Great American Dirt Track
Purkey nabs $10,000 payday at Jetmore
Al Purkey heads to victory at Jetmore. (fasttrackphotos.net)
JETMORE, Kan. (April 30) — Al Purkey of Coffeyville, Kan., earned $10,000 on Saturday at the Great American Dirt Track by capturing the Sunflower State Showdown, an event sanctioned by four touring organizations. Purkey took the lead from polesitter Tony Jackson Jr. of Lebanon, Mo., on the 21st lap and led the rest of the way, masterfully working lapped traffic. | Slideshow
Purkey, whose first career five-figure victory came in his home state 14 years earlier, beat Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo., to the checkered flag at the 3/8-mile oval north of Dodge City
Kyle Berck of Marquette, Neb., was third followed by 20th-starting Kelly Boen of Henderson, Colo., in a race co-sanctioned by the MARS DIRTcar Series, Lucas Oil Midwest LateModel Racing Association, National Championship Racing Association DIRTcar Series and Championship Late Model Association DIRTcar Series.
John Anderson of Omaha, Neb., last year's winner, rounded out the top five and Jackson was sixth.
Notes: Purkey's Hatfield-powered Larry Shaw Race Car is sponsored by Taylormade Performance, Purkey's Auto Salvage, Schoenfeld Headers and Integra Racing Shocks. ... Runner-up Jesse Stovall became a father the day before the race. ... Kelly Boen piloted the Pannell Motorsports No. 33x. ... Among drivers failing to make the feature: Delbert Smith, Shawn Harker, John Kuchar, Joe Kosiski, Craig Baukema, Terry Boushee and Steve Kempt.
Sunflower State Showdown: (1) Al Purkey, (2) Jesse Stovall, (3) Kyle Berck, (4) Kelly Boen, (5) John Anderson, (6) Tony Jackson Jr., (7) Tommy Weder Jr., (8) Jack Sullivan, (9) Terry Phillips, (10) Wendell Wallace, (11) R.C. Whitwell, (12) Brandon McCormick, (13) Brad Looney, (14) Jon Mitchell, (15) Bill Leighton Jr., (16) Gary Christian, (17) Jeremy Payne, (18) Corey Zeitner, (19) David Turner, (20) Anthony Madrid, (21) Dean Moore, (22) Alan Vaughn, (23) Bill Koons, (24) Eric Turner, (25) Al Humphrey, (26) Steve Lewis, (27) Leroy Johnson. Heat race winners (among 47 cars): Purkey, Weder, Sullivan, Jackson, Berck. Consolation winners: Whitwell, Looney.
