Regular season opens at RPM Speedway
By Mike Hughes
HAYS, KS (April 20)—After a very successful Sunflower Classic at RPM Speedway in Hays, KS, the regular season opened on Saturday, April 20, with over 110 race teams ready to battle for track points.
The S & W Supply IMCA Modified A-feature saw Rodger Peck lead the opening lap before being passed by Mike Petersilie on lap 4. Petersilie was then passed by Salina’s Corey Lagroon on lap 8 with ‘Smokin’ Joe Cleveland right behind. On lap 15, Lagroon spun in turn one. But track officials thought contact by Cleveland caused the spin, so Lagroon was back on point on the restart with Cleveland lined up at the back of the field. Lagroon was challenged the remaining distance by several drivers but held on for the win. Kyle Rohleder won the battle for the runner-up spot, followed closely by ‘The Terminator’ Travis Sherfick, ‘Rapid’ Ronnie Hill and ‘Dynamite’ Dylan Sherfick. Jason Schoenberger won the B-feature, with heat race wins going to Cleveland, Dylan Sherfick and Brandon Blochlinger.
The Advantage Glass Plus IMCA Stock Car feature saw good racing all the way thoughout the pack in the 20-lap event. It was ‘Leadfoot’ Luke Pfannenstiel leading the opening lap before Jeff Tubbs took over a lead he would not relinquish. The top 7 stayed close thoughout the race but Tubbs held on for the win.
Dustin McClurg won the race for second, trailed closely by B.J. Wagoner, Scot Granzella and Tyler Tipton. Heat race victors were Geoff Jermark and Tubbs.
The Golden Plains Trucking Northern Sport Mod A-feature saw Dustin Daniels dominate the first half of the 20-lap race as he led the field to the halfway mark. But on lap 16, ‘The Frye Man’ Tyler Frye of Belleville, who started 12th in the 20-car field, got under Daniels in turn 4 and took control. A late race caution bunched the field but Frye, who has his sights set on a national championship, helped his cause by being first to the checkers. Heat one winner Daniels, Cory Struckhoff, heat 2 winner Kurtis Pihl, and Trenton Kleweno rounded out the top five. Brendon Damon was victorious in the B-feature. Frye also won a heat race.
A field of 31 Rebel Tank Service IMCA Hobby Stocks competed, and when the 20-car 15-lap A-feature took to the track, it was Aaron Honas of Ellis leading from green to checkered to score the win. Tommy Fose finished second, with ‘The Wild Child’ Garrett Hager, ‘Neon’ Leon Pfannenstiel and Austin Tammen completing the top five. ‘Bam Bam’ Cody Graham claimed the win in the B-feature, with heat race wins going to Tammen, Pfannenstiel, Honas, and Cody Ghumm.
Art Herzog of Hays won his second IMCA Sport Compact feature in a week in the D K Ranch division. Herzog won at Wakeeney last Sunday, then led all 12-laps in the main event for another trip to victory lane. Rounding out the top five were Michael Smith, Kirk Pfannenstiel, Dean Herzog and heat 2 winner Jacob Olmstead. Shyla Hughes won the other heat race.
Racing returns to the 3/8-mile oval on Saturday, May 4, for Merchants Night.
RESULTS
IMCA Sport Compacts
Heat race winners: Shyla Hughes, Jacob Olmstead
Feature: 1. Art Herzog, 2. Michael Smith, 3. Kirk Pfannenstiel, 4. Dean Herzog, 5. J. Olmstead, 6. Hughes, 7. Allen Rice, 8. Tristen Barton, 9. Andrew Soderlund, 10. Justin Rohr, 11. Ed Jasper (DNF), 12. Brandon Lobdell (DNF), 13. Kiowa Higdon (DNF), 14. Zach Olmstead (DNS), 15. Madison Reed (DNS), 16. Jesse Prockish (DNS).
IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat race winners: Austin Tammen, Leon Pfannenstiel, Aaron Honas, Cody Ghumm
B-Feature (top 4 advance): 1. Cody Graham, 2. Robert Emmons, 3. Travis Coop, 4. Donnie Werth, 5. Jason McIntyre, 6. Wayne Robben, 7. Michael Johnson, 8. Tanner Moss, 9. Justin Meserve, 10. Ron Wehling (DNF), 11. Lucas Louder (DNS), 12. Darren Unrein (DNS), 13. T.C. McKain (DNS), 14. Colton Pfeifer (DNS), 15. Mike Traskowsky (DNS).
A-Feature: 1. Honas, 2. Tommy Fose, 3. Garrett Hager, 4. Pfannenstiel, 5. Tammen, 6. Trevor Schmidt, 7. Aaron Gray, 8. Ghumm, 9. Travis Burger, 10. Brian Stich, 11. G.W. Fuller, 12. Daniel Irwin, 13. Jacob Crowell, 14. Coop, 15. R. Emmons, 16. Al Emmons, 17. Werth, 18. Adrienne West, 19. Colin Heim, 20. Graham (DNF).
IMCA Northern Sport Mods
Heat race winners: Dustin Daniels, Kurtis Pihl, Tyler Frye
B-Feature (top 5 advance): 1. Brendon Damon, 2. Jeremy Sigler, 3. Fred Traskowsky, 4. Joe Couse, 5. Jeremy Couse, 6. Cody Pancake, 7. Tony Fisher, 8. Philip Goering, 9. Chance Miller (DNF), 10. Wade Wagenblast (DNS), 11. Mark Axelson (DNS), 12. Bentley Pywell (DNS).
A-Feature: 1. Frye, 2. Daniels, 3. Cory Struckhoff, 4. Pihl, 5. Trenton Kleweno, 6. Austin Carter, 7. Blaine Walt, 8. Chris Heim, 9. Seth Schroer, 10. Joe Couse, 11. Damon, 12. Cory McGann, 13. Kaid Calhoon, 14. Sigler, 15. Jeremy Couse, 16. Cory Monsell, 17. Traskowsky (DNF), 18. Clay Money (DNF), 19. Jerrod Couse (DNF), 20. Brian Fink (DNF).
IMCA Stock Cars
Heat race winners: Geoff Jermark, Jeff Tubbs
Feature: 1. Tubbs, 2. Dustin McClurg, 3. B.J. Wagoner, 4. Scot Granzella, 5. Tyler Tipton, 6. Terry Cunningham, 7. Jason Davis, 8. Nolan Remus, 9. Jermark, 10. Pat Bedore, 11. Cody Williams, 12. Brent Moss, 13. Trevor Thornton, 14. Eric Kinderknecht, 15. Luke Pfannenstiel (DNF), 16. Brett Oelke (DNF).
IMCA Modifieds
Heat race winners: Joe Cleveland, Dylan Sherfick, Brandon Blochlinger
B-Feature (top 5 advance): 1. Jason Schoenberger, 2. David Solberg, 3. Bill Albin, 4. Jason Anderson, 5. Chadd Brown, 6. Matt Fabrizius (DNF), 7. David Krieger (DNF), 8. Dusty Springer (DNF), 9. Taos Leighton (DNF), 10. Rob Day (DNS).
A-Feature: 1. Corey Lagroon, 2. Kyle Rohleder, 3. Travis Sherfick, 4. Ronnie Hill, 5. D. Sherfick, 6. Schoenberger, 7. Brian Calhoon, 8. Nate Moore, 9. Blochlinger, 10. Jerry Teel, 11. Brown, 12. John Fabrizius, 13. Rodger Peck, 14. Albin, 15. Cleveland (DNF), 16. Mike Petersilie (DNF), 17. Tim Watts (DNF), 18. Solberg (DNF), 19. Anderson (DNF), 20. Troy Plummer (DNF).
Category: Kansas / Nebraska, RPM Speedway
