Mother Nature shortens Wakeeney races

By Mike Hughes

WAKEENEY, KS (May 25)—Mother Nature intervened at the Wakeeney (KS) Speedway Monday evening, May 25.  After 21 races were completed on the 24 race program, rain showers forced track officials to cancel the remainder of the second night of the annual Memorial Challenge at the 3/8-mile oval.

The IMCA Sport Compacts got their main event in, and while under caution on lap 9 of the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature, track officials called the race due to a light rain shower making the track too slick.  The URSS 305 Sprint Cars then took to the track and was able to roll the track back in.  But at the drop of the green, a five car melee, resulting in Patrick Bourke taking a nasty flip, brought out the red flag.  No one was injured in the accident, but during the break, more showers fell, forcing track officials to call the program for the evening.  The IMCA Modified and IMCA Stock Car features will be run on the next race Sunday, June 7.  The IMCA Hobby Stocks and IMCA Northern Sport Mods will also return for the regular race program.

Art Herzog led the opening lap of the 12-lap IMCA Sport Compact feature beforeStockton’s Michael Smith took over the top spot and led the remaining distance in the caution free race.  Allen Rice finished second, followed by Jesse Dunlap.  Smith also won the heat race.

Michael Schamberger led the opening lap of the IMCA Hobby Stock feature before Travis Glassman took the lead.  But following a caution on lap 3,Marquette’s B.J. Dauer assumed command.  Glassman chased Dauer but could not make the pass.  During a caution period on lap 10, a light rain shower fell, and due to the slick surface, the race was called, giving Dauer his second win at the track this season.  Glassman, Jerry Hudson, Schamberger, and Luke Pfannenstiel rounded out the top five.  Heat race winners were Josh Latka, Dauer, and Hudson.

Chuck Lutters rolled his sprint car in his heat race, as did Jason McIntyre in his hobby stock heat.  Neither driver was injured.

During the sprint car hot laps, several cars were involved in an incident in turn 3.  Greg Thyfault was injured and transported to the hospital for further evaluation.

The evening’s race sponsor was Toys 4 Trux of Hays.

 

RESULTS

IMCA Hobby Stocks

Heat 1: 1. Josh Latka, 2. Cody Graham, 3. Jeromy Wagner, 4. John McMurtrie.

Heat 2: 1. B.J. Dauer, 2. Travis Glassman, 3. Kent Tammen, 4. Luke Pfannenstiel.

Heat 3: 1. Jerry Hudson, 2. G.W. Fuller, 3. Michael Schamberger, 4. Al Emmons.

Feature: 1. Dauer, 2. Glassman, 2.Hudson, 4. Schamberger, 5. Pfannenstiel, 6. Graham, 7. Mathew Crowell, 8. Daniel Irwin, 9. McMurtrie, 10. Tammen, 11. Fuller, 12. Aaron Honas, 13. Jason McIntyre, 14. Emmons, 15. Jeremy Sigler, 16.Dalton Dolan (DNF), 17. Latka (DNF), 18. Cody Williams (DNF), 19. Ricky Runnion (DNF), 20. Wagner (DNS).

IMCA Stock Cars

Heat 1: 1. Bryan Lariviere, 2. Cory Struckhoff, 3.TravisTowns, 4. J.R. McCreery.

Heat 2: 1. Adam Balthazor, 2. Jason Davis, 3. Terry Cunningham, 4. Jason Rogers.

Heat 3: 1. Ryan Wark, 2. Travis Sherfick, 3.Dalton Bauer, 4. Mike Wadel.

Feature: rained out – will run double features on June 7.

IMCA Modifieds

Heat 1: 1. Shannon Maughlin, 2. Brian Calhoon, 3. Jerry Phillips, 4. John Fabrizius.

Heat 2: 1. Corey Lagroon, 2. Jason Brees, 3. Wheat Lippelmann, 4. Butch Day.

Heat 3: 1. Josh Hudson, 2. Mike Martin, 3. John Fose, 4. Scott Phillips.

Heat 4: 1. Jeff Tubbs, 2. Ronnie Hill, 3. Rob Day, 4. Dave Hardesty.

Heat 5: 1.ChadSterling, 2. Jerry Teel, 3. Nick Tubbs, 4. Jason Schoenberger.

B-Feature (top 5 transfer): 1. J. Fabrizius, 2. S. Phillips, 3. Schoenberger, 4. Rodger Peck, 5. Dylan Sherfick, 6. Matt Fabrizius, 7. Hardesty, 8. Mike Petersilie, 9. Danny Morrison, 10. Tyler Hahn, 11. Danny Keller, 12. Nate Moore, 13. Kyle Rohleder, 14. B. Day, 15.Milo Lippelmann, 16. Todd Schwarz, 17. Jesse Richter, 18. Randy Wilson (DNS).

A-Feature: rained out – will run double features on June 7.

IMCA Sport Compacts

Heat: 1. Michael Smith, 2. Art Herzog, 3. Jesse Dunlap, 4. Nicole Woods.

Feature: 1. Smith, 2. Allen Rice, 3. Dunlap, 4. Herzog, 5. Nick Wolff, 6. N. Woods, 7. Shaun Woods.

URSS 305 Sprint Cars

Heat 1: 1. Darren Bowman, 2. Justin Schwien, 3. Ken Lutters, 4. Keefe Hemel.

Heat 2: 1. Jon Johnson, 2. Reed Bernbeck, 3. Taylor Milton, 4. Ray Seeman.

Heat 3: 1. Patrick Bourke, 2. C.J. Johnson, 3. Mike Spear, 4. SmokeyFairbanks.

Heat 4: 1. Willie Wynn, 2. Lance Davis, 3. Howard VanDyke, 4. Michael Williams.

B-Feature #1 (top 5 transfer): 1. Jeff Radcliffe, 2. S. Fairbanks, 3. Bernbeck, 4. Blake Bogenhagen, 5.Davis, 6. Van Kuhn, 7. Spear, 8. Travis Decker (DNF), 9. Chuck Lutters (DNS).

B-Feature #2 (top 5 transfer): 1. C.J. Johnson, 2. Seeman, 3. Brian Herbert, 4. Tyler Kraus, 5. Tim Perkins, 6. Bill Hays, 7.ChadSalem, 8. Cody Kiesweter, 9. Shawn Radcliffe.

A-Feature: rained out.

Category: Kansas / Nebraska, News, WaKeeney Speedway (Kansas)