CJ Johnson Takes URSS Win in Opening Night at the Norton County Fair 

The United Rebel Sprint Series made its first appearance at the Historic Elmwood Park Speedway as the Rebels hit the half mile for a night of racing action. The night was full of surprises as several drivers at the top of the URSS point standings had the fight their way through the B-Main to make the Feature. When the checkered flag fell it was one of those drivers, CJ Johnson who had to work his way through the field claiming the win.

Troy Edwards led the field to the green and jumped out to the early lead with Bill Hays, Corey Lutters, Randy Bantam and Ken Lutters rounding out the top five at the end of lap one. Randy Bantam took the third spot from Corey Lutters on lap three as the battle for the fifth spot heated up as Josh Fairbank turned up the heat on Ken Lutters for the position. Fairbank made the pass for the spot on lap four. Up front Troy Edwards was still showing the way until he made contact with the turn three guardrail to bring out the caution and end his night.

On the restart, Bill Hays took the lead but was immediately pressured by Bantam for the point. Bantam took the top spot on lap six with Josh Fairbank in Hays’s tracks. Back in the pack, CJ Johnson had made his way through the field from his eighteenth starting spot to break into the top ten by lap five. Along with Johnson, Ray Seemann and Cody Salem were also fighting their way to the front. Seemann made his way past Johnson on lap seven as the pair hooked up to put the pressure on Ken Lutters for the fourth position. Josh Fairbank had caught Bantam on lap eight and took over the point only to have Bantam reclaim the lead on lap nine.

Seemann and Johnson were at he heals of the leaders as the pair wove their way through traffic and looked to make their way to the front. On lap ten, Johnson and Seemann made their way to second and third respectively as the made the pass on Fairbank of the positions. Johnson set his sights on the leader Bantam, and on lap ten Johnson and Seemann caught and made the pass to shuffle Bantam back to the third spot. Lap thirteen saw he “Kansas Tornado” Jon Johnson break into the top five as he quietly had been working his way through he field to take over the fourth position.

Another driver on a mission was Cody Salem who had his share of troubles throughout he night. Salem had to make his way through the B-Main as well to start in the sixteen starting spot. Salem had his mount hooked up as he made his way sixth spot by lap fourteen, and was looking t break into the top five. Salem made his move on lap sixteen to make the pass on Hemel and Bantam to take over the fourth position and set his sights on the elder Johnson. The pair put on quite a show as they battled for several laps until Salem made the pass stick on lap twenty-one.

Up front CJ Johnson and Seemann were weaving their way through lapped traffic as Salem, Jon Johnson and Bantam were all in hot pursuit. Salem caught Seemann on lap twenty-three and making the pass for the runner up spot on lap twenty-four. Salem ran out of laps as the checkers fell with CJ Johnson picking up the win, with Salem, Seemann, Jon Johnson and Randy Bantam rounding out the top five.

The Keizer Aluminum Wheels “Hard Charger Award” went the CJ Johnson who came from his eighteenth starting position to take the win.

Heat race winners were: #1-Jon Johnson (DQ for missing scales), #2-Darren Bowman, #3-Jeff Radcliffe

A-Main: 1-CJ Johnson (45X), 2-Cody Salem (22), 3-Ray Seemann (72), 4-Jon Johnson (86), 5-Randy Bantam (5R), 6-Keefe Hemel (11), 7-Ken Lutters (79), 8-Josh Fairbank (51), 9-Corey Lutters (07), 10-Jeremy Leuck (75), 11-Darren Bowman (9B), 12-Bill Hays (2H), 13-Jeff Radcliffe (21R), 14-Reed Bernbeck (C3), 15-Craig Jecha (17X), 16-Darren Berry (12), 17-Judd Sheaffer (56), 18-Troy Edwards (12T), 19-Smokey Fairbank (2), 20-Tim Perkins

B-Main: 1-Jon Johnson, 2-Ray Seemann, 3-Darren Berry, 4-Reed Bernbeck, 5-Smokey Fairbank, 6-Cody Salem, 7-Jeremy Lueck, 8-CJ Johnson, 9-Tim Perkins, 10-Judd Sheaffer, 11-Michael Williams, 12-Cody Keiswetter, 13-Blake Bogenhagen, 14-Chad Salem, 15-Jon Mathews