By MIKE HUGHES

Special to The Hays Daily News

WAKEENEY, KS (July 16)--The United Rebel Sprint Series invaded Wakeeney (KS) Speedway on Friday evening, July 16, for the first time this season and 42 cars rolled in for competition, along with the track's regular four divisions.

After 5 heat races and 2 B-features, the 20-car 305 Sprint Car main event was set. C.J. Johnson took the lead at the drop of the green, trailed by polesitter Cory Lutters, Keefe Hemel, Lance Davis and 'The Rainman' Ray Seemann. By lap 5, Johnson had a straightaway lead, and had caught the backmarkers by lap 8. The first of 2 cautions waved on lap 12 when Taylor Velasquez and Davis tangled in turn 2. Johnson led the field back to green, but on lap 14, Ransom's Smokey Fairbank got under Johnson in turn 4 to take the top spot. The second and final caution waved on lap 19 when Craig Jecha came to a stop on the track. 'The Smokester' led the field back to green and led the remaining laps for the victory. 'The Hitman' Jason Martin got by Johnson to earn the runner-up spot, with Kirby Hagan and Hemel rounding out the top five. Heat race winners were Patrick Bourke, Josh Fairbank, Velasquez, Seemann and Hemel, while Ty Williams and 'Flyin' Brian Herbert topped the 2 B-mains.

The IMCA Modified A-feature was wild to say the least. 'Rapid' Ronnie Hill took the lead on the opening lap and led the field to the crossed flags at the halfway mark. The caution waved on lap 11 when Jason Schoenberger stopped on the track. During the caution, second place runner David Murray Jr. had to pit for a flat tire. On the restart, Hill led 'The Minneapolis Missle' Dave Hardesty, 'Dynamite' Dylan Sherfick, Kyle Rohleder and Mike Petersilie. A scary situation occurred on lap 12 when 9 cars running mid-pack tangled on the front straightaway, causing a couple of cars to roll. Nate Moore, Travis Sherfick, Brian Calhoon, Schoenberger, Jesse Richter, Chad Sterling, Tim Watts, Rob Day and Darwin Ferguson were all involved. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the only car able to return was Ferguson. Hill led the field when the green flag reappeared, but Hardesty muscled his way to the front on lap 13 and led the remaining distance for a trip to victory lane. Murray, the current national point leader, charged his way back up through the field to finish in the runner-up spot, followed by Hill, Dylan Sherfick and Rodger Peck. Murray, Ferguson and Dylan Sherfick were all heat race victors, with Jerry Teel taking the checkers in the B-main.

Jay Hachmeister led the first 7 laps of the 18-lap IMCA Stock Car feature before 'The Hammer' Josh Hudson of Kensington took control. Hudson was able to maintain the top spot the rest of the way to make his way to the winner's circle. Terry Cunningham, Rod Bencken, heat two winner Hachmeister, and Adam Balthazor rounded out the top five. Hudson won the other heat race.

Collyer's Blaine Walt led from green to checkered in the 15-lap IMCA Northern Sport Mod feature. Heat 3 winner Walt started fourth in the 17-car field but quickly grabbed the lead and was able to hold on through a couple of caution periods to get his first win at Wakeeney this season. Heat 2 winner Brian Conness was second, trailed by track point leader Clayton Wilson, Troy Robinson and Cory McGann. State point leader Mathew Crowell won the second heat race.

The IMCA Hobby Stock feature had the closest finish of the night. Aaron Honas charged to the front on the opening lap and led the field through 2 cautions and to the halfway mark in the 15-lap race. But late in the race, Honas began to slow and Austin Carter took over the top spot on lap 11. The final caution waved on lap 12 when Honas stopped on the track with ignition problems. Carter led Hoxie's Michael Schamberger and Josh Latka back to green. Then in turn 4 on the final lap, Schamberger won the drag race down the frontstretch to edge out Carter for the win. Heat one winner Latka held on for third, with Jerry Hudson fourth and Kirk Karst fifth. G.W. 'Cheeseburger' Fuller won the other heat race.

The evening's race sponsor was Frontier Ag Inc.

The next race at Wakeeney will be during the Trego County Fair on Monday, August 2. The four regular IMCA classes will be in action starting at 7:30.

RESULTS

IMCA Hobby Stocks

Heat 1: 1. Josh Latka, 2. Aaron Honas, 3. Jerry Hudson, 4. Casey Gilmore.

Heat 2: 1. G.W. Fuller, 2. Austin Carter, 3. Cody Graham, 4. Daniel Irwin.

Feature: 1. Michael Schamberger, 2. Carter, 3. Latka, 4. Hudson, 5. Kirk Karst, 6. Gilmore, 7. Graham, 8. Fuller, 9. Mark Normandin, 10. Irwin, 11. Rick Maynard, 12. Al Emmons, 13. Honas (DNF), 14. Dalton Dolan (DNF), 15. Blaine Buchholz (DNF), 16. Tyrel Smith (DNS).

IMCA Northern Sport Mods

Heat 1: 1. Brian Conness, 2. Clayton Wilson, 3. Tyler Watts, 4. Troy Robinson.

Heat 2: 1. Mathew Crowell, 2. Trenton Kleweno, 3. Cory McGann, 4. Josh Rice.

Heat 3: 1. Blaine Walt, 2. Troy Attwood, 3. Chris Heim, 4. Justin Dietz.

Feature: 1. Walt, 2. Conness, 3. Wilson, 4. Robinson, 5. McGann, 6. Attwood, 7. Heim, 8. Rice, 9. Crowell, 10. Dietz, 11. Clay Sellard, 12. Brendon Damon, 13. Jerry Lambeth, 14. Watts, 15. Kleweno (DNF), 16. Jeremy Sigler (DNF), 17. Kaid Calhoon (DNS).

IMCA Stock Cars

Heat 1: 1. Josh Hudson, 2. Adam Balthazor, 3. Chase Conaway, 4. Rod Bencken.

Heat 2: 1. Jay Hachmeister, 2. Terry Cunningham, 3. Jason Davis, 4. Pat Bedore.

Feature: 1. Hudson, 2. Cunningham, 3. Bencken, 4. Hachmeister, 5. Balthazor, 6. Bedore, 7. Davis, 8. Conaway, 9. Bob Rutherford, 10. Adam Stenzl.

IMCA Modifieds

Heat 1: 1. David Murray Jr., 2. Dave Hardesty, 3. Corey Lagroon, 4. Jesse Richter.

Heat 2: 1. Darwin Ferguson, 2. Kyle Rohleder, 3. Jason Schoenberger, 4. Mike Petersilie.

Heat 3: 1. Dylan Sherfick, 2. Ronnie Hill, 3. Brian Calhoon, 4. Rob Day.

B-Feature (top 5 advance): 1. Jerry Teel, 2. John Fose, 3. Wheat Lippelmann, 4. Travis Sherfick, 5. Nate Moore, 6. Brendon Hockersmith, 7. Chadd Brown, 8. Milo Lippelmann, 9. Jesse Smith, 10. Derrick Ferguson, 11. Doug Ferguson, 12. Marty Clark, 13. Matt Fabrizius (DNS).

A-Feature: 1. Hardesty, 2. Murray, 3. Hill, 4. D. Sherfick, 5. Rodger Peck, 6. Teel, 7. Petersilie, 8. Rohleder, 9. Fose, 10. W. Lippelmann, 11. Lagroon, 12. Darwin Ferguson (DNF), 13. Richter (DNF), 14. T. Sherfick (DNF), 15. Chad Sterling (DNF), 16. Tim Watts (DNF), 17. Moore (DNF), 18. Day (DNF), 19. Schoenberger (DNF), 20. Calhoon (DNF).

URSS 305 Sprint Cars

Heat 1: 1. Patrick Bourke, 2. C.J. Johnson, 3. Blake Bogenhagen, 4. Cory Lutters.

Heat 2: 1. Josh Fairbank, 2. Smokey Fairbank, 3. Lance Davis, 4. Cody Salem.

Heat 3: 1. Taylor Velasquez, 2. Kirby Hagan, 3. Jared Kern, 4. Craig Jecha.

Heat 4: 1. Ray Seemann, 2. Jason Martin, 3. Jeff Radcliffe, 4. Jordan Randles.

Heat 5: 1. Keefe Hemel, 2. Zach Blurton, 3. Michael Williams, 4. Ken Lutters.

B-Feature #1 (top 5 advance): 1. Ty Williams, 2. J. Radcliffe, 3. Blurton, 4. Adam Trimble, 5. Bogenhagen, 6. Willie Wynn, 7. Tyler Kraus, 8. Reed Bernbeck, 9. Chuck Lutters, 10. Williams, 11. Cole Wood, 12. Craig Crossette, 13. Mike Spear, 14. Howard Van Dyke, 15. Tara Jo Christie (DNF), 16. Darren Berry (DNF).

B-Feature #2 (top 5 advance): 1. Brian Herbert, 2. Hagan, 3. Kern, 4. Jecha, 5. Ken Lutters, 6. Randles, 7. Judd Sheaffer, 8. Fred Holz, 9. Chad Salem, 10. Kaden Taylor, 11. Garth Griffith, 12. Cody Salem (DNF), 13. Shawn Radcliffe (DNF), 14. Ian Christie (DNS), 15. H.J. Norman (DNS), 16. Shelby Stapel (DNS).

A-Feature: 1. S. Fairbank, 2. Martin, 3. Johnson, 4. Hagan, 5. Hemel, 6. Seemann, 7. Williams, 8. Herbert, 9. Trimble, 10. Bourke, 11. J. Radcliffe, 12. Chad Salem, 13. Blurton, 14. Bogenhagen, 15. Jecha, 16. J. Fairbank, 17. Kern, 18. K. Lutters, 19. Velasquez (DNF), 20. Davis (DNF).