Big Brothers/Big Sisters Night at RPM Speedway
By Mike Hughes

HAYS, KS (August 24)—A large field of race cars turned out at RPM Speedway in Hays, KS, Friday evening, August 24, with three new faces in victory lane. It was also Big Brothers/Big Sisters Night and featured several special events, including Race Cars & Superstars. A lot of money was raised for a very worthy cause.

The IMCA Modified A-feature was a battle of attrition as only 11 of the 20 starters were around at the checkers. Mark Zorn led the opening lap of the 20-circuit race before Matt Fabrizius took over after a restart. ‘Gentleman’ Jerry Phillips of Galva then took the top spot on lap 4, followed by Matt Fabrizius and Nick Tubbs. But Matt’s run came to an end on lap 7 when he stalled, so brother John Fabrizius then gave chase. But John’s car stalled on lap 16, putting defending track champion Ronnie Hill on Phillips’ back bumper. A two-car spin on lap 19 set up a green-white-checkered finish, but Phillips was able to hold off Hill for the win. Corey Lagroon finished third, followed by Tubbs and Randy Washburn. B-feature winner Marty Clark was sixth. Heat race winners were Phillips, Mark Zorn, Tubbs and Hill.

Tracy Holloway led the first 5 laps of the 15-lap IMCA Stock Car feature before Stockton’s Tyler Hahn took command. Holloway stayed closed to Hahn the rest of the race but had to settle for the runner-up spot. Heat one winner Travis Sherfick finished third, followed by Ryan Wark and Jay Hachmeister. Arnold Williams and Cory Struckhoff also won heat races.

The only familiar face in victory lane for the evening was Stockton’s Adam Balthazor, who won his third IMCA Hobby Stock feature of the season at the 3/8-mile oval. Frank McClurg led the first 3 laps before Ricky Runnion took the lead. The red flag came out on lap 12 when heat one winner Justin Hopp rolled. Hopp was okay but done for the night. Runnion led the field back to green, but Balthazor worked his way through the field and took the lead on lap 18 of the 20-lap race. Balthazor was chased to the checkers by Jerry Hudson, heat two winner Runnion, Duane Wahrman and B.J. Dauer. Brian Conness won the other heat race.

In the IMCA Sport Compact feature, heat race winner Brian Davidson led the opening lap, then gave way to Kevin Hackett of Minneapolis on lap 2. Hackett led the rest of the distance in the caution free 12-lap race for the victory. Donnie Cleveland was second, followed by Davidson.

The next race program will be Saturday, September 1, at 8:00 p.m. with the regular four divisions in competition. Also in action will be the ASCS Rocky Mountain Region Sprint Cars and the Mod Lites/Dwarf Cars. It will also be Steve King Foundation Night.



RESULTS

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat 1: 1. Justin Hopp, 2. Duane Wahrman, 3. Cody Graham, 4. Adam Balthazor.

Heat 2: 1. Ricky Runnion, 2. Josh Latka, 3. Leon Pfannenstiel, 4. Gene Sneath.

Heat 3: 1. Brian Conness, 2. Frank McClurg, 3. Jerry Hudson, 4. B.J. Dauer.

Feature: 1. Balthazor, 2. Hudson, 3. Runnion, 4. Wahrman, 5. Dauer, 6. F. McClurg, 7. Sneath, 8. Latka, 9. Shaylon Holloway, 10. Pfannenstiel, 11. Dustin McClurg, 12. Conness, 13. Mike Frenzl, 14. Kent Tammen, 15. Troy Robinson, 16. Phil Hinger, 17. Travis Glassman, 18. Graham, 19. Matt Christensen, 20. Hopp (DNF), 21. Laura Hinger (DNF).

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat 1: 1. Travis Sherfick, 2. Tyler Hahn, 3. Jay Hachmeister, 4. Corey Chansler.

Heat 2: 1. Arnold Williams, 2. Ryan Wark, 3. Josh Hudson, 4. Jason Rogers.

Heat 3: 1. Cory Struckhoff, 2. Tracy Holloway, 3. Terry Cunningham, 4. Marty Barth.

Feature: 1. Hahn, 2. Holloway, 3. Sherfick, 4. Wark, 5. Hachmeister, 6. Williams, 7. Cunningham, 8. Jason McCartney, 9. Dan Lauer, 10. Rogers, 11. Willie Wynn, 12. Struckhoff (DNF), 13. Jason Davis (DNF), 14. Barth (DNF), 15. Chansler (DNF), 16. Hudson (DNF), 17. C.J. Pfannenstiel (DNS).

IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1: 1. Jerry Phillips, 2. Matt Fabrizius, 3. Barry Maupin, 4. Marty Clark.

Heat 2: 1. Mark Zorn, 2. John Fabrizius, 3. Corey Lagroon, 4. Jeremy Zorn.

Heat 3: 1. Nick Tubbs, 2. Rodger Peck, 3. Jason Schoenberger, 4. Jerry Teel.

Heat 4: 1. Ronnie Hill, 2. Mike Petersilie, 3. John Fose, 4. Kyle Rohleder.

B-Feature (top 8 advance): 1. Clark, 2. J. Zorn, 3. Casey Jo Wanger, 4. Jim Bell, 5. Randy Washburn, 6. Larry Stukey, 7. Doug Shearer, 8. George Tyler, 9. Teel, 10. John LaShell, 11. Heath Myers (DNF), 12. Chad Sterling (DNF), 13. Rohleder (DNF), 14. Jeremy Petty (DNF).

A-Feature: 1. Phillips, 2. Hill, 3. Lagroon, 4. Tubbs, 5. Washburn, 6. Clark, 7. Bell, 8. Fose, 9. Peck, 10. Stukey, 11. Wanger, 12. Shearer (DNF), 13. Schoenberger (DNF), 14. Maupin (DNF), 15. Petersilie (DNF), 16. M. Zorn (DNF), 17. M. Fabrizius (DNF), 18. J. Zorn (DNF), 19. Maupin (DNF), 20. Tyler (DNF).

IMCA Sport Compacts
Heat: 1. Brian Davidson, 2. Kevin Hackett, 3. Donnie Cleveland, 4. Dave Junemann.

Feature: 1. Hackett, 2. Cleveland, 3. Davidson, 4. Junemann, 5. Art Herzog, 6. Nicole Woods.