By Lonnie Wheatley
DODGE CITY, Kan. (September 17, 2013) – Just one more night. That’s all that remains of the 2013 racing season at the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park clay oval in southwest Kansas.
Dodge City Raceway Park will bring the curtain down on the 2013 campaign with the Inaugural Jerry Soderberg Memorial Championship event next Saturday night, September 28.
The United Rebel Sprint Series will headline the track’s 18th and final scheduled night of competition for the year with the track championships on the line as well for the IMCA Modifieds, United Wireless IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, Thunder Cars and Hornets.
It will mark the fourth time of the year for the URSS Sprint Cars to tack the 3/8-mile oval with three different winners in the previous events including 2012 series champion Brian Herbert of Dodge City, Turpin, Oklahoma shoe Taylor Velasquez and Goddard, Kansas racer J.D. Johnson.
The URSS championship hangs in the balance, with Colorado’s Jake Bubak (a URSS winner at DCRP in 2012) currently holding just a four-point lead over Ness City’s Luke Cranston.
Each of the DCRP championships will be determined as well, including the headliner IMCA Modified division currently led by Goddard’s Austin Allen with other’s leading their respective divisions including Jeff Kaup (IMCA Sport Modifieds), Billy Phelps (IMCA Stock Cars), Dustin Walker (Thunder Cars) and Jarett Lunow (Hornets).
Austin Allen holds a 27-point advantage over Jesse Smith in the IMCA Modified title chase with Jon Herring, Jr., just another eight points back in third.
Jeff Kaup has opened up a 54-point edge in the United Wireless IMCA Sport Modified championship race over Toby Witthuhn, while Billy Phelps can put the clamps on the IMCA Stock Car title by simply showing up next Saturday.
Dustin Walker leads the way by 27 points in Thunder Cars with Cody Davis and Matt O’Hair both within striking distance while Jarett Lunow has been dominant in Hornet action all season with five wins in six tries.
Next Saturday’s season-ending Jerry Soderberg Memorial Championship event gets under way at 7:30 p.m. Admission to the season finale is just $15 for adults with children 11 and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult.
Dodge City Raceway Park is located on the south edge of Dodge City, KS, on US 283, then 0.9 miles west on US 56, then 0.1 miles south. For more information, contact the track at 620-225-3277 or check www.dodgecityraceway.com.