Keefe Hemel Captures URSS Win at the Long Branch Showdown

The stage was set for an Old West Shootout as the United Rebel Sprint Series Southern and Northern Regions converged on the 3/8’s Mile Dodge City Raceway Park oval. Thirty-five cars checked through the gate and when the checkers fell, Dodge City’s Keefe Hemel put an end to his string of bad luck with his first win of the 2008 Season.

Dodge City’s Steve Dalton led the field to the green with Justin Schwien, Hemel, Nick King and Jon Johnson rounding out the top five. Dalton held the top spot as Hemel passed Schwien for the runner up spot on lap three. Brandon Fisher worked his way to the fourth position but on lap four Fisher ran over debris on the track and brought out the caution. On the restart, Dalton held the lead but was pressured by Hemel for the spot. Brian Herbert worked his way to the fifth spot on lap nine and started pressuring Johnson for the fourth position. Hemel took the top spot on lap nine as Dalton had a tire going down and started falling back.

Lap twelve saw Nick King take the runner up spot from Schwien followed by Herbert, Johnson and Mike Woodruff who had made his way from his eighth place starting position. Lap fifteen saw Herbert take the runner up spot relegating Schwien and King to the third and fourth spots. Lap twenty saw King retake the third spot from Schwien, with Woodruff putting the heat on Johnson for the fifth spot.

When the checkered flag fell it was Hemel taking the win followed by Herbert, King, Schwien and Johnson rounding out the top five.

The Weld Racing “Hard Charger Award” went to Kris Miller who came from his eighteenth starting position to grab the ninth finishing position.

The Keizer Aluminum Wheels B-Main Award was won by Jeff Crook who finished the A-Main in the eight position.

Heat Race winners were Johnson, Seemann, King and Woodruff.

A-Main:  1-Keefe Hemel (11), 2-Brian Herbert (97), 3-Nick King (83), 4-Justin Schwien (76J), 5-Jon Johnson (86), 6-Mike Woodruff (83X), 7-Ray Seemann (72), 8-Jeff Crook (52), 9-Kris Miller (33), 10-Taylor Milton (91X), 11-Darren Berry (12), 12-Smokey Fairbank (2), 13-Paul Flynn (92), 14-Kris Moore (49), 15-Tanner Mullens (02), 16-John Colbert (79C), 17-Randy Bantam (5R), 18-Steve Dalton (12D), 19-Chuck Lutters (55), 20-Brandon Fisher (14)

Non-Qualifier #1- Top Five to A-Main

1-Taylor Milton, 2-Darren Berry, 3-Tanner Mullens, 4-John Colbert, 5-Randy Bantam, 6-Jeff Radcliffe, 7-Tyler Knight, 8-Darren Bowman, 9-Taylor Velasquez, 10-Ken Lutters, 11-Bill Hays, 12-Ty Williams, 13-Craig Jecha

Non-Qualifier #2 – Top Five to A-Main

1-Jeff Crook, 2-Kris Moore, 3-Smokey Fairbank, 4-Kris Miller, 5-Chuck Lutters, 6-Lance Davis, 7-Randy Washburn, 8-Josh Fairbank, 9-Willie Wynn, 10-Kevin Smith, 11-Reed Bernbeck