Herbert Wins URSS National Championship

The 2008 United Rebel Sprint Series Season has come to an end and it was a battle to the wire in the National Points as well as in the Eastern Region as well. Precious points gained or lost in the course of that final night determined the outcome of finishing positions through out the standings. As it turned out with Sunday’s Finale being washed out, Saturday’s race had ramifications for the final Point Standings in several Regions.

The chase for the National Title came down to the final race as Dodge City’s Brian Herbert held a slim twenty-point lead over “The Kansas Tornado” Jon Johnson and Ray Seemann who were tied. After the five Heat Races were finished only Jon Johnson had qualified his way into the Feature. National Point contenders Herbert, Seemann, Taylor Velasquez and Smokey Fairbank as well as Eastern Region combatants Corey Lutters and Cody Salem had to race their way through the Dual Non-Qualifiers races to get their shot at Titles.

The first Non-Qualifiers race saw Herbert battle up and comer Tanner Mullens for the right to move on. Herbert enjoyed the lead for the first ten laps of the race until Mullens passed him for the win with two laps to go leaving Herbert with the runner-up position. In that same Qualifier, Cody Salem was in a heated battle to work his way to the top five to ensure he would have a chance to claim the Eastern Region Title, when the checkered flag fell Salem finished in the fourth spot.

The second Non-Qualifiers race saw Eastern Points Leader Corey Lutters needing a top five finish to make his way into the Feature. Also in that race were 2007 URSS Champion Smokey Fairbank and Ray Seemann who would start the race in the twelfth position. Seemann was a man on a mission as he had worked his way to the sixth spot by lap seven. Lutters had been closing in on the top five until he jumped what was left of the cushion in turn three and scraped the wall and fell back several spots and saw his hopes of the Eastern Title fade. Fairbank had worked his way to the fourth spot with Seemann hot on his heels. When the checker flag fell Seemann and Fairbank had grabbed the third and fourth spots and into the Feature.

In the Feature, Herbert quickly made his way to Johnson’s bumper by lap five and the pair battled for the next four laps before Herbert made the pass. As the laps continued Johnson started to fall back in the field as Seemann set his sights on working his way to back to the front. Seemann worked his way through traffic to get within striking distance but ran out of laps. Herbert finished fourth and locked up the 2008 URSS Championship by 30 points over Johnson with Seemann finishing third, 2 points behind Johnson and 34 points behind Herbert.

Taylor Milton who held a commanding point going into the Championship weekend won the United Rebel Sprint Series National Rookie of the Year. The Fargo, Oklahoma Young Gun had an amazing Season in his first year in the Sprint Car Division. In his thirty races with the URSS this Season, Taylor had twenty-five Top Ten finishes, seven Top Fives and two Wins. Taylor picked up the 2008 Southern Region “Rookie of the Year Award” and finished in second place in the URSS Southern Regional Points this Season. You will hear more from this talented racer in the years to come and the URSS Series is proud to have Taylor as the 2008 URSS National Rookie of the Year.

  

2008 URSS National Points

1- Brian Herbert, 2-Jon Johnson, 3-Ray Seemann, 4-Smokey Fairbank, 5-Taylor Milton 

2008 Northern Region Points

1-Jon Johnson, 2-Smokey Fairbank, 3-Ken Lutters, 4-Willie Wynn, 5-Darren Berry

2008 Southern Region Points

1-Brian Herbert, 2-Taylor Milton, 3-Taylor Velasquez, 4-Mike Woodruff, 5-John Colbert

2008 Eastern Region Points

1-Cody Salem, 2-Corey Lutters, 3-Smokey Fairbank, 4-Jon Johnson, 5-Ken Lutters

2008 Western Region Points

1-Tim Perkins, 2-Smokey Fairbank, 3-Jon Johnson, 4-Ken Lutters, 5-Willie Wynn

2008 URSS National Rookie of the Year - Taylor Milton

 

2008 Northern Region Rookie of the Year - Willie Wynn

2008 Southern Region Rookie of the Year - Taylor Milton

2008 Eastern Region Rookie of the Year - Willie Wynn

2008 Western Region Rookie of the Year – Garrett Park