Events

United Rebel Sprint Series on Wheatshocker Nationals card at RPM

HAYS, Kan. – The Mel Hambelton Ford Racing POWRi United Rebel Series will gear up for the 12th annual Wheatshocker Nationals at RPMS in Hays on July 11 and 12. This race has been a staple on the URSS schedule since 2008. The Sunday portion of the event will pay $2,000 to win and a minimum of $200 to start. Gates will open at 4 p.m. each day with hot laps slated to begin shortly after 6 p.m. and green flag action at 7 p.m.

Results

Bubak sprints to first at Fairbury’s Firecracker Nationals

FAIRBURY, Neb. (July 4) – Independence Day led the Mel Hambelton Ford Racing POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series to the 1/5-mile bullring of Jefferson County Speedway in Fairbury. A stacked field was on hand for the historic marking, the first time Sprint Cars took to the semi-banked dirt track and three-time series champion Jake Bubak was the victor. Kyler Johnson took off with the early lead with a heated battle for second behind him. Stuart Snyder rocketed ahead into turn three to take the lead on the fifth lap with J.D. Johnson following.  Leaders caught the end of the field before a lap 10 caution. Snyder took off with the lead on the restart, with Bubak, Zach Blurton and J.D. Johnson in the hunt for the lead.  Snyder and Bubak traded slide-job for slide-job for three laps until Bubak claimed the top spot, and he never looked back to grab the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car win ahead of Snyder and Blurton.  Feature results – 1. Jake Bubak; 2. Stuart Snyder; 3. Zach Blurton; 4. J.D. Johnson; 5. Monty Ferriera; [Read More]

Events

URSS slated for Western Kansas doubleheader June 27, 28

COLBY, Kan. – The Mel Hambelton Ford Racing POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series is slated to take on a doubleheader weekend June 27 and 28.  Lucas Oil POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series drivers will head to Thomas County Speedway in Colby, Kan., on Saturday, June 27. Racing is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. General admission is $15 with kids 12 and under free.  On Sunday, June 28, competitors will head east on I-70 to WaKeeney Speedway complete the doubleheader weekend. With the Sprint Cars will be IMCA Kansas Thunder Racing Series Modifieds, Sports Mods, Stock Cars, and Hobby Stocks. Racing will begin at  6 p.m.. General admission is $15 with kids 12 and under free.  Both events pay $700 to win and $200 to start, and were originally scheduled for late-May, but restrictions in effect forced the postponement to a later date. 

Results

Werner, Walters are URSS winners at RPM

HAYS, Kan. (June 13-14) – Jed Werner and Koby Walters ran the string of Mel Hambelton Ford Racing POWERi United Rebel Sprint Series winners to four in as many events, when the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car series joined the Mike Hughes Memorial Sunflower Classic slate at RPM Speedway. Werner got a run on race-long leader Shane Sundquist down the backstretch with just three laps to go to claim the opening night event on Saturday. Walters took the lead just before midway and never looked back to claim Sunday honors. Only two car lengths separated the front pair with five laps to go on Saturday. Lap 23 saw Werner get a run on the top side coming out of turn two and storm past Sundquist down the back stretch to take the lead. He would go untouched the rest of the way to claim his first series victory since June 12 of 2016. Jeremy Huish got past Sundquist on the last lap for second. On Sunday, Walters made his move for the lead on lap 11 when he [Read More]

Events

URSS set to invade RPM Speedway for Sunflower Classic

HAYS, Kan. – The Mel Hambelton Ford Racing POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series will invade RPM Speedway this Saturday and Sunday, June 13 and 14 for the Mike Hughes Memorial Sun­flower Classic in Hays, Kan.  This race, originally scheduled for late March, is expected to draw a great field of cars as racing has opened back up in the state of Kansas. With this being the first two day show for the traveling IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car series and paying $1,000 to win both days, cars from Kansas, Colo­rado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas are expected to attend.   After two previous outings in Salina and Wichita, the point battle is heating up and this year prom­ises to be extremely competitive. Defending champion Zach Blurton took the opening round in Salina with 2019 tour rookie of the year Kyler Johnson picking up his first career feature victory in Wichita last weekend. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, series and Kansas State points will be awarded.  IMCA Modifieds also race for $1,000 to win, plus Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berths both nights. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, [Read More]

Results

URSS win at 81 is career first for Johnson

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]

Events

United Rebel Sprint Series making Thunder Through the Plains stop at 81

By David Smith, Jr., OKTidbits PARK CITY, Kan. – Lucas Oil POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series presented by Mel Hambelton Ford Racing president Rick Salem has been busy. With counties and states slowly reopening, he has been on the phone contacting track promoters to give his “Rebels” a chance to hit the track.  He scored a marquee event as the tour will join the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All-Star Circuit of Champi­ons appearance at 81 Speedway in Park City, Kan., on Sunday, June 7.  This $700 to win, $200 to start event for IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars will be only the second race on the 2020 race season that has suffered through event cancelations and plenty of reschedul­ing. Two-time and defending series champion Zach Blurton won the season opener this past Saturday night at Salina Speedway. Founded in 2006, this 81 Speedway appearance will be just the sixth time the series has ap­peared at the 3/8-mile oval in its 15-year history.  Past winners include: Jake Martens (2019), Tan­ner Conn (2019), Jason Martin (2018), Chris Kelly (2017) and Brian Herbert (2008).  Tickets must be purchased [Read More]

Results

Traffic assists Blurton in season-opening URSS victory at Salina

By David Smith, Jr., OKTidbits SALINA, Kan. (May 23) – Two-time and defending tour champion Zach Blurton picked up right where he left off last season, taking advantage of late-race lapped traffic to capture the exciting season opener for the Lucas Oil POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series presented by Mel Hambelton Ford Racing opened their 2020 race season in front of a near-capacity crowd at Salina Speedway on Saturday night.  J.D. Johnson and Blurton 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 kept Ty Williams behind him for the first several laps before Blurton passed Williams for second on lap five. Blurton stayed glued to Johnson’s rear bumper and at the race’s midway point on lap 13 it was still Johnson, Blurton, Williams, Jason Danley and 16th starting Toby Chapman the top five. The leaders approached slower cars on lap 17 and that’s when Johnson picked the wrong line to lap Howard Van Dyke. Blurton took advantage and got around both [Read More]

Results

URSS vs. DCRP Sprint Car Showdown reset for July 2

By Lonnie Wheatley  DODGE CITY, Kan. (May 22) – Originally slated to kick off the 2020 racing season at Dodge City Raceway Park, the URSS vs. Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Car Showdown has been reset for Thursday night, July 2. The event has been postponed on a pair of occasions due to ongoing restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, with the track now set to officially get things under way on Saturday, June 20, with Armed Forces Night featuring the Hobby Stock Roundup.  The July 2 date for the URSS vs. DCRP Sprint Car Showdown will feature a complete card of championship chase action that will also include the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Detailed schedule information is available at https://www.dodgecityraceway.com/schedule/.

Results

Late night call seals the deal for URSS opener at Salina

By David Smith, Jr., OKTidbits  SALINA, Kan. – It has been a bustling 24 hours for Lucas Oil POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series presented by Mel Hambelton Ford Racing president Rick Salem. After thinking the upcoming Memorial Weekend of racing would not happen after the event at Oberlin Speedway was canceled, a late-night phone call from Salina Speedway owner Tommie Hendrickson and Chris Sutton wanting to bring in IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars for a Memorial Weekend special, both parties came to terms and the series will open the 2020 race season at the speedway this coming Saturday, May 23.  Originally a $700 to-win event, contributions and support from Missouri’s Mike Sosebee, Steve Hilker of Hilker Trucking and Austin McLean Motorsports now has this event paying $1,000 to-win and $200 to start. It will be the first time in the 14-year history that the URSS will be competing at the Salina 3/8-mile oval and more than 20 drivers from four states have already indicated they will be competing.  There are some guidelines that we ask everyone [Read More]