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By the URSS

JETMORE, KS — Ty Williams’ game plan was to get to the top early, and that's exactly what the Liberal driver did. That early move propelled the United Rebel Sprint Series driver to a win Saturday night at the Great American Dirt Track at Jetmore Motorplex.Williams, who started fourth, bolted to the high side at the drop of the green flag, setting himself up perfectly for an eventual win.

“The start was huge,” said Williams, who started right behind Kirby Hagans. “I knew if I could get out early and get to the top, I thought we could put a pretty good lead on them. It all worked out. There was an opening, and Kirby's motor didn't take off very good and I got around him and tried to get to the top as quickly as I could. I wanted to put some distance on them as fast as I possibly could.”

Connor Atkinson started on the pole for the 25-lap feature that showcased 20 cars going wheel-to-wheel. She led the first lap as Williams closed in.Williams made the pass on the second lap and would lead the rest of the way. Even a caution on lap four when Steve Dalton came to a stop was no match for Williams, who won the national title in the URSS a year ago.

“Usually when it goes slick that bad, I start worrying,” Williams said. “But we found some things with the car, and the shock package is starting to work. That's what we were struggling with earlier this year. There were times in lap traffic where I had to go to the worst possible place on the track, and even then the car wasn't that bad. We stuck it up top, and that's where I like to run. It was on a rail.”

While Williams pulled away to a comfortable advantage, the battle heated up in the rest of the top seven. Darren Bowman, who started third, got by Atkinson on lap six, and Hagans moved into the top three on lap nine. Meanwhile, Brian Herbert, Josh Fairbank, Luke Cranston and Ray Seemann were locked in a tight battle.“Connor had a heck of a start, and she was going good,” Bowman said. “I should have probably moved up earlier, but the middle was fast. … Then we had that yellow, and I decided to try to run high to get some momentum.”

Cranston, who started fifth, slowly worked his way by Fairbank and Herbert and set his eyes on Hagans. He finally got by Hagans on lap 23. That left Herbert, Fairbank and Seemann battling it out. Fairbank got the best of that battle, getting by Herbert on the last lap.“We were on the inside, and our car was really fast on the top,” Cranston said. “We had nowhere to get to the top. I didn't feel like I could get up there. I kept looking for a way up there, and finally I let Herbert by and got right in behind him. It was so dusty, I couldn't see where the line was for a while. Then we had that yellow, and I could kind of see after the dust settled. I knew I had to drive it in a little deeper. I started driving it in deep and working the brake a little more and started flying at the end.”

Bowman finished second, followed by Cranston in third, Hagans in fourth and Fairbank in fifth. Herbert and Seemann rounded out the top seven.“I did need a yellow, but I don't know that I would have had anything for Ty,” Bowman said. “ … Ty's fast. He's tough to beat.”

Heat race winners were Nick King, Williams and Seemann.

The Keizer Aluminum Racing Wheels Hard Charger Award went to Tyler Knight, who started 16th and finished 12th.

For more information about the United Rebel Sprint Series, contact Rick Salem at (785) 475-7010 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or visit the URSS online at www.unitedrebelsprintseries.com.

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