Crunch Time in DCRP Title Chases as Saturday Approaches
DODGE CITY, Kan. (July 13, 2017) – It’s getting down to it in the Dodge City Raceway Park championship chases.
The margin for error at this point of the season is minimal with only four nights of points racing action remaining beginning with Saturday’s Lewis Automotive Night at the 3/8-mile clay oval in southwest Kansas.
Saturday’s card that fires off at 7:30 p.m. features the Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars and IMCA Hobby Stocks.
Leading the way into Saturday’s card in their respective divisions are Taylor Velasquez, Clay Sellard, Jeff Kaup, Angel Munoz and Duane Wahrman. Two lead changes took place after the most recent round of competition on July 1 with more possible pending Saturday outcomes.
A look at the title chases…
Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars:
Taylor Velasquez leads the way as he tries to make it two title in a row, but Tyler Knight is keeping the heat on at just 23 points off the lead pace. Only Ty Williams has posted multiple wins, with four different winners in as many races after Williams topped the opening two rounds of action.
Feature Winners: Ty Williams 2, Jake Bubak 1, Tyler Knight 1, Jake Martens 1, Kevin Ramey 1.
Current Top Ten in Points: 1. Taylor Velasquez (Turpin, OK) 833, 2. Tyler Knight (Wright, KS) 810, 3. Kris Moore (Dodge City, KS) 740, 4. Jordan Knight (Wright, KS) 724, 5. Ty Williams (Arcadia, OK) 696, 6. (tie) Brandy Jones (Dodge City, KS) and Ross Essenberg (Wichita, KS) 676, 8. Brian Herbert (Dodge City, KS) 654, 9. Brandon Sprott (Dodge City, KS) 625, 10. Lance Davis 597.
IMCA Modifieds:
An eighth-place finish last time out on July 1, his fifth in six starts, was enough to move Clay Sellard atop the point charts with a 61-point advantage over Mike Lunow. Defending track champ Nick Link is another three points back in third with battles for position throughout the top ten.
After Cole Traugott won the opening pair of events, the last four features have offered up four different winners including Sellard, Randle McRoberts, T. Link and William Nusser.
Feature Winners: Cole Traugott 2, Tracy Link 1, William Nusser 1, Randle McRoberts 1, Clay Sellard 1.
Current Top Ten in Points: 1. Clay Sellard (Bucklin, KS) 787, 2. Mike Lunow (Dodge City, KS) 726, 3. Nick Link (Rolla, KS) 723, 4. Cole Traugott (Woodward, OK) 716, 5. Randy Wilson (Wichita, KS) 690, 6. Kevin Gray (Ulysses, KS) 682, 7. (tie) Kale Beavers (Pierceville, KS) and Jack Kirchoff (Garden City, KS) 677, 9. Tracy Link (Rolla, KS) 638, 10. Tom Beavers (Pierceville, KS) 629.
IMCA Sport Modifieds:
Woodward’s Jeff Kaup has opened up three-for-four to build up an 81-point lead as he guns for a third title in four years. In his wake, Newton’s Wiens brothers Alex and Kyle lead the way in a heated battle for second in points.
Feature Winners: Jeff Kaup 3, Dakota Sproul 1.
Current Top Ten in Points: 1. Jeff Kaup (Woodward, OK) 595, 2. Alex Wiens (Newton, KS) 514, 3. Kyle Wiens (Newton, KS) 510, 4. Dan Rogers (Buffalo, OK) 497, 5. Brian May (Spearville, KS) 482, 6. Jarett Lunow (Dodge City, KS) 478, 7. Kohl Ricke (Spearville, KS) 470, 8. Joey Maupin (Dodge City, KS) 456, 9. Kevin Tabor (Dodge City, KS) 396, 10. Tanner Brunson (Dodge City, KS) 356.
IMCA Stock Cars:
Angel Munoz is just five points shy of a perfect season after winning four of five features and finishing second in the other one. Near perfection has pushed Munoz out to lead of 122 points over Ondre Rexford, who made the jump up to second after the July 1 event. Rexford is just seven points ahead of Marlin Hogie in the battle for second.
Feature Winners: Angel Munoz 4, Michael Pepper 1.
Current Top Ten in Points: 1. Angel Munoz (Lamar, CO) 745, 2. Ondre Rexford (Parts Unknown) 623, 3. Marlin Hogie (Ulysses, KS) 616, 4. Travis Baird (Chester, OK) 519, 5. Dusty Witthuhn (Bazine, KS) 512, 6. Jack Pepper (Lakin, KS) 511, 7. Michael Pepper (Lakin, KS) 433, 8. Gregg Schell (Cheney, KS) 387, 9. Chris Oliver (Holcomb, KS) 339, 10. Ron Hartman (Ulysses, KS) 276.
IMCA Hobby Stocks:
Duane Wahrman became the first repeat winner last time out on July 1 to move atop the point charts, albeit by just a mere four-point margin over Reagan Sellard. Reigning champ Matt O’Hair is just 28 points off the lead pace as he tries to rebound from an early DNF.
Feature Winners: Duane Wahrman 2, Matt O’Hair 1, Reagan Sellard 1.
Current Top Ten in Points: 1. Duane Wahrman (Pratt, KS) 582, 2. Reagan Sellard (Bucklin, KS) 578, 3. Matt O’Hair (Laverne, OK) 554, 4. Tyler Walker (Dighton, KS) 537, 5. Brett Copeland (Fowler, KS) 512, 6. Gerald Walker (Dighton, KS) 492, 7. Norman Rogers 440, 8. Tom Reed (Kalvesta, KS) 431, 9. Danny Schulte 393, 10. Bryan Habiger (Ingalls, KS) 370.
Tickets for Saturday’s Lewis Automotive Night championship chase card are just $15 for adults with children 11 and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult.
The 2017 season at Dodge City Raceway Park consists of 14 total nights of racing action, culminating with the return of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car series for the “Boot Hill Showdown” on October 27-18. The complete 2017 schedule of events at Dodge City Raceway Park is available at http://www.dodgecityraceway.com/schedule/.
Dodge City Raceway Park is located on the south edge of Dodge City, KS, on US 283, then 0.9 miles west on US 56, then 0.1 miles south. For more information, contact the track at 620-225-3277 or check www.dodgecityraceway.com.
Sources: Lonnie Wheatley/DCRP PR