7/22/2017
It's Kerzman Flag-to-Flag in Tabor Memorial at Ogilvie Raceway
The warm summer evenings continued in July, as a large crowd came out to watch the UMSS Traditional sprints and their winged counterparts put on a show at the Ogilvie Raceway for the running of the 6th Annual Davey Tabor Memorial. A familiar face sat in Rock Auto Victory Lane at the conclusion of the 25 lap nonstop feature race. Jeremy Kerzman from Gray Eagle led flag-to-flag for his fourth TSCS win of the season, his second win at the Big O in a non-winged sprint car, and his eighth career victory in a Traditional sprint on Saturday night July 22. Kerzman also became the sixth different Traditional sprint car driver to earn a Tabor Memorial title. The win paid Kerzman $434.
A solid field of eighteen UMSS Traditional sprint cars signed into the pits on a fantastic summer afternoon, as the drivers prepared their wingless machines for some high-speed racing around the Big O banked 3/8th mile dirt oval a bit later on. Three 10-lap heat races were run with Ty Sampair, Kerzman and Scott Brandt the winners. All three heats ran caution-free. The top four drivers in passing and finishing points redrew on the VIP deck during intermission. Kerzman and Brandt liked their front row draws. Starting behind them in row two would be Bryan Roach and Sampair. Prior to hot laps, current point leader Mike Mueller's 87 sprint car developed some kind of engine issue while attempting to warm up in the pits and was not able to race. Since no heat races had been run, Mueller was able to transfer into Kevin Bradwell's Traditional sprint car and start at the back of the second heat.
Kerzman wasted little time in jumping out into the lead following the drop of the green flag for the 25 lap Tabor Memorial feature. Although Scott Brandt appeared to be closing the gap a bit during the first half of the race, Brandt never got close enough for any kind of a serious bid to overtake Kerzman. Nary a caution flag would wave to close up the field, as Kerzman had the car to beat on this night at the Big O. Brandt ran second the entire distance, and ended up winning a special bonus from GRP Motorsports that is occasionally put into effect for him, Roach and Jon Lewerer. Speaking of Bryan Roach, he ran third for several laps before Jimmy Kouba was able to get by. Behind Kouba and Roach was one of the cars on the move forward. Mike Mueller, in Kevin Bradwell's car, started 11th on the grid and moved his way forward to finish fifth. Johnny Parsons III, Anna Hippe, Cam Schafer, Lewerer and Neal Matuska rounded out the top ten. Schafer actually crossed the finish line in sixth, but he was docked two positions for jumping on the original start. Without a caution to assess the penalty, the two spot drop-back took him out of contention for the $101 GRP-RJ at the Speedway Hard Charger Award. That bonus went to Mike Mueller with a gain of six positions, although Schafer would have been in line with an eight position gain had it not been for the penalty.
Special thanks to Margaret Tabor and GRP Motorsports for their contributions to the Traditional sprint car purse and to the Ogilvie Raceway for hosting this special night for the first time. The evening ended up with some entertaining racing in both sprint car divisions and plenty of fun times for many in attendance. Several drivers in both divisions along with several fans commented after the races that they wish the UMSS would be making one more appearance at the Big O this season, but the Tabor Memorial was the only time at the Big O in 2017.
The Traditional sprint cars get right back into action this coming week for their third and final appearance of the season at the Red Cedar Speedway on Thursday night July 27 as part of the program at the Dunn County Fair in Menomonie, WI. Two nights later on July 29, the Traditional sprints return for the seventh time this season to the Cedar Lake Speedway near New Richmond as part of the Eric Herbison Memorial show. Keep tabs on all of the UMSS Traditional sprint car action by visiting our website at www.umsprints.com and clicking on the blue logo or by following us on Facebook.
UMSS TSCS Race Results - Ogilvie Raceway July 22, 2017 (Race #13)
6th Annual Davey Tabor Memorial
GRP Motorsports & Tabor Family Davey Tabor Memorial Feature (25 Laps): 1. 3K-Jeremy Kerzman, [1]; 2. 7-Scott Brandt, [2]; 3. 2K-Jimmy Kouba, [5]; 4. 99-Bryan Roach, [4]; 5. 95-Mike Mueller, [11]; 6. 12-Johnny Parsons III, [7]; 7. 16-Anna Hippe, [9]; 8. 14-Cam Schafer, [14]; 9. 69S-Jon Lewerer, [6]; 10. 48-Neal Matuska, [8]; 11. 1-Tony Norem, [17]; 12. 55-Joseph Kouba, [10]; 13. 15E-Caley Emerson, [16]; 14. 33C-Cody Emmans, [12]; 15. 29-Hunter Custer, [13]; 16. (DNF) 90-Tony Klose, [15]; 17. (DNF) N1-Ty Sampair, [3]
Lap Leader: Kerzman 1-25. No cautions!
GRP Motorsports & Tabor Family Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. N1-Ty Sampair, [1]; 2. 99-Bryan Roach, [5]; 3. 48-Neal Matuska, [4]; 4. 33C-Cody Emmans, [2]; 5. 90-Tony Klose, [3]
Lap Leader: Sampair 1-10. No cautions. Mueller 87 scratched for the night with engine failure during warm-up in pits ahead of time. Mueller switched to Bradwell's 95 car in second heat, since no heat races had been run.
GRP Motorsports & Tabor Family Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 3K-Jeremy Kerzman, [3]; 2. 69S-Jon Lewerer, [1]; 3. 2K-Jimmy Kouba, [5]; 4. 55-Joseph Kouba, [4]; 5. 95-Mike Mueller, [6]; 6. 1-Tony Norem, [2]
Lap Leader: Kerzman 1-10. No cautions.
GRP Motorsports & Tabor Family Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 7-Scott Brandt, [3]; 2. 12-Johnny Parsons III, [1]; 3. 16-Anna Hippe, [4]; 4. 29-Hunter Custer, [2]; 5. 14-Cam Schafer, [5]; 6. 15E-Caley Emerson, [6]
Lap Leaders: Parsons 1-3, Brandt 4-10. No cautions.
Rock Auto Victory Lane photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
