Corey Lutters Outlasts Late Challenge For URSS Win at Thunderhill

The United Rebel Sprint Series checked into Thunderhill Speedway for the first of two appearances in 2009 and race fans were treated to one of the best feature finishes in series history. Corey Lutters captured the lead on the fourth round of the twenty five lap main event and never looked back as the Kansas City, Kansas shoe picked up his second career rebel victory taming the lightning fast high banked Mayetta oval.

Tyler Kraus led a field of eighteen cars to the green flag Friday night for a twenty-five lap A feature with Corey Lutters on the outside pole. Underway, it would be Kraus gunning into the lead with Smokey Fairbank, Lutters, Tanner Mullens, and Michael Williams settling into the top five after the first lap. Lap two would see Lutters drive to second moving Fairbank to third. Williams and Jeff Radcliffe would battle for the fifth slot with Radcliffe using the high side to take the spot away.

As Kraus paced the field, Lutters, Fairbank, Mullens, and Radcliffe checked the top five. Not content with second, Lutters would blast into the lead on the fourth lap. Lutters would begin hammering the high line with Kraus hot in his wheel tracks.

The action was fast and furious and the wicked pace would continue with the field battling for position. Mullens would work Fairbank for third bringing Taylor Milton along for the ride. Milton would settle into fourth with Fairbank sliding to fifth.

With Lutters setting a wicked pace on the top side, the rest of the field would hold serve. The crowd was delighted as the two young gunners, Milton and Mullens, battled back and forth for the third position. Milton would charge to third as the leaders approached lapped traffic.

Back up front Kraus began to real in Lutters and just as he had the leader in his sights, the Ransom native caught the right rear of Dusty Murray heading into turn one. Disaster was averted as Kraus was able to gather himself, keeping his mount on all fours. Kraus would head pit side and the green flag would continue to fly.

Lutters would continue to show the way but the competition in his rearview mirror was fierce. Milton, Mullens, Cody Salem, and Fairbank would continue pressuring the leader for the show position. And just when it looked like Milton would run down the leader the frantic pace would be halted for a red flag situation. After a tremendous charge to the front from his eighth place starting position, a top five run would end abruptly as the “double deuce” would flip in turn two. Salem would be okay but his night would be over.

With eight laps remaining Lutters would sit atop the leader board. Milton, Mullens, Radcliffe, and Jon Johnson would make up the top five with Darren Bowman on the outside looking in from the sixth slot. Back under green, Lutters would lead a two-car breakout with Milton hot on his heels. Mullens, Johnson, Bowman, and Radcliffe would slice and dice, jockeying for position and a chance at the top five.

The action would not be halted again and as laps began to get scarce, Lutters and Milton would kick it up a notch. Time and time again, Milton would run alongside the leader only to have Lutters slam the door. With the white flag flying Milton would rocket into turn three locking his ride on the low side. Milton would grab the lead momentarily but Lutters would battle back on the high side and the two would touch in turn four.

With both drivers losing momentum and a raucous Thunderhill crowd on their feet, Mullens would stick his nose into the action making it a three wide drag race down the front chute to the checkered flag, but Lutters would not be denied and time would run out as he held off the youngsters to steal the checkered flag and his second Rebel feature victory. Mullens would grab second with the hard charging Milton falling to third. Radcliffe would earn a fourth place finish with Johnson checking the top five of a ferocious feature.

The Keizer Aluminum Wheels “Hard Charger Award” went to Taylor Milton who battled from his tenth place starting position to a third place finish.

Heat Race Winners: #1- Tanner Mullens, #2- Jeff Radcliffe, #3- Tyler Kraus

 

A-Main: 1-Corey Lutters (07), 2-Tanner Mullens (02), 3-Taylor Milton (91X), 4-Jeff Radcliffe (21R), 5-Jon Johnson (86), 6-Darren Bowman (9B), 7-Josh Fairbank (51), 8-Howard VanDyke (74), 9-Willie Wynn (36W), 10-Reed Bernbeck (C3), 11-Bill Hartpence (11H), 12-Tyler Kraus (12), 13-Dusty Murray (46), 14-Michael Williams (77W), 15-Smokey Fairbank (2), 16-Cody Salem (22), 17-Ken Lutters (79)

Photo Courtesy Dusty Wiegart - MidWestDirt.com