DodgeCityRacewayPark Archives

Estes steps down from Dodge City Raceway post

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (Sept. 24) – An era comes to an end at Dodge City Raceway Park as Tommie Estes Jr. has elected to step down from his position as track manager and promoter at the 3/8-mile clay oval in southwest Kansas. After a revolving door of promoters at the state-of-the-art facility in its first decade as a dirt track, Estes assumed the role in 2011 soon after leaving his previous position as series coordinator with the American Sprint Car Series. Estes has guided the DCRP facility for the past 10 years, establishing several notable events including the DCRP Sprint Car Nationals and creating the 1/7-mile Little DCRP clay oval to provide a training ground for younger racers to develop their skills. After the racing facility completed its final weekend of a condensed 2020 racing season on Sept. 19-20, Estes announced the decision to resign from the position. “The city of Dodge City offered to extend my contract for another three years but I declined,” Estes explained. “I have enjoyed my 10 years [Read More]

Blurton collects career 4th Soderberg Memorial win

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (Sept. 19) – Zach Blurton added a fourth Jerry Soderberg Memorial Championship win to his resume by topping Saturday’s season-ending DCRP vs. United Rebel Sprint Series feature event atop the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park clay oval. Blurton slid past Kyler Johnson on a lap three restart and led to the finish of the 25-lapper for IMCA Racesaver Sprint Cars for his second Dodge City win of the year and third consecutive win in the season-ender. After an early red flag, Blurton weathered one more red flag seven laps shy of the checkered flag when Connor Atkinson flipped in turn two. Blurton took off again on the restart and posted the win ahead of Johnson with Jeff Stasa, J.D. Johnson and Luke Cranston rounding out the top five. Feature results – 1. Zach Blurton; 2. Kyler Johnson; 3. Jeff Stasa; 4. J.D. Johnson; 5. Luke Cranston; 6. Koby Walters; 7. Jordan Knight; 8. Taylor Velasquez; 9. Ty Williams; 10. Jed Werner; 11. Ray Seemann; 12. Tyler Knight; 13. Lance Davis; [Read More]

Soderberg Memorial concludes season at Dodge City

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – It has gone by in a flash it seems. And now the 2020 racing season at Dodge City Raceway Park concludes with Saturday night’s eighth annual Jerry Soderberg Championship Memorial atop the 3/8-mile clay oval in southwest Kansas. It has been a condensed season that didn’t get under way until June 20, more than two-and-a-half months after the originally scheduled April 4 season opener, due to COVID-19 concerns. And now, three quick months later since the green flag finally flew at DCRP, five racers will earn their championship crowns on Saturday night. The Hambelton Racing DCRP Sprint Cars square off with the United Rebel Sprint Series for the final time this season with the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks closing out their DCRP seasons as well. Saturday’s racing action will get under way at 7:30 p.m. Past Jerry Soderberg Memorial Championship Winners: 2019 – Zach Blurton (Sprint), Clay Sellard (Modified), Blaine Walt (SportMod), Chris Oliver (Stock Car), Tathan Burkhart (Hobby [Read More]

Bubak goes back-to-back at Lubbock Wrecker Sprint Ntl’s

DODGE CITY, Kansas (Aug. 22) – The Lucas Oil POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series Presented by Mel Hambelton Ford Racing took to the finale of Dodge City Raceway Park’s Lubbock Wrecker Service Sprint Car Nationals on Saturday night. Jake Bubak claimed his second Sprint Car Nationals Championship after prevailing from a three-IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car battle to lead the final five circuits of the 30-lap feature event and earning $5,170 for the three-day weekend. The Hambelton Racing Dash for Cash saw the top-six in combined points from Thursday and Friday’s preliminary events duel for a starting position in the first three rows of the big dance on Saturday night. Jason Martin used the high-side to make a pass on Bubak to win the Dash for Cash, earning him the pole starting position and an extra $300. Martin and Bubak set the pace for the 30-lap feature event. Martin took advantage of the pole position, snagging the lead ahead of Bubak and Zach Blurton. A caution flew on lap seven and the restart saw Blurton advance to [Read More]

Dodge City’s SportMod Mayhem ends with Kenny winning dramatic race to checkers

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (Aug. 22) – Brandon Kenny took advantage of Luke Stallbaumer’s misfortune, then edged Mike Roach in a thrilling drag race to the checkers to take the $1,500-winner’s share in Dodge City Raceway Park’s seventh annual IMCA SportMod Mayhem North vs. South Duel. Following a pair of cautions with one lap in the books, pole starter Stallbaumer slipped away from the field under an extended green flag run as Roach held down second with Jeff Kaup in third. After starting sixth, Kenny held steady until he began climbing through the pack after 10 laps. Gaining momentum, Kenny made his way past Kaup for third on the 17th lap and then reeled in Roach by the 23rd lap as Stallbaumer cruised out front with nearly a straightaway advantage. Misfortune struck Stallbaumer at that point as his right rear tire went low and the duo of Roach and Kenny quickly reeled him in and made quick work of the slowing machine on lap 26. Stallbaumer’s tire finally shredded a lap later, setting up a three-lap [Read More]

Bubak back in Dodge City form in DCRP Sprint Car Nationals opener

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (Aug. 20) – Colorado’s Jake Bubak picked up right where he left off last year by wiring the field in Thursday night’s 25-lap feature to get the fourth annual Lubbock Wrecker Service DCRP Sprint Car Nationals under way atop the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park clay oval. Last year, Bubak swept through all three nights to collect more than $6,000 as he became the third different event winner in as many years. And he may have led all 25 laps on Thursday night, but he certainly had to earn it as John Carney II pressured throughout and even slid into the lead briefly on a couple of occasions along the way only to have Bubak successfully counter. After drawing the second row inside for the feature event after a heat race win, fortune was on Bubak’s side from the outset with scheduled pole starter Koby Walters scratching from the main event. Bubak outdueled Carney on the opening lap to take command. Carney wasted little time throwing his hat into the [Read More]

DCRP Sprint Car Nationals, SportMod Mayhem to air live at IMCA.TV

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – Dodge City Raceway Park is the place to be for this weekend’s fourth annual Lubbock Wrecker Service DCRP Sprint Car Nationals along with the seventh annual IMCA SportMod Mayhem North vs. South Duel atop the 3/8-mile clay oval in southwest Kansas. However, not all is lost for those that unable to take in all the excitement in person, as all three nights of action will be aired live via Pay-Per-View at www.imca.tv. Each night of action will be available for just $20 or get all three nights of competition for just $50. The monumental racing weekend in Dodge City begins on Thursday and ultimately culminates with Saturday’s $3,000-to-win DCRP Sprint Car finale and the $1,500-to-win SportMod Mayhem North vs. South Duel championship event. The slate for the weekend includes: Thursday: DCRP Sprint Car Nationals Night One (Heat races, “B” Mains & “A” Main); Kansas Antique Racers; and IMCA SportMod practice. Friday: DCRP Sprint Car Nationals Night Two (Heat Races, “B” Mains & “A” Main); Sport Mod Mayhem North vs. [Read More]

Nordyke paces Dodge City Prelude

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (Aug. 15) – Monty Nordyke scored his first Dodge City Raceway Park win in the Prelude to the IMCA SportMod Mayhem while Dakota Sproul continued his recent run of IMCA Modified supremacy by racing to his third consecutive DCRP triumph Saturday night. In the 20-lap Prelude to next weekend’s SportMod Mayhem, Nordyke capitalized on Luke Stallbaumer’s mechanical woes and then held off son Brendyn over the closing rounds for his first DCRP score. Nordyke became the race’s fourth different leader when he battled past Bart Baker on a lap 14 restart that followed a caution for Stallbaumer’s disabled mount on the backstretch. After Dan Rogers led the opening round, Stallbaumer had battled past Baker for the point on the eighth circuit only to suffer race-ending driveline issues seven laps shy of the checkered flag. With Monty Nordyke taking command, Brendyn Nordyke tried to steal his thunder only to fall two car-lengths short at the stripe with Baker, Mike Lunow and Rogers rounding out the top five. In the 20-lap [Read More]

Prelude to Mayhem is Saturday at Dodge City

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – The momentum towards the upcoming Lubbock Wrecker Service DCRP Sprint Car Nationals continues to build at Dodge City Dodge City Raceway Park with the Prelude to Mayhem this Saturday night, Aug. 15 atop the 3/8-mile clay oval. Saturday’s card that features IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks will be the final tune-up for the following weekend’s $1,500-to-win SportMod Mayhem North vs. South Duel run in conjunction with the DCRP Sprint Car Nationals. Saturday’s racing action will go green at 7:30 p.m. General admission tickets for Saturday’s Prelude to Mayhem card are $12 for adults while children 11 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Pit passes are $30. Detailed schedule information is available at https://www.dodgecityraceway.com/schedule/.

Dodge City checkers fly again for Sproul

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (Aug. 8) – Dakota Sproul made it two in a row in the IMCA Modified ranks Saturday at Dodge City Raceway Park. Sproul held off New Mexico’s Cory Davis after a late caution flag to post his third DCRP win of the season. After starting sixth, Sproul spent the early going working towards the front as Kevin Gray set the pace. Sproul made it to second by the fourth lap and then slipped underneath Gray in turns one and two on the sixth round to take command. With Sproul setting sail, Davis made his way forward from the ninth position to take over second at the midway point. And when a caution flew with just six laps to go that nixed Sproul’s advantage, Davis was there to mount a charge. Davis pulled alongside exiting turn four with three laps to go, but Sproul countered and slipped away to secure the victory. Davis settled for second with Odessa, Texas’ Philip Houston snaring the show position. Kaleb Roach notched his first Dodge [Read More]