Paul Flynn Grabs Win At URSS Debut At Whiskey Lake Raceway
The United Rebel Sprint Series made its debut at the Whiskey Lake Raceway Friday night as the Eastern and Northern Divisions shared the card. With eight different winners in the first ten URSS Sanctioned Races, the field was full of hungry racers wanting to make nine of eleven. The fans in the stands weren’t disappointed, as the winner was determined with a classic drag race to the flag-stand.
Ransom Kansas’ Reed Bernbeck led the field to the green flag as out-side pole sitter Randy Washburn quickly grabbed the lead with Bernbeck, Kasey Beckham, Justin Schwien and Paul Flynn rounding out the top five. Washburn started to stretch out the lead as Bernbeck, Beckham, Schwien and Flynn all battled for position. Darren Berry and perennial favorite the “Kansas Tornado” Jon Johnson moved up to the sixth and seventh spots respectively.
Sixteen-year old Tanner Mullins quietly started his charge from the twelfth starting position to grab the eighth spot and set his sites on Johnson by lap nine. Washburn had opened a comfortable lead over Bernbeck, Beckham, Flynn and Schwien but the caution flew on lap twelve for a stalled car. On the ensuing restart, Washburn had something go away on his car and unfortunately the field behind him stacked up collecting Johnson, Cody Salem and Randy Bantam.
On the restart Bernbeck quickly jumped out to the lead with Beckham, Flynn, Schwien and Darren Berry hot on his heels. Bernbeck stretched out his lead as Flynn made the pass on Beckham on lap sixteen to grab the second position. As the white flag flew, Flynn had made his way up to pressure Bernbeck for the spot. As the pair exited turn two Flynn stuck a nose under Bernbeck and entering turn three the pair were side by side. Coming off turn four it was a classic drag race to the flag as the fans were on their feet as Flynn found just a little more grip on the bottom to beat Bernbeck to the Checkers. Coming in third was Kasey Beckham with Justin Schwien and Darren Berry rounding out the top five.
The Weld Racing Wheels “Hard Charger Award” went to Tanner Mullins who came from his twelfth starting position to finish sixth.
Heat Race winners were Darren Berry, Jon Johnson and Justin Schwien.
A-Main: 1-Paul Flynn (92), 2-Reed Bernbeck (C3), 3-Kasey Beckham (25), 4-Justin Schwien (76J), 5-Darren Berry (12), 6-Tanner Mullins (02), 7-Ken Lutters (79), 8-Cody Salem (23), 9-Mike Spear (54), 10-Dennis Fair (74), 11-Greg Thyfault (27G), 12-Smokey Fairbank (2), 13-Randy Bantam (5R), 14-Jon Johnson (86), 15-Randy Washburn (0T), 16-Corey Lutters (07), Willie Wynn DNS
Heat #1- 1-Berry, 2-Beckham, 3-Bernbeck, 4-K. Lutters, 5-Thyfault, 6-Fair
Heat #2- 1-Johnson, 2-Flynn, 3-Wynn, 4-Spear, 5-Bantam, 6-C. Lutters
Heat #3- 1-Schwien, 2-Fairbank, 3-Washburn, 4-Mullens, 5-Salem