Salina Speedway Recap 6/27

It Can’t Rain All The Time 

  After a three week hiatus, mostly due to Mother Nature, racing returned to Salina Speedway. Drivers and fans alike were excited to get back to the ⅜ mile track for a Saturday night of camaraderie and racing. There were 120 cars checked in across five IMCA classes and the Crown Vics. This is the lowest car count this season for Salina. Adding to this week’s excitement, long time anonymous track supporter known only as Dirt Track Junkie donated a purse increase for the hobby stock class, which brought out 26 cars for this class. 

   Central Siding Crown Vic Nation

  Quickly gaining popularity, the Central Siding Crown Vic Nation always provides a great show on the track. This week there was a total of 15 cars entered. Two six lap heat races won by 91 Anthony Self, Wichita Kansas, and 42K Chris Phillips, McPherson Kansas; set the field for their 12 lap A feature.  Saturday night broke the season long streak of the Crown Vics  going green to checkers in their A race, when 63 Halie Richmond, Wichita Kansas got into the front stretch wall. When racing resumed, ALex Self took off and was chased by 72 Paco Montague, who was able to pass Self for the lead. A second caution for debris on the track got the field regrouped for the final four laps. This cation gave 26B Austin Mortimer the opportunity to get a flat tire changed in the hot pits. When the green flag waved Self jumped out to regain the lead and take it to the checkered flag. 26B Austin Mortimer and made his way from tenth to a fifth place finish to get the hard charger award in this class. Results: 1st 91 Anthony Self, 2nd 42K Chris Phillips, 3rd 49 Trent Peltier, 4th 90 Matt Ramsey, 5th 26B Austin Mortimer, 6th 37 Jimmy Lawson, 7th 72 Paco Montague, 8th S13 Squirt Betzner, 9th 27C Matthew Mortimer, 10th 32 John Bender, 11th 321 Jeremy Richmond, 12th 55M Alex Manwaring DNF, 13th 94S Sami Walker DNF, 14th 63 Halie Richmond DNF, 33 Austin Ferguson DNS. 

    Busch Light Hobby Stocks

  The second class to run their feature was the Busch Light Hobby Stocks, with an increased purse, there was a total of 26 cars checked in to run four heat races and a B feature to get the field set up for the A Main. Heat race 1 was won in dominating fashion by the 7N of Nicholas Ronnebaum, heat race 2 was won by 3H Gauge Hubbard, heat 3 went to 55C Garrit Caswell, heat 4 winner was 5K Mike Traskowsky. The B feature was won by 22A Jarrett Arasmith. Twenty cars went into the 20 lap A feature, with hopes of winning the big payout.  94 Austen Huehl took the lead early from the pole position and was running up front until a caution came out and got the field back together. There was an exciting race going on between 23T Trey Collins, 5K Mike Traskowsky, 7N Nicolaus Ronnebaum, and 2M Trent Matson behind the 94 of Huehl. When the caution came out and got everyone back together it was the 7N the jumped out tp the lead followed by 23T and 5K, these three drivers were separating themselves from the rest of the pack and racing hard until a late caution for a car spun out in turn four. When the green flag flew the 7N jumped out and set sail for the checkered flag. Moving from 12th to 1st, Nicolaus Ronnebaum was the hard charger, and race winner. Results: 1st 7N Nicholaus Ronnebaum, 2nd 5K Mike Traskowsky, 3rd 23T Trey Collins, 4th 2M Trent Matson, 5th 58B Brent Beaumont, 6th 77F Mitchell Fischer, 7th 3H Gauge Hubbard, 8th 106 Charlie Slowhower, 9th 10 Dane Headrick, 10th 007 Brandon Wise, 11th 55N Noah Marshall, 12th 22 Dennis Berry, 13th 55C Garrit Caswell DNF, 14th 22A Jarret Arasmith DNF, 15th 26L Dylan Ludden DNF, 16th 70 Billy McBride DNF, 17th 7D Chase Davis, 18th D68 Dion Priddy DNF, 19th 94 Austen Huehl DNF, 20th 82 Quinten Baxter DNF. 

  Bird Contracting Sport Compacts

  The Bird Contracting IMCA Sport Compacts had 21 entries that had 3 6 lap heat races to set up the 12 lap A feature. Heat race 1 went to 45 Dave Kappel, heat race 2 was won by 25K Konnor Moore, and the third heat winner was 14 Ashlyn May. The A feature was packed with exciting racing as the 81 Jacob Kappel jumped out to an early lead, followed closely by 45 Dave Kappel, 14 Ashlyn May, 11K Corey Kindlesparger, and 8B Kaishen Brack. The furious four bangers jockeyed throughout the field for position, and it’s always a thrill to watch them move on the track. The yellow came out to get the field regrouped and it was the 45 in the lead. With the 77 Branston Arnder Jr., 81, and 8B all close behind fighting for position. When the checkered flag flew it was the 45 Dave Kappel and his Flying Skeleton heading to the 1 Vision Aviation Victory lane. 77 Branston Arnder Jr was the hard charger moving up 9 spots to finish second. Results: 1st 45 Dave Kappel, 2nd 77 Branston Arnder Jr., 3rd 81 Jacob Kappel, 4th 8B Kaishen Brack, 5th 03K Kyle Mortensen, 6th 14 Ashlyn May, 7th 26X Dan Kruse, 8th 25K Konnor Moore, 9th 72X Xander Montague, 10th 1TK Trinket Kinderknecht, 11th 2 Jayden Johnson, 12th A0K Cam Adams, 13th 1 Brandon Amack, 14th 04 Alison Jeske, 15th K29 Trenton Thompson, 16th 48 Cody Rigsby, 17th 45M Ariel Halpain, 18th 11K Corey Kindlesparger DNF, 19th 55 Colten Halpain DNF. 

   Big Corner Creative Northern Sport Modifieds

  The Big Corner Creative IMCA Northern Sport Modifieds were the second largest class Saturday night at Salina Speedway with 23 entries. Three 6 lap heat races would set the field for their 20 lap A feature. Heat race 1 was won by the 64 of Dylan Brozek, heat race 2 went to 4C Dylan Cherry, and heat race 3 was won by 7C Connor Barnes. The Sport mod feature was packed with excitement and great racing. 5S Sreling JUdy jumped out to an early lead and held that spot for a quarter of the race before a caution came out and grouped the field up again. On the restart 1M Cody Gearhart was able to take the lead and started to distance himself from the rest of the field until a caution came out for the 4M of Matt Miller hitting the front stretch infield wall. On the following restart Gearhart was leading followed closely by the 64 of Dylan Brozek, and the 112 of Koby Rigsby. With laps winding down, Brozek pulled off the track, and Rigsby was able to chase down the 1M of Gearhart. With the white flag in the air, 112 Rigsby pulled off the track due to mechanical issues, and the 1M was able to take the checkered flag. Hard charger was the 10J Alex Loveless moving up 19 spots to finish third. Results: 1st 1M Cody Gearhart, 2nd 63C Austin Carter, 3rd 10J Alex Loveless, 4th 88K Gunner Kuker, 5th 1 Conner Fuller, 6th 6 Stan Huiting, 7th 5S Sterling Judy, 8th 43 Josh Buser, 9th 41G Joe Buser, 10th 23H Hayden Howard, 11th 7C Connor Barnes, 12th 4M Matthew Miller DNF, 13th 112 Koby Rigsby DNF, 14th 64 Dylan Brozek DNF, 15th 2W Jake Welsh DNF, 16th Warren Huffman DNF, 17th D29 Ernie Drown DNF, 18th 77 Cody Williams DNF, 19th T12 Trenton Brooks DNF, 20th 70 Jeremie Myers DNF, 21st 58C Nathan Chaput DNF, 22nd 4C Dylan Cherry DNF. 

    Coors Light Stock Cars

  The Coors Light IMCA Stock Cars had 20 entries, and were ready to put on a great show. They did not disappoint in that. With three 6 lap heat races and a 20 lap A feature, and I believe the theatrical crew chief Harry Hogge ( Robert Duvall Days of Thunder) gave the pep talk in the class saying “Rubbing is racing!” as there was plenty of that going on on the track. 91J Jaylen Wettengel won the first heat race, heat two went to 17 Calvin Davis, and the final heat was won by 16Z Jeremy Zorn with the 7 car of Bobby Eubanks getting black flagged for rough driving after a hard hit to the 55x of Mike Burian. The A feature race held more fender banging and “chrome horns” as the heat races. 19D Dylan Chambers took the lead from the outside of the first row, followed closely by 17 Calvin Davis, 16Z Jeremy Zorn, and 88 Tyler Heath, while the 19 of Ryan Ayers was shuffled back into the pack. 20G Kaide Gropp quickly caught up to the front runners and for a few laps excitement mounted with a nearly three wide race for the lead between Chambers, Heath, and Gropp. Caution came out when the M1 of Scott Miller went off the back straightaway. The restart had the 19D out front, but he was quickly chased down and the 88 and 20G were again both trying to get the lead. The caution came out for debris on the track and once again we watched as these cars sped off, with 88 Tyler Heath taking the lead. And another caution came out when as he spun out to the infield the 16D caught the 17 just wrong and knocked the right fender loose which came off going into turn 1. The field was restacked and with laps dwindling down, everyone knew that it was go time. 88 Heath took off with the green flag and held on to take the checkered flag. 91J jaylen Wttengel was the hard charger moving up 9 spots to finish second place. Results: 1st 88Tyler Heath, 2nd 91J Jaylen Wettengel, 3rd 16Z Jeremy Zorn, 4th 3T Tanner Thiel, 5th 32S Kipp Shupe, 6th M1 Scott Miller, 7th 17 Calvin Davis, 8th 11 Jason Dove, 9th 75 Zane Hansen, 10th 19D Dylan Chambers, 11th 55X Mike Burian, 12th 19 Ryan Ayers, 13th 11B Blake Spear DNF, 14th 3 Chris Oliver DNF, 15th 20G Kaide Gropp DNF, 16th 09B Kaleb Dale DNF, 17th 55P A’Den Peterson DNF, 18th 00 Brice Sasser DNF, 19th 9K Kaden Lambeth DNF. 

  Mel Hambelton Racing Modifieds

  FInishing the nights racing were the Mel Hambelton Racing IMCA Modifieds.  The modifieds had 14 cars entered, with two 8 lap heat races and a 20 lap feature. The first heat race went to the 25P of Mike Petersilie, and rhe second heat was won by 09B Brett Berry. The A feature finished the night with some really great racing. 5W Lance Ward led them to the green flag, but it didn’t take long for 7B Curtis Barnes to make his way to the lead, with the 09B Brett Berry close behind. 25P Mike Petersilie quickly got into the mix up front until 09B pulled off the track. A caution for a spun out car got the pack reset with Barnes first and Petersilie second, and they stayed that way through the majority of the race. Even when they got together on the backstretch while navigating through lapped traffic, it was a slight wiggle from both cars and back into the throttle. A slide job coming out of turn2 gave Petersilie the lead on the last lap, with Barnes right behind him. When the checkered flag waved it was Mike Petersilie getting the victory. Hard charger was 33 Jason Ward moving up 7 spots to get a 7th place finish. Results 1st 25P Mike Petersilie, 2nd 7B Curtis Barnes, 3rd 22B Dalton Bell, 4th 7N William Nusser, 5th 29C Cooper Weis, 6th 23 Dalton Heiter, 7th 33 Jason Ward, 8th 24C Cale Lagroon DNF, 9th 94 Dustin Huehl DNF, 10th 09B Brett Berry DNF, 11th 5W Lance Ward DNF, 12th 24  Corey Lagroon DNF. 

  Up next for Salina Speedway is their Fourth of July Spectacular. With three classes, Modifieds, Stock cars, and Sport mads, all having a $1,000 to win feature. And while there’s surely going to be plenty of oohs and aahs from watching the races, there will be a fireworks display following the nights action. 

Photo Credit Carl “Red” Larson Photos by Red.