Night Four Win of URSS Speedweek Goes to C J Johnson
The United Rebel Sprint Series first Annual Speedweek has been a hit with both fans and drivers alike as the racing action continues to get better each night. Once again the fans saw a great show as the drivers of the URSS gave it their all as they battled on the historic Liberal oval. But when the checkered flag fell, CJ Johnson once again took the win in a hard fought battle of men and machine.
Hugoton Kansas’s Barry Crane led the field to the green, but Jetmore Kansas’s Ray Seemann jumped to the lead with Crane, Keefe Hemel, Taylor Milton and Brian Herbert rounding out the top five. Milton quickly took the third spot from Hemel bringing Herbert and Smokey Fairbank with him on lap two. Johnson took the fifth spot from Fairbank on lap three and set sail after Herbert and Milton.
Milton took over the second spot on lap five as Herbert applied pressure on Crane for the third position. Johnson made the pass on Herbert for the fourth spot on lap seven and revved up the heat on Crane. Johnson and Crane battled until lap ten when Johnson made the pass stick. Tanner Mullens and Taylor Velasquez joined the fight for the fifth spot on lap eleven.
Up front, Seemann had built up a comfortable lead over Milton as they approached lapped traffic. With every lap Seemann’s lead started to dwindle as the leaders dove through lapped traffic. Milton would lose the runner up spot to Johnson on lap fourteen as he pressured Seemann for the lead. Seemann tried to use lapped traffic to his advantage but Johnson continued to dog him each lap. Seemann held of the continued challenges for the lead until lap twenty with Johnson made the pass for good.
The next five laps Seemann tried everything to catch back up to Johnson as they continued to contend with lapped traffic. As the checkers flew it was Johnson taking the win with Seemann, Milton, Herbert and Mullens rounding out the top five.
The Weld Racing Wheels “Hard Charger Award” went to CJ Johnson who came from his tenth starting spot to claim the victory.
The Keizer Aluminum Wheels B-Main Award went to Kris Miller for his win in the Non-Qualifiers race.
Heat winners were Mullens, Velasquez, Herbert and Johnson.
A-Main: 1- CJ Johnson (45X), 2-Ray Seemann (72), 3-Taylor Milton (91X), 4-Brian Herbert (97), 5-Tanner Mullens (02), 6-Barry Crane (30C), 7-Randy Bantam (5R), 8-Taylor Velasquez (21), 9-Smokey Fairbank (2), 10-Kris Miller (33), 11-Jeff Radcliffe (21R), 12-Kris Moore (49), 13-Jerry Caldwell (80), 14-Kevin Smith (62K), 15-Ty Williams (1), 16-Josh Fairbank (51), 17-Reed Bernbeck (C3), 18-Cody Caldwell (77), 20-Keefe Hemel (11)
Non-Qualifier: 1-Kris Miller, 2-Ty Williams, 3-Jeff Radcliffe, 4-Randy Bantam, 5-Kevin Smith, 6-Jerry Caldwell, 7-Josh Fairbank, 8-Kris Moore, 9-Cody Caldwell, 10-Reed Bernbeck, 11-Shawn Radcliffe, 12-Steven Richardson, 13-John Colbert, 14-Michael Williams