By Rick Salem
OBERLIN, Kansas (August 15, 2020) – Twenty-seven cars were on hand with the Mel Hambelton Ford Racing Lucas Oil POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series for the final night of the Bob Salem Memorial. Drivers took to the 3/8-mile dirt track on Saturday night and Quinter, Kansas’ Zach Blurton swept the night.
Heat races were won by Zach Blurton, Monty Ferriera, Koby Walters, and JD Johnson. A 12-lap B-Feature transferred eight to the feature event: Kyler Johnson, Todd Plemons, Willie Wynn, Alexander Ort, Taylor Velasquez, Mark Walinder, Darren Berry, and Dalton Webb.
Lincoln, Nebraska’s Monty Ferriera and Liberal, Kansas’ Koby Walters set the pace for the 25-lap feature event on Saturday night. Ferriera took off with the early lead over Walters, JD Johnson, and Jeremy Huish. Ferriera stretched the lead to about eight car-lengths before slipping off of the track in turn four, passing the lead position to Walters. JD Johnson and Jeremy Huish set eyes on the race lead while Blurton moved up to fourth.
A handful of laps later, second and third place runners of Jeremy Huish and JD Johnson would spin simultaneously in turns three and four. Johnson hit the outside wall, causing extensive damage and was unable to restart. Walters, Blurton, and Jed Werner would restart in the top-three with 12 laps in the books.
Walters stuck to the bottom of one and two and top of three and four to hold onto the lead of lap 13. Lap 14 found Blurton riding around the top of turn two to get past Walters for the lead while Ferriera worked his way back into the fourth place running position. Blurton would sneak away with the lead over Walters navigating through lapped traffic. Kyler Johnson would spin with 10 laps remaining, bringing out the caution.
Blurton took off with the lead on the restart while Jake Martens advanced to third over Jed Werner. Monty Ferriera and Jed Werner battled for fourth for several laps before Ferriera prevailed with the position. Martens advanced to second with two laps remaining. Blurton went on to sneak around lapped traffic to claim the final night of the Bob Salem Memorial with the United Rebel Sprint Series.
Jake Martens, Koby Walters, Monty Ferriera, and Jed Werner rounded out the top-five on Saturday night. The Keizer Aluminum Wheels hard-charger was awarded to Pampa, Texas’ Alexander Ort, starting 16th and finishing 8th.
A-Feature: 1) Zach Blurton, 2) Jake Martens, 3) Koby Walters, 4) Monty Ferriera, 5) Jed Werner, 6) Shane Sundquist, 7) Buddy Tubbs, 8) Alexander Ort, 9) Todd Plemons, 10) Jeremy Huish, 11) Kyler Johnson, 12) Nate Berry, 13) Willie Wynn, 14) Dalton Webb, 15) Mark Walinder, 16) Scott Cochran, 17) Aaron Ploussard, 18) Taylor Velasquez, 19) Darren Berry, 20) JD Johnson
B-Feature: 1) Kyler Johnson, 2) Todd Plemons, 3) Willie Wynn, 4) Alexander Ort, 5) Taylor Velasquez, 6) Mark Walinder, 7) Darren Berry, 8) Dalton Webb, 9) Tom Belsky, 10) Brady Skrdlant, 11) Chad Salem, 12) Jody Reeves, 13) Pat McVicker, 14) John Webster, 15) Howard Van Dyke
Heat 1: 1) Zach Blurton, 2) Jeremy Huish, 3) Jake Martens, 4) Kyler Johnson, 5) ChadSalem, 6) Tom Belsky, 7) Taylor Velasquez
Heat 2: 1) Monty Ferriera, 2) Aaron Ploussard, 3) Scott Cochran, 4) Mark Walinder, 5) Todd Plemons, 6) Darren Berry, 7) Jody Reeves
Heat 3: 1) Koby Walters, 2) Jed Werner, 3) Willie Wynn, 4) Alexander Ort, 5) Dalton Webb, 6) Pat McVicker, 7) Brady Skrdlant
Heat 4: 1) JD Johnson, 2) Buddy Tubbs, 3) Nate Berry, 4) Shane Sundquist, 5) John Webster, 6) Howard Van Dyke