USAC Southwest Sprint Cars at Dodge City on Saturday

[NickHolt]

USAC Southwest Sprint Cars at Dodge City on Saturday

by Lonnie Wheatley

 

DODGE CITY, Kan. (August 11, 2014) – “Traditional” Sprint cars will take to the Dodge City Raceway Park clay oval for the only time of the year this Saturday night as the 3/8-mile track hosts the fourth and final leg of the USAC Southwest Sprint Cars “Freedom Tour”.

The top guns of the wingless USAC Southwest Sprint Cars series will invade Oklahoma and Kansas, with Saturday’s finale at Dodge City Raceway Park going green at 7:30 p.m.

Joining in on Saturday’s card will be the track’s championship chase divisions of IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars and Thunder Cars.

Saturday’s Second Annual “Freedom Tour” finale will follow stops at Lawton (OK) Speedway on Wednesday, Creek County Speedway near Tulsa, OK, on Thursday and then Wichita’s 81 Speedway on Friday. All four nights offer up a $2,500 winner’s share.

Among the stars traveling from the Southwest will be Las Cruces, New Mexico’s Rick Ziehl, who topped two of four “Freedom Tour” events last year, including one at Dodge City Raceway Park. Other winners were Charles Davis, Jr., and Oklahoma’s Danny Smith.

Leading the USAC Southwest forces to Oklahoma and Kansas is reigning series champion and current points leader R.J. Johnson of Phoenix, AZ, on the strength of five series wins thus far in 2014.

Taking in his first “Freedom Tour” after missing last year’s inaugural events, Johnson holds a 44-point lead over multi-time Arizona champion Charles Davis, Jr., the winner of last year’s “Freedom Tour” finale at DCRP.

Among others expected from the Southwest are Josh Pelkey, Mike Martin, Colby Copeland, Shon Deskins, Josh Hodges, Michael Curtis, Chris Bonneau, Michael Bonneau and Tye Mihocko.

With identical rules to the local ASCS and NCRA contenders minus the wings, a number of local and regional stars are expected to defend “home” turf against the invading forces over the course of the four race mini-series.

While the USAC Southwest Sprint Cars take center stage in Saturday’s “Freedom Tour” finale at DCRP, pivotal track championship action is on the line as well with Ryan Heger, Jeff Kaup, Perry Misner and William Bauer leading their respective divisions.

With Kaup holding a commanding lead in the IMCA Sport Modified ranks and Misner likewise in the IMCA Stock Cars, less than a handful of points separate the leaders in the other two divisions.

Heger holds just a four-point lead over Austin Allen in the IMCA Modified ranks while Bauer is just three points ahead of Matt O’Hair in the Thunder Cars. And with a five-point differential between first and second in the feature, those leads are anything but safe.

Tickets to Saturday’s Second Annual USAC Southwest Freedom Tour finale along with Modifieds, Sport Modifieds, Stock Cars and Thunder Cars are just $20 for adults with children 11 and under free when accompanied by an adult.

Dodge City Raceway Park is located on the south edge of Dodge City, KS, on US 283, then 0.9 miles west on US 56, then 0.1 miles south. For more information, contact the track at 620-225-3277 or check www.dodgecityraceway.com.