Bernbeck after a caution to fall into third." "I jumped up high and tried to carry momentum," Bourke said. He used the high line again to get by Wisecup to move into second behind Smith. But by that time, Smith had created the big gap.

"I closed a little bit, but not very much," Bourke said. "I got to where I could see him all the way around, but he was running a really good race." Bourke finished second, followed by Adam Trimble in third and Wisecup in fourth. Blake Bogenhagen was fifth.

"It's definitely just something to even say you can run with guys like Patrick Bourke," Smith said. It was the first nonwing show for many of the drivers, and only the second for Bourke since 2003. "Out of the group of guys there, only three had run without a wing before," Bourke said. "I was very impressed with how everyone handled it. Everyone gave each other space."

Heat race winners were Nick Haygood, A.J. Weaver and Bourke.

Bourke picked up the Keizer Aluminum Racing Wheels Hard Charger Award, going from eighth to second.

* * *

For more information about the United Rebel Sprint Series, contact Rick Salem at (785) 475-7010 or email rksalem@eaglecom.net, or visit the URSS online at www.unitedrebelsprintseries.com.

Feature results

1. Blake Smith Jr. 2. Patrick Bourke, 3. Adam Trimble, 4. Levi Wisecup, 5. Blake Bogenhagen, 6. Reed Bernbeck, 7. A.J. Weaver, 8. Bob Sheaffer, 9. Nick Haygood, 10. Michael Williams, 11. Ian Christie, 12. Fred Schneider, 13. Don Campbell, 14. Sam Wisecup, 15. Tara Jo Christie.