Dodge City Raceway Park

Pankratz Wins First Round of the Second Annual Unicel Kansas Midget Klassic
By Don Holbrook, American Independent Midget Series

Dodge City, Kansas (July 22, 2005) - Wally Pankratz from Orange, California came to Dodge City to show he's still one of the best midget drivers in the country on his farewell tour by winning the first night of competition of the Second Annual Unicel Kansas Midget Klassic 25-lap "A" Feature.

With both guns loaded, Pankratz starting on the pole with Chris DeShon on the outside of him, took the lead at the start and left the field of 20 cars in the dust. The first caution came out on lap 2 when local favorite Mike Woodruff stalled on the front straightaway with mechanical problems, he would retire to the pits. On the restart, Pankratz took the lead. On lap 13, the caution came out again when Chad Farmer made contact with the inside tire barrier going into turn 3, broke the front end and stop in turn 4. Pankratz took the lead again on the restart. But during all of this time, Gary Taylor and Australian Midget ace Darren Jenkins were chasing Pankratz down and were running second and third at the time. The final caution came out on lap 21, when rookie midget driver Russ Harper spun and stalled in turn 4. During the caution laps, Jenkins pulled off into the infield with motor problems. Again on the restart, Pankratz took the lead and never looked back. At the finish, it was Pankratz, Taylor, Rik Forbes, Brad Loyet and Luke Icke rounding out the top five.

Heat race winners was Luke Icke, Russ Harper, Chad Farmer and Gary Taylor.

Their was a major crash in Heat 2, when Ron Kuhn made contact with Tony Rossi between turns three and four, Kuhns flipped a couple times very hard, Kuhns was transported to a local hospital for observation.

The 12 lap "B" Feature was won by Jeff Davis.

Results:

Heat One (8 Laps) - Luke Icke, Darren Jenkins, Mike Hess, Brad Loyet, Andy Mason, Mike Farmer, Leroy Holler, Dwayne McMurtrey(DNS), Rick England(DNS).

Heat Two (8 Laps) - Russ Harper, Chris DeShon, Tony Rossi, Joe Boyles, Jeff Davis, Mike Marfia, Mallory Armfield, Ron Kuhns(DNF).

Heat Three (8 Laps) - Chad Farmer, Wally Pankratz, Chris Wagner, Mike Woodruff, Chad McDaniels, Brady Bacon, Cody Brewer(DNF), Robert Marfia(DNF).

Heat Four (8 Laps) - Gary Taylor, Rik Forbes, James Doyle, Aaron Kirk, Bob Harr. Brandon Moeller, Rob Simpson, Matt Supan(DNF).

"B" Feature (12 Laps) - Jeff Davis, Chad McDaniels, Brady Bacon, Dwayne McMurtrey, Rob Simpson, Mike Marfia(DNF), Andy Mason(DNF), Bob Harr(DNF), Leroy Holler(DNF), Robert Marfia(DNF), Brandon Moeller(DNF), Rick England(DNS).

"A" Feature (25 Laps) - Pankratz, Taylor, Forbes, Loyet, Icke, DeShon, Harper, Rossi, Wagner, Kirk, McDaniel, Boyles, Hess, McMurtrey(DNF), Jenkins(DNF), Davis(DNF), C. Farmer(DNF), Bacon(DNF), Doyle(DNF), Woodruff(DNF).