Salina, Kansas – May 23, 2020 - 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 claim 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 in Salina, Kansas on Saturday night.
J.D. Johnson and Blurton started on the front row for the twenty-five-lap feature with Johnson taking the lead as the green flag fell. Fourth-starting Ty Williams quickly moved into the runner up position with Blurton, Tyler Drueke and Buddy Tubbs the top five after the first lap was complete.
Johnson kept Williams behind him for the first several laps before Blurton passed Williams for second on lap five. Ninth-starting Jason Danely worked his way up through the field and over-took Tubbs for the fifth position on lap five.
Blurton stayed glued to Johnson’s rear bumper and at the races midway point on lap thirteen it was still Johnson, Blurton, Williams, Danley and sixteenth-starting Toby Chapman the top five. The leaders approached slower cars on lap seventeen and that’s when Johnson picked the wrong line to lap Howard Van Dyke. Blurton took advantage and got around both the lapped car and Johnson to take the lead on lap seventeen.
Blurton, driving the Jeff Stefonick, J&K Trucking #11, had Johnson glued to his rear bumper before putting another slower car between himself and Johnson on lap twenty. With five laps to go Danley got past Williams for the third position while Blurton kept the pace out front.
Johnson attempted to regain the lead with soon after but it was Blurton holding on to pick up the URSS season opening victory. Johnson settled for second while Danley came home third and Williams held on for fourth.
Nebraska’s Toby Chapman earned the features Keizer Aluminum Wheels hard-charger award. Chapman started sixteenth and drove home to a fifth-place finish.
The four, eight lap heat races were won by Buddy Tubbs, Tyler Drueke, Williams and Jordan Knight while Cale Cozad topped the twelve lap “B” feature.
URSS president Rick Salem wants to thank the owners and staff from Salina Speedway for putting together this last-minute Memorial Day weekend event just four days earlier. Also, many thanks to the drivers and fans who came out and supported the series inaugural event at the three-eighths mile facility.
The second series point race is pending and Salem looks to make an official announcement early this week. To keep up-to-date on schedule additions and more visit the series facebook page: United Rebel Sprint Series (URSS) and their official website www.unitedreblsprintseries.com.
United Rebel Sprint Series
Salina Speedway/Salina, Kansas
May 23, 2020
26 Cars
1st Heat (8 Laps): 1) Buddy Tubbs, 2) Taylor Velasquez, 3) Howard Vandyke, 4) Kaden Taylor, 5) Kyler Johnson, 6) Tyler Knight, 7) Aaron Ploussard
2nd Heat (8 Laps): 1) Tyler Drueke, 2) Jeremy Huish, 3) Zach Blurton, 4) Jason Danley, 5) Jack Potter, 6) Cody Hays, DQ) Jed Werner
3rd Heat (8 Laps): 1) Ty Williams, 2) Koby Walters, 3) J.D. Johnson, 4) Brian Herbert, 5) Chad Salem, DQ) Toby Chapman
4th Heat (8 Laps): 1) Jordan Knight, 2) Steven Richardson, 3) Shane Sudquist, 4) Cale Cozad, 5) Todd Plemons, 6) Austyn Gossel
B Feature (12 Laps): 1) Cale Cozad 34c, 2) Brian Herbert 97, 3) Kyler Johnson 45x, 4) Toby Chapman 7, 5) Tyler Knight 11K, 6) Kaden Taylor 6, 7) Jack Potter 15, 8) Howard Van Dyke 74v, 9) Chad Salem 17s, 10) Cody Hays 24, 11) Jed Werner 50, 12) Todd Plemons 17, 13) Aaron Ploussard 33k, 14) Austin Gossel 16
A Feature (25 Laps): 1) Zach Blurton 11 (2), 2) J D Johnson 98 (1), 3) Jason Danley 4x (9), 4) Ty Williams 21x (3), 5) Toby Chapman 7 (16), 6) Brian Herbert 97 (14), 8) Steven Richardson 0 (7), 9) Cale Cozad 34c (13), 9) Kyler Johnson 45x (15), 10) Koby Walters 33 (11), 11) Kaden Taylor 6 (18), 12) Jack Potter 15 (19), 13) Howard Van Dyke 74v (20), 14) Tyler Knight 11K (17), 15) Buddy Tubbs 95 (4), 16) Shane Sundquist 7x (12), 17) Jeremy Huish 88j (10), 18) Tyler Drueke 12 (6), 19) Taylor Velasquez 17x (8), 20) Jordan Knight 10 (5) (starting position)
David Smith, Jr./OKTidbits PR
(Jeff Quinn Photo)