Dodge City Raceway Park

Mark Zorn (#21Z, Russell), John Schwab (#5, Liberal), Kevin Maloney (#70, Dodge City) and Bubba Harvey (#3, Kansas City) take the field three wide into turn two Saturday night at DCRP.

Gunsmoke Shoot-Out at DCRP
by Ami K. Claussen

The Gunsmoke Shoot-Out at Dodge City Raceway Park Saturday featured all eight of the regular classes in a one-night brawl of metal on metal.

The Pure Stocks/Cruisers started the heats, setting the stage for an intense spread of racing excitement. Robin Bailey (#82, Dodge City) got the jump on the field, followed closely by Chad Kelley (#57, Dodge City). A turn three tangle resulted in a broken axle for Manuel Salazar (#81, Dodge City), a spin for Raymond Blackburn (#31, Dodge City) and an early departure from the race for Steve Blackburn (#4, Dodge City). Kelley snagged the lead off the restart, with Blackburn bearing down hard from second. Blackburn took over the lead on the low side of turn two, and held it for the win.

The Street Stock heat kicked off next, Cole Wilson (#46, Dodge City) in the early lead. Bob Bailey (#84, Dodge City) cleared a path through the middle, and sent the pack four-wide down the front stretch. Full throttle down the outside, Bailey took the lead from Wilson. The field continued to jockey and jostle for position, Chris Schultz (#18, Dodge City) with a charge to second and a bead on the leader. A dive to the low side on the white flag lap sent Schultz to the lead off turn four to take the checkered.

First up for the Hornets was the Youth class, Jacob Huse (#13, Dodge City) on the move at the drop of the green flag. T.K. Burdett (#14, Dodge City) pulled in to a close second, and took the lead and the win from Huse on the high side of turn two. Robbie Perkins (#55, Dodge City) and Vince Blatnick (#42, Dodge City) led the fight off the line as the Hornet heat began, Perkins ahead off the top of turn three. Kyle Fulton (#0, Dodge City) held off Heinrich Heinrichs (#99, Dodge City) for third, while Perkins widened his lead on the field and took the win. Brian Shirley (#18, Dodge City) led off turn four as the Super Hornets took the track. Tommy Wessel (#21, Dodge City) and Alex Wessel (#7, Dodge City) gave the squeeze to David Guinn (#61, Dodge City) taking over second and third. Tommy pulled ahead with sights set on Shirley, but Shirley’s lead was too great a distance to cover before the checkered dropped.

Ryan Hill (#7, Liberal) got the jump on the Super Stock heat, Ray Nulf (#1, Hutchinson) and Jamie French (#76, Hugoton) in a battle for second. Nulf dusted French and went after Hill, but a spin by Brian Peterson (#18, Dodge City) sent the field under caution. Hill led off the restart, Nulf glued to his bumper. A second loop by Peterson brought out the yellow again, and lined the field up for a shoot-out. Jesse Younger (#3, Hugoton) and Scott Claussen (#4, St. John) took over the third and fourth spots as Hill took the win.

Casey Jo Wanger (#3C, Ft. Supply, OK) and Scott Brown (#38, Great Bend) split the space around Kevin Maloney (#70, Dodge City), taking the first heat of Modifieds three wide into turn one. Brown held around the oval, while Wanger had a brief chat with the turn four wall. Danny Keller (#98, Dodge City) worked up to second, while Bubba Harvey (#3, Kansas City) and Mark Zorn (#21Z, Russell) fought over third. Harvey prevailed for a moment, but skated high into turn four and Zorn grabbed the spot. Brown snagged the win. Brad Keller (#K98, Dodge City) claimed the jump on the heat-two field, Mike Lunow (#44, Dodge City) with a hard charge up the middle for second. Glen Thompson (#97, Garden City) and Clay Oakes (#210, Dodge City) both spun off turn two, and out came the caution. The field returned to a double-file restart, Jim Bell (#22B, Hoisington) with the jump the second time around. Lunow and Keller pulled up close behind, Lunow shutting the door on an attempt by Dale Wanger (#D8, Ft. Supply, OK) for third. On the move, Lunow took the lead, and held for the win.

The setting sun cooled off the temperatures but not the action as racing continued under the lights. Bailey again led the Pure Stocks into turn one as the features got underway, Kelley and Raymond Blackburn close on her heels. Blackburn looked low on Kelley, and took the second spot on the inside of turn three. Brian Shirley, joining the Pures for the first time, looped his car off turn two but avoided a caution unlike Kelley, who spun into turn four. Bailey held the lead off the restart to a second caution, brought out for a stalled Steve Blackburn on the back stretch. Despite a hard charge by Shirley on the last lap, Bailey took the win.

Wilson and Bailey fought over the early lead as Schultz took the middle fast-track to challenge for the third place spot in the Street Stock feature. Wilson pulled ahead as Angel Munoz (#2M, Lamar, CO) brought out the first caution with a spin off turn two. Wilson led off the restart, but lost ground to Schultz who blew by high. Bailey fought to hold Justin Weil (#97, Dodge City) at bay, but Weil pulled ahead with Tex Zimmerman (#7, Spearville) in tow. Schultz experienced troubles and abandoned the race, handing the lead to Wilson. Wilson took the lead to the finish line.

Levi Shirley (#18, Dodge City) shot up the outside to lead the Youth Hornet feature, Huse and Burdett close behind. Huse lost ground to Burdett, but Shirley held to the checkered. Perkins and Blatnick again fought for the Hornet lead, Perkins ahead quickly and widening the gap. Kyle Fulton (#0, Dodge City) spun off turn three, and brought out the caution. Blatnick was glued to the rear deck of Perkins on the restart, but had little chance to press the advantage as Fulton once again lost control off turn three. Perkins held off the restart to the win. Shirley fought Allen Burdett (#13, Dodge City) as the Super Hornet feature buzzed to life, Shirley ahead to the lead. Alex Wessel, loose off turn two, clipped Guinn, but both avoided a caution. Wessel took on Wessel for the number two spot, Tommy edging out Alex. A good lead on the pack, Shirley took the checkered.

Hill shot off turn four as the Super Stocks claimed the dirt, Younger snugged up into second, and French and Nulf fought over third. Peterson looped his ride off turn three, and brought out the caution. Hill led off the restart as Nulf took the second position from Younger on the inside of turn three. Younger held off French for a solid third as Nulf edged out Hill for the win.

The Keller brothers vied for the lead as the Modified feature exploded to life. Just behind, the field was two and three wide jostling with a vengeance for position. Close proximity always a recipe for disaster, all it took was one car loose and one hard on the brakes and the Big One erupted just off turn three. A ten-car dog-pile ensued, involving Casey Wanger, Scott Brown, Clay Oakes, Chadd Brown, Kevin Maloney, Bobby Scott (#70, Liberal), Glen Thompson, Mike Lunow, Kyle Taylor (#29, Forgan, OK), and Casey McClaskey (#09, Ponca City, OK). The red flag came out as clean-up began, twelve cars remaining in the race to take the green on the restart. The Kellers were up front once again, with Harvey and Zorn on their heels. Brad Keller got loose off two, causing contact between Dale Wanger and John Schwab (#5, Liberal) who braked to avoid him. Mark Zorn spun trying to avoid Wanger and Schwab, and was nearly slammed by Chadd Brown, who took the grass to avoid the hoopla. The yellow came out briefly to line up the pack, with Danny Keller trying to hold off Harvey on the restart. Schwab and Wanger battled for third as Oakes and Lunow duked it out for fourth. Taylor spun into turn four, and brought out the caution. Keller lost the lead to Harvey shortly off the restart, and Schwab put the moves on Wanger for the third spot. Harvey held the lead with a wide margin after a brief caution for Bell, who came to a stop off turn three, and took the checkered.

Points-racing concludes on October 1 at DCRP. The action will be intense, so be sure to have a front row seat. See you on the dirt!