Hachmeister, Martin still undefeated at Elmwood Park Speedway

By Mike Hughes

NORTON, KS (May 12)—Jay Hachmeister of Lenora and Anthony Martin of Wilcox, NE, remained unbeaten in the three race dates this season at Elmwood Park Speedway in Norton, KS, after racing action Saturday night, May 12.

            Heat race winner Hachmeister took the lead on lap 2 from opening lap leader Eric Kinderknecht and led the rest of the distance in the caution free 15-lap IMCA Stock Car feature.  Pat Bedore and Kinderknecht staged a race long battle for second with Bedore taking the runner-up spot, and Jason Davis got by Bob Rutherford on the last lap to finish fourth. 

            Martin took the point on lap 4 of the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature from Jeremy Couse and cruised to a straightaway win on the ½-mile oval.  Jason Grabast passed Couse late in the race for second, with Jason McIntyre and Theron Martin rounding out the top five.  Anthony Martin also won the heat race.

            The IMCA Modified drivers were racing for a $750 winner’s check.  Beloit’s Tim Watts took the lead at the drop of the green, then heat race winner David Murray Jr. passed Watts for the top spot on the following lap.  But as the field went by the grandstand on lap 3, Murray lost power and went to the pits.  Calhoun stayed close to Watts the remaining laps in the 15-lap event but had to settle for second.  Justin Basart finished third. 

            Hometown driver Randy Bantam led all 15 laps in the IMCA 305 Sprint Car feature.  The lone caution came on lap 12 when point leader Darren Berry coasted to a stop.  Heat race victor Ron Hadley finished second behind Bantam, trailed by Tom Belsky and Howard VanDyke.

            The IMCA Northern Sport Mod feature was called after a violent crash on lap 2 of the 20-lap main event.  Brian Conness rolled and was hit several times.  Tanner Portenier also rolled his race car.  Half of the 11-car field was involved, with Conness and Chris Heim both transported to the hospital for observation.  With lots of debris and guardrail damage, track officials called the race and it will be made up at the next race on June 16.  Heat race winners were Tyler Frye and Kaid Calhoun.

            It was ‘Pink Out Night’ and the track’s portion of the 50/50 raffle, over $200, was given to the Norton Relay for Life.

            The regular five classes return on Saturday, June 16, with the green flag flying at 7:00 p.m.  The IMCA Sport Mod feature from tonight will also run on the card.

RESULTS

IMCA Hobby Stocks

Heat: 1. Anthony Martin, 2. Jeremy Couse, 3. Jason Grabast, 4. Jason McIntyre.

Feature: 1. A. Martin, 2. Grabast, 3. Couse, 4. McIntyre, 5. Theron Martin, 6. Cody Williams (DNF), 7. Ray Caldwell (DNS).

IMCA Sport Mods

Heat 1: 1. Tyler Frye, 2. Chris Heim, 3. Cory Struckhoff, 4. Austin Walker.

Heat 2: 1. Kaid Calhoun, 2. Tanner Portenier, 3. Rick Putman, 4. Jeremy Sigler.

Feature: Postponed.

IMCA Stock Cars

Heat: 1. Jay Hachmeister, 2. Pat Bedore, 3. Eric Kinderknecht, 4. Bob Rutherford.

Feature: 1. Hachmeister, 2. Bedore, 3. Kinderknecht, 4. Jason Davis, 5. Rutherford, 6. Chase Conaway.

IMCA 305 Sprint Cars

Heat: 1. Ron Hadley, 2. Randy Bantam, 3. Tom Belsky.

Feature: 1. Bantam, 2. Hadley, 3. Belsky, 4. Howard VanDyke, 5. Darren Berry (DNF), 6. Mike Saathoff (DNS).

IMCA Modifieds

Heat: 1. David Murray Jr., 2. Brian Calhoun, 3. Tim Watts, 4. Justin Basart.

Feature: 1. Watts, 2. Calhoun, 3. Basart, 4. Murray (DNF).

Elmwood Park pays IMCA Modified winner $750 at May 12 show

NORTON, Kan. – IMCA Modifieds race for more green on Pink Out Night Saturday, May 12 at Elmwood Park Speedway.

Top prize in the headline event is $750 while proceeds from the evening’s 50/50 drawing will be donated to the local Relay For Life. 

A minimum of $100 will be paid to start the modified feature. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and RaceSaver IMCA Sprint Cars are also on the card, racing for all applicable points. 

Pit gates open at 4 p.m., the grandstand opens at 5 p.m., hot laps are at 6 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m.

There is a $35 registration fee for Modifieds racing at Norton for the first time this season; pit passes are $25. 

Spectator admission is $10. In recognition of cancer awareness, adults wearing any pink clothing get in for $8. With Mother’s Day the next day, admission for mothers of any age is $5.

Kids ages 13 and under get in free when accompanying a paid adult. 

More information about the program is available from promoter Rick Schwab at 785 871-0851 or by emailing schwabie43@hotmail.com. 

 

Three drivers repeat at Elmwood Park Speedway

By Mike Hughes

NORTON, KS (April 21)—Three drivers in their respective divisions made it to victory lane for the second race in a row at Elmwood Park Speedway in Norton, KS, on Saturday evening, April 21.

            The first to accomplish the fete was Lenora’s Jay Hachmeister in the IMCA Stock Car division.  Hometown driver Jason Davis led the first 6 laps before Hachmeister took the lead as the field saw the crossed flags at the halfway mark in the 15-lap race.  Hachmeister would hold off heat race winner Davis for the win, with Pat Bedore, Bob Rutherford and Eric Kinderknecht rounding out the top five.

            Brian Conness of Wakeeney was the second driver to repeat.  Jason Nelssen led the opening lap of the 15-lap IMCA Sport Mod feature before Kaid Calhoon took over the top spot.  Heat one victor Conness then took control on lap 6 and was first to the checkers.  Cory Struckhoff, heat two winner Nelssen, Tanner Portenier and Dan Lauer completed the top five.

            The third person to win back to back at the ½-mile was Anthony Martin of Wilcox, NE, in the IMCA Hobby Stock class, but caught a break to get his second win.  Tyrel Smith led at the drop of the green, only to be passed on the next lap by Cody ‘Bam Bam’ Graham.  Graham appeared to have the 15-lap event in hand until the caution came out on lap 11 when Jacob Crowell stalled.  While under caution, Graham went to the pits, done for the night, giving Martin the lead on the restart.  Martin held off challenges from runner-up Brian Stich and Jeromy Wagner for the win.  Smith and Crowell finished fourth and fifth.  Heat race winners were Stich and Wagner. 

            Darren Berry of McCook, NE, took the lead from heat race winner Ron Hadley on lap 3 of the IMCA 305 Sprint Car feature and won by a straightaway.  Randy Bantam was second, followed by Hadley and Tom Belsky.

            Brian Calhoun of Beloit won the IMCA Modified feature.  He also won the heat race.

            The regular five classes return on Saturday, May 12, with the green flag flying at 7:00 p.m.

RESULTS

IMCA Hobby Stocks

Heat 1: 1. Brian Stich, 2. Anthony Martin, 3. Jason McIntyre, 4. Theron Martin.

Heat 2: 1. Jeromy Wagner, 2. Tyrel Smith, 3. Cody Graham, 4. Jacob Crowell.

Feature: 1. A. Martin, 2. Stich, 3. Wagner, 4. Smith, 5. Crowell, 6. McIntyre, 7. T. Martin, 8. Graham (DNF), 9. Cody Williams (DNF), 10. Jason Brin (DNF), 11. Jeremy Couse (DNS), 12. Ray Caldwell (DNS).

IMCA Sport Mods

Heat 1: 1. Brian Conness, 2. Tanner Portenier, 3. Matthew Crowell, 4. Austin Walker.

Heat 2: 1. Jason Nelssen, 2. Cory Struckhoff, 3. Kaid Calhoun, 4. Dan Lauer.

Feature: 1. Conness, 2. Struckhoff, 3. Nelssen, 4. Portenier, 5. Lauer, 6. Crowell, 7. Walker, 8. Frank McClurg, 9. J.R. Ewing, 10. Calhoun (DNF), 11. Jay Weigel (DNF), 12. Ted Kutsch (DNF).

IMCA Stock Cars

Heat: 1. Jason Davis, 2. Jay Hachmeister, 3. Josh Hudson, 4. Pat Bedore.

Feature: 1. Hachmeister, 2. Davis, 3. Bedore, 4. Bob Rutherford, 5. Eric Kinderknecht, 6. Chase Conaway, 7. Hudson (DNF), 8. Dustin McClurg (DNS).

IMCA 305 Sprint Cars

Heat: 1. Ron Hadley, 2. Michael Williams, 3. Darren Berry, 4. Randy Bantam.

Feature: 1. Berry, 2. Bantam, 3. Hadley, 4. Tom Belsky, 5. Williams (DNF).

IMCA Modifieds

Heat: 1. Brian Calhoun.

Feature: 1. Calhoun, 2. David Brack (DNF).

Elmwood Park Speedway opens season

By Mike Hughes

NORTON, KS (March 31)—Elmwood Park Speedway in Norton, KS, opened the 2012 racing season Saturday night, March 31, with the regular five classes in action.

            The IMCA Hobby Stocks were the first to hit the track and Anthony Martin of Wilcox, NE, led from green to checkered in the 12-lap main event.  Cody Graham stayed close and tried to make a pass on several occasions but could not get by and had to settle for the runner-up spot.  Jason McIntyre finished third, followed by Cody Williams and Jason Grabast.  Heat race winners were Martin and Tyrel Smith.

            Beloit’s Geoff Jermark echoed Martin’s fete as he led all 10 laps in the IMCA Modified feature.  Tim Watts was second, followed by heat race winner David Brack.

            Liberal’s Ty Williams was a man on a mission in the IMCA 305 Sprint Car feature.  Williams, the heat race winner, started fourth in the seven car field but had the top spot at the end of the first lap of the 15-lap race.  Williams pulled to over a half-lap lead on the ½-mile oval when the lone caution waved on the final lap when Kaden Taylor’s ride broke.  Williams led the field back to green for a one lap shootout and held on for the win.  Darren Berry finished a distant second, with Mike Saathoff, Ron Hadley and Greg Reiners rounding out the top five. 

            Wade Wagenblast led the first 2 laps of the 20-lap IMCA Stock Car feature before Lenora’s Jay Hachmeister took over a lead he would not relinquish.  The lone caution waved on lap 14 when Kyle Clough and Jason Davis did a double spin.  Heat two victor Hachmeister led the field back to green and led the remaining distance to the checkers.  Dustin McClurg, Pat Bedore, heat one winner Jason Davis, and Bob Rutherford completed the top five.

            The IMCA Northern Sport Mods was the final class to take the track for their main event and did not disappoint the crowd.  Brian Conness took the early lead in the 20-lap event with Cory Struckhoff close behind.  The third and final caution waved on lap 11 when Ty Rogers had problems, and Conness led the field back to green.  Then Struckhoff made his move to the front under Conness in turn 3 to take the lead.  Then with 2 laps to go, the 2 made contact on the front straightaway and both bobbled, but Conness took advantage to regain the lead and hold on the last couple of laps for the victory.  Struckhoff held on for second, trailed by Tanner Portenier, Kaid Calhoon, and Rogers.  Heat race winners were Dan Lauer and Conness.

            The regular five classes return on Saturday, April 21, with the green flag flying at 7:00 p.m.

RESULTS

IMCA Hobby Stocks

Heat 1: 1. Anthony Martin, 2. Cody Graham.

Heat 2: 1. Tyrel Smith, 2. Jason Grabast, 3. Theron Martin, 4. Jason McIntyre.

Feature: 1. A. Martin, 2. Graham, 3. McIntyre, 4. Cody Williams, 5. Grabast, 6. T. Martin, 7. Smith (DNF), 8. Ray Caldwell (DNS).

IMCA Sport Mods

Heat 1: 1. Dan Lauer, 2. Kaid Calhoon, 3. Jason McCartney, 4. Derrick Pfannenstiel.

Heat 2: 1. Brian Conness, 2. Tanner Portenier, 3. Jason Nelssen, 4. Troy Attwood.

Feature: 1. Conness, 2. Cory Struckhoff, 3. Portenier, 4. Calhoon, 5. Ty Rogers, 6. McCartney, 7. Austin Walker, 8. Lauer, 9. Tyler Watts, 10. Jay Weigel, 11. Jedediah Ewing, 12. Attwood (DNF), 13. Nelssen (DNF), 14. Pfannenstiel (DNF), 15. Frank McClurg (DNF).

IMCA Stock Cars

Heat 1: 1. Jason Davis, 2. Austin Carter, 3. Pat Bedore, 4. Wade Wagenblast.

Heat 2: 1. Jay Hachmeister, 2. Dustin McClurg, 3. Brandon Clough, 4. Bob Rutherford.

Feature: 1. Hachmeister, 2. McClurg, 3. Bedore, 4. Davis, 5. Rutherford, 6. Darin Racek, 7. Wagenblast (DNF), 8. Kyle Clough (DNF), 9. Carter (DNF), 10. B. Clough (DNF).

IMCA 305 Sprint Cars

Heat: 1. Ty Williams, 2. Darren Berry, 3. Kaden Taylor, 4. Mike Saathoff.

Feature: 1. Williams, 2. Berry, 3. Saathoff, 4. Ron Hadley, 5. Greg Reiners, 6. Taylor (DNF), 7. Tom Belsky (DNS).

IMCA Modifieds

Heat: 1. David Brack, 2. Tim Watts, 3. Geoff Jermark.

Feature: 1. Jermark, 2. Watts, 3. Brack.

2012 Admission Pricing

Admission for the 2012 racing season will be as follows:

Adults:     $10.00

Children 13-under:     Free

Adults aged 55+:     $8.00

Season Pass:  $72.00

Please contact Rick Schwab for more information on purchasing season passes

New Pictures added

Recently added - pictures from the Norton Racing banquet for 2011.

Check them out!!

2012 area track schedules posted

We have updated the links to the schedules for McCook Speedway, North Platte (Lincoln County), Lexington (Dawson County), and Holyoke, Colorado (Phillips County).

Please click to check them out!!

2012 Schedule Posted

The 2012 NEPRA track schedule has been approved and is posted on the "Norton Schedule" tab.

All classes are IMCA sanctioned for the 2012 racing season, and they include the following classes:

IMCA 305 Sprint Cars

IMCA Modified

IMCA Stock Cars

IMCA Hobby Stocks

IMCA Northern Sport Mods

The weekend of March 30th begins the 2012 racing season, with a "play day" on Friday, and racing on Saturday the 31st.

For more information, please contact Rick Schwab, track promoter, at 785-871-0851 OR 785-877-5562

            EMAIL  schwabie43@hotmail.com

NEPRA Schedules Annual Racing Banquet

The 2011 Norton Elmwood Park racing banquet has been scheduled for December 10, 2011.  The location is the Norton American Legion, with the social hour beginning at 6:00 p.m.  More information will be posted if it becomes available.

Vintage Cars, Sprint Cars, and SportMods Put On A Show at Elmwood Park Speedway

By Darin Racek
 
(Norton, Kansas-September 3 and 4) The annual Labor Day Weekend show at Elmwood Park Speedway found the pits with a high capacity of cars, as a total of thirty vintage race cars, thirty-two United Rebel Sprint Series Sprint Cars, and fourteen IMCA Northern SpotMods came to play and race between the two nights. Luke Cranston of Plains, Zach Blurton of Jetmore, Tanner Portenier of Luray, and Brian Conness of WaKeeney were playing for keeps, as they won the A Features in the Sprint Car and SportMod divisions.
 
The vintage cars did not “officially” race, but they did manage to mix things up on both nights. The iconic Kansas uncaged Sprint Car known as “The Offy Killer”, owned by Jerry Wilson of Wichita and driven by Robbie Bryant was on hand, and the 57 year-old car was making laps around the big half-mile track at an average of 65 miles an hour. Bill Yalotz of Pueblo, Colorado had a 41 year-old caged Toggnatti Sprint Car, and he managed some laps a tick faster than that. Ron Murphy of Sharon Springs brought a new car he built, a good-looking replica of a dirt roadster from the 1950’s, built from a 1919 Buick and powered by a 308 cubic inch Hudson engine. Joe Morosic of Indianola, Nebraska brought an old favorite, a 1971 rear-engined Sprint car built by his dad, the late Lonnie Morosic. These were just a few of the amazing cars brought in from around the state of Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado.
 
Thirty URSS Sprint Cars were in the pits on Saturday night, and that meant four heats and two B Features to set up the lineup for the twenty car A Feature. The heat wins were split up between Kansas drivers Ty Williams of Liberal and Luke Cranston, and Gypsum, Colorado drivers Judd Shaeffer and Patrick Bourke. Passing points set up for interesting B Features, with the first one featuring all three of the National point leaders, Brian Herbert of Dodge City, Josh Fairbank of Goddard, and eventual race winner Ray Seemann of Jetmore. B Feature number two was won by Mark Walinder of Wheatridge, Colorado, a former resident of the Ness City area.

In the twenty-five lap A Feature, Luke Cranston took the lead from Shaeffer on lap three and said “bye-bye” to the field for a while. 2010 URSS National champion Ty Williams wasn’t ready to hand things over, and after he moved into second place on lap seven, began to close in Cranston. Luke used a cool hand to maneuver through lapped traffic to again build a healthy lead on the Liberal driver, but the lapped cars were removed between the two on lap thirteen after Lincoln driver Mike Spear had mechanical issues on the track. After the restart, track champion Darren Berry from McCook opted to dive down into corner three rather than drive into the car in front of him, and the imminent berm sent him for a roll. He was not seriously hurt, but the car, and even his driver’s seat, took a beating. On that restart, Patrick Bourke dove hard into the corner to get by Williams for 2nd place, but could not deny Cranston from picking up his sixth win of the year, and his second at Elmwood Park. Jason Martin of Liberal took the fourth spot, and Seemann worked from the eleventh spot to take fifth place.
 
On Sunday night, there were twenty-three cars, and one of those was lost on the opening lap of the first heat race of the night when 14 year-old Conner Atkinson of Hutchinson rolled her beast four-and-a-half times in corner three. She was able to walk away from the wreck, but the car quoted as “junk” after the wreck. Shaeffer, Seemann, and Zach Blurton were the eventual winners of the heat races. No B Features were run, but the twenty-five lap A Feature made up for it.
 
Judd Shaeffer was hoping to end his streak of good luck in heats and bad luck in features, and started the main event by leading the first five laps. The “Teenage Sensation” Zach Blurton found his way by the Colorado racer on the sixth lap, but his lead was short lived. Josh Fairbank had started in eighth place, but by lap ten was able to use the low line to take the lead away. The race went until lap seventeen before the first caution, and that was for a spin. On the restart, Blurton attacked on the high side, and within two laps, regained the lead. After Ron Hadley of Norton slapped the corner two wall, the field again realigned single file with six laps to go. Patrick Bourke had started in ninth place and was in third at this time. On the restart, while Blurton and Fairbank went high, Bourke went low, first taking Fairbank’s spot, then making the slide-for-life out of corner four as they took the white flag to take the lead from Blurton. Blurton returned the favor in corner two, but before the entire field could complete the lap, the red flag came out after Blake Smith, Jr. of Fredrick, Colorado planted into the wall. This reverted the lap back to lap twenty-three with Blurton in the lead and Bourke in second. For the last two laps, Blurton moved lower on the track, preventing Bourke from making another move to the front, and forcing him to take his second second-place finish in two nights. Blurton’s win was his second of the year. Josh Fairbank was able to hold Ray Seemann at bay for the third spot, and Adam Trimble of Pueblo, Colorado ended a good night for him with a fifth place finish.
 
The IMCA Northern SportMod A Feature on Saturday night started with Dan Lauer of Norton in the lead, but on the next lap, he was involved in an accident that began with cars three-wide in the back straight and ended with his car up in the air and into the outside fence. Ben Hobbs of Red Cloud, Nebraska steered clear of the mess and inherited the lead on the restart. Tanner Portenier ran the low side of the track, and was able to drive underneath high-liner Hobbs for the lead on lap six. Portenier stayed with the line and pulled away from Hobbs for a strong statement win. Troy Attwood of Gaylord was involved in an accident in the heat race that ended up with a torn up right side, but he willed his car to third place at the finish. Kaid Calhoon of Beloit finished in fourth, and Craig Howard of Lexington, Nebraska took the fifth spot. Calhoun and Brian Conness were the SportMod heat winners on Saturday night.
 
The SportMods tried the three-wide on the opening lap on Sunday night, with pretty much the same results, only Craig Howard was the one that ended up in the air and Frank McClurg of Logan and Jason McCartney of Smith Center in the inside guard rail. When the race was restarted, Ben Hobbs showed the way, closely followed by heat winner Tanner Portenier. On lap four, Hobbs went for a spin in corner three, but Portenier was deemed the caused and put to the back. Hobbs could not get his car going on the restart and pulled into the pits. Heat winner Brian Conness inherited the lead. Tanner restarted in seventh place in line, and made a hard charge to get into second place, but as the last eleven laps went caution-free, he had no shot at denying Conness the win, which sealed the track points championship. Attwood earned his second third place finish for the weekend. Newcomer Austin Walker of Utica took the fourth spot. Kenny Schmidt kept ahead of his fellow Ellis driver John LaShell for fifth place.
 
The staff of Elmwood Park Speedway would like to thank everyone who participated at the track this 2011 season, the sponsors, and especially the fans.