By the URSS
OBERLIN, Kan. — The season has gotten off to a solid start for Brian Herbert. That’s no surprise to the veteran sprint car driver and his fans in the United Rebel Sprint Series.
But there’s a few things he has left to accomplish in his URSS career, and one of those is a victory at Liberal Fairgrounds Raceway.
Herbert, the defending URSS national champion, will get another shot at the win in southwest Kansas on Saturday night. That’s when the Rebels take to the D-shaped dirt track.
“I try to go out every weekend and win the race,” Herbert said. “If we have to settle for second or third, that’s probably as good of a car as we had that night.”
Herbert knows his way to victory lane. The Dodge City driver has 19 career URSS victories, tying him with Patrick Bourke and Jason Martin for third on the all-time list. C.J. Johnson has 36 URSS victories, while his father, Jon, is second with 20.
Herbert also accomplished something new last year. He became the first driver in series history to win multiple national crowns.
This season, he’s won at his hometown track — Dodge City Raceway Park — and finished no worse than fifth in three other URSS events. That fifth-place outing came earlier this year in Liberal.
“We’ve had a good season so far,” said Herbert, who said his sponsors, his brother, Myers Engine, his family and Dodge City Concrete have made the year successful so far. “In the first four or five races, we haven’t been worse than fifth. There’s no pressure right now on us.”
Herbert is coming off a third-place finish at WaKeeney Speedway on May 26. That has his confidence high entering the uniquely shaped track in Liberal.
“It’s a D-shaped race track,” Herbert said. “It’s one of my favorites, too, because of the way it’s shaped. That throws a little challenge into it. That last time we were there, it was pretty heavy, and the race track had a couple grooves. Hopefully it will be like that again.”
All drivers will receive an extra incentive for competing in the URSS event. The race will pay an elevated purse of $750 to the winner, and all finishers will move up one position on the pay scale.
For those who cannot attend you can listen to Mike Wilson call all the action live on www.racinboys.com
For more information about the United Rebel Sprint Series, visit www.unitedrebelsprintseries.