Dodge City Raceway Park season opener this Saturday

[rebelracewriter]

DCRP Title Chases Begin with Saturday's Season Opener

by Lonnie Wheatley

 

DODGE CITY, Kan. (March 29, 2016) The time has finally arrived with Dodge City Raceway Park set to kick off a blockbuster 2016 season of racing action this Saturday night. Saturdays tilt will be the first of 17 nights of heated racing competition atop the 3/8-mile clay oval in southwest Kansas.

Saturdays action that goes green at 7:30 p.m. will mark the first round of championship chase action for the tracks five featured classes including Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars and IMCA Hobby Stocks.

It will also be the first of three April events at the state-of-the-art DCRP facility with the $1,200-to-win Fourth Annual Modified Stampede to follow on April 9 and another round of championship chase action on April 23. All five divisions will be in action during all three April events.

Tickets to Saturdays season opener featuring all five championship chase divisions are just $15 for adults with children eleven and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

A quick look at the reigning champions and top ten in each division is as follows

Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars

One of just two drivers to finish among the top ten in all seven feature events last year, Ness City native Luke Cranston captured the inaugural DCRP Sprint Car championship by just 38 points over Great Bends Zach Blurton. Blurton was the other driver to finish among the top ten in all seven events.

The DCRP Sprint Cars step up from seven events in 2015 to 13 this year.

2015 Champion: Luke Cranston

2015 Top Ten: 1. Luke Cranston (Ness City, KS) 979, 2. Zach Blurton (Great Bend, KS) 941, 3. Brian Herbert (Dodge City, KS) 886, 4. (tie) Kris Moore (Dodge City, KS) and Koby Walters (Liberal, KS) 857, 6. Keefe Hemel (Dodge City, KS) 799, 7. Tyler Knight (Dodge City, KS) 789, 8. Jeremy Huish (Jetmore, KS) 778, 9. Ty Williams (Arcadia, OK) 755, 10. (tie) Beau Ricke (Dodge City, KS) and Taylor Velasquez (Turpin, OK) 653.

Perfect Attendance (10 competed in all seven events): Luke Cranston, Zach Blurton, Brian Herbert, Kris Moore, Koby Walters, Keefe Hemel, Tyler Knight, Jeremy Huish, Beau Ricke, Jordan Knight.

Total 2015 competitors: 55

Average nightly 2015 car count: 28.3


IMCA Modifieds

Goddards Austin Allen raced to his third consecutive DCRP track championship on the strength of nine top-fives in 11 feature events, taking the 2015 crown by a healthy 163 point margin over William Nusser. Nusser emerged atop a heated battle for runner-up honors, edging Ryan Heger and Kevin Gray for the position.

2015 Champion: Austin Allen

2015 Top Ten: 1. Austin Allen (Goddard, KS) 1,521, 2. William Nusser (Larned, KS) 1,358, 3. Ryan Heger (Hugoton, KS) 1,345, 4. Kevin Gray (Ulysses, KS) 1,316, 5. Kale Beavers (Pierceville, KS) 1,265, 6. Nick Link (Rolla, KS) 1,248, 7. Jack Kirchoff (Garden City, KS) 1,178, 8. Tanner Black (Mohave Valley, AZ), 9. Tracy Link (Hugoton, KS) 1,160, 10. Clay Sellard (Bucklin, KS) 1,153.

Perfect Attendance (11 competed in all 11 events): Austin Allen, William Nusser, Ryan Heger, Kevin Gray, Kale Beavers, Nick Link, Jack Kirchoff, Tracy Link, Jesse Smith, Chadd Brown Heath Myers.

Total 2015 competitors: 50

Average nightly 2015 car count: 26.1

IMCA Sport Modifieds

Woodward, Oklahomas Jeff Kaup notched his third consecutive DCRP track championship as well, racking up ten top-five finishes in a dozen events to take the title by 56 points over Mike Appel as the Sport Mods offered up 12 different feature winners in as many events.

2015 Champion: Jeff Kaup

2015 Top Ten: 1. Jeff Kaup (Woodward, OK) 1,632, 2. Mike Appel (Dodge City, KS) 1,576, 3. Josh Appel (Dodge City, KS) 1,570, 4. Brian May (Spearville, KS) 1,508, 5. Kevin Tabor (Dodge City, KS) 1,469, 6. Jason Lunow (Dodge City, KS) 1,430, 7. Jamie French (Hugoton, KS) 1,263, 8. Bart Baker (Dodge City, KS) 1,242, 9. Darren Coyle (Turpin, OK) 1,179, 10. Don Strecker (WaKeeney, KS) 1,030.

Perfect Attendance (Six competed in all 12 events): Jeff Kaup, Mike Appel, Josh Appel, Brian May, Kevin Tabor, Jason Lunow.

Total 2015 competitors: 53

Average nightly 2015 car count: 20.6


IMCA Stock Cars

Lakins Michael Pepper broke out of the gates quickly in 2015 by winning five of the first six events, ultimately finishing among the top ten in all 11 feature events to take the championship by 78 points over Ron Hartman.

2015 Champion: Michael Pepper

2015 Top Ten: 1. Michael Pepper (Lakin, KS) 1,549, 2. Ron Hartman (Ulysses, KS) 1,471, 3. Marlin Hogie (Ulysses, KS) 1,452, 4. Brett Copeland (Fowler, KS) 1,448, 5. Dusty Witthuhn (Bazine, KS) 1,273, 6. Randy Dowell (Ulysses, KS) 1,248, 7. Kyle Tillery (Beaver, OK) 1,221, 8. Trevor Schmidt (Hays, KS) 632, 9. Chris Oliver (Garden City, KS) 570, 10. Josh Siebert (Ulysses, KS) 567.

Perfect Attendance (Four competed in all 11 events): Michael Pepper, Ron Hartman, Marlin Hogie, Brett Copeland.

Total 2015 competitors: 32


IMCA Hobby Stocks

With the Thunder Cars transitioning into IMCA Hobby Stocks in 2015, Bucklins Cody Davis raced to the championship by a 127 point margin over Reagan Sellard on the strength of ten top-five runs in 11 feature events.

2015 Champion: Cody Davis

2015 Top Ten: 1. Cody Davis (Bucklin, KS) 1,549, 2. Reagan Sellard (Bucklin, KS), 3. Clint Long (Dodge City, KS) 1,295, 4. Matt OHair (Laverne, OK) 1,272, 5. Tom Reed (Kalvesta, KS) 1,197, 6. Bryan Habiger (Ingalls, KS) 1,173, 7. Will Bauer (Ness City, KS) 1,094, 8. Corey Hacker (Dodge City, KS) 941, 9. Tobby Schield (Sublette, KS) 889, 10. David Berger (Dodge City, KS) 754.

Perfect Attendance (Four competed in all 11 events): Cody Davis, Reagan Sellard, Cling Long, Tom Reed.

Total 2015 competitors: 31


The complete 2016 schedule of events at Dodge City Raceway Park is available at http://www.dodgecityraceway.com/schedule/.

Driver registration is available as well at http://www.dodgecityraceway.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/DCRP-2016-Registration.pdf for those planning to compete at Dodge City Raceway Park in 2016.

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.