Cranston makes it two in a row at Norton season finale
By Mike Hughes
Norton, KS (September 1)—The final night of the 2013 racing season at Elmwood Park Speedway in Norton, KS, took place Sunday evening, September 1, with the URSS Sprint Cars, IMCA Stock Cars and vintage cars returning to action for the second night in a row.
Prior to the evening’s race program, the vintage drivers paid tribute to the late Don McMullen of Norton for his years of work at the annual Labor Day weekend vintage car event in Norton. The McMullen family received a memorial plaque in his honor.
The IMCA Stock Cars were the first to take the track for their main event and Casey Werkmeister of North Platte, NE, led all 15 laps to make his way to victory lane and a $650 paycheck. The race for second through fifth was close, but Josh ‘The Hammer’ Hudson finished in the runner-up spot, followed by Tyler Tipton, Eric Kinderknecht and Andre Rexford. Dustin McClurg of Logan did not finish and was scored tenth, but it was good enough to give him enough points to claim the track championship. Heat race winners were McClurg and Jason Davis.
Luke Cranston of Plains won his second URSS feature in as many nights at the ½-mile oval, but had some luck fall his way. John Webster led the first 2 laps before Richie Dewell took the lead on lap 3 of the 25-lap main event. The first caution waved on lap 7 for debris, then again on lap 10 when Kade Hagans spun. Dewell was up to the task and had built a sizable lead at the halfway mark. Cranston, who started tenth, had worked his way to second at the crossed flags and was closing in on Dewell when the lead duo caught up to Howard Van Dyke. Van Dyke spun and made contact with inside guardrail on lap 17. Dewell was also involved and done for the night. That gave Cranston the lead on the restart and that’s all he would need to drive off to the checkers for his 4th URSS win of the season. Steven Richardson finished second, followed by heat two winner ‘Flyin’ Brian Herbert, Barry Crane and Zach Blurton. Darren Berry won the other heat race.
Mike Madden rolled his sprinter in the first heat. He was okay but done for the night.
The promoters at Elmwood Park Speedway would like to thank the track sponsors, staff and volunteers, drivers and fans for all their support in 2013.
RESULTS
IMCA Stock Cars
Heat race winners: Dustin McClurg, Jason Davis.
Feature: 1. Casey Werkmeister, 2. Josh Hudson, 3. Tyler Tipton, 4. Eric Kinderknecht, 5. Andre Rexford, 6. John Annon, 7. Darin Racek, 8. Frank McClurg, 9. Bob Rutherford, 10. D. McClurg (DNF), 11. Jason McCartney (DNF), 12. Davis (DNF).
United Rebel Sprint Series
Heat race winners: Darren Berry, Brian Herbert.
Feature: 1. Luke Cranston, 2. Steven Richardson, 3. Herbert, 4. Barry Crane, 5. Zach Blurton, 6. Patrick Bourke, 7. John Webster, 8. Berry, 9. Zac Taylor, 10. Greg Reiners, 11. Jeff Radcliffe (DNF), 12. Richie Dewell (DNF), 13. Howard Van Dyke (DNF), 14. Kade Hagans (DNF), 15. Mike Madden (DNS).
Category: Kansas / Nebraska
