By Richie Murray
Hutchinson, Kansas (July 16, 2021)………Tim Kent of Bristow, Oklahoma took advantage of race-long leader Riley Kreisel’s mechanical misfortune to win Friday night’s 65th annual Hutchinson Grand Nationals 20-lap feature at the Kansas State Fairgrounds.
The event was sanctioned by both USAC Wingless Sprints Oklahoma and the USAC Wholesale Batteries Midwest Wingless Racing Association.
Kreisel led early before retiring with just four laps remaining, allowing Kent to race into the lead and score the victory on the half-mile dirt oval.
Koby Barksdale was leading the first heat race when, on the final lap, he tagged the turn three wall and flipped. He was checked out at the hospital and later cleared with a little racing rheumatism.
The event was a full points race for USAC WSO and a non-points special event for USAC MWRA.
USAC WINGLESS SPRINTS OKLAHOMA / USAC WHOLESALE BATTERIES MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPECIAL EVENT RACE RESULTS: July 16, 2021 – Kansas State Fairgrounds – Hutchinson, Kansas – 65th O’Reilly Auto Parts Hutchinson Grand National Auto Races
FIRST HEAT: (6 laps, starting positions in brackets) 1. 53-Brett Wilson [2], 2. 91-Riley Kriesel [8], 3. 58-T.J. Cain [1], 4. 79-Tim Kent [7], 5. 6s-Spencer Martinez [3], 6. 31m-Eric Matthews [5], 7. 35-J.C. Wilson [6], 8. 22-Koby Barksdale [4]. NT
DASH: (6 laps, starting positions in brackets) 1. Riley Kreisel [1], 2. Tim Kent [2], 3. Brett Wilson [6], 4. Eric Matthews [4], 5. Spencer Martinez [5], 6. J.C. Wilson [3], 7. T.J. Cain [7], 8. Koby Barksdale [8]. NT
FEATURE: (20 laps, starting positions in brackets) 1. Tim Kent [1], 2. Eric Matthews [6], 3. Spencer Martinez [5], 4. Brett Wilson [4], 5. J.C. Wilson [7], 6. T.J. Cain [2], 7. Riley Kreisel [3], 8. Koby Barksdale [8]. NT
**Koby Barksdale flipped during the first heat.
USAC WINGLESS SPRINTS OKLAHOMA POINTS: 1-Brett Wilson-552, 2-Tim Kent-480, 3-J.C. Wilson-435, 4-Ty Hulsey-365, 5-Craig Carroll-363, 6-Spencer Martinez-337, 7-Harlan Hulsey-333, 8-Wyatt Burks-269, 9-Eric Matthews-261, 10-T.J. Cain-260.
NEXT USAC WINGLESS SPRINTS OKLAHOMA RACE: July 31, 2021 – Oklahoma Sports Park – Ada, Oklahoma
NEXT USAC WHOLESALE BATTERIES MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR RACE: August 6, 2021 – Lakeside Speedway – Kansas City, Kansas