DodgeCityRacewayPark Archives

Into the championship stretch at Dodge City Raceway Park

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – With another successful Lewis Automotive Group Driver Appreciation Night in the books at Dodge City Raceway Park, another pair of events are on the docket for this month at the state-of-the-art facility in southwest Kansas as the final portion of the 2018 season kicks into gear. The most recent card atop the 3/8-mile clay oval on July 27, played out before a packed grandstand with Brendon Gemmill coming up just two positions short in the “Back to the Front Challenge” that would have awarded a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu to a lucky race fan. Had he pulled off the win from the 20th starting position, some lucky race fan would have driven home with the new car. However, a caution-free 25-lapper didn’t allow Gemmill enough rounds to get to the front of the IMCA Modified feature as defending track champion Clay Sellard reeled off his third consecutive win. Other Driver Appreciation Night winners included Mike Roach in the IMCA SportMods, Dusty Witthuhn in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Lyle Russell [Read More]

Russell reigns over Dodge City Hobby Stocks

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (July 27) – Lyle Russell captured his first career feature win in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature Friday at Dodge City Raceway Park. The 15-lapper came down to the final circuit as Russell scored the victory just ahead of Duane Wahrman and Reagan Sellard. Russell had taken command on the second round and kept Wahrman at bay until the 11th round. As Wahrman raced into the lead, Sellard joined in on the lead battle with Wahrman and Russell taking the white flag in side-by-side fashion. Russell edged ahead in the final pair of corners to take the win ahead of Wahrman by half a car-length with Sellard another half car-length back in third. Matt O’Hair and Brooke Russell rounded out the top five. Clay Sellard picked off his third consecutive IMCA Modified feature win as he denied Brendon Gemmill’s “Back-to-the Front Challenge” that came up two spots short in third. Mike Roach ruled the IMCA SportMods and Dusty Witthuhn took IMCA Sunoco Stock Car honors.

Driver Appreciation Night is Friday at Dodge City Raceway Park

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (July 23) – Among the most anticipated racing nights of the year at Dodge City Raceway Park is in store with a special Friday night card this week featuring the annual Lewis Automotive Drivers’ Appreciation Night. The Friday night special at the state-of-the-art 3/8-mile clay oval in southwest Kansas features a full card of championship chase racing action including Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks with the green flag flying at 7:30 p.m. And not only do the drivers get in on the pageantry this year, fans receive a number of giveaways over the course of the evening as well. Last year’s Drivers’ Appreciation Night attracted more than 5,000 people as drivers were awarded a number of tickets to distribute to family, friends and sponsors. An even bigger turnout is expected this year. Once again, a $500 bonus is up for grabs for one of the six drivers who have the most tickets redeemed at the front gate. [Read More]

Championship chase action heats up at Dodge City Raceway Park

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – Just as the summer temperatures continue to intensify, so do the championship points battles at Dodge City Raceway Park. And it will continue on Saturday night, July 14 with another round of action atop the 3/8-mile clay oval in southwest Kansas featuring the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Saturday’s racing action will go green at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults while children 11 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Pit passes are $30. The DCRP Sprint Cars have this weekend off and will return to action on the July 27 Driver Appreciation Night.

Munoz is the main man at Dodge City

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (June 30) – After starting deep in the field, Angel Munoz motored to the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car checkers on mid-season championship night at Dodge City Raceway Park. Munoz became the first three-time winner of the season at Dodge City, ultimately fending off Troy Burkhart to take top honors in the 15-lap feature. Munoz gridded the feature ninth and waded through three and four-wide traffic to take command by the fifth lap. Burkhart charged into second after a lap nine caution and turned on the heat on Munoz to see which one would become the first three-time winner of the year. Burkhart edged ahead briefly on the 10th lap only to have Munoz counter and recapture the point for keeps. Munoz raced to the stripe ahead of Burkhart with Chris Oliver, Dusty Witthuhn and Greg Schell rounding out the top five. Clay Sellard was the IMCA Modified winner and Robert Elliott paced the IMCA SportMods. Tathan Burkhart topped the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock main.

Mid-season championships are Saturday at Dodge City

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – The crossed flags are within sight as Dodge City Raceway Park reaches the midway point of the 2018 season with Saturday night’s mid-season championships atop the 3/8-mile clay oval in southwest Kansas. The June 30 Saturday’s tilt that goes green at 7:30 p.m. will include a full card of championship chase action including the Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Tickets are $15 for adults while children 11 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult. Pit passes are $30. Dodge City Raceway Park is located on the south edge of Dodge City on US 283, then 0.9 mile west on US 56, then 0.1 mile south. For more information, contact the track at 620 225-3277 or check www.dodgecityraceway.com. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Dodge City located at 201 4th Avenue is the official lodging partner of Dodge City Raceway Park. The Holiday Inn Express & Suites official internet site is located at www.hiexpress.com/DodgeCity/HIExpress. Race fans staying at the [Read More]

Last lap is a wild one as Martens prevails at DCRP vs. URSS Sprint Car Nationals

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (June 16) – Jake Martens survived a wild last lap to pocket more than $4,000 by winning Saturday’s Lubbock Wrecker Service DCRP vs. URSS 305 Sprint Car Nationals 30-lap championship feature at Dodge City Raceway Park. Martens took the lead away from Brian Herbert, then kept Chad Koch at bay before escaping a last-lap slider from Jake Bubak to pocket $4,040, an amount that included $1,040 in lap money along with the posted $3,000 IMCA RaceSaver Sprint car winner’s share. Martens raced to the stripe ahead of Koch and 15th starting Luke Cranston for the lucrative payday. Brian Herbert gunned into the lead at the outset and paced the early rounds with Martens making his way into second soon after the first of just two cautions flew on lap 10. Martens finally made his way into the lead on the 19th circuit with Koch racing into second on the same lap and the surging Cranston taking over third on the 20thround. The stage was set for a dicey final 10 [Read More]

Richardson reels in DCRP vs. URSS Nationals prelim win

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (June 15) – Steven Richardson reeled in his first career feature win atop the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park clay oval by wiring the field in Friday night’s second annual Lubbock Wrecker Service DCRP vs. URSS 305 Sprint Car Nationals 20-lap preliminary feature. It wasn’t without a threat for the point though, as Luke Cranston closed in past the halfway point and was challenging before getting into the turn two wall. “We’ve been running here a few years now, it feel great to finally get the dub,” Richardson said in victory lane. Ray Seemann was second in the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car prelim. Jake Bubak, Jason Martin and Jake Martens completed the top five. Feature results – 1. Steven Richardson; 2. Ray Seemann; 3. Jake Bubak; 4. Jason Martin; 5. Jake Martens; 6. Koby Walters; 7. Taylor Velasquez; 8. Nick Haygood; 9. Tony Bruce Jr.; 10. Zach Blurton; 11. J.D. Johnson; 12. Austin McLean; 1Chad Koch; 14. Todd Plemons; 15. Tyler Knight; 16. Brian Herbert; 17. Brett Becker; 18. Buddy Tubbs; 19. Kris Moore; [Read More]

Velasquez rebounds for Dodge City RaceSaver Sprint win

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (May 26) – Just one weekend removed from a wild heat race flip, Taylor Velasquez bounced right back to win Saturday’s 25-lap United Rebel Sprint Series vs. Precise Racing Products Sprint Car Clash main event at Dodge City Raceway Park. Velasquez put his IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car out front at the outset from the pole position and capitalized on a lap 20 caution that negated a Jake Martens pass for the lead to secure the win. Given a reprieve, Velasquez burst out to a lead of several car lengths as the race restarted, but Martens closed back in and tried to slip under in the final pair of corners only to fall two car-lengths short at the stripe. “This week has been blood, sweat and tears,” Velasquez explained. “I wasn’t really sure how I’d feel tonight. Getting through the heat race was the most important part of the night. After that, I got a lot more comfortable in the car.” Gunning into the lead at the drop of the green flag, [Read More]

Gemmill snares Dodge City IMCA Modified Stampede glory

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (May 19) – Brendon Gemmill made a dramatic, late move to take the $750 winner’s share in Saturday’s 25-lap IMCA Modified Stampede at Dodge City Raceway Park. Following a caution with five laps to go, Gemmill slipped under R.C. Whitwell on the 23rd round and held on to post his 14th IMCA Modified feature win at Dodge City Raceway Park since the 2012 season. “I really don’t know if I needed that caution or not, but it definitely played into our hands,” said Gemmill, who spent most of the 25-lapper chasing the duo of his father Troy Gemmill and Arizona’s Whitwell as they swapped the point three times along the way in an entertaining battle. Whitwell gunned into the lead from the pole position at the outset and paced the opening three rounds before Troy Gemmill raced into the lead while Brendon Gemmill needed just three laps to climb to third from his sixth starting position. With Brendon Gemmill pursuing the lead pair, Whitwell closed back in on Troy Gemmill at [Read More]