HAYS, Kan. (May 29) – He’s enjoyed his share of success and then some at Hays in an IMCA Modified, but Jordan Grabouski wasn’t sure about his chances when taking the green flag in Thursday’s IMCA Sunoco Stock Car Shootout feature at RPM Speedway.
After the 40-lapper, he wasn’t sure where to best display the cool trophy.
Grabouski worked his way up from ninth starting, drove between Mike Nichols and Kyle Pfeifer to take the lead before midway, and stayed in front to the $5,000 checkers at the inaugural event, presented by First Class Chassis.
“I didn’t think we had a shot, from where we started and with so many good cars starting ahead of us,” admitted Grabouski. “But my car was lights out. I had a lot of corner speed. This race was the most fun I ever had in a Stock Car and there are probably 5,000 reasons why.”
A caution before halfway had bunched the field back up. Lapped traffic didn’t become a factor in the later stages and Nichols chased Grabouski across the stripe.
Pfeifer, Shawn Ritter and Angel Munoz rounded out the top five. Hard charger Damon Murty motored from 22nd starting to sixth.
The defending Fall Nationals Modified winner, Grabouski had won Modified and Stock Car features at RPM’s Sunflower Classic as well this spring.
That previous Stock Car victory at Hays had also come from ninth starting.
“I’ve always liked racing at RPM. I went out there for the first time for Fall Nationals and finished something like third, and just had a good time,” said Grabouski. “I liked the people and I liked the track. I’ve always enjoyed going back.”
He donned a cowboy hat and held up a trophy complete with two six-shooters in victory lane.
“That’s one of the coolest trophies I’ve ever gotten,” Grabouski said of the hardware that accompanied his career-best payday in the division.
Fifty-five Stock Car drivers from seven states vied at the Shootout.
Tuesday feature winners at Hays were Garrett Hager in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Dakota Sproul in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods. Dylan Nelson won Wednesday’s Hobby Stock main and Blaine Walt topped the Northern SportMods.
Feature results – 1. Jordan Grabouski; 2. Mike Nichols; 3. Kyle Pfeifer;4. Shawn Ritter; 5. Angel Munoz; 6. Damon Murty; 7. Jason Rogers; 8. Dalton Flory; 9. Dominic Thyfault; 10. Kyle Vanover; 11. Colin Heim; 12. Jay Schmidt; 13. Jeff Tubbs; 14. Chris Heim; 15. Daniel Gottschalk; 16. Troy Burkhart; 17. Casey Woken; 18. Corey Stapleton; 19. Buck Schafroth; 20. Jeremy Zorn; 21. Dominic Ursetta; 22. Todd VanEaton; 23. Elijah Zevenbergen.
- administrator on Jun 01, 2019
- Article Date: 6/1/2019