MEEKER, Okla. — Steven Shebester led start-to-finish in Friday’s AmeriFlex OCRS IMCA Sprint Car season opener at Red Dirt Raceway, but the 25-lap distance was more grueling then Shebester expected.
“It was getting a little tough toward the end,” said Shebester about going the distance on opening day of the Red Dirt Raceway Spring Nationals. “Being the first race of the season, I got a little worn out. I need to get back into race shape.”
Part of the problem stemmed a fast tacky track that made for a very competitive field.
“The track was good,” Shebester said. “I came up on lapped traffic about 15 laps in and they were fast. Everyone was fast. It was good everywhere. You could move around a little bit. On top you could get that momentum going and just rip it.”
The race almost went green-to-checkered until the yellow waved with about seven laps remaining for a turn four spin.
“I hated to see that yellow come out and let Tanner (Conn) right behind me again,” Shebester said. “I just held on to it.”
Conn came from fourth to second but could not rundown Shebester. Whit Gastineau started fifth and settled for third, pole sitter Jordan Knight fell to fourth and Nebraska driver Tyler Drueke rounded out the top five.
The finish:
Feature (25 Laps): 1. 16S-Steven Shebester[2]; 2. 78-Tanner Conn[4]; 3. 2-Whit Gastineau[5]; 4. 10-Jordan Knight[1]; 5. 12-Tyler Drueke[3]; 6. 7F-Noah Harris[6]; 7. 17E-Blake Edwards[8]; 8. 5-Joe Bob Lee[15]; 9. 88-Terry Easum[12]; 10. 22M-Rees Moran[10]; 11. 55W-Danny Wood[20]; 12. 32K-Chris Kelly[7]; 13. 1-Johnny Kent[9]; 14. 08E-Elizabeth Phillips[19]; 15. 5H-Cameron Hagin[18]; 16. 18-Dillon Laden[17]; 17. 7-Shane Sundquist[11]; 18. 11K-Tyler Knight[14]; 19. 5$-Danny Smith[13]; 20. 31-Casey Wills[16]
Keyword: It’s Shebester In Oklahoma Sprint