The curtain comes down on the 2015 season at Dodge City Raceway Park in a big way with Saturday night’s Third Annual Jerry Soderberg Memorial Championship atop the 3/8-mile clay oval in southwest Kansas.
The United Rebel Sprint Series squares off one more time with the Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars in the season finale that will also feature IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars and IMCA Hobby Stocks.
Racing action fires off at 7:00 p.m.
The Jerry Soderberg Memorial Championship event has drawn monster fields over each of the past two years as racers throughout the region seek out one last chance to capture a Dodge City Raceway Park victory.
A total of 124 cars took part in the Inaugural Soderberg Memorial in 2013 with 111 competitors in last year’s finale.
Turpin, Oklahoma’s Taylor Velasquez reigns as defending Soderberg Memorial champion after winning last year’s finale over a field of 34 URSS Sprint Cars. Great Bend’s Zach Blurton took the win in the inaugural edition of the event after Velasquez crossed the scales below the minimum allowable weight.
Other defending winners of the event include Jesse Richter in IMCA Modifieds, Nate Ginest in IMCA Sport Modifieds, Ron Hartman in IMCA Stock Cars and Cody Davis in what are now the IMCA Hobby Stocks.
Ulysses shoe Ron Hartman ranks as the only driver to go two-for-two in the Soderberg Memorial after racing from the tail of the field to win in 2013 and then backing it up by leading all the way last year.
In the DCRP championship chases, Luke Cranston leads the way into the event in the Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars. Austin Allen looks to finish off a third consecutive track championship in the IMCA Modified ranks, as does Jeff Kaup in the IMCA Sport Modifieds. Michael Pepper has the IMCA Stock Car crown within reach, with Cody Davis atop the IMCA Hobby Stock points.
General admission tickets to Saturday night’s Third Annual Jerry Soderberg Memorial Championship are just $15 for adults, with children 11 and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Pit admission is $30.
Past Jerry Soderberg Memorial Championship Winners:
2014 – Taylor Velasquez (URSS Sprint Cars), Jesse Richter (IMCA Modifieds), Nate Ginest (IMCA Sport Modifieds), Ron Hartman (IMCA Stock Cars), Cody Davis (Thunder Cars), Jarett Lunow (Hornets).
2013 – Zach Blurton (URSS Sprint Cars), Ryan Heger (IMCA Modifieds), Josh Appel (IMCA Sport Modifieds), Ron Hartman (IMCA Stock Cars), Dan Rogers (Thunder Cars), James Phelps (Hornets).
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 Sep 23, 2015
- Article Date: 9/23/2015 by Lonnie Wheatley