By John Rittenoure
KELLYVILLE, Okla. (April 25, 2025) – With two laps remaining in Friday’s Ortco, Inc. United Sprint League presented by Same Day Auto Repair main event, at Creek County Speedway, it appeared Tanner Conn was a lock to win the 30-lap feature. Conn had been leading since lap 7 with no serious challenges until lap traffic suddenly got in the way. Conn was briefly held up in turn one and Tyler Edwards drove underneath for the lead and victory.
“I got to lapped traffic and I was hoping he (Tanner Conn) would think he had a bigger gap and it worked out good,” Edwards said of his inside pass for the lead. “He kind of had a higher entry off of (turn) 4 and I think it set his angle wrong into (turn) 1 and I kind of noticed that. He went too high. I felt like if I could just squeak in there.”
Conn had a quick decision to make and the one he made cost him the win.
“It was just unfortunate timing coming up on two lap cars side-by-side with two to go,” Conn said of losing the lead. “You could play it either way, go low or go high or split the middle. It was unfortunate not knowing what they were going to do.
“I was hoping we would not get to lapped traffic on that last restart but with three to go we caught them.”
Once Edwards grabbed the lead in turn two he was hoping Conn did not have a chance to pass him back.
“I was worried a little bit, but once I got by the one (car) going into turn 3 I felt like I had it.,” Edwards said. “His (Conn’s) car had a lot of exit speed and he has a good motor and it showed. He is a good race car driver.”
Edwards was fortunate that a early race mishap did not take him out of the race.
‘I hit a tire early and knocked the left front shock off,” Edwards said of his early race mishap. “It did not help us but did not hurt us either.
“The race car was good. Noah Harris of Speed Stix and Jared had it dialed in. It was good all night.”
Teammate Conner Lee led the first six laps then gave way to Conn. Lee was keeping Edwards behind him in third until dropping out on lap 19. That moved Tim Kent up to third followed by Cameron Hagin in fourth and Johnny Kent behind in fifth.
“Conner was doing a great job but I guess his power steering went out,” Edwards said of his teammate. “I was able to get by him in lapped traffic too.”
Edwards is developing a liking for Creek County Speedway.
“We have won three races here now so it has been great,” he said. “I love it here in a midget also. It is one of my favorite midget tracks. When it widens out just right there are two grooves and you have to attack it in certain ways It is kind of technical.”
United Sprint League
Creek County Speedway – Kellyville, Oklahoma
April 25, 2025
Morton Excavating A Feature (30 Laps): 1. 20-Tyler Edwards[4]; 2. 6-Tanner Conn[2]; 3. 79-Tim Kent[3]; 4. 6T-Cameron Hagin[8]; 5. 55-Johnny Kent[6]; 6. 99J-Cooper Sullivan[9]; 7. 24H-Ty Hulsey[10]; 8. 8R-Ryker Pace[11]; 9. 6K-Brylee Kilmer[5]; 10. 45-Tyler LaPointe[12]; 11. 50-Cody Whitworth[15]; 12. 69-Greg York[17]; 13. 1-Cody Lincoln[16]; 14. (DNF) 17-Connor Lee[1]; 15. (DNF) 5B-Brock Cottrell[7]; 16. (DNF) 24C-Craig Carroll[14]; 17. (DNF) 24T-Glenn Bratti[13]; 18. (DNF) 97-Kevin Cummings[18]
Speed Stix Shocks Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 6-Tanner Conn[3]; 2. 55-Johnny Kent[2]; 3. 5B-Brock Cottrell[4]; 4. 8R-Ryker Pace[5]; 5. 50-Cody Whitworth[1]; 6. (DNS) 97-Kevin Cummings
Kent Fireworks Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 79-Tim Kent[1]; 2. 17-Connor Lee[6]; 3. 99J-Cooper Sullivan[3]; 4. 45-Tyler LaPointe[5]; 5. 24C-Craig Carroll[4]; 6. 69-Greg York[2]
HR Auto Glass Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 20-Tyler Edwards[1]; 2. 6K-Brylee Kilmer[3]; 3. 24H-Ty Hulsey[2]; 4. 6T-Cameron Hagin[6]; 5. 24T-Glenn Bratti[5]; 6. 1-Cody Lincoln[4]
Lap Leaders: 1-6 Connor Lee, 7-28 Tanner Conn, 29-30 Tyler Edwards.
Margin of victory: 0.810.
2025 Winners: 3/22 – Steven Shebester, Red Dirt Raceway; 4/11 – Johnny Kent, Tulsa Speedway; 4/12 – Johnny Kent, Creek County Speedway; 4/25 – Tyler Edwards, Creek County Speedway.
Next Event: May 3, Lawton Speedway.
About United Sprint League
Owned by Michael Tyre, the USL sanctions 360 two-barrel / 305 non-wing sprint car events throughout Oklahoma and surrounding states with goals of supporting sponsors and providing fans the the opportunity to enjoy the excitement of non-wing sprint car racing.