by John Rittenoure - KELLYVILLE, Okla. (May 29, 2021) - Noah Harris was hoping to repeat his March 19 AmeriFlex / OCRS IMCA Sprint Car win at Creek County Speedway on Saturday night, but it was not to be.
Steven Shebester spoiled those hopes when he battled past Harris 9 laps from the finish to win his second 30-lap A-Feature of the season.
Shebester, who won March 27 at Lawton Speedway, became the seasons second 2-time winner. Alex Sewell has also logged two wins. But Saturday’s victory was far from an easy.
Shebester closed on Harris, who had been leading from the start, on lap 14 and the two waged a side-by-side battle for the top spot. The two swapped lines several times with Harris continuing to hold a slim lead each time the two crossed the start-finish line.
“There was a lot of trading lines,” Shebester said of his battle with Harris. “He kind of got the line I was using on the bottom and surprised me. He passed me then we traded lines and I passed him back. It was pretty good racing.”
As the two came up on lapped traffic at the end of lap 21 Shebester finally pulled ahead and this time he stayed there.
“I just pushed a little bit harder, and if I hit my line right I could miss the ruts that was making us bicycling and get a good exit,” Shebester said. “We just got lucky on that one.
“When he took that bottom line I was kind of happy because I rather run the top anyway. He kind of gave me my shot right there. But it was hard to pass him even when he was using the bottom lane.
“It is a great win for the team and great momentum for tomorrow (at Thunderbird).”
It was a tough loss for Harris who wanted a second win.
“I wanted to,” Harris said of his hope at victory. “I was nervous because Steven (Shebester) started behind me and he is so fast. I knew he was going to be the one to beat.
“I led a couple of laps and thought I might be ok, then he started showing me his nose and it got to me.
“I swapped lines with him when he started showing me his nose and it started taking rubber a little bit. I wanted to be down in the rubber when it took it. I did not want to be on the top and he out smarted me.”
Early in the race Alison Slaton was chasing Harris and Shebester but contact with another car on lap eight sheared off her front right wheel and she came to a stop to bring out the yellow.
Fred Mattox shot into second on the restart, but gave up the spot back to Shebester after a three-lap battle.
Rees Moran finished in third at the checkered with Mattox falling to fourth. Danny Wood rounded out the top five and closed within 9 points of points leader Casey Wills who finished 11th.
The AmeriFlex / OCRS IMCA Sprint Cars travel to Thunderbird Speedway in Muskogee on Sunday to take on the historic half-mile.
AmeriFlex / OCRS IMCA Results
Creek County Speedway, Kellyville, Okla.
May 29, 2021
AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories A-Main (30 Laps): 1. 16S-Steven Shebester[3]; 2. 7F-Noah Harris[1]; 3. 22M-Rees Moran[2]; 4. 26M-Fred Mattox[5]; 5. 55W-Danny Wood[13]; 6. 5$-Danny Smith[10]; 7. 15-Jase Randolph[6]; 8. 35-Brett Wilson[7]; 9. 10P-Dylan Postier[12]; 10. 88-Terry Easum[18]; 11. 31-Casey Wills[8]; 12. 5-Joe Bob Lee[14]; 13. 50Z-Zach Chappell[9]; 14. 8-Austin Shores[16]; 15. 79-Tim Kent[17]; 16. 22-David Stephenson[20]; 17. 9$-Kyle Clark[11]; 18. 777-Bailey Hughes[19]; 19. 32G-Kolton Gariss[15]; 20. 6-Alison Slaton[4]
B-Main 1 (12 Laps): 1. 32G-Kolton Gariss[4]; 2. 79-Tim Kent[8]; 3. 777-Bailey Hughes[2]; 4. 32K-Chris Kelly[11]; 5. 3C-Roy Larkin[1]; 6. 38-Jimmy Forrester[10]; 7. 15P-Jack Potter[6]; 8. 20-Shawn Wicker[7]; 9. V8-Robert Vetter[3]; 10. 29-Shane Duke[9]; 11. 56L-Jarrett Lucito[5]
B-Main 2 (12 Laps): 1. 8-Austin Shores[1]; 2. 88-Terry Easum[3]; 3. 22-David Stephenson[6]; 4. 22T-Frank Taft[5]; 5. 91-Jake Martens[4]; 6. 43-Spencer Mason[2]; 7. 30X-Larry Bratti[7]; 8. 69-Greg York[8]; 9. 13$-Len Larkin[9]; 10. 55-Johnny Kent[10]; 11. 2L-Brandon Leland[11]
Schure Built Suspension Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 15-Jase Randolph[1]; 2. 6-Alison Slaton[5]; 3. 777-Bailey Hughes[2]; 4. V8-Robert Vetter[4]; 5. 91-Jake Martens[6]; 6. 20-Shawn Wicker[3]; 7. 69-Greg York[8]; 8. 2L-Brandon Leland[7]
Lightning Wings Powder Coating Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 50Z-Zach Chappell[1]; 2. 7F-Noah Harris[5]; 3. 35-Brett Wilson[6]; 4. 88-Terry Easum[4]; 5. 56L-Jarrett Lucito[7]; 6. 30X-Larry Bratti[3]; 7. 32K-Chris Kelly[2]
Smith Titanium Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 16S-Steven Shebester[2]; 2. 10P-Dylan Postier[1]; 3. 8-Austin Shores[3]; 4. 5-Joe Bob Lee[6]; 5. 15P-Jack Potter[4]; 6. 22-David Stephenson[5]; 7. 29-Shane Duke[7]
Car Fleet Parts Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 22M-Rees Moran[2]; 2. 9$-Kyle Clark[3]; 3. 55W-Danny Wood[4]; 4. 3C-Roy Larkin[6]; 5. 22T-Frank Taft[5]; 6. 38-Jimmy Forrester[1]; 7. 13$-Len Larkin[7]
RacinBoys Heat 5 (8 Laps): 1. 5$-Danny Smith[1]; 2. 31-Casey Wills[4]; 3. 26M-Fred Mattox[6]; 4. 32G-Kolton Gariss[3]; 5. 43-Spencer Mason[7]; 6. 79-Tim Kent[2]; 7. 55-Johnny Kent[5]
About the AmeriFlex / OCRS Series -
Established in 2002, the Tulsa OK based AmeriFlex / OCRS series sanctions dirt track sprint car racing in the southern region of the central plains. Fan appeal and quality race teams, combined with our solid core of supporting sponsors are the nucleus of the series. Thrilling competition providing the ultimate quality family entertainment is the essence of what the AmeriFlex / OCRS series is all about.
Website: www.ocrsracing.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/oil.series
About Ameri-Flex Hose & Accessories -
Located in Tulsa OK, AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories is a family owned and operated company. From food grade hose to hoses for the petroleum industry, Ameri-Flex will strive to fill your needs. AmeriFlex can build a hose to your specifications or we will assist you in creating what you have designed while you wait. Ameri-Flex has several hard to find items that some vendors can’t get or find. Product can be shipped quickly and efficiently. If we do not have what you are looking for, we will direct you on where to find it. Give us a try, after all…………..
AmeriFlex Has The Stuff That Keeps You Going!
Website: www.AmeriFlexHose.com
AmeriFlex / OCRS IMCA Contingency Sponsors
AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories, Hoosier Tires, Amsoil, Car and Fleet Parts, Smith Titanium, lightning Wings and Powder Coating, Schure Built Suspensions.
- administrator on May 30, 2021
- Article Date: 5/30/2021 by John Rittenoure