Sprint Cars invade Hays
By Mike Hughes
HAYS, KS (May 30)—The United Rebel Sprint Series made their first appearance of the season at RPM Speedway in Hays, KS, on Saturday, May 30, with Koby Walters of Liberal picking up his second URSS win of the season.
Tracy Hill and Keefe Hemel started on the front row of the 25-lap main event with Hemel leading the opening lap. But Jed Werner took over the top spot on lap 2 until he was passed by Steve Richardson on lap 5. Richardson continued to lead the field at the halfway mark. The caution waved on lap 16 when heat two winner Conner Atkinson came to a stop. Richardson led the field back to green but was passed by Werner on lap 20, only to have his car slow and stop on lap 21 to bring out the final caution. On the restart, lap one winner Walters made the winning pass and held on to win over Werner, the Hill City ‘Hot Shoe’ Jeff Radcliffe, Lance Davis and James Riner.
‘The Frye Man’ Tyler Frye of Belleville kept his weekend winning streak intact as he won his second feature of the season at Hays in the Golden B Hydra Drilling IMCA Sport Mod Class. Frye, who also won Thursday night at US 30 Speedway in Columbus, NE, and Friday night at Oberlin, KS, Speedway, passed Jake Krone on lap 16 of the 20-lap feature to drive on for the win in the caution plagued race. Krone held on for the runner-spot, trailed by Daniel Gottschalk, Joe Couse and point leader Austin Carter. Heat race winners were Trenton Kleweno, Gottschalk, and Pat Bedore.
Salina’s Eric Cross took the lead on lap 7 from Oscar Runyon and drove on for his first feature win at Hays in the Golden Plains Trucking IMCA Hobby Stock class. Cross was challenged early on by heat two winner Cody Williams, then late in the 20-lap race by Shay Simoneau but was able to hang on for the win. Kyle Pfeifer was third, followed by heat three winner Garrett Hager, and Duane Wahrman. T.C. McKain also won a heat race.
Hometown driver Kiowa Higdon made his second trip to victory lane in the Cutting Edge Collision IMCA Sport Compact division. Higdon led all 12 laps to score the win. Randy Murphy finished second, followed by heat two winner Art Herzog, Nathan Barton and Toby Schwein. Higdon won the other heat race.
The Radke Implement Cruisers made their second appearance at the speedway with heat race winner Jeff McQuad of Victoria & Justin Schwein of Russell leading all 12 laps in the main event. Brady & Dee Bauer gave chase but had to settle for second, followed by Austin Tammen.
Mike Wagner won his second Tom’s Machine & Welding School Bus feature at the 3/8-mile oval beating a four bus field to the checkers.
The evening’s race program was sponsored by Steve’s Roustabout of Plainville; Miller Trucking, LaCrosse; Myers Engines and S & S Trailer Sales, Ness City; Vernie’s Trux N Equipment/Toys 4 Trux and Carrico Implement of Hays.
Racing action returns to the 3/8-mile oval on Saturday, June 13, with the regular five divisions in competition. It will be ‘Race for a Cure’ Pink Out Night. The green flag flies at 7:00 p.m.
RESULTS
United Rebel Sprint Series
Heat race winners: Koby Walters, Connor Atkinson.
Feature: 1. K. Walters, 2. Jed Werner, 3. Jeff Radcliffe, 4. Lance Davis, 5. James Riner, 6. Steve Richardson, 7. Keefe Hemel, 8. Jeremy Huish, 9. Tracy Hill, 10. Cody Lampe, 11. Jordan Randles, 12. Ryan Walters, 13. Brandon Sprott, 14. Aaron Ploussard, 15. Atkinson (DNF), 16. Shawn Radcliffe (DNF), 17. Craig Jecha (DNS).
Golden B Hydra Drilling IMCA Sport Mods
Heat race winners: Trenton Kleweno, Daniel Gottschalk, Pat Bedore.
Feature: 1. Tyler Frye, 2. Jake Krone, 3. Gottschalk, 4. Joe Couse, 5. Austin Carter, 6. Blaine Walt, 7. Tracy Holloway, 8. Clay Money, 9. Cory McGann, 10. Cody Pancake, 11. Triston Barton, 12. Bedore, 13. Cody Stefanski, 14. Eric Pfeifer, 15. Madison Reed, 16. Tony Fisher (DNF), 17. Kurtis Pihl (DNF), 18. Rick Julian (DNF), 19. Kleweno (DNF), 20. Bentley Pywell (DNF), 21. Brenden Damon (DNF), 22. Kolton Vogel (DNF), 23. Nate Ginest (DNF).
Golden Plains Trucking IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat race winners: T.C. McKain, Cody Williams, Garrett Hager.
Feature: 1. Eric Cross, 2. Shay Simoneau, 3. Kyle Pfeifer, 4. Hager, 5. Duane Wahrman, 6. Williams, 7. Kent Tammen, 8. Robert Leonard, 9. Tyrel Smith, 10. Tommy Fose, 11. Mark Normandin, 12. McKain, 13. Roger Garrison, 14. Travis Coop, 15. Jace Smith, 16. Oscar Runyon, 17. Irvin Earl, 18. Brett Henke, 19. Brady Bencken (DNF), 20. Colton Pfeifer, 21. Justin Meserve (DNF), 22. Justin Schwein (DNF), 23. Michael Smith (DNF).
Cutting Edge Collision IMCA Sport Compacts
Heat race winners: Kiowa Higdon, Art Herzog.
Feature: 1. Higdon, 2. Randy Murphy, 3. Herzog, 4. Nathan Barton, 5. Toby Schwein, 6. Kirk Pfannenstiel, 7. Jarrett Pfannenstiel, 8. Ed Jasper, 9. Trenton Cantrell (DNF).
Radke Implement Cruisers
Heat race winner: Jeff McQuad/Justin Schwein.
Feature: 1. McQuad/Schwein, 2. Brady Bauer/Dee Bauer, 3. Austin Tammen, 4. Shaun Woods, 5. Bill Woods, 6. Blaise Lehman (DNF), 7. Shane Pfeifer (DNS).
Tom’s Machine & Welding School Buses
Feature: Mike Wagner.
Category: Kansas / Nebraska, RPM Speedway
