9/23/2022
RacinBoys
MWRA points title decided this Saturday at John E. Helm Memorial
By Ray Cunningham (Grain Valley, MO) -- This Saturday night September 24th at Valley Speedway the Stars of the Wholesale Batteries, USAC Racing Sprint Cars will do battle one more time in 2022 to decide not only a champion, but literally every position in the coveted “Dirty Dozen” that will walk across the stage at the awards banquet on November 19th. As well as awards that will include that hotly contested Rookie of the Year award (ROY) this season.
PHOTO CREDIT: John Lee of High-Fly'n Photos
First things 1st: Topeka, Kansas, driver, Wyatt Burks driving the late Don Rumsey’s 11w has set the standard for everyone to follow in 2022. The 2020 Midwest Wingless Racing Association champion is in the drivers seat once again to collect another MWRA championship in the Wyatt Burks Racing machine wrenched by his father Jeff Burks. “The Sheriff” who finished 5th in points in 2021 racing in the MWRA has set a level of consistency that has not been duplicated this year. His stat line includes no finishes outside the top 4, while he has reached the podium 6 times, with two victories to add too his all-time leading MWRA victory total that has now reached 10 feature event scores in the last 3 seasons racing with the MWRA. Burks has a almost insurmountable lead going into the finale with a 145 point margin over 2nd place in points Chris Parkinson. But is not completely out of the woods yet, needing to start to the A feature to guarantee the title Saturday night at Valley.
Gladstone’s Chris Parkinson had a great season in non winged sprint cars in 2022. Something that has become common place for the third generation racer with Texas roots over the last decade which has seen him finish annually in the top 5 positions with first the WAR series, and now the MWRA during that span. In 2020 Parkinson finished 4th in the points with this USAC series, and followed that up with a 3rd place last season. In 2022 the now 50 year-old chauffeur has upped the anti once again moving to 2nd place in the standings this year. Among his superlatives this season are 2 podium finishes, 5 top 5’s, 3 Heat wins, and only one finish out of the top 10. Highlighting once again the talents of the driver of the Parkinson Racing 65. The first two spots for the MWRA standings are pretty much sewn up for 2022, but positions 3 thru 7 are going to be a dog fight down to the last lap Saturday night!
3rd place in points Dakota Earls from Independence, Mo. racing the Earls 15e is having his best season driving a non winged sprint car. The teenage lead foot was 7th place in points with the MWRA in 2020 in his first year of racing a sprint car winning the Most Improved Driver award. Earls followed that up by finishing in the top 10 again last year in the MWRA coming home 9th. While in 2022 Earls has finished 4 times in the top 10, and taken 2 heat wins.
It will not be a cake walk however for Earls to finish in the top 3 with the MWRA in 2022. Only 5 markers back from him are Gladstone’s Chad Winfrey Driving Parkinson Racing 65w and Oak Grove, Missouri’s Brian Beebe racing his 37b powered by a 360. Winfrey currently has the tie breaker with this duo for 4th while also battling 7th place A.J. Gilbertfor ROY honors. In Winfrey's maiden voyage racing a sprint car at age 46 after successfully racing in quads, micros, and midgets, this veteran racer has adapted quickly to the bigger and faster sprint cars. In 2022 Winfrey has made every feature event for the MWRA while finishing in the top 10 three times, and the top 5 once. While also finishing 2nd place earlier this year at Valley in a non sanctioned race.
Brian Beebe is a veteran of many forms of racing over the years, and finds himself in a great position to finish as high 3rd as well in 2022, after running to a 5Th place finish in the series in 2020. This season racing with the MWRA Beebe has 6 top 10’s, and two top 5’s, running as the Midwest Series top 360 engine racer.
Only 10 points back of that duo, and 15 back of Earls, isChad Goff Motorsportsf of Spring Hill Kansas racing the Goff Motorsports 9x. Goff has been a staple of the MWRA for the first three reasons of the series. In 2020 this veteran driver of both dirt and pavement hailing from Michigan won atCentral Missouri Speedwayy with the MWRA, while finishing 8th in the final points. Last season Goff came home in 4th place in the final standings with Midwest Wingless Series, and has a great opportunity to up that too 3rd in 2022. 6th place in points Goff has 3 top 5’s, as well as 5 top 10’s so far in 2022, as he looks to overhaul Earls, Winfrey, and Beebe in the point standings Saturday night. Earlier this season Goff won twice at Valley in non sanctioned competition.
Rounding out positions 3 thru 7 in MWRA points is another ROY Candidate, A.J. Gilbert Racingt of Tonganoxie, Kansas, racing the DGR Deuce. Gilbert, like his rival Winfrey came from the midget ranks where both won championships atValley Speedwayy. Gilbert sits 50 points back of Winfrey for Rookie of the Year, and like many of his fellow competitors this season has scrapped and clawed to keep himself in the hunt for a top points finish in 2022. A.J. Has made every feature start this season, while finishing in the top 10 twice.
Those battles aren’t the only ones going on Saturday night at the finale for positions in the “Dirty Dozen” as drivers also look for a win at the 5th annual Helm Memorial.
Kearney, Mo’s, Brad Wyatt driving his 41, and also originally from Michigan, and veteran of both pavement and dirt is running 8th currently in the points, and is looking to top his career best finish in the series of 10th place in 2020. While 5 points back from him in 9th is WarrenWojo Johnsonn of Overland Park, Kansas, driving the Rick and Deb Smith 90. “Wo Jo” is having a solid campaign running for three time WAR champion car owner Smith in his first full season of MWRA competition, and will challenge Wyatt to advance his position in the top 10.
Two drivers that have starred this season in limited appearances with the MWRA occupy positions 10th and 11th in points and are a threat to win at Valley.
10th place Wesley Smith of Nixa, Mo,Wesley Smith Racingh has been a mainstay with the series since it’s inception in 2020. During that first campaign Smith driving the John Helm Racing 12 would finish 3rd place in points winning two races, including the Helm Memorial. In 2021 Smith would battle Kory Schudy for the MWRA championship down to the end finishing second in points, while once again winning the Helm Memorial for the third straight season. In 2022 racing with the MWRA, the Missouri gunner has once again been a threat in every race he has competed in winning 3-times in the MWRA for 9 total victories, 2nd all-time in series history.
Luke Howard of Overland Palk, Kansas running the Howard Racing 2H, wrenched by the before mentioned Rick Smith, is currently running 11th in points, and after getting a late start to his season has 2 wins. This follows a breakout campaign last year when “Cool Hand Luke” won his first ever MWRA feature, took the most improved driver award, and finished 6th in the final standings.
Finally fighting it out for the 12th position racing with the MWRA is a trio of drivers that are separated by only 20 markers. Included in this group are 12th place in points Tyler Burton of Independence driving the Charlie Burton 03. Burton has been steadily improving throughout the season, and finds himself in a dog fight with veterans Buddy Parker of Wichita Falls, Texas, 5 points back driving the Weld & Parkinson Racing 93. While Olathe’s Zach Clark running the Clark Racing 26 is currently 20 points back of Burton after finishing 7th place in points in 2021.
The field for the Helm Memorial Saturday night at Valley Speedway will include this impressive group of racers fighting it out for the win, and placement in the final standings for 2022. While many other stalwarts will be in competition.
Join us this Saturday night September 24th at Valley Speedway to honor the “Colonel” John E. Helm, for the 5th Annual Helm Memorial. While we crown a champion, and figure out who will be honored with him at the USAC MWRA
Banquet for 2022.
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Submitted By: Kirk Elliott
