9.17.16 URSS Sprints Results
Longdale, Oklahoma – September 17, 2016 – Current Myers Racing Engines United Rebel Sprint Series point leader Luke Cranston worked lapped traffic to his advantage, taking the lead with two laps to go to win an exciting Sprint Series of Oklahoma IMCA Racesaver Sprint Car/URSS co-sanctioned event at Longdale Speedway in Longdale, Oklahoma on Saturday night.
SSO regulars Chris Kelly and Cody Whitworth started on the front row for the twenty-five lap feature with Kelly getting the jump and taking the lead as the green flag fell on the twenty-six car field. Whitworth, Brandon Long and Cranston were the top four running order after the first lap with Kelly holding on to a two car length lead.
Whitworth wasted no time making his move, driving underneath Kelly coming out of turn two to take the lead down the backstretch on lap three. He would open a half stretch lead before reaching the slower cars on lap seven while, behind him, Long would pass Kelly for the runner up position.
Lap ten saw fifth starting Cranston get around Kelly for third as he set his sights on Long and the runner-up position.
At the races midway point it was Whitworth, followed by Long, Cranston, sixth starting Andy Shouse and Kelly as Whitworth’s lead dwindled to six car lengths as the leaders continued to enter slower traffic.
Lap sixteen saw Cranston make his move, passing Long for the runner-up position and looking to cut into the leaders ten car length lead. Meanwhile Shouse, who came into the night current SSO and IMCA Racesaver Sprint national point leader, passed long for the third position with five laps to go.
Heavy traffic slowed Whitworth’s pace up front allowing Cranston to move to within striking distance with three laps to go. Lap twenty-four saw Cranston drive down low coming out of turn two and would take the lead heading down the backstretch.
That would be all the Ness City, Kansas driver would need as he went on to claim the ten car length victory, his third on the Myers Racing Engines URSS national tour and first with SSO.
Whitworth settled for a series best second while Shouse came home third. Long crossed the finish line fourth while
Ty Williams rounded out the top five. Hard charger of the feature was veteran Mike Peters. “MP” started seventeenth and came home with a ninth place finish.
The full twenty-five laps went caution free with a time of six minutes and forty-seven seconds.
The three, eight lap heat races for the twenty-six car field were won by Cranston, Jeb Werner and Chad Koch.
The next event will be the final event for the SSO IMCA Racesaver Sprint Car Series next Saturday night, September 24, at Oklahoma Sports Park in Ada.
SSO/URSS
Longdale Speedway/Longdale, Oklahoma
09/17/16
26 Cars
Martens Machine Shop 1st Heat: 1) Luke Cranston, 2) Brandon Long, 3) Steven Richardson, 4) Ty Williams, 5) Taylor Velasquez, 6) Joe Wood, Jr., 7) Keefe Hemel, 8) Blake Dacus, 9) Justin Fisk
Messmer Racing 2nd Heat: 1) Jeb Werner, 2) Chris Kelly, 3) Kip Hughes, 4) Tanner Conn, 5) Brian Herbert, 6) Jake Martens, 7) Alison Slaton, 8) Mike Scott, 9) Blake Scott
Randy Pierce 3rd Heat: 1) Chad Koch, 2) Cody Whitworth, 3) Andy Shouse, 4) Shayla Waddell, 5) Tracey Hill, 6) Mike Peters, 7) Loyd Clevenger, 8) Jerry Jumper
A Feature: 1) (5) Luke Cranston, 2) (2) Cody Whitworth, 3) (6) Andy Shouse, 4) (3) Brandon Long, 5) (4) Ty Williams, 6) (8) Chad Koch, 7) (1) Chris Kelly, 8) (15) Jake Martens, 9) (17) Mike Peters, 10) (11) Taylor Velasquez, 11) (7) Jeb Werner, 12) (9) Steven Richardson, 13) (19) Joe Wood, Jr., 14) 914) Brian Herbert, 15) (13) Shayla Waddell, 16) (16) Tracy Hill, 17) (21) Blake Dacus, 18) (10) Kip Hughes, 19) (23) Loyd Clevenger, 20) (18) Keefe Hemel, 21) (20) Alison Slaton, 22) (26) Blake Scott, 23) (25) Justin Fisk, 24) (22) Mike Scott, 25) (12) Tanner Conn, 26) (24) Jerry Jumper
Lap Leaders: Kelly 1-2; Whitworth 3-23; Cranston 24-25
The United Rebel Sprint Series rolled into the Colorado Motor Sports Park for a Colorado Region point’s battle Saturday night with nine teams making the pull to Byers. Current point’s leader Austin Mclean went into the event with a slim six point lead over second place Zach Blurton and was looking to add to his lead. But when the night ended it was Zach Blurton who came away with the win.
Todd Plemons led the field to the green flag and grabbed the lead with Justin Medlock, Mark Walinder, Luke Lucero and Zach Blurton rounding out the top five after lap one. Walinder made quick work of Medlock and took the runner up position on lap two. Mark Chisholm worked his way past Luke Lucero on lap three to take over that spot.
Up front Plemons continued to hold the point with the battle for second heated up between Mark Walinder and Zach Blurton. Blurton made his way past the cagey veteran on lap number five and set his sights on the leader. Behind the front duo Walinder was soon joined by fourth running Medlock. Medlock made the pass for the third spot stick on lap eleven.
Plemons continued to hold the lead as Blurton reeled him in finally taking the point on lap twelve for good. The top five spots stayed the same for the next four laps but soon Plemons was being pressured for the runner up spot by Justin Medlock. Medlock made the pass for position as the white flag flew relegating Plemons to the third spot.
When the checkers fell it was Zach Blurton picking up his fifth win of the 2016 URSS Season with Justin Medlock, Todd Plemons, Mark Walinder and Mark Chisholm rounding out the top five. Austin Mclean suffered a broken rear end in his heat race and could not made repairs to start the Feature race.
Just a reminder of a change in the schedule, the next action at CMSP has been moved to Saturday October 8th as the URSS Colorado region will wrap up the 2016 URRS season.
Colorado Motorsports Park, Byers Colorado Results 9/17
Feature
1 Zach Blurton
2 Justin Medlock
3 Todd Plemons
4 Mark Walinder
5 Mark Chisholm
6 Luke Lucero
7 Brandon Tubbs
8 Scott Rhoades DNS
9 Austin McLean DNS
Zach Blurton picked up the Keizer Aluminum Wheels Hard Charger Award, moving up from 6th for the win.