Getting off to the fast start, it’s what every racer hopes for.
And several drivers did exactly that in the recent Dodge City Raceway Park season opener on April 11, with Ty Williams, Jeremy Sigler, Michael Pepper and Cody Davis breaking out the best with feature wins.
It remains to be seen who breaks out the quickest in the IMCA Modified ranks, with the opening feature pushed back by weather to this Saturday’s card that will now include double Modified features along with a full slate of Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars and IMCA Hobby Stocks.
The question is, does topping the season opening event translate to ultimately capturing the track championship?
Based on recent results, it wouldn’t necessarily appear so as only four of 15 opening night winners over the past three years have gone on to capture the season’s track championship. Only Perry Misner and Jarett Lunow have pulled off the feat, with Misner taking the IMCA Stock Car title after winning season openers in 2012 and 2014 and Lunow taking now defunct Hornet honors after opening night wins in 2013 and 2014.
Still it’s Williams, Sigler, Pepper and Davis with early advantages in their respective divisions, and it’s an advantage each will look to build upon with Saturday night’s action that goes green at 7:30 p.m.
A quick look at the DCRP championship point chases with one round of action in the books….
Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars:
The inaugural DCRP Sprint Car event was a resounding success with Liberal, KS, native Ty Williams emerging from a heated multi-car battle to take the win over a field of 29.
Feature Winners: Ty Williams 1.
Current Top Ten in Points: 1. Ty Williams (Liberal, KS) 150, 2. Brian Herbert (Dodge City, KS) 145, 3. Luke Cranston (Ness City, KS) 141, 4. C.J. Johnson (Quinter, KS) 138, 5. Raymond Seemann (Jetmore, KS) 135, 6. Connor Atkinson (Hutchinson, KS) 132, 7. Koby Walters (Liberal, KS) 129, 8. Zach Blurton (Great Bend, KS) 126, 9. Cody Lampe (Jetmore, KS) 123, 10. Keefe Hemel (Dodge City, KS) 120.
IMCA Modifieds:
Double features are on tap for the Mods after rain cut the April 11 opener short by just one race. Joel Lane and reigning track champion Austin Allen, both of whom picked off one DCRP feature win last year, will lead the 23-car makeup feature to the green flag before a full card follows.
Feature Winners: None.
Current Top Ten in Points: Yet to be determined.
Last year’s Final Top Ten: 1. Austin Allen (Wichita, KS) 1,419, 2. Ryan Heger (Hugoton, KS) 1,409, 3. Cole Traugott (Woodward, OK) 1,377, 4. Mike Lunow (Dodge City, KS) 1,336, 5. Nick Link (Rolla, KS) 1,328, 6. Jesse Smith (Dodge City, KS) 1,309, 7. Kale Beavers (Pierceville, KS) 1,286, 8. Joel Lane (Ulysses, KS) 1,148, 9. Tracy Link (Hugoton, KS) 1,139, 10. Jack Kirchoff (Garden City, KS) 1,135.
IMCA Sport Modifieds:
Great Bend’s Jeremy Sigler kicked off the 2015 season in style with his first career Sport Mod win, denying an early bid from Jason Lunow to take top honors.
Feature Winners: Jeremy Sigler 1.
Current Top Ten in Points: 1. Jeremy Sigler (Great Bend, KS) 150, 2. Jason Lunow (Dodge City, KS) 145, 3. Jared Baird (Woodward, OK) 141, 4. Mike Appel (Dodge City, KS) 138, 5. Bart Baker (Dodge City, KS) 135, 6. Michael Pepper (Lakin, KS) 132, 7. Kevin Tabor (Dodge City, KS) 129, 8. Toby Witthuhn (Garden City, KS) 126, 9. Kamren Gruber (Great Bend, KS) 123, 10. Tim Loomis (Woodward, OK) 120.
IMCA Stock Cars:
An opening night win for Michael Pepper could bode well with the Stock Car title going to the opening night winner over two of the past three years. Pulling double duty each night with a Sport Mod in addition to the Stock Car, Pepper’s opening night win was his first DCRP score since a July 26, 2013, Stock Car triumph.
Feature Winners: Michael Pepper 1.
Current Top Ten in Points: 1. Michael Pepper (Lakin, KS) 150, 2. Dusty Witthuhn (Bazine, KS) 145, 3. Ron Hartman (Ulysses, KS) 141, 4. Randy Dowell (Ulysses, KS) 138, 5. Karson Love (Rosston, OK) 135, 6. Brett Copeland (Fowler, KS) 132, 7. Kyle Tillery (Beaver, OK) 129, 8. Chris Oliver (Garden City, KS) 126, 9. Marlin Hogie (Ulysses, KS) 123.
IMCA Hobby Stocks:
Cody Davis christened DCRP’s new IMCA Hobby Stock division by picking off opening night honors for the third time in the last four years after taking Thunder Car wins in 2012 and 2014. Davis topped four of ten Thunder Car feature last year with opening night third-place finisher Matt O’Hair capturing the title.
Feature Winners: Cody Davis 1.
Current Top Ten in Points: 1. Cody Davis (Bucklin, KS) 150, 2. Reagan Sellard (Bucklin, KS) 145, 3. Matt O’Hair (Laverne, OK) 141, 4. Tommy Fose (Salina, KS) 138, 5. Cody Williams 135, 6. Michael Penrod (Moscow, KS) 132, 7. Tom Reed (Kalvesta, KS) 129, 8. Clint Long 126, 9. Zach McLemore 123, 10. Tobby Schield (Sublette, KS) 120.
General admission tickets to Saturday’s championship chase card that also includes the April 11 IMCA Modified feature are just $10, with children 11 and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Pit admission is $30.
The 2015 slate of events at Dodge City Raceway Park includes 15 nights of competition with a number of special events along the way, highlighted by the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars Boothill Showdown on July 3-4.
The track’s full slate of events is available at http://www.dodgecityraceway.com/schedule/.
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.
- administrator on Apr 24, 2015
- Article Date: 4/24/2015 by Lonnie Wheatley