8.18.12 URSS Sprints Results
CALHAN, Colo. — Another trip to El Paso County Speedway in Calhan, Colo. Another victory for Brian Hardman.
That’s the way the season has been playing out for the driver in the United Rebel Sprint Series. After Saturday night’s victory, Hardman has won thee of the four races at the track this season.
“I seem to have something figured out there,” he said. “I seem to be having some good luck.”
Hardman won the first two races of the season in Calhan, then finished second to Jake Bubak at the third race.
Saturday’s victory didn’t come easy, though. Hardman struggled in his heat race, tagging the wall, getting a flat tire and ruining a rim while failing to finish the heat race.
He got everything fixed for the feature, where he started outside the front row. A few laps into the race, Hardman had taken the lead and never relinquished it.
“Racing with those guys is the fun part,” Hardman said. “Every one who goes out can win it. I just have to thank God and Mom and Dad. And Jake Bubak’s dad helped, pushing me and my dad to the track, too. He was pulling triple duty.”
Hardman said the biggest difference between the heat race and the feature was simple.
“We changed a few things on the car,” he said. “Mostly, we straightened the driver out.”
Jeff Heffner finished a strong run in second, followed by Jeremy Lueck in third and Bubak in fourth. Bob Schaeffer rounded out the top five.
The Keizer Aluminum Racing Wheels Hard-Charger Award went to Lueck.
Feature results
1. Brian Hardman, 2. Jeff Heffner, 3. Jeremy Lueck, 4. Jake Bubak, 5. Bob Schaeffer, 6. Zac Taylor, 7. Dennis Bellanti, 8. Butch Harman, 9. Reed Bernbeck.
JETMORE — Mike Peters picked a good time for his first United Rebel Sprint Series victory.
The veteran sprint car driver claimed the top prize Saturday night at the 305 Nationals at the Great American Dirt Track and Jetmore Motorplex. That included a $2,000 payout.
Peters started inside the fifth row, but the start of the race belonged to hometown driver Ray Seemann. Seemann, who started sixth, bolted to the lead on the first lap and held down the top spot until lap eight. That’s when Liberal’s Ty Williams got by Seemann to take the lead.
That wasn’t the only movement up front, though. Brian Herbert, who started seventh, worked his way into the top three behind Williams — who started eighth — and Seemann.
Peters slowly started making his way through the field, cracking the top five on lap eight. He moved into fourth on lap 11 and up another spot a lap later.
Williams would continue to hold down the lead, with Seemann in hot pursuit until lap 17. That’s when Peters would get by Seemann into second.
Peters would get into the lead on lap 18, only to see the caution flag wave before the lap was completed, relegating him to the runner-up spot behind Williams.
Williams would lead the next five laps as the lead pack entered lap traffic. Williams eventually got pinned behind lap cars, and Peters motored his way right by him into the lead on lap 24.
Peters and Williams would battle the rest of the 30-lap feature, but Peters was able to hang on for the win and the large payout in the action-packed feature.
Seemann finished third, followed by Jeff Radcliffe in fourth and Herbert in fifth. Darren Bowman was sixth, with Kirby Hagans in seventh. Hagans started 17th after winning the last-chance qualifier after two B-mains.
Tyler Knight finished eighth, and Jordan Randles and Jarod Kern rounded out the top 10.
Heat race winners were Williams, Seemann, Radcliffe and Kaden Taylor.
The Keizer Aluminum Racing Wheels Hard-Charger Award went to Hagans, who started 17th and finished seventh.
Feature results
1. Mike Peters, 2. Ty WIlliams, 3. Ray Seemann, 4. Jeff Radcliffe, 5. Brian Herbert, 6. Darren Bowman, 7. Kirby Hagans, 8. Tyler Knight, 9. Jordan Randles, 10. Jarod Kern, 11. Kris Moore, 12. Darren Berry, 13. Cody Caldwell, 14. Tom Belsky, 15. Koby Walters, 16. Shawn Radcliffe, 17. Raymond Blackburn, 18. Kaden Taylor, 19. Lance Davis, 20. Craig Jecha, 21. Jerry Caldwell, 22. Steve Dalton, 23. Keefe Hemel, 24. Steve Blackburn, 25. Mike Spear (DNS).