Elmwood Park Speedway crowns track champions
By Mike Hughes
Norton, KS (August 17)—The final night of the regular season at Elmwood Park Speedway in Norton, KS, saw drivers in 4 divisions pick up track championships for the 2013 racing season.
The first class to take to the track was the Heartland Sprint Series for their 20-lap main event. Kade Hagans led the first 9 laps before he drifted high in turn 4 on lap 10, giving the lead to second heat winner Zach Blurton. The young man from Jetmore held on the remaining distance to score the win. The ‘Hill City Hotshoe’ Jeff Radcliffe finished second, followed by heat one winner Hagans, Howard Van Dyke and Koby Walters. Van Dyke claimed the Heartland Sprint Series season crown.
Travis Coop led the first 3 laps of the IMCA Hobby Stock feature before Pete Beaumont took over the top spot. But that lead was short lived as Kensington’s Jeromy Wagner took the lead on the following lap and drove on for his second win of the season at Norton. Beaumont settled for second, followed by Coop, Mark Normandin and Rhett ‘The Rocket’ Kingsbury. Wagner and Beaumont won the two heat races. ‘The Wild Child’ Garrett Hager of Hays finished 8th in the 14 car field but it was good enough to give him the track championship.
Kensington’s Cory Struckhoff led all 15-laps in the IMCA Northern Sport Mod feature to claim his second victory at Elmwood Park Speedway this season. After a restart after a lap 13 caution, runner-up ‘The Frye Man’ Tyler Frye got tangled up and ended his night. Brian Conness lined up behind Struckhoff on the restart but had to settle for second, with Tanner Portenier and heat race winners Kaid Calhoon and Jake Krone completing the top five. Struckhoff picked up the track championship.
Heat race winner Brian Calhoon of Beloit passed Tim Watts on lap 7 of the 10-lap IMCA Modified feature and drove on to victory lane. Watts was second and claimed the track title.
The final race of the night was the IMCA Stock Car feature and hometown driver Jason Davis led the first 3 laps before the lone caution waved when Josh ‘The Hammer’ Hudson spun. When the green flag reappeared, Lance Borgman of Beatrice, NE, drove past Davis and went on to score the win and a trip to the winner’s circle. Heat one victor Kyle Werkmeister finished second, trailed by Davis, Geoff Jermark and Dustin McClurg. Eric Kinderknecht won the other heat race.
The United Rebel Sprint Series invades the big ½-mile on Saturday & Sunday, August 31-September 1. They will be joined by the IMCA Stock Cars and the vintage cars. The IMCA Stock Car track champion will be crowned after Sunday night’s races.
RESULTS
IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat race winners: Jeromy Wagner, Pete Beaumont.
Feature: 1. Wagner, 2. Beaumont, 3. Travis Coop, 4. Mark Normandin, 5. Rhett Kingsbury, 6. H.J. Colburn, 7. Colton Pfeifer, 8. Garrett Hager, 9. Tim Colburn, 10. Theron Martin, 11. Justin Meserve, 12. Irvin Earl (DNF), 13. Kolton Vogel (DNF), 14. Roger Garrison (DNF).
IMCA Northern Sport Mods
Heat race winners: Kaid Calhoon, Jake Krone.
Feature: 1. Cory Struckhoff, 2. Brian Conness, 3. Tanner Portenier, 4. Calhoon, 5. Krone, 6. Paul Donovan, 7. Dan Lauer, 8. Joe Couse, 9. James Stewart, 10. Bentley Pywell, 11. Tyler Frye (DNF), 12. Tyler Watts (DNF), 13. Terry Fletcher (DNF), 14. J.R. Ewing (DNF).
IMCA Stock Cars
Heat race winners: Kyle Werkmeister, Eric Kinderknecht.
Feature: 1. Lance Borgman, 2. K. Werkmeister, 3. Jason Davis, 4. Geoff Jermark, 5. Dustin McClurg, 6. Kinderknecht, 7. Robert Walker, 8. Bob Rutherford, 9. John Annon, 10. Jason McCartney, 11. Frank McClurg, 12. Josh Hudson (DNF), 13. Darin Racek (DNF), 14. Michael Dancer (DNF), 15. Casey Werkmeister (DNS).
IMCA Modifieds
Heat race winner: Brian Calhoon.
Feature: 1. Calhoon, 2. Tim Watts.
Heartland Sprint Series
Heat race winners: Kade Hagans, Zach Blurton.
Feature: 1. Blurton, 2. Jeff Radcliffe, 3. Hagans, 4. Howard Van Dyke, 5. Koby Walters, 6. Barry Crane, 7. Willie Wynn, 8. Ron Hadley, 9. Greg Reiner, 10. Mike Madden (DNF), 11. Aaron Ploussard (DNF).
Category: Elmwood Park Speedway, Kansas / Nebraska
