DodgeCityRacewayPark Archives

Gemmill becomes three-time Stampede king with latest Dodge City IMCA Modified victory

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (April 27) – Brendon Gemmill pocketed $1,000 by racing to victory lane in Saturday night’s seventh annual IMCA Modified Stampede atop the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park. Gemmill fought off a late bid from Tanner Black to win the 25-lapper and earn a spot on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. Gemmill had briefly surrendered the point to Black on the 17th round before slipping away in the final circuits for his career third Modified Stampede triumph. Starting from the front row outside, Gemmill outgunned pole starter Nick Link with Black making his way from fourth into second after a lap three caution. Following the race’s second and final caution with eight laps in the books, Black tried to keep pace with Gemmill in the ensuing rounds. With Gemmill railing the topside, Black worked the low side and closed in to challenge as traffic came into play. Black slid into the lead on the 17th round, only to have Gemmill surge back to the front and open up an eight-car length car [Read More]

It’s Modified Stampede time Saturday at Dodge City Raceway Park

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – Set for another try, Dodge City Raceway Park offers up the $1,000-to-win seventh annual IMCA Modified Stampede this Saturday, April 27, atop the 3/8-mile clay oval in southwest Kansas. Originally slated for April 13 only to be postponed by inclement weather, Saturday’s card also features a full slate of championship chase action including Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Saturday’s racing action will get underway at 7:30 p.m. A Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying event, the Modified Stampede has netted three different winners in the initial six renditions including Ponca City, Okla., native Brendon Gemmill, Woodward, Okla.’s Cole Traugott and Oberlin’s David Murray Jr. Gemmill enters as the reigning Modified Stampede champion after making a dramatic late-race move last year to go along with his first event win in 2014. Traugott went back-to-back in 2016 and 2017 while multi-time national champion Murray swept through both nights of the inaugural event in 2013 before adding another win [Read More]

Dodge City reschedules IMCA Modified Stampede

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – With unseasonably cold weather hitting the area and potential snow in the forecast, Saturday’s racing action at Dodge City Raceway Park in southwest Kansas has been canceled. The $1,000 to win seventh annual IMCA Modified Stampede originally set for April 13 will now take place during Dodge City’s next event on Saturday, April 27. The Modified Stampede will be accompanied by a full docket of championship chase competition including Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks.

Seventh annual Modified Stampede this Saturday at Dodge City Raceway Park

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – After a stellar opening night that attracted a total of 108 racers to Dodge City Raceway Park this past Saturday night, the spotlight shifts to the IMCA Modifieds with Saturday night’s seventh Modified Stampede. Saturday’s card that will attract the top Modified contenders from throughout the area offers up a $1,000 winner’s share and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth. Ponca City, Okla., native Brendon Gemmill reigns as the defending Stampede champion after making a late move to top last year’s event. It was his second Modified Stampede triumph after capturing his first win in 2014. Gemmill joined Woodward’s Cole Traugott and multi-time national champion David Murray Jr. as two-time winners of the event. Traugott reeled off back-to-back wins in 2016 and 2017 while Oberlin’s Murray swept both nights of the Inaugural event in 2013 before topping the 2015 edition as well. Along with the Modified Stampede, Saturday’s card also includes championship chase action in the Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA [Read More]

Cranston tops Dodge City Sprint season opener

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (April 6) – Luke Cranston opened the 2019 season at Dodge City Raceway Park by racing to victory lane in the 25-lap Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars vs. United Rebel Sprint Series feature event atop the 3/8-mile clay oval. Cranston gridded the feature inside the third row as Brian Herbert and Koby Walters led the way to the green flag but it was fourth-starter Ty Williams battling into the early lead. Vying for his third DCRP opening night win in the last five years, Williams paced the opening eight rounds before looping it in turn three to hand the lead over to Walters with Cranston on his tailtank. Walters kept Cranston at bay for 10 rounds before Cranston finally found the opening he was looking for in traffic and battled into the lead on the 19th circuit. Cranston led the rest of the way, taking the checkered flag ahead of Walters with two-time track champion Taylor Velasquez racing to the third-place podium finish. Herbert crossed the stripe fourth with Jake [Read More]

Dodge City Stock Car Shootout set for May 4

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – An already action-packed 2019 schedule of events atop the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park clay oval in southwest is even better now with the addition of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car Shootout on Saturday night, May 4. The Stock Car Shootout presented by Winner’s Circle Feedyards and Factory Direct Fireworks offers up a $1,000 winner’s share with $150 to start the feature event. With a number of invaders from throughout expected to take on the local contingent, a draw-redraw format will be in effect for the evening. The May 4 Stock Car Shootout will be rounded out by a full card of Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Seven different drivers reached Dodge City victory lane in IMCA Stock Car action last season with Colorado’s Angel Munoz topping the charts by parking in on three occasions. Track champion Dustin Witthuhn, Chris Oliver and Troy Burkhart each posted two wins with single scores posted by Shannon Maughlin, Tyler Tipton and Landon [Read More]

Soderberg Sprint Memorial checkers fly for Blurton

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (Sept. 15) – Zach Blurton captured his second career Jerry Soderberg Memorial Championship event win atop the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park by wiring the field in Saturday night’s 25-lap DCRP Sprint Cars vs. United Rebel Sprint Series feature event. Blurton gunned into the lead from the pole position at the outset and led all the way, slicing through heavy traffic over the final half of the race for his lone Dodge City win of the year. “The car was perfect, I could put it anywhere and it would work,” Blurton said of the No. 2J entry. “This one is special, it means a lot to me,” Blurton said after adding the Soderberg Memorial victory to the inaugural triumph in 2013. “I’m family with the Soderberg now and I wasn’t the first time.” Following the race’s only caution after four laps, Blurton opened up a half-straightaway advantage in short order over Luke Cranston and Jake Martens with the latter working his way into second by the seventh round. Blurton soon [Read More]

Championship Night is Saturday at Dodge City Raceway Park

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – It all comes down to Saturday night at Dodge City Raceway Park. A full season of racing action atop the 3/8-mile clay oval in southwest Kansas culminates with the sixth annual Jerry Soderberg Memorial Championship event on Sept. 15. Saturday’s card that goes green at 7 p.m. marks the final round of championship chase action for each of the track’s five divisions including the Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. The Sprint Car portion of the program will pit the DCRP Sprint Cars versus the United Rebel Sprint Series (URSS). Soderberg was very instrumental in helping form the URSS in its beginning 13 years ago and this Memorial event in his honor is always a popular race for the traveling series. Past winners of the event include Zach Blurton in 2013, Taylor Velasquez in 2014 and 2015, Jake Bubak in 2016 and Velasquez again in 2017. Past Jerry Soderberg Memorial Championship Winners 2017 – Taylor Velasquez [Read More]

Labor Day Weekend special on tap Saturday at Dodge City

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – The penultimate round of 2018 championship chase action atop the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park clay oval in southwest Kansas is set for this Saturday night, Sept. 1. Saturday’s Labor Day Weekend special card at the state-of-the-art facility includes a full card of Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Racing action goes green at 7:30 p.m. Thus far in 2018, a total of 185 different racers have competed in at least one round championship chase action at Dodge City with 31 different competitors making their way to victory lane in 46 overall features. This past weekend’s tilt offered up four first-time winners on the season with only IMCA Hobby Stocker Duane Wahrman making a return visit to the winner’s circle after his fourth triumph of the year. Several championship battles continue to hang in the balance with only the sixth annual Jerry Soderberg Memorial Championship event on Saturday, Sept. 15 remaining on the regular season following [Read More]

Dodge City championship chases to the critical stage on Saturday

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – It’s getting down to the nitty gritty at Dodge City Raceway Park. And Saturday’s championship chase tilt is critical in points chases for each of the Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Saturday’s racing action goes green at 7:30 p.m. Only two more nights of championship chase action remain after Saturday’s event including the Saturday, Sept. 1 Labor Day Weekend special and then the sixth annual Jerry Soderberg Memorial Championship event on Sept. 15. General admission for Saturday’s championship chase action at Dodge City is $15 with children 11 and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult.