Racing Heats Up During Winter Nationals
October 4, 2008 by admin
Filed under Race Results
October 4, 2008 – Race fans flocked to Dodge City Raceway Park for the final time in 2008 for the Winter Nationals presented by Coca Cola. With drivers towing from Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Nebraska, DCRP was certainly a popular place.
The Harley Davidson Sprint cars kicked off a fierce night of racing. Craig Jecha, Timken brought the field to the green flag for a twenty five lap main event. Don Steiben used the high line and grabbed the early lead with Jecha, Darren Berry, Keefe Hemel and Taylor Milton checking the top five. Steiben set the pace. With drivers jockeying for position, Jason “The Hitman” Martin had shot into the top five coming from an outside row four starting position. Steiben and Martin would battle for the lead with “The Hitman” gaining the top position on the sixth circuit. With laps winding away the leaders would hit lapped traffic. Martin lead the way with Steiben clinging two the runner up slot, Milton chasing, and current URSS national point leader Brian Hebert joining the fray. Meanwhile Michael Woodruff, a B Feature transfer was on the move. Starting fifteenth, Woodruff had methodically worked his way through the field. Woodruff would bust into the top five with two laps remaining. No would touch Martin, as the leaders pounded the cushion, just inches away from the wall. Milton would clear Steiben for second bringing Woodruff along for the ride and just as the gunslingers set their sights on the leader, “The Hitman” would check out notching his second win in a row and his fourth feature at the park. Milton , Woodruff, Herbert and Taylor Velasquez would round out the top five.
The BST Modified series blew into DCRP for the second time in 2008. With big money up for grabs the field was full for a thirty lap Modified Main. It was Dodge City native Mike Martin jumping out to the early lead with John Schwab, Liberal, hot in his wheel tracks. Martin would be shuffled by Schwab on the sixth lap with Jerry Phillips, Cody Gearhart, and Troy Gemmill in hot pursuit. As the feature flew by Schwab would continue to show the way with Gearhart the runner up. From the third position on it was a crap shoot. Phillps, Gemmill, Will Brack, Tim Leiker, and Scott Drake would battle, two and three wide, as they sliced and diced their way around DCRP. Late cautions would set the stage for one last shootout in the Wild West. With seven laps remaining the field would tighten up on Schwab’s bumper nose to tail. Back under the green flag Schwab would stretch his lead as Gearhart and Brack would battle side by for second. Leiker and Drake would join the scrum. As the rest of the pack fought for position Schwab sailed to victory lane and his first DCRP feature of the season. Gearhart would eek out a second place finish as Brack settled for third. Leiker locked down fourth as Drake dropped to fifth.
The United Wireless IMCA stock cars thundered onto the dirt for an action packed main event. Past DCRP feature winner Angel Munoz would jump out to the early lead with Trevor Wadel, Nick Tubbs, Randy Tipton, and Mike Wadel rounding the top five. Several early cautions halted any momentum the stocker boys would hope to build and laps would sluggishly be scored. Restart after restart Munoz would hold serve with Tipton, Trevor Wadel, Mike Wadel, and Greg Stone the top five. With time running out an epic battle between Munoz and Tipton would ensue and duo battled side by side for the lead. With the checkers flying, Tipton would steal his second feature win of the season. Munoz would settle for second, as Mike Wadel locked down third. Bart Baker and Kenny Schmidt would round out the top five.
NAPA Thunder Cars grumbled onto the track bringing “the good stuff” with them. As the green flag dropped a ferocious battle between Matt Kraus, Steve Sprott, and Josh Crombie would ensue. Kevin Sprott was looking to grab his second feature win but Kraus would charge to the front and drive to victory lane in his NAPA Thunder debut. Rounding out the top five finishers were Sprott, Crombie, Raymond Blackburn, and Dalton Bauer.
The crowd was on their feet as the Hornets buzzed onto the asphalt. Justin Schulte made it two consecutive feature wins outlasting David Guinn, Cody Lampe, and Tony Deslorous.
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