By MIKE HUGHES

Special to The Hays Daily News

WAKEENEY, KS (April 26) -- Racing action returned to Wakeeney (KS) Speedway Sunday evening, April 26, to open the new season.

'Gentleman' Jerry Phillips took the lead at the drop of the green in the 20-lap IMCA Modified feature, but Salina's Corey Lagroon passed Phillips on lap 5 and held on for the win. David Murray Jr. tried using the low line as he challenged Lagroon for several laps late in the race but had to settle for second. Phillips was third, followed by Ronnie Hill and Dylan Sherfick. Heat race winners were Murray, Phillips, Grant Junghans, Jason Schoenberger, and 'Taz Man' Tyler Hahn. 'Lightning' John Fabrizius and Rob Day won the two B-mains.

Twenty-four cars lined up for the 20-lap IMCA Stock Car feature, which was the most exciting feature of the night. Dustin McClurg led the first 2 laps before 'The Z Man' Mark Zorn took control. That lasted for 2 laps as 12th starting Bryan Lariviere made the pass on Zorn. Caution flags on laps 6 and 7 kept the field close, and Zorn retook the lead on lap 9, only to give way to Lariviere once again on lap 11. The top 6 were nose-to-tail and side-by-side when the final caution waved on lap 14. After the restart, Kensington's Cory Struckhoff passed Lariviere for the lead and held on at the checkers for the win. Lariviere finished in the runner-up spot, trailed by McClurg, 'The Terminator' Travis Sherfick, and Terry Cunningham. Adam Balthazor, McClurg, and Sherfick were victorious in the heat races.

B.J. Dauer of Marquette led all 15-laps in the IMCA Hobby Stock feature. Mathew Crowell and G.W. Fuller stayed within striking distance but could not get close enough to make a pass. Ricky 'The Racer' Runnion charged from the back of the 21-car field after a caution flag and worked his way up to second place at the checkers. Crowell, Fuller, and Josh Latka rounded out the top five. Heat race winners included Crowell, Runnion, and Dauer.

The IMCA Northern Sport Mods made their debut at the 3/8-mile oval and Bryan Herrick of Curtis, NE, took the top honors. The race got off to a rocky start as several cars were involved in a melee in turn 1, resulting in Joe Couse rolling his car. He was not injured but done for the night. Tyler Frye took the early lead and led until late in the race when Herrick took over the lead to the finish. Frye settled for second, followed by Jimmy Weigel, Troy Robinson and Brett Conness. Heat race winners were Frye and Herrick.

Heat race winner Alex West of Goodland took the lead on lap 2 from Tyrel Smith and led the remaining distance in the 12-lap Econo feature. Adrienne West finished second and Smith third.

The evening's race sponsor was T.J.'s Alignment & Repair of Wakeeney.

Racing returns to Wakeeney Speedway on Sunday, May 10, when the IMCA-sanctioned Modifieds, Stock Cars, and Hobby Stocks will be joined by the Sport Compacts, another new class to debut at Wakeeney.

RESULTS

IMCA Hobby Stocks

Heat 1: 1. Mathew Crowell, 2. Daniel Irwin, 3. Luke Pfannenstiel, 4. Kent Tammen.

Heat 2: 1. Ricky Runnion, 2. Cody Ghumm, 3. Dalton Dolan, 4. Al Emmons.

Heat 3: 1. B.J. Dauer, 2. G.W. Fuller, 3. Josh Latka, 4. Jerry Hudson.

Feature: 1. Dauer, 2. Runnion, 3. Crowell, 4. Fuller, 5. Latka, 6. Luke Pfannenstiel, 7. Jason McIntyre, 8. Hudson, 9. Cody Williams, 10. Roger Garrison, 11. Ghumm, 12. Tammen, 13. Emmons, 14. Leon Pfannenstiel, 15. Don Strecker, 16. Dolan, 17. Tommy Shomaker (DNF), 18. Jeremy Sigler (DNF), 19. Jake Eicher (DNF), 20. Irwin (DNF), 21. Aaron Honas (DNF), 22. #87 (DNS), 23. #24 (DNS).

IMCA Stock Cars

Heat 1: 1. Adam Balthazor, 2. Bryan Lariviere, 3. Cory Struckhoff, 4. Mark Zorn.

Heat 2: 1. Dustin McClurg, 2. Terry Cunningham, 3. Arnold Williams, 4. Adam Stenzel.

Heat 3: 1. Travis Sherfick, 2. Jason Rogers, 3. Marty Barth, 4. Dalton Bauer.

Feature: 1. Struckhoff, 2. Lariviere, 3. McClurg, 4. Sherfick, 5. Cunningham, 6. Zorn, 7. Rogers, 8. Williams, 9. Jason Davis, 10. B.J. Wagoner, 11. Travis Towns, 12. Ryan Wark, 13. Dan Lauer, 14. Cole Wilson, 15. Barth, 16. Balthazor, 17. Bauer, 18. Pat Bedore, 19. Wayne McAfee, 20. Bruce Plumisto, 21. Stenzel, 22. Eric Kinderknecht, 23. Tim Gassmann (DNF), 24. Keith Riley (DNF).

IMCA Modifieds

Heat 1: 1. David Murray Jr., 2. Nick Tubbs, 3. Rodger Peck, 4. Mike Petersilie.

Heat 2: 1. Jerry Phillips, 2. George Tyler, 3. Dylan Sherfick, 4. Marty Clark.

Heat 3: 1. Grant Junghans, 2. Corey Lagroon, 3. John Fabrizius, 4. John Fose.

Heat 4: 1. Jason Schoenberger, 2. Ronnie Hill, 3. Rob Day, 4. Shannon Maughlin.

Heat 5: 1. Tyler Hahn, 2. Jeff Tubbs, 3. Nate Moore, 4. Scott Brown.

B-Feature #1 (top 5 advance): 1. J. Fabrizius, 2. Peck, 3. Clark, 4. Moore, 5. Maughlin, 6. Danny Keller, 7. Doug Shearer, 8. Milo Lippelmann, 9. Jerry Teel (DNF), 10. Cody Kelly (DNF), 11. Rick Schwab (DNF), 12. Chad Sterling (DNS), 13. Barry Maupin (DNS).

B-Feature #2 (top 5 advance): 1. R. Day, 2. Sherfick, 3. Petersilie, 4. Randy Wilson, 5. Wheat Lippelmann, 6. Brown, 7. Butch Day, 8. Craig Colgin, 9. Kyle Rohleder (DNF), 10. Jesse Richter (DNF), 11. Josh Hudson (DNF), 12. Fose (DNF), 13. Matt Fabrizius (DNS).

A-Feature: 1. Lagroon, 2. Murray, 3. Phillips, 4. Hill, 5. Sherfick, 6. Schoenberger, 7. Peck, 8. J. Fabrizius, 9. Wilson, 10. N. Tubbs, 11. Clark, 12. Petersilie, 13. Tyler, 14. Maughlin, 15. R. Day, 16. Moore, 17. W. Lippelmann, 18. Junghans (DNF), 19. Hahn (DNF), 20. J. Tubbs (DNF).

IMCA Northern Sport Mods

Heat 1: 1. Tyler Frye, 2. Joe Couse, 3. Troy Robinson, 4. Jimmy Weigel.

Heat 2: 1. Bryan Herrick, 2. Brian Conness, 3. Andrew Enfield.

Feature: 1. Herrick, 2. Frye, 3. Weigel, 4. Robinson, 5. Brett Conness, 6. Duane Wahrman, 7. Adam Bryant, 8. Brian Conness (DNF), 9. Levi Kiser (DNF), 10. Ethyn Hefner (DNF), 11. Enfield (DNF), 12. Couse (DNF).

Econos

Heat: 1. Alex West, 2. Tyrel Smith, 3. Alex Crossland, 4. Adrienne West.

Feature: 1. Alex West, 2. Adrienne West, 3. T. Smith, 4. Nick Smith, 5. Lanny Kear, 6. Krista Plummer, 7. Crossland (DNF).