By John Rittenoure, OCRS PR (Meeker, OK) -- Zach Chappell wanted a win, but veteran Wayne Johnson got the final word in a wild final lap run to the checkered Saturday in the Ameri-Flex / OCRS season opener at Red Dirt Raceway.
PHOTO CREDIT: Mike Howard
Chappell was leading on the final lap when he spun on the backstretch in lapped traffic. Johnson and Layne Himebaugh drove past and Johnson raced on to his first Drive Shafts, Inc. OCRS A feature victory. Surprisingly, Chappell avoided bringing out a yellow flag by staying on the gas and racing around Himebaugh to finish second.
"Once we got into lapped traffic it got real interesting,” Chappell said of the final lap. “You could not watch just one guy.
“We just got a little loose there. I got a bump and it spun me around. I was lucky enough no one ran over me. I gathered it back up and got back around Layne (Himebaugh) in 3 and 4.
“If we had one more lap I think I had something for Wayne (Johnson).”
Chappell was only 0.390 of a second behind Johnson at the finish.
“It is what it is. I am happy for the first race of the year,” Chappell said of his finish. “(My crew) has been working their tails off all winter long.
“I feel like we left off where we ended last year.”
Johnson started outside front row of Chappell and roared into the early lead. Chappell chased Johnson for 25 laps before getting around him in traffic on lap 26.
“I pulled a slider on him in 3 and 4,” Chappell said of his pass of Johnson. “It was hard to pass and I bumped him a little bit. I tried to do it as soft as I could.
“Maybe it was the right move, maybe it was the wrong move, but when you get a chance you have to take it. No one likes racing for second.”
Chappell led four laps before the final lap spin. Himebaugh finished third from coming from his sixth place starting position. Danny Smith and Andrew Deal rounded out the top five.
After failing to finish in his heat race, defending champion Alex Sewell came back with a third-place B feature finish to make his way into the A feature where he earned York Plumbing Hard Charger honors with his run from 18th to seventh.
Ameri-Flex / OCRS Results
Red Dirt Raceway, Meeker, Okla.
March 16, 2019
Car Count: 31
Wesmar Racing Engines Heat 1 (8 laps)
1, Kyle Clark. 2, Wayne Johnson. 3, Kinzer Edwards. 4, Casey Wills. 5, Matt Sherrell. 6, Perry PIckard. 7, Allison Slaton. 8, Cody Jarvis.
M&W Aluminum Heat 2 (8 laps)
1, Danny Smith. 2, Andrew Deal. 3, Joe Bob Lee. 4, Robert Sellers. 5, Donovan Wise. 6, Daniel Abrams. 7, Mickey Walker. 8, Alex Sewell.
Car and Fleet Parts Heat 3 (8 laps)
1, Alex DeCamp. 2, Sheldon Barksdale. 3, Layne Himebaugh. 4, Joe Wood, Jr. 5, Jase Randolph. 6, Brett Wilson. 7, Patrick Prescott. 8, Ben Frey.
Car and Fleet Parts Heat 4 (8 laps)
1, Zach Chappell. 2, Whit Gastineau. 3, Terry Easum. 4, Frank Taft. 5, Kimberly Tyre. 6, JC Wilson. DNS: David Stephenson.
B Feature (12 laps, top 4 transfer)
1, Kinzer Edwards. 2, Jase Randolph. 3, Mickey Walker. 4, Frank Taft. 5, Alison Slaton. 6, Cody Jarvis. 7, Daniel Abrams. 8, Donovan Wise. DNS: Brett Wilson, David Stephenson.
B Feature (12 laps, top 4 transfer)
1, Joe Wood, Jr. 2, Casey Wills. 3, Alex Sewell. 4, Matt Sherrell. 5, Perry Pickard. 6, Ben Frey. 7, Kimberly Tyre. 8, Patrick Prescott. 9, JC Wilson.
Drive Shaft, Inc. A Feature (30 laps)
1, Wayne Johnson. 2, Zach Chappell. 3, Layne Himebaugh. 4, Danny Smith. 5, Andrew Deal. 6, Sheldon Barksdale. 7, Alex Sewell. 8, Alex DeCamp. 9, Joe Bob Lee. 10, Kinzer Edwards. 11, Joe Wood, Jr. 12, Casey Wills. 13, Jase Randolph. 14, Terry Easum. 15, Frank Taft. 16, Whit Gastineau. 17, Mickey Walker. 18, Robert Sellers. 19, Kyle Clark. 20, Matt Sherrell.
Lap Leaders: Wayne Johnson 1-25, Zach Chappell 26-29, Wayne Johnson 30.
Margin of victory: 0.390.
Contingency Awards
Wesmar Racing Engines Heat 1: Kyle Clark
M&W Aluminum Products Heat 2: Danny Smith
Car and Fleet Parts Heat 3: Alex DeCamp
Car and Fleet Parts Heat 4: Zach Chappell
York Plumbing Hard Charger: Alex Sewell +11
Amsoil High Point Driver: Alex DeCamp
Rod Ends Supply Recipients (10th-11-12): Kinzer Edwards, Joe Wood, Jr., Casey Wills
Drive Shafts Inc. A Feature 1st Place: Wayne Johnson
About the Ameri-Flex / OCRS Series -
Established in 2002, the Tulsa OK based Ameri-Flex / OCRS series sanctions dirt track sprint car racing in the southern region of the central plains. Fan appeal and quality race teams, combined with our solid core of supporting sponsors are the nucleus of the series. Thrilling competition providing the ultimate quality family entertainment is the essence of what the Ameri-Flex / OCRS series is all about.
Website: www.ocrsracing.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/oil.series
About Ameri-Flex Hose & Accessories -
Located in Tulsa OK, Ameri-Flex Hose & Accessories is a family owned and operated company. From food grade hose to hoses for the petroleum industry, Ameri-Flex will strive to fill your needs. Ameri-Flex can build a hose to your specifications or we will assist you in creating what you have designed while you wait. Ameri-Flex has several hard to find items that some vendors can’t get or find. Product can be shipped quickly and efficiently. If we do not have what you are looking for, we will direct you on where to find it. Give us a try, after all…………..
Ameri-Flex Has The Stuff That Keeps You Going!
Website: www.ameriflexhose.com
Next Up:
'March Madness' at the Creek County Speedway in Kellyville Oklahoma on March 23rd.