Lonnie Wheatley
DODGE CITY, Kan. (July 1, 2017) – 
While Martens scored his first DCRP win, other Mid-Season Championships feature winners included William Nusser in IMCA Modifieds, Jeff Kaup in IMCA Sport Modifieds, Angel Munoz in IMCA Stock Cars and Duane Wahrman in IMCA Hobby Stocks.
In the 20-lap DCRP Sprint Car feature, Fairview, Oklahoma’s Jake Martens gunned into the lead from the pole at the outset then denied some mid-race challenges from reigning track champion Taylor Velasquez to secure the victory.
“Last year, we had already won three or four features by this time,” Martens said in victory lane. “Here it is July and I hadn’t won yet, I almost thought I’d forgot how to win these things.”
Redrawing the pole position after winning his heat race, Martens put the Martens Machine Shop No. 48 Eagle chassis out front in short order. Velasquez closed in to challenge just past the midway point, but Martens kept his machine on the low side and slipped away in the closing laps.
“The draw definitely worked in our favor tonight,” Martens commented.
Martens crossed the stripe ahead of Velasquez with Luke Cranston filling out the podium in third. Tyler Knight slipped around Brian Herbert on the 13th lap to claim fourth with Herbert rounding out the top five.
Larned’s William Nusser took advantage of the pole starting position in his feature as well, jumping into the lead and setting the pace for all 20 non-stop rounds of the IMCA Modified feature for his second career DCRP triumph and first since April of 2016.
Nusser outgunned Travis Simmons for the lead at the drop of the green flag and slipped away as Simmons and David Solberg battled it out for second. Meanwhile, Jesse Richter was working his way through the field from 13th, ultimately climbing into the runner-up position by the 15th round.
By that time though, Nusser held nearly a straightaway advantage. Richter cut into that lead over the closing circuits but ran out of laps with Nusser taking the checkered flag with an eight car-length advantage. Solberg settled for show honors behind Nusser and Richter with 18th-starter Ryan Heger and Kevin Gray rounding out the top five.
Three-time track champ Jeff Kaup of Woodward, OK, rallied from ninth to pick off his third IMCA Sport Modified feature win of the year and 15th DCRP triumph since 2012.
Mike Appel paced the field for the opening six rounds with Kaup working up to fourth by the time a caution flew after five laps. Kaup jumped to the top on the restart and rallied into the lead for keeps on the seventh round of the 15-lapper.
While Kaup cruised on to victory lane, Jarett Lunow and Kyle Wiens battled it out for runner-up honors in his wake with Wiens getting the nod by taking advantage of a Lunow bobble in the final pair of corners. Kevin Tabor snuck by in the final corner to snare third with Lunow and Alex Wiens rounding out the top five.
Pratt’s Duane Wahrman moved atop the IMCA Hobby Stock points by racing to his second win of the year in the 15-lap main event.
Fourth-starter Brett Copeland jumped into the early lead and set the pace as Wahrman, Matt O’Hair and Reagan Sellard raced through the field.
Wahrman won the race through the field, breaking into second by the fifth round and then chasing down Copeland to challenge for the point. Wahrman battled into the lead by the tenth round and then held off O’Hair over the closing circuits to take the win.
Wahrman and O’Hair were chased to the line by Copeland with Sellard and Gerald Walker rounding out the top five.
Lamar, Colorado’s Angel Munoz bumped his season DCRP average up to .800 by winning his fourth event in five tries. Munoz gunned into the lead from the second row on the opening lap and pace the field all the way to post the win.
Brian May and Reagan Sellard both picked up $150 Hard Charger bonuses courtesy of Melling Performance in their respective classes. May raced from 13th to sixth in the IMCA Sport Modified main event while Sellard advanced from ninth to fourth in the IMCA Hobby Stock main.
Action continues at Dodge City Raceway Park on Saturday night, July 15, with Lewis Automotive Night championship chase action featuring Precise Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars and IMCA Hobby Stocks.
Dodge City Raceway Park – Mid-Season Championships
July 1, 2017 Results:
Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars:
Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 48-Jake Martens, 2. 49x-Luke Cranston, 3. 49-Kris Moore, 4. 11k-Tyler Knight, 5. 911-Ty Williams, 6. 18-Brandon Sprott, 7. 10-Jordan Knight.
Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 21x-Taylor Velasquez, 2. 51r-Ross Essenberg, 3. 97-Brian Herbert, 4. 9d-Lance Davis, 5. 17x-Craig Jecha, 6. 8J-Brandy Jones.
“A” Main (20 Laps): 1. 48-Jake Martens, 2. 21x-Taylor Velasquez, 3. 49x-Luke Cranston, 4. 11k-Tyler Knight, 5. 97-Brian Herbert, 6. 49-Kris Moore, 7. 9d-Lance Davis, 8. 51r-Ross Essenberg, 9. 911-Ty Williams, 10. 10-Jordan Knight, 11. 17x-Craig Jecha, 12. 18-Brandon Sprott. DNS: 8J-Brandy Jones.