By Lonnie Wheatley
DODGE CITY, Kan. (April 25, 2017) – Battles down to the wire were the norm in the April 15 season opener atop the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park in southwest Kansas.
More of the same is expected with this Saturday’s Lewis Automotive Night of championship action at the state-of-the-art dirt track facility featuring the Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars and IMCA Hobby Stocks.
Also, as an added bonus for the kids, a pair of bicycles will be given away to a pair of lucky fans this weekend as well. It will be the first of six selected DCRP events in 2017 at which two bikes will be randomly awarded to two fortunate young fans.
Leading the way into Lewis Automotive Night after collecting opening night wins are Ty Williams (DCRP Sprint Cars), Cole Traugott (IMCA Modifieds), Jeff Kaup (IMCA Sport Modifieds), Angel Munoz (IMCA Stock Cars) and Matt O’Hair (IMCA Hobby Stocks).
In the Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Car ranks, Turpin, Oklahoma’s Taylor Velasquez nearly kicked off his title defense in perfect form. However, with Velasquez leading the way into the final pair of corners, it was Ty Williams surging by on the top side to capture his second opening night win in three seasons.
Woodward, Oklahoma’s Cole Traugott fought off some serious challenges from Steve Bowers, Jr., to chalk up his seventh IMCA Modified win in his last seven outings at DCRP while fellow Woodward shoe and three-time IMCA Sport Modified track champ Jeff Kaup worked the high side relentlessly to overtake Brian Davidson for opening night honors.
In IMCA Stock Car action, Lamar, Colorado’s Angel Munoz threw his hat in the championship ring by beating scratch starter Jack Pepper to the line as defending and two-time champ Michael Pepper finished fourth while Laverne, Oklahoma’s Matt O’Hair kicked off his IMCA Hobby Stock title defense by fending off Reagan Sellard and Duane Wahrman for the opening night win.
Saturday’s Lewis Automotive Night of championship racing action gets under way at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are just $15 for adults with children 11 and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult.
The 2017 season at Dodge City Raceway Park consists of 14 total nights of racing action, culminating with the return of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car series for the “Boot Hill Showdown” on October 27-18. The complete 2017 schedule of events at Dodge City Raceway Park is available at http://www.dodgecityraceway.com/schedule/.
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.