8.24.12 URSS Sprints Results
OBERLIN — It was a matter of survival for Luke Cranston.
On Friday night during the first day of the Bob Salem Memorial at Decatur County Speedway in Oberlin, Cranston held on for another United Rebel Sprint Series victory.
It was the first race in several years at the 3/8-mile track in Oberlin, and a large rain Thursday night made it difficult for track preparations. That made the track a bit rough in spots.
Cranston started outside the third row in the feature and worked his way up to fourth early in the race, behind leader Darren Berry, Jeff Radcliffe and Lance Davis.
Berry and Radcliffe eventually got into each other, elevating Davis to the lead. But on another restart, Davis hit a rut entering turn two, killing his momentum. Cranston was able to motor around him into the lead.
Cranston then hugged the bottom of the track where it was smooth. Meanwhile, Ty Williams was plowing his way around the track in the middle and moved into second behind Cranston.
Williams got by the Plains driver into the lead, but his night came to a rough ending when he ran over a nose wing, flattening a tire and sending him to the back of the pack.
Later in the race, Williams would get upside down, and Cranston’s crew chief, Kirk Reinert, came out to talk to him.
“I told him I was going to hug the tires,” Cranston said. “It was smooth at the bottom, but slick down there.”
Cranston was able to pull away from Ray Seemann on the restart and survived for the victory.
“It was the first time I’ve won on a rough track,” Cranston said.
Seemann finished second, with J.D. Johnson in third and Cody Salem in fourth. Lance Davis was fifth, and Jake Bubak was sixth. Randy Bantam, Bob Schaeffer, Judd Sheaffer and Brian Hardman rounded out the top 10.
Heat race winners were Seemann, Salem, Lance Davis and J.D. Johnson.
The Keizer Aluminum Racing Wheels Hard-Charger Award went to J.D. Johnson, who started 13th and finished third
Feature results
1. Luke Cranston, 2. Ray Seemann, 3. J.D. Johnson, 4. Cody Salem, 5. Lance Davis, 6. Jake Bubak, 7. Randy Bantam, 8. Bob Schaeffer, 9. Judd Sheaffer 10. Brian Hardman, 11. Darren Berry, 12. Nate Berry, 13. John Webster, 14. Chad Salem, 15. Brian Herbert, 16. Ty Williams, 17. Reed Bernbeck, 18. Jeff Radcliffe, 19. Shawn Radcliffe, 20. Zac Taylor.
First B feature
1. Bob Schaeffer, 2. Reed Bernbeck, 3. Brian Hardman, 4. Chad Salem, 5. John Webster, 6. Greg Reiners, 7. Tommy WIlliams (DNS), 8. Keefe Hemel (DNS), 9. Mark Walinder (DNS), 10. Ken Lutters (DNS).
Second B feature
1. Nate Berry, 2. Judd Sheaffer, 3. Brian Herbert, 4. Shawn Radcliffe, 5. Zac Taylor, 6. Mike Anderson, 7. Tom Belsky, 8. Doug Roth, 9. Mike Hadley, 10. Butch Hardman.