Hutchinson Nationals URSS checkers fly for Velasquez

By David Smith Jr., OKTidbits PARK CITY, Kan. (June 7) – Third-generation driver Kyler Johnson took advantage of his front row starting position and led flag-to-flag to claim his first career Mel Hambelton Ford Racing POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series feature Sunday night at 81 Speedway.  Johnson and John Carney started on the front row for the 25-lap IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature with Johnson taking the lead as the green flag fell.  Johnson, son of former URSS competitor C.J. Johnson, kept the field behind him before entering lapped traffic on lap nine. Carney closed the deficit yet Johnson made quick work of slower cars and stayed out front from there. Last season’s touring rookie of the year went on to claim the first sprint car victory of his young career with Carney settling for second. J.D. Johnson came home third while Shane Sundquist and two-time and defending tour champion Zach Blurton rounded out the top five.  The URSS will now set its sights on RPM Speedway in Hays, Kan., this Saturday and Sunday night, June 13-14 [Read More]

CALHAN, Colo. (June 23) – Zach Blurton won his first feature of the year with the United Rebel Sprint Series as he bested a 19-car field at El Paso County Raceway. Nick Haygood and Brian Herbert brought the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car field to the green with Herbert getting the jump on the initial start only to have it negated by a couple cars tangling in turn on. On the ensuing restart, Haygood jumped into the lead and held Herbert at bay for the first three laps before Herbert made his move to take over the number one spot. Herbert’s lead only lasted two laps before Haygood regained the front spot, only to get high a lap later, allowing Herbert back by and falling to sixth. In the meantime, the ninth starting Blurton was moving his way up through the field and was third by lap seven and took over second on lap nine. By lap 11, Blurton made his move to wrestle the lead from Herbert with Williams taking over third from Pearce one lap later. [Read More]

OSBORN, Mo. (July 23) – The sizzling summer heat was in full force on Friday at US 36 Raceway for the Drive to Zero United Rebel Sprint Series Presented by Mel Hambelton Ford Racing. Thirteen cars were in attendance for the second-ever United Rebel Sprint Series appearance at the 3/8-mile and it was Nebraska’s Stuart Snyder taking the top prize with a last-lap pass.  The 20-lap IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature event saw Jay Russell and Snyder with front row starting positions. Russell took off with the early lead out of turns one and two, but Snyder challenged back by diamonding the apex in three and four. The red would fly over the field for Kevin Dye flipping in turn three over the cushion.  A complete restart again had Russell prevailing with the race lead, while Snyder bounced violently through turn one. Snyder was able to gather control of the car and started to reel back in on Russell for the lead.  Mike Houseman Jr. sat in third while Zach Blurton and J.R. Topper dueled for [Read More]