Bourke Takes Hard Fought URSS Win at I-76 Speedway Finale

The United Rebel Sprint Series rolled into the I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan Colorado twenty strong for their last appearance of the 2009 Season.  The High Banked ¼ mile Bull Ring gave the racers and the fans twenty-five laps of edge of the seat, white-knuckled racing. When the checkered flag fell, Gypsum Colorado’s Patrick Bourke took the win as the Rebels fought their way around the tight oval.

Cheyenne Wells Colorado’s Blake Bogenhagen led the field to the green but the caution flew as Judd Sheaffer and Tim Perkins made contact in turn four with Sheaffer spinning and Perkins mount came to a halt at the flag-stand with a broken shock and a flat right rear. On the restart, Ken Lutters jumped out to the lead with Reed Bernbeck, Patrick Bourke, Jon Johnson and Smokey Fairbank rounding out the top five at the end of lap one. Fairbank took over the fourth spot on lap two with Jeff Radcliffe joining Johnson to battle for the fifth spot.

Up front, Bernbeck and Lutters were locked in a heated battle for the point, with Bernbeck taking the point on lap five. Bourke immediately pressured Lutters for the runner-up spot, Bourke would gain the position on lap six.  Jon Johnson would make a run on Smokey Fairbank to take the fourth spot away on lap seven and set up a battle between himself and Ken Lutters that would last the rest of the race for the third spot.

Bernbeck continued to hold the point over a hard charging Bourke. Both were using the high line to make their way through traffic. Bourke closed the gap and on lap twelve dove to the bottom in turns three and four and took over the lead with Bernbeck hot on his heels. Behind the leaders Johnson and Lutters kept up the battle for the third spot, Lutters managed to take the spot away on several occasions only to have Johnson take it back and hold the spot at the flag-stand.  Further back in the pack, the battle for the positions six through eight heated up with Willie Wynn, Jeff Radcliffe, Bill Hays and Jeremy Lueck all a looking for the racing line that would allow them to advance.

Bourke continued to hold the point as the leaders got into heavy traffic. Bernbeck was lurking just behind the leader as they picked their way around the lapped cars.  Bernbeck closed the gap several times but never could use the lapped cars to his advantage to regain the lead. Behind the leaders Lutters kept the pressure on Johnson, Lutters took to the low side in three and four in an effort to gain the spot but Johnson kept the momentum up on the high-side even as the cushion was going away a little each lap.

As the laps wound down it was Bourke still showing the way with Bernbeck glued to his bumper. Back in the pack, Larry Radcliffe had made his way to eighth spot and was challenging his son Jeff for the seventh spot. The Elder Radcliffe had his effort come up just a little short as the laps ran out.

As the checkers flew it was Patrick Bourke taking the victory with Reed Bernbeck, Jon Johnson, Ken Lutters and Smokey Fairbank rounding out the top five.

The Keizer Aluminum Wheels “Hard Charger Award” went to Patrick Bourke who came from his ninth place starting spot to pick up the win.

Heat Race Winners were: #1-Judd Sheaffer, #2-Patrick Bourke, #3-Tim Perkins

A-Main: 1- Patrick Bourke (27), 2-Reed Bernbeck (C3), 3- Jon Johnson (86), 4-Ken Lutters (79), 5-Smokey Fairbank (2), 6-Willie Wynn (36W), 7-Jeff Radcliffe (21R), 8-Larry Radcliffe, 9-Jeremy Lueck (75), 10-Bill Hays (2H), 11-Blake Bogenhagen (27B), 12-Michael Williams (77W), 13-Ian Christie (17C), 14-Dennis Bellanti (16), 15-Mike Parker (140), 16-Sam Wisecup (8B), 17-Tom Parker (14T), 18-Tim Perkins (99), 19-Jon Matthews (5), 20-Judd Sheaffer 

Lap Leaders:  Ken Lutters (1-4), Reed Bernbeck (5-12), Patrick Bourke (13-25)

Heat #1: 1-Judd Sheaffer, 2-Ken Lutters, 3-Jon Johnson, 4-Jeremy Lueck, 5-Jeff Radcliffe, 6-Michael Williams, 7-Tom Parker 

Heat #2: 1-Patrick Bourke, 2-Reed Bernbeck, 3-Dennis Bellanti, 4-Smokey Fairbank, 5-Willie Wynn, 6-Larry Radcliffe, 7-Ian Christie

Heat #3: 1-Tim Perkins, 2-Blake Bogenhagen, 3-Sam Wisecup, 4-Bill Hays, 5-Jon Matthews, 6-Mike Parker