Stories

Williams claims Wheatshocker Nationals

By MIKE HUGHES

Special to The Hays Daily News

HAYS, KS (July 14-15)--RPM Speedway in Hays, KS, was host to auto racing during the Ellis County Fair on Saturday & Sunday, July 14-15. The United Rebel Sprint Series made their first appearance of the season both nights for the annual Wheatshocker Nationals. All five regular IMCA classes were also in action between the two nights, along with the school buses.

Liberal's Ty Williams was in a different zip code than the rest of the field on Saturday night as he claimed the 25-lap qualifier that went caution free. Tyler Knight led the field the first half of the race, then as the cars came to the flagstand at the halfway mark, Williams got under Knight in turns 3 and 4 to take a lead he would not relinquish. Brian Herbert finished in the runner-up spot, followed by Knight, Keefe Hemel and Darren Bowman. Jared Kern won the $100 cash dash sponsored by Photos by Red.

Then on Sunday, Lance Davis jumped to the lead from his pole position but spun out in turn 4 on lap 10 while leading to bring out a yellow and turn the lead over to Knight, with Hemel second and Williams third. Williams then got under Knight on lap 12 to assume command. The first of two red flags came on lap 15 when Judd Sheaffer rolled in turn 3 after contact with another car. Sheaffer was okay but done for the night. Then on the restart, Luke Cranston got in a tangle and rolled in turn 1. He was also okay but also finished for the evening. Williams led the field back to green and held on to win his first Wheatshocker Nationals crown and the $2,000 winner's check. Hemel, Knight, Bowman and Ray Seeman completed the top five.

In other Saturday action, David Murray Jr. of Oberlin held off a late charge from defending national champion Jordan Grabouski to win the 25-lap IMCA Modified A-feature and claim the $1,000 payday. Grabouski broke in his heat and had to qualify through the B-feature to make the A-main where he started 19th. Dylan Sherfick finished third, followed by Brian Calhoon and Jeremy Frenier. Murray, the current track point leader, picked up his fifth win of the season at RPM Speedway.

The IMCA Stock Car A-feature saw several cars in contention with battles for position all the way through the 20-car field. B.J. Waggoner led the first half of the 20-lap race with New Cambria's Austin Carter running nose to tail and side by side. Carter then took the lead on lap 10, but gave way back to Waggoner on the following lap. Carter then regained the lead on lap 14. Then on lap 19, Nick Tubbs made contact with Carter, sending him spinning and bringing out a caution. Track officials put Tubbs at the back of the field on the restart and gave Carter his position back, which he took advantage of by holding off several challengers to pick up his first RPM Speedway win of the season and his second of the weekend as he won at Salina on Friday night. Lance Borgman got by Waggoner for second, with Jason Rogers fourth and Terry Cunningham fifth.

In the IMCA Sport Mod A-main, Jason Nelssen led the first 6 laps before the red flag waved on lap 7 when Tyler Frye flipped heading to the pits with a flat tire. Nelssen led the field back to green, but point leader Jake Krone of Beloit passed Krone on the following lap and survived two more caution periods to win his fourth feature in a row at Hays. Nelssen settled for second, trailed by Jason Brees, Mike Wadel and Clay Sellard. The IMCA Hobby Stock and Sport Compact divisions then competed on Sunday night, along with the URSS sprints.

G.W. 'Cheeseburger' Fuller of Tescott won his second IMCA Hobby Stock feature after a race long battle with 'Bam Bam' Cody Graham. Graham chased Fuller the entire race, even leading for a while the first half of the race. Graham would have to settle for second on this night, with 'The Wild Child' Garrett Hager, point leader Jeromy Wagner, and Brian Stich rounding out the top five.

'The Hit Man' Trevor Schmidt of Hays led all 12 laps in the IMCA Sport Compact feature, his second trip to victory lane at his hometown track. Point leader Monte Honas was second, followed by Shyla Hughes, Brandon Lobdell and Allan Rice.

The School Buses also competed both nights with Darren Unrein victorious on Saturday and John Dreiling on Sunday.

Racing action returns to Hays for 'Modified Mania' on Tuesday night, August 7. The IMCA Modifieds will compete for $2,000 to win and the IMCA Northern Sport Mods for $1,000 to the top spot. The event, sponsored by Federated Auto Parts, will also feature NASCAR drivers Ken Schrader and Clint Bowyer. Schrader will be driving the #9 IMCA Modified sponsored by Federated Auto Parts. Bowyer, who has one win on the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit and currently sits 9th in the point standings, will be driving the #15 Crawford Supply IMCA BMS Modified. The grandstands will open at 4:30 p.m. with racing getting underway at 7:30.

RESULTS

IMCA Sport Compacts

Feature: 1. Trevor Schmidt, 2. Monte Honas, 3. Shyla Hughes, 4. Brandon Lobdell, 5. Allan Rice, 6. Vincent Jasper, 7. Art Herzog, 8. Dean Herzog, 9. Anthony Dresdell, 10. Kiowa Higdon (DNF), 11. Donnie Werth (DNF), 12. Kirk Pfannenstiel (DNF), 13. Justinn Rohr (DNF), 14. Scott Spellmeier (DNF), 15. Jesse Prockish (DNF), 16. Ed Jasper (DNF), 17. Jarett Pfannenstiel (DNS).

IMCA Hobby Stocks

B-Feature (top 4 transfer): 1. Brian Stich, 2. Jason Grabast, 3. Jay Hrabe, 4. Robert Emmons, 5. Al Emmons, 6. Wayne Robben, 7. Jason Brin (DNF), 8. Roger Garrison (DNF), 10. Phillip Goering (DNF).

A-Feature: 1. G.W. Fuller, 2. Cody Graham, 3. Garrett Hager, 4. Jeromy Wagner, 5. Stich, 6. Joel Younger, 7. Leon Pfannenstiel, 8. Aaron Gray, 9. Tony Slothower, 10. Grabast, 11. Ron Wehling, 12. R. Emmons, 13. Austin Tammen (DNF), 14. Mark Normandin (DNF), 15. Aaron Honas (DNF), 16. Cody Ghumm (DNF), 17. Hrabe (DNF), 18. Michael Smith (DNF), 19. Robby Marsh (DNF), 20. Kent Tammen (DNF).

IMCA Northern Sport Mods

B-Feature (top 5 transfer) 1. Jake Krone, 2. Kaid Calhoon, 3. Jason McCartney, 4. Jeremy Sigler, 5. Dan Lauer, 6. Tyler Watts, 7. Cody Pancake, 8. Clay Money (DNF), 9. Tim Augustine (DNF), 10. #27G (DNF), 11. Cory McGann (DNS).

A-Feature: 1. Krone, 2. Jason Nelssen, 3. Jason Brees, 4. Mike Wadel, 5. Clay Sellard, 6. McCartney, 7. Andy Barton, 8. Blaine Walt, 9. Calhoon, 10. Josh Appel, 11. Lauer, 12. Branden Belvill, 13. Sigler, 14. Jesse Levin (DNF), 15. Tanner Portenier (DNF), 16. Clinton Hockersmith (DNF), 17. Tyler Frye (DNF), 18. Mike Appel (DNF), 19. Kenny Schmidt (DNF), 20. Daniel Gottschalk (DNF).

IMCA Stock Cars

B-Feature (top 5 transfer): 1. Nick Tubbs, 2. Josh Hudson, 3. Eric Kinderknecht, 4. Monroe Schmidt, 5. Keith Riley, 6. Angel Munoz, 7. Jason Davis, 8. Reagan Sellard, 9. Mike Kennedy, 10. Michael Pepper (DNF), 11. Bob Rutherford (DNF).

A-Feature: 1. Austin Carter, 2. Lance Borgman, 3. B.J. Waggoner, 4. Jason Rogers, 5. Terry Cunningham, 6. Tyler Tipton, 7. Jeff Tubbs, 8. Pat Bedore, 9. Luke Pfannenstiel, 10. Shaylon Holloway, 11. N. Tubbs, 12. Trevor Thornton, 13. Chase Conaway, 14. Adam Balthazor (DNF), 15. Sonny O'Hair (DNF), 16. Billy Phelps (DNF), 17. Kinderknecht (DNF), 18. Schmidt (DNF), 19. Hudson (DNF), 20. Riley (DNF).

IMCA Modifieds

B-Feature (top 8 transfer): 1. Cody Gearhart, 2. Larry Sutton, 3. Jordan Grabouski, 4. Marty Clark, 5. Jerry Phillips, 6. Tim Watts, 7. David Solberg, 8. Geoff Jermark, 9. Milo Lippelmann, 10. Scott Brown, 11. Matt Henke, 12. Rick Julian (DNF), 13. Chadd Brown (DNF), 14. Ronnie Hill (DNF), 15. Tyler Sutton (DNS).

A-Feature: 1. David Murray Jr., 2. Grabouski, 3. Dylan Sherfick, 4. Brian Calhoon, 5. Jeremy Sigler, 6. Brady Coen, 7. Brendon Gemmill, 8. Shannon Maughlin, 9. Corey Lagroon, 10. Gearhart, 11. Troy Plummer, 12. Nate Moore, 13. Phillips, 14. Van Gemmill, 15. Watts, 16. Solberg, 17. L. Sutton, 18. Jermark, 19. Clark, 20. Jerry Teel (DNF), 21. A.J. Scott (DNF), 22. Travis Sherfick (DNF), 23. Rodger Peck (DNF), 24. John Fose (DNF)

URSS 305 Sprint Cars

Saturday's Feature: 1. Ty Williams, 2. Brian Herbert, 3. Tyler Knight, 4. Keefe Hemel, 5. Darren Bowman, 6. Jeff Radcliffe, 7. Jake Bubak, 8. Ray Seeman, 9. Lance Davis, 10. Judd Sheaffer, 11. Jared Kern, 12. Reed Bernbeck, 13. Brian Hardman, 14. Mike Spear, 15. Willie Wynn, 16. Monte Hein, 17. Shawn Radcliffe, 18. Butch Hardman, 19. Tommy Williams (DNS), 20. Kaden Taylor (DNS).

Sunday's Feature: 1. Williams, 2. Hemel, 3. Knight, 4. Bowman, 5. Seeman, 6. J. Radcliffe, 7. Herbert, 8. C.J. Johnson, 9. Bernbeck, 10. Brian Hardman, 11. Hein, 12. Wynn, 13. Bubak, 14. Davis, 15. Spear, 16. Zach Blurton, 17. Butch Hardman, 18. Taylor (DNF), 19. S. Radcliffe (DNF), 20. Luke Cranston (DNF), 21. Sheaffer (DNF).