Lonnie Wheatley
DODGE CITY, Kan. (July 20, 2019) – Current Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Car points leader Luke Cranston padded his lead by racing to his third win of the season in Saturday night’s 20-lap feature atop the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park clay oval.
While Cranston topped the Sprint Car ranks, other Saturday night winners included Clay Sellard in IMCA Modifieds, Ryan Kirchoff in IMCA Sport Modifieds, Angel Munoz in IMCA Stock Cars and Tathan Burkhart in IMCA Hobby Stocks.
After starting on the front row outside of the Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Car feature, Cranston gunned into the lead and held off Ray Seemann throughout to post the win aboard the Myers-powered Mid-America Millwright/Tunnel Car Wash No. 49x Schnee.
“Starting position was pretty critical in these, sometimes you just get lucky,” Cranston commented.
Seemann pressured throughout but had to settle for second behind the Ness City native with Jeremy Huish, Jordan Knight and defending trach champion Steven Richardson rounding out the top five.
Bucklin’s Clay Sellard maintained the hot hand in the IMCA Modified ranks by battling past defending track champion Nick Link on a lap 13 restart en route to his third win in a row in the 20-lapper.
N. Link battled past his father Tracy Link for the point on the second round with Sellard following suit. N. Link kept Sellard at bay over the ensuing rounds until a final caution flew with 12 laps in the books when T. Link spun in turn two.
With Brendon Gemmill in third on the restart, Sellard raced underneath T. Link while Gemmill charged into second. Sellard kept several car-lengths between himself and Gemmill the rest of the way with T. Link outlasting Ryan Heger for third and current points leader William Nusser in fifth.
In the 20-lap IMCA Sport Modified feature, Garden City’s Ryan Kirchoff became the only first-time 2019 winner of the night by wiring the field in the 20-lapper for his first DCRP feature win.
Gunning into the lead from the pole position, Kirchoff paced the field throughout and weathered a caution with three circuits remaining to cross the stripe ahead of Matthew Crowell, Jeff Kaup, Kyle Wiens and Bart Baker.
After having his IMCA Stock Car win steak snapped at three last week, Lamar, Colorado’s Angel Munoz got started on a new one by racing to his sixth DCRP score of the year.
Munoz had to work for this one, moving into second soon after Chris Oliver emerged from a three-wide tussle for the point on the second lap. Munoz kept the pressure on with Oliver working the low side to keep him at bay.
The pressure paid off with Munoz slipping around for the point on the 15th lap and leading the closing laps with Oliver holding back Mike Petersilie, Troy Burkhart and Dusty Witthuhn rounding out the top five.
Hays’ Tathan Burkhart added his fourth DCRP win of the year by racing to victory lane in the 20-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature.
Burkhart battled past early pacesetter Matt O’Hair and cruised the rest of the way to the checkered flag with O’Hair holding off Cody Stone and Reagan Sellard for runner-up honors with Brooke Russell rounding out the top five.
Following Sunday’s fifth scheduled round of Micro and Kart action atop the 1/7-mile Little DCRP, the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park returns to action next Friday night, July 26, with the always much-anticipated Driver & Fan Appreciation Night.
Dodge City Raceway Park
July 20, 2019 Results:
Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars:
Heat One (8 Laps): 1. 10-Jordan Knight, 2. 97-Brian Herbert, 3. 72-Ray Seemann, 4. E85-Tyler Knight, 5. 49-Kris Moore, 6. 11- Darren Robertson, 7. 51r-Ross Essenburg.
Heat Two (8 Laps): 1. 88J-Jeremy Huish, 2. 45x-Kyler Johnson, 3. 49x-Luke Cranston, 4. 0-Steven Richardson, 5. 18-Brandon Sprott, 6. 34c-Cale Cozad, 7. 67-T.J. Cain
“A” Main (20 Laps): 1. 49x-Luke Cranston, 2. 72-Ray Seemann, 3 88J-Jeremy Huish, 4. 10-Jordan Knight, 5. 0-Steven Richardson, 6. 49-Kris Moore, 7. 34c-Cale Cozad, 8. 51r-Ross Essenburg, 9. 11-Darren Robertson, 10. 45x-Kyler Johnson, 11. 18-Brandon Sprott, 12. 67-T.J. Cain, 13. 97-Brian Herbert (DNS).