New faces in Norton’s victory lane
By Mike Hughes

NORTON, KS (April 22)—New faces appeared in victory lane at Elmwood Park Speedway in Norton, KS, Saturday evening, April 22. All four divisions saw first time winners for the season at the ½-mile oval.

Brady Koch led the opening lap of the IMCA Stock Car feature before heat one winner Cory Struckhoff of Kensington made the pass. Struckhoff slowly pulled away from the field that saw several cars battling for position throughout the pack. However heat two winner Josh Hudson made his way to the runner-up spot in the second half of the race and chased down his teammate, but Struckhoff was up to the challenge and won his first feature of the year. Hudson finished second, followed by Jason Davis, Jason Rogers and Koch.

Gorham’s Jason Schoenberger was in the right place at the right time to win the IMCA Modified feature. Oberlin’s David Murray Jr. took the lead from Nate Schaben on lap 4 of the 20-lap race and pulled away from the rest of the field. But just as Murray took the crossed flags at the halfway mark of the race, something broke on his car and he came to a stop, forcing a caution. Second running Schoenberger inherited the lead and led the last half of the race for the victory. Mitch Kline finished second, followed by Marty Clark, Tim Watts and Mike Petersilie. Brian Calhoon and Murray won the two heat races.

After winning the first IMCA Hobby Stock heat race, Logan’s Dustin McClurg led wire-to-wire in the 15-lap feature. Cautions on laps 14 and 15 bunched the field late in the race but McClurg was able to fend off his challengers to score the win. Heat two winner Brady Schoen, Kelly Karnopp, Adam Balthazor and Wade Wagenblast rounded out the top five.

Norton duo John Annon & Josh Wonderly led all 10 laps in the Cruiser feature to find their way to victory lane. Nick & Tim Horn finished second, followed by Mike Hockemeier & Jim Ellis. Joe & Jim Carter won the heat race before breaking an axle in the feature.

Racing action returns to Elmwood Park Speedway Saturday night, May 6. Race time is 7:00 p.m.



RESULTS

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat 1: 1. Dustin McClurg, 2. Adam Balthazor, 3. Kelly Karnopp, 4. Wade Wagenblast.

Heat 2: 1. Brady Schoen, 2. Jerry Hudson, 3. Brent Schoen, 4. Brandon Naasz.

Feature: 1. McClurg, 2. Brady Schoen, 3. Karnopp, 4. Balthazor, 5. Wagenblast, 6. Brent Schoen, 7. Justin Wagner, 8. Hudson, 9. Laura Hinger, 10. James Heinen, 11. Phil Hinger, 12. Gene Sneath, 13. Naasz (DNF), 14. Barry Brush (DNF), 15. Jebb Tally (DNS).

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat 1: 1. Cory Struckhoff, 2. Jason Schoenberger, 3. Tyler Hahn, 4. Jason Davis.

Heat 2: 1. Josh Hudson, 2. Caleb Peters, 3. Brady Koch, 4. Jay Hachmeister.

Feature: 1. Struckhoff, 2. Hudson, 3. Davis, 4. Jason Rogers, 5. Koch, 6. Schoenberger, 7. J.R. McCreery, 8. Peters, 9. Hachmeister, 10. Dan Lauer, 11. Michael Zajic, 12. Hahn (DNF), 13. Jason McCartney.

IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1: 1. Brian Calhoon, 2. Steve Reedy, 3. Jeff Walters, 4. Mike Petersilie.

Heat 2: 1. David Murray, 2. Nate Schaben, 3. Brice Riley, 4. Mitch Kline.

Feature: 1. Jason Schoenberger, 2. Kline, 3. Marty Clark, 4. Tim Watts, 5. Petersilie, 6. Randy Porter, 7. Calhoon, 8. Hunter Hembree, 9. Doug Shearer, 10. Riley (DNF), 11. Schaben, 12. Murray (DNF), 13. Rick Schwab (DNF), 14. Walters (DNF), 15. Reedy (DNF).

Cruisers
Heat: 1. Joe Carter/Jim Carter, 2. John Annon/Josh Wonderly, 3. Macy Thomas/Kimberly Thomas, 4. Nick Horn/Tim Horn.

Feature: 1. Annon/Wonderly, 2. Horn/Horn, 3. Mike Hockemeier/Jim Ellis, 4. Rhona Annon/Joann Ellis, 5. Thomas/Thomas, 6. Carter/Carter (DNF), 7. Jeremy Simmons/Roger Deal (DNF).