WAKEENEY, KS (August 12)—Three drivers in the four divisions made their way to the Jason Oil winner’s circle at Wakeeney (KS) Speedway Sunday evening, August 12.
Three first time winners at Wakeeney Speedway
By Mike Hughes
WAKEENEY, KS (August 12)—Three drivers in the four divisions made their way to the Jason Oil winner’s circle at Wakeeney (KS) Speedway Sunday evening, August 12.
Topeka’s Brian Stich was the first on the night as he won the 15-lap caution free IMCA Hobby Stock feature. Polesitter Lee Sells led the opening lap before Tyrel Smith took the lead, and continued to lead the field at the halfway mark. Stich closed ground on Smith the second half of the race and made the winning pass on the outside of Smith in turn four coming to the white flag. Smith held on to second, followed by Cody Ghumm, point leader Cody ‘Bam Bam’ Graham, and Sells. Heat race winners were Sells and Smith.
Next up was the IMCA Northern Sport Mods which had a bizarre finish the final two laps of the 15-lap feature. The first of many cautions waved on lap 4 when Colby Hagans slowed. Mike Appel paced the field back to green, followed by Cory Struckhoff, Dan Lauer, and Lindsborg’s Kurtis Pihl. Struckhoff took the lead from Appel on lap 7, but a spinning Brian Conness brought out the yellow and gave the lead back to Appel. Struckhoff did take the lead on lap 11 when he made a move to the inside of Appel in turn four. But Appel spun on lap 14 to bring out another caution. On the restart, Struckhoff led the field back to green, trailed by Trenton Kleweno. Kleweno tried to pass Struckhoff low in turn one and the two cars made contact, sending Struckhoff off turn 2. Officials put Kleweno to the back on the restart, giving Struckhoff the lead back. But on this restart, Struckhoff’s car would not corner and he spun in turn 2. As the field got ready for another green-white-checkered finish, someone midpack checked up, causing a 5 car melee, ending the night for Joe Couse, Jerrod Couse, Conness and Kleweno. Pihl inherited the lead after Struckhoff’s departure and managed to lead the final two laps for the win. Clay Money won the battle for second over Chris Heim, Austin Walker and Daniel Gottschalk. Money, Mike Appel, and Heim won the three heat races.
As the old saying goes, you only have to lead one lap to win a race, and that held true for hometown driver ‘Dynamite’ Dylan Sherfick in the IMCA Modified feature. After the first two opening starts failed, the field got the green in single file with Van Gemmill ofPonca City,OK, out front. Gemmill pulled out to a good lead at the halfway mark of the 20-lap race, followed by ‘Sweet’ Wheat Lippelmann, Rodger Peck, ‘Maniac’ Matt Fabrizius, and Sherfick. Sherfick however managed to pass the three cars in front of him the second half of the race and moved to second with a few laps to go. Sherfick ran down Gemmill, and in the final turn on the final lap among lapped traffic, Sherfick made the winning pass on Gemmill for his first win at his hometown track. Travis ‘The Terminator’ Sherfick charged from the back of the field to finish third, followed by Lippelmann and Fabrizius. Heat race victors were Travis Sherfick, Peck and Gemmill.
The only repeat winner of the night was Wakeeney’s Terry Cunningham in the IMCA Stock Car feature. Eric Kinderknecht led the first 3 laps before Jeff Tubbs took control. Nick Tubbs then moved to second at the halfway mark and started putting pressure on his older brother. On lap 16, Jeff tried to move up in Nick’s line in turn 4, giving Cunningham the only daylight he needed and he passed both cars on the bottom side coming out of four. The lone caution waved on lap 19 when Cody Williams spun, setting up a green-white-checkered finish. Cunningham held on for his third win of the season at Wakeeney, while Jeff held Nick at bay for the runner-up spot. Jason Schoenberger and heat two winner ‘Sweet’ Wheat Lippelmann completed the top five. B.J. Wagoner won the other heat race.
It was ‘Back to School Kids Night’ with kids admitted free with a paid adult.
The evening’s sponsor was Miner Family Dentistry of Hays.
Racing returns to Wakeeney Speedway on Sunday, August 26, with all 4 regular divisions in action. Race time will be 6:00 p.m.
RESULTS
IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat 1: 1. Lee Sells, 2. Austin Tammen, 3. Brian Stich, 4. Toby Schield.
Heat 2: 1. Tyrel Smith, 2. Leon Pfannenstiel, 3. Garrett Hager, 4. Cody Ghumm.
Feature: 1. Stich, 2. Smith, 3. Ghumm, 4. Cody Graham, 5. Sells, 6. Tammen, 7. Pfannenstiel, 8. Schield, 9. Hager, 10. Tommy Fose, 11. Daniel Irwin, 12. Jake Eicher.
IMCA Northern Sport Mods
Heat 1: 1. Clay Money, 2. Colby Hagans, 3.Blaine Walt, 4. Josh Appel.
Heat 2: 1. Mike Appel, 2. Cory Struckhoff, 3. Brian Conness, 4.Trenton Kleweno.
Heat 3: 1. Chris Heim, 2. Kurtis Pihl, 3. Willie Wynn, 4. Dan Lauer.
Feature: 1. Pihl, 2. Money, 3. Heim, 4. Austin Walker, 5. Daniel Gottschalk, 6. J. Appel, 7. Lauer, 8. Clay Sellard, 9. Walt, 10. M. Appel, 11. Don Strecker, 12. Wynn, 13. Joe Couse (DNF), 14. Jerrod Couse (DNF), 15. Conness (DNF), 16. Kleweno (DNF), 17. Struckhoff (DNF), 18. Hagans (DNF).
IMCA Stock Cars
Heat 1: 1. B.J. Wagoner, 2. Nick Tubbs, 3. Jeff Tubbs, 4. Cody Williams.
Heat 2: 1. Wheat Lippelmann, 2. Jason Schoenberger, 3. Terry Cunningham, 4. Eric Kinderknecht.
Feature: 1. Cunningham, 2. J. Tubbs, 3. N. Tubbs, 4. Schoenberger, 5. Lippelmann, 6. Kinderknecht, 7. Wagoner, 8. Michael Pepper, 9. Mike Kennedy, 10. Williams, 11. Justin Lewis.
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1: 1. Travis Sherfick, 2. Shannon Maughlin, 3. Jerry Teel, 4. Chadd Brown.
Heat 2: 1. Rodger Peck, 2. Dylan Sherfick, 3. Scott Brown, 4. Nate Moore.
Heat 3: 1. Van Gemmill, 2. John Fose, 3. Wheat Lippelmann, 4. MartyClark.
Feature: 1. D. Sherfick, 2. Gemmill, 3. T. Sherfick, 4. W. Lippelmann, 5. Matt Fabrizius, 6. Peck, 7. Moore, 8. Fose, 9. Maughlin, 10. Danny Keller, 11. Brad Keller, 12. Teel, 13. Corey Lagroon, 14.Clark, 15. C. Brown, 16.Milo Lippelmann, 17. Matt Henke, 10. S. Brown (DNF).
Category: Kansas / Nebraska, News, WaKeeney Speedway (Kansas)
