From Lonnie Wheatley
Dodge City, KS — (March 29, 2016) — The time has finally arrived with Dodge City Raceway Park set to kick off a blockbuster 2016 season of racing action this Saturday night. Saturday’s tilt will be the first of 17 nights of heated racing competition atop the 3/8-mile clay oval in southwest Kansas.
Saturday’s action that goes green at 7:30 p.m. will mark the first round of championship chase action for the track’s five featured classes including Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars and IMCA Hobby Stocks.
It will also be the first of three April events at the state-of-the-art DCRP facility with the $1,200-to-win Fourth Annual Modified Stampede to follow on April 9 and another round of championship chase action on April 23. All five divisions will be in action during all three April events.
Tickets to Saturday’s season opener featuring all five championship chase divisions are just $15 for adults with children eleven and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult.
A quick look at the reigning champions and top ten in each division is as follows…
Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars
One of just two drivers to finish among the top ten in all seven feature events last year, Ness City native Luke Cranston captured the inaugural DCRP Sprint Car championship by just 38 points over Great Bend’s Zach Blurton. Blurton was the other driver to finish among the top ten in all seven events.
The DCRP Sprint Cars step up from seven events in 2015 to 13 this year.
2015 Champion: Luke Cranston
2015 Top Ten: 1. Luke Cranston (Ness City, KS) 979, 2. Zach Blurton (Great Bend, KS) 941, 3. Brian Herbert (Dodge City, KS) 886, 4. (tie) Kris Moore (Dodge City, KS) and Koby Walters (Liberal, KS) 857, 6. Keefe Hemel (Dodge City, KS) 799, 7. Tyler Knight (Dodge City, KS) 789, 8. Jeremy Huish (Jetmore, KS) 778, 9. Ty Williams (Arcadia, OK) 755, 10. (tie) Beau Ricke (Dodge City, KS) and Taylor Velasquez (Turpin, OK) 653.
Perfect Attendance (10 competed in all seven events): Luke Cranston, Zach Blurton, Brian Herbert, Kris Moore, Koby Walters, Keefe Hemel, Tyler Knight, Jeremy Huish, Beau Ricke, Jordan Knight.
Total 2015 competitors: 55
Average nightly 2015 car count: 28.3