By Lonnie Wheatley
DODGE CITY, Kan. (May 6, 2014) – Sprint Cars will sling the Dodge City Raceway Park clay for the first time this year as the United Rebel Sprint Series kicks off its 2014 campaign Saturday night atop the 3/8-mile oval in southwest Kansas.
While the URSS Sprint Cars make the first of four scheduled stops at Dodge City Raceway Park, heated championship chase action continues for the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars and Hornets. Racing action gets under way at 7:30 p.m.
Jake Bubak kicks off his URSS title defense with Ryan Heger, Jeff Kaup, Perry Misner and Jarett Lunow leading the way in their respective DCRP championship point chases.
Two-time URSS Sprint Car champion Brian Herbert of Dodge City topped last year’s May event with Taylor Velasquez, J.D. Johnson and Zach Blurton notching series wins at DCRP as well in 2013.
Bubak, the reigning URSS champion, picked off a feature win at DCRP in 2012 and ranks as one of the nine different drivers to snare a feature win in the last nine events at Dodge City. Other winners dating back to 2009 include Mike Peters, Jason Radcliffe, Jason Martin and C.J. Johnson.
Hugoton’s Ryan Heger worked his way up to his second third-place finish in three events this past weekend to move atop the IMCA Modified point charts with a 24-point advantage over Woodward, OK, shoe Cole Traugott. Kale Beavers, Mike Lunow and Kevin Gray round out the current top five in the championship points chase as three different drivers (Van Gemmill, Clay Sellard and Joel Lane) have reached victory lane in as many events thus far in 2014.
Woodward’s Jeff Kaup posted his second runner-up finish this past weekend to go along with a win the previous time out, extending his IMCA Sport Modified points lead to 53 markers over Jason Lunow with Austin Walker, Toby Witthuhn and Randle McRoberts in the top five.
Perry Misner has topped the initial two IMCA Stock Car events of the year to open a 24-point advantage over Michael Pepper with Jarett Lunow two-for-two in Hornet action as well.
Tickets to Saturday’s season-opening URSS Sprint Car event at Dodge City Raceway Park are just $15 for adults with children 11 and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Pit passes are $30.
Season passes are available for all 13 nights of DCRP competition (excluding the World of Outlaws Boothill Showdown in July) for just $140. Contact the track at 620-225-3277 for Season Passes. World of Outlaws Boothill Showdown tickets for July 4-5 may be purchased in advance at http://dirtcar.ticketforce.
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.