Bowman Doubles Up With Second URSS Win At Hutchinson

 

The United Rebel Sprint Series made their second appearance of the 2009 Season at Hutchinson Raceway Park to kick off the Fourth of July weekend triple-header. With fireworks lighting up the sky, in the distance Mother Nature was providing her own show, the action on the track had its share of fireworks as well. Kinsley Kansas’s Darren Bowman had his car on a rail as he picked up his second win in as many tries at the 3/8-mile oval.

Clay Center Kansas’s Howard Van Dyke lead the field to the green along with outside pole-sitter Ty Williams, Van Dyke pulled out the lead with Keefe Hemel, Ty Williams, Darren Bowman and Smokey Fairbank rounding out the top five at the end of lap one. Hemel took the point on lap two, behind him Bowman and Williams were in a fight for the third spot, Bowman would claim the spot on lap three and pass Van Dyke for the runner up spot on lap four.

Bowman quickly set his sights on the leader as Hemel lead began to shrink. Bowman caught up with Hemel, and the pair were feverously locked in a duel for the point. As the pair entered turn one on lap six, Bowman was in position to make his move when Hemel’s front axle gave way sending him spinning into the infield to bring out the caution. On the restart, Bowman jumped out to the lead as Van Dyke was being pressured by Williams for the runner-up spot with Williams taking the position on lap eight.

Back in the pack, a pair of young guns wove their way through the field as Tanner Mullens and Taylor Milton made their way into the top five by lap ten. Mullens made quick work of Van Dyke as he took the third spot on lap twelve. Milton turned up the heat on Van Dyke as well with Milton moving into the fourth spot on lap twelve. Bowman had built up an impressive straightaway lead on the field and starting lapping cars when a spinning Smokey Fairbank brought out the caution on lap sixteen.

On the restart Bowman once again jumped out into the lead and started pulling away from the field, but the caution flag waved again on lap eighteen when Cody Salem looped his mount in turn three. Once again Bowman jumped out to the lead on the restart with a battle for the fifth spot heated up between Van Dyke and Brian Herbert with Herbert garnering the position on lap eighteen. This set up a great battle between Herbert and Williams for the fourth position as the pair jockeyed for the right line Herbert dove to the bottom and made it stick to take the spot on lap twenty.

Once again Bowman had stretched out to a huge lead with Mullens and Milton battling for the second spot, and Herbert and Williams right on their bumpers. Lap twenty-two saw third running Milton pull of the track with mechanical problems as the field took the white flag Bowman seemingly had the race in the bag but with the leader entering turn three, Corey Lutters looped it in turn four to bring out the final caution and set up a green, white checker shootout for the win. As the field was forming up for the restart, fourth place runner Ty Williams took his car to the pits with mechanical issues ending his night.

On the restart Bowman once again rocketed to the lead as a resurgent Van Dyke had made his way back to the fourth position but was being pressured by Ken Lutters for the spot. Cody Salem and Smokey Fairbank had battled their way back up to the sixth and seventh positions respectfully were right in Lutters tracks looking to pick up a spot. Bowman was not to be denied though as he took the checkers for the second time at HRP in as many tries with Mullens, Herbert, Van Dyke and Ken Lutters rounding out the top five.

The Keizer Aluminum Wheels “Hard Charger Award” was picked up by Tanner Mullens, who came from his ninth place starting position to claim a second place finish.

Heat Race winners were: #1-Keefe Hemel, #2-Josh Fairbank and #3-Tanner Mullens

A-Main: 1-Darren Bowman (9B), 2-Tanner Mullens (02), 3-Brian Herbert (97), 4-Howard Van Dyke (74), 5-Ken Lutters (79), 6-Cody Salem (22), 7-Smokey Fairbank (2), 8-Josh Fairbank (51), 9-Corey Lutters (07), 10-Reed Bernbeck (C3), 11-Lance Davis (9D), 12-Bill Hartpence (11H), 13-Ty Williams (1), 14-Taylor Milton (91X), 15-Keefe Hemel (11)

Heat #1: 1-Keefe Hemel, 2-Cody Salem, 3-Darren Bowman, 4-Ty Williams, 5-Bill Hartpence
Heat #2: 1-Josh Fairbank. 2-Smokey Fairbank, 3-Howard Van Dyke, 4-Ken Lutters, 5-Corey Lutters
Heat #3: 1-Tanner Mullens, 2-Brian Herbert, 3-Taylor Milton, 4-reed Bernbeck, 5- Lance Davis