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Hahn with the Hot Hand at I-44 Mini Sprint Nationals
by Cody Morris

Sapulpa, Oklahoma star Blake Hahn stood victorious at the end of an action packed 8^th Annual I-44 Speedway Mini Sprint Nationals. The 16 year old current Lucas Oil ASCS2 2010 Outlaw point leader out dueled fellow front row starter Chris Andrews and would lead wire to wire in convincing fashion for his first career I-44 Mini Sprint Nationals Outlaw victory at the lightning fast 1/6^th mile oval.

The Mini Sprint Nationals triumph marked Hahn’s second career Outlaw score at I-44 following a May 8^th Lucas Oil ASCS2 Outlaw feature triumph aboard the Lucas Oil, Metric Cycles, Sawyer Chassis, Lajoie Seating, and AFCO Shocks sponsored no. 52 Pepsi Challenger. Hahn’s wire to wire dominance of the 40 lap Outlaw A feature was worth a cool $2,000.

Hahn was chased to the stripe by Tulsa, OK native Chris Andrews with Burleson, Texas racer Jeb Sessums moving up from his 7^th starting spot to complete the podium. Broken Arrow, OK natives Donnie Ray Crawford and Scott Sawyer would round out the top 5 of the 40 lap affair.

While falling one spot short in the Outlaw feature event, Tulsa’s Chris Andrews did score in the 8^th Annual Mini Sprint Nationals Non Wing A Feature, and in the most impressive fashion as well, needing a 12^th to 1^st run in the evening’s first Non Wing B Feature to qualify for the 40 lap Non Wing A Feature event. After passing each car in the B Feature, Andrews accomplished the same feat in the A Main - passing each of the 12 cars locked into the A Feature coming into the Mini Sprint Nationals Non Wing finale.

After Andrews transferred through the nights opening Non Wing B Feature, the 2^nd Non Wing B Feature would take an ugly turn. As the field slowed down for a turn 1 caution, Oklahoma City native Rick Kirkes climbed a right rear tire to take an extremely hard tumble that required emergency paramedics, as well as Oklahoma City Police and Fire Departments, to extract Kirkes from his severely damaged mount. Kirkes was rushed to the University of Oklahoma Medical Center with a broken nose, bruised ribs, bruised lungs, and a bruised spine. I-44 Speedway joins the entire Oklahoma racing community in wishing the Kirkes family a speedy recovery.

Oklahoma City native Shelby Byrd would delight the crowd with a final turn move across the high side of turns 3 and 4 to steal the 4^th and final transfer spot from Bartlesville, OK native Dustin Dixon.

Collinsville,OK native and 3 time Lucas Oil 2010 ASCS2 Midget feature winner Tyler Thomas would pace the field to the green flag, but it would be Norman, Oklahoma’s rising star Christopher Bell leading the first lap of the 40 lap affair. Bell would continue to lead until a lap 8 caution for debris on the track. The following green flag laps would lead many in the packed I-44 Speedway stands to declare it was among the best 2 laps they ever witnessed at I-44 Speedway, as Bell and Tulsa’s 2009 Lucas Oil ASCS2 Non Wing Champion Riley Adair would repeatedly trade slide jobs in each turn until a lap 10 yellow would force a slowdown of the classic battle. In the ensuing restart, Adair would make his way by Bell just before a lap 13 red flag for a Tyler Gordon turn 3 tumble.

The following 15 laps would go caution free and see Chris Andrews work his way into the 2^nd spot. Following the event’s final stoppage on the 28^th lap, Andrews would hound Adair for the point until ultimately securing it 4 laps later and lead the final 8 laps unchallenged aboard the Andrews Irrigation, Cherokee Barbershop, USRL.US, and Aerodynamic Racing Wheels sponsored no. 77 Non Wing machine. Andrews was ecstatic in victory lane, while giving the most adamant and sincere of thanks to the fans for their attendance. The 25 year old pocketed $1,500 for his legendry Mini Sprint Nationals performance. Adair would maintain the runner up spot at the finish, while Donnie Ray Crawford would improve his 8^th starting spot to complete the podium. Bell and Broken Arrow, OK native Alex Sewell completed the top 5.

For 6 time Tulsa Shootout Champion and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma native Donnie Ray Crawford, 4^th in the Outlaw main event and 3^rd in the Non Wing main event just would not suffice. Crawford found his calling in the 40 lap A Class main event, capitalizing on his pole position start to wire the field and take 8^th Annual I-44 Speedway Mini Sprint Nationals A Class A feature win aboard the familiar Metric Cycles, Ruston Racing and Development, and Hillenburg Pipe Supply sponsored black and gold no. 55, pocketing a sweet $2,000 paycheck for his efforts.

However, wiring the field was no easy task as Crawford had to survive 7 caution periods over the event’s first 8 laps, as well as fend off repeated Scott Sawyer challenges. Sawyer would settle for the runner up spot at the stripe, with Guthrie, Oklahoma’s Jake Rosario making an extremely impressive run from his 19^th starting spot to complete the podium. Piedmont, Oklahoma native John Stevens and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma native Alex Sewell would complete the top 5 running order.

In 8^th Annual I-44 Speedway Mini Sprint Nationals Restricted competition, Midwest City, Oklahoma native Skylar Hale would lead the field to the green, but it would be 3^rd starter Chance Morton taking the early lead. A lead the 12 year old Coweta, Oklahoma native would never relinquish, as Morton would lead all 40 laps of the Restricted main event en route to a $1,500 payday aboard the Morton Excavating, Napa Auto Parts, Intruder Chassis, Momo’s Racing Engines, and JPM sponsored no. 7m special. Hale would settle for runner up honors with Hulbert, Oklahoma’s Karley Kay Dobson making a late move to complete the podium. Broken Arrow, Oklahoma native Cade Cowles and Newcastle, Oklahoma native Dillon Ake would round out the top 5.

El Reno, Oklahoma native Kyle Keeler advanced to the main event with a last lap pass in the evening’s opening Restricted B Feature event before making an impressive charge from 20^th to 7^th in the main event.

The 8^th Annual I-44 Speedway Mini Sprint Nationals 30 lap Kid Sprint main event would see 2 time Dutton’s Speedway Kid Sprint Champion Tanner Conn pace the field to the opening green. However it would be Fletcher, Oklahoma’s Mason McGuire leading the opening lap. Nine year old Conn and Bethany, Oklahoma’s Matt Moore would develop an intense battle for third that would become an intense battle for the lead after the leading McGuire’s run for the Mini Sprint National win would be cut short by the hazards of lapped traffic.

Moore and Conn would trade the lead multiple times throughout the race’s mid stages, but with 5 laps remaining Tanner Conn would make what proved to be the winning pass en route to the Mini Sprint Nationals Kid Sprint triumph aboard the Lyon Security and Tip Top Tree Service sponsored no 78.

Enid, Oklahoma’s Nicholas Rummel would set the pace in the 8^th Annual I-44 Speedway Mini Sprint Nationals 30 lap Turf Tire main event. Rummel would go on to absolutely throttle the field aboard the John Kelley owned no. 45x in the only event of the evening without a caution flag. Binger, Oklahoma’s Jared Morris would settle for runner up honors, with Bartlesville, Oklahoma racer Darin Gordon making a late move to complete the podium. Norman, Oklahoma native Brandon Smith and Newcastle, Oklahoma native Bobby Chapa would complete the top 5 running order.

I-44 Speedway weekly action resumes Friday, August 13^th at 8pm, before hosting the Lucas Oil ASCS2 Outlaw, Non Wing, and Restricted divisions for a 2 day special Friday, August 20^th and Saturday, August 21^st.