Two new faces victorious at RPM Speedway
By Mike Hughes
HAYS, KS (August 24)—With just two regular season races left on the schedule at RPM Speedway in Hays, KS, the points race is still up for grabs and drivers battled for position on Saturday evening August 24.
It was also the ‘Greg Close Memorial Race’ with the Close family awarding $50 to a Hard Charger and a $50 Mystery position in all 5 divisions.
In the last race at RPM Speedway in the Federated Auto Parts IMCA Modified division, Travis ‘The Terminator’ Sherfick became the first repeat winner in that division this season. Younger brother ‘Dynamite’ Dylan wasn’t going to let his older brother claim all the fame as he took the lead on lap 12 of the 20 lap feature to score his second win of the year at Hays as well. Matt Henke led the opening lap before Rodger Peck assumed command. Sherfick then took the lead after the halfway mark to lead the field to the checkers. Tim Watts finished second, followed by Corey Lagroon, heat two winner ‘Rapid’ Ronnie Hill and Hard Charger award winner Jason Schoenberger. ‘Smokin’ Joe Cleveland was victorious in the first heat. Todd Schwarz was awarded the Mystery prize.
The Advantage Glass Plus IMCA Stock Car feature went 20 caution free laps with Shaylon Holloway of Osborne leading from green to checkered to make his first trip to victory lane at Hays this year. Hard Charger award winner Jeff Tubbs finished second, with Jason Davis, B.J. Wagoner and heat two winner Jason Rogers completing the top five. Holloway won the other heat race. Nolan Remus claimed the Mystery award.
The caution flag waved as often as the green flag in the 15 lap Golden Plains Trucking IMCA Northern Sport Mod feature. Tracy Holloway led the opening lap before Tanner Portenier made a pass. Then on lap 3, Portenier spun to bring out a caution. Track officials claimed contact by Holloway caused the spin, sending him to the back of the field. But Portenier had to duck into the pits under caution, also moving him to the back of the line and giving Kensington’s Cory Struckhoff the lead on the restart. That’s all Struckhoff needed to score his first win at Hays this season. Daniel Gottschalk finished in the runner-up spot, followed by the Hard Charger award winner ‘The Frye Man’ Tyler Frye, Jake Krone and Blaine Walt. Holloway, Brian Fink, and Gottschalk were all victorious in their heat races. Joe Couse earned the Mystery award.
Russell’s Ron Wehling led all 15 laps in the Rebel Tank Service IMCA Hobby Stock feature to win his second main event in a row. A few caution flags kept the field close on the restart, but Wehling was able to hold off a hard charging Trevor ‘The Hit Man’ Schmidt for the victory. G.W. ‘Cheeseburger’ Fuller, Kent Tammen, and ‘The Wild Child’ Garrett Hager rounded out the top five. Heat race winners included ‘Neon’ Leon Pfannenstiel, Jeromy Wagner, and Wehling. T.C. ‘Too Cool’ McKain won the Hard Charger award, with Roger Garrison winning the Mystery cash.
Drivers in the D K Ranch IMCA Sport Compact class may be calling ‘Dog, The Bounty Hunter’ as Monte Honas of Ellis won his 9th feature in a row at the 3/8-mile oval. Honas took the lead from Kirk Pfannenstiel on lap 4 and led the remaining distance for the win. Pfannenstiel held on to second, followed by heat two winner and track point leader Michael Smith, Dean Herzog, and first heat winner Shyla Hughes. Honas earned the Hard Charger award with Ed Jasper claiming the Mystery cash.
The School Buses also competed with Darren Unrein getting his second win of the season.
The evening’s race sponsors were Sporer Land Development, Oakley; R & R Tire, Oakley; Great Western Tire of Oakley & Colby; Hot Rods, Oakley; and Caerus Oil & Gas.
Racing returns to Hays on Saturday, September 21, as the regular five divisions return to action on championship night, the final points night. Race time is 7:00 p.m.
RESULTS
IMCA Sport Compacts
Heat race winners: Shyla Hughes, Michael Smith.
Feature: 1. Monte Honas, 2. Kirk Pfannenstiel, 3. Smith, 4. Dean Herzog, 5. Hughes, 6. Tanner Chapin, 7. Bret Henke, 8. Art Herzog (DNF), 9. Brady Bencken (DNF), 10. Andrew Soderlund (DNF), 11. Ed Jasper (DNF).
IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat race winners: Leon Pfannenstiel, Jeromy Wagner, Ron Wehling.
Feature: 1. Wehling, 2. Trevor Schmidt, 3. G.W. Fuller, 4. Kent Tammen, 5. Garrett Hager, 6. Cody Graham, 7. Wagner, 8. Daniel Irwin, 9. T.C. McKain, 10. Pfannenstiel, 11. Colton Pfeifer, 12. Mark Normandin, 13. Roger Garrison, 14. Aaron Gray, 15. Al Emmons, 16. Robert Emmons, 17. Aaron Honas (DNF), 18. Travis Coop (DNF), 19. Justin Meserve (DNF), 20. Aaron McBride (DNF), 21. Donnie Werth (DNF), 22. Irvin Earl (DNF).
IMCA Northern Sport Mods
Heat race winners: Tracy Holloway, Brian Fink, Daniel Gottschalk.
Feature: 1. Cory Struckhoff, 2. Gottschalk, 3. Tyler Frye, 4. Jake Krone, 5. Blaine Walt, 6. Austin Carter, 7. Cory McGann, 8. Kurtis Pihl, 9. Clay Money, 10. Fink, 11. Tanner Portenier, 12. Bentley Pywell, 13. Joe Couse, 14. Mark Axelson, 15. Holloway (DNF), 16. Jerrod Couse (DNF), 17. Tony Fischer (DNF), 18. Cody Pancake (DNF), 19. Clay Sellard (DNF), 20. J.R. Ewing (DNF), 21. Philip Goering (DNF), 22. Ryan Gier (DNF).
IMCA Stock Cars
Heat race winners: Shaylon Holloway, Jason Rogers.
Feature: 1. Holloway, 2. Jeff Tubbs, 3. Jason Davis, 4. B.J. Wagoner, 5. Rogers, 6. Josh Hudson, 7. Tyler Hahn, 8. Jim Powell, 9. Geoff Jermark, 10. Pat Bedore, 11. Monroe Schmidt, 12. Michael Meyer (DNF), 13. Nolan Remus (DNF).
IMCA Modifieds
Heat race winners: Joe Cleveland, Ronnie Hill.
Feature: 1. Dylan Sherfick, 2. Tim Watts, 3. Corey Lagroon, 4. Hill, 5. Jason Schoenberger, 6. Darrick Klima, 7. Brandon Blochlinger, 8. Rodger Peck, 9. Brian Calhoon, 10. Jerry Teel, 11. Matt Henke, 12. John Fose, 13. Todd Schwarz, 14. Milo Lippelmann, 15. Cleveland, 16. David Solberg, 17. Marty Clark, 18. John Fabrizius (DNF).
Category: Kansas / Nebraska, RPM Speedway
