After nearly a month of weather-related frustrations and cancellations, the POWRi Heartland Late Model Tour presented by Mel Hambelton Ford finally returned to action Friday night at Dodge City Raceway Park for the opening night of the El Capitan Classic. When the dust settled on the 25-lap main event, it was veteran racer Josh Leonard who stood atop the podium after a commanding performance in front of a strong western Kansas crowd.
Leonard entered the evening ready for his first race with the Heartland Late Models and wasted little time proving why he should be considered a favorite. After qualifying third quickest overall and winning the Kevko Racing Heat Race, Leonard rolled off from the third starting position for the Pannell Chipping A-Feature. At the drop of the green, pole sitter Brandon Conkwright jumped to the early lead while Braxten Leonard and Josh Leonard immediately began applying pressure.
The complexion of the race changed on lap when Conkwright and Nightingale tangled on a restart into run one, colleting multiple cars in the aftermath. The end result saw Conkwright’s strong run came to an abrupt end, opening the door for Leonard to take control of the event. Once out front, Leonard proved untouchable.
The Dodge City native methodically worked through traffic and survived several cautions to maintain his advantage over a hard-charging Kip Hughes, who advanced from the eighth starting position to finish second. Braxten Leonard completed a family one-two-three effort by crossing the stripe in third. Current championship contender Sawyer Crigler continued his consistent 2026 campaign with a fourth-place finish, while Jake Nightingale rounded out the top five.
One of the night’s most impressive drives belonged to Kayden Clatt. After failing to record a qualifying lap and being forced to start shotgun on the field in 21st, Clatt charged through the pack to finish 11th and salvage a valuable points night.
The opening night of the El Capitan Classic marked a welcome return to racing for the Heartland Late Model Tour after four consecutive events had fallen victim to weather. With championship points tightening and momentum once again building, teams now turn their attention to Saturday night’s finale at Dodge City Raceway Park.
Official Media Results POWRi Heartland Late Model Tour presented by Mel Hambelton Ford
June 19, 2026 — Dodge City Raceway Park (Dodge City, KS)
Pannell Chipping A Feature (25 Laps): Josh Leonard 2. Kip Hughes 3. Braxten Leonard 4. Sawyer Crigler 5. Jake Nightingale 6. Dan Smith 7. Dustin Walker 8. Mike Petersilie 9. Joey Smith 10. Jon Herring Jr 11. Kayden Clatt 12. John Rowland 13. Gary Cooper 14. TeeJay Janousek 15. Ryan Harris 16. Scott Crigler 17. Brandon Conkwright 18. Dusty Leonard 19. Denver Howard 20. Delbert Smith 21. Dakota Dillin
Rick Beebe Heating and Air Conditioning Heat Race #1: Scott Crigler 2. Brandon Conkwright 3. Dusty Leonard 4. Dustin Walker 5. Dan Smith 6. TeeJay Janousek 7. Dakota Dillin
Smith Equipment Company Heat Race #2: Jake Nightingale 2. Braxten Leonard 3. Kip Hughes 4. John Rowland 5. Mike Petersilie 6. Denver Howard 7. Ryan Harris
Kevko Racing Heat Race #3: Josh Leonard 2. Sawyer Crigler 3. Jon Herring Jr 4. Joey Smith 5. Gary Cooper 6. Delbert Smith 7. Kayden Clatt
Deatherage Opticians Qualifying: Scott Crigler (16.099) 2. Jake Nightingale (16.256) 3. Josh Leonard (16.367) 4. Brandon Conkwright (16.513) 5. Braxten Leonard (16.527) 6. Sawyer Crigler (16.614) 7. Dusty Leonard (16.618) 8. Kip Hughes (16.900) 9. Joey Smith (17.043) 10. Dustin Walker (17.145) 11. John Rowland (17.220) 12. Jon Herring Jr (17.263) 13. TeeJay Janousek (17.326) 14. Mike Petersilie (17.555) 15. Delbert Smith (17.577) 16. Dan Smith (17.661) 17. Denver Howard (18.014) 18. Gary Cooper (18.466) 19. Dakota Dillin (18.499) 20. Ryan Harris (20.053) 21. Kayden Clatt (DNS)
A $40,000 point fund guaranteed, paying back ten positions, is in place for drivers who compete in 80 percent of the series scheduled events. $10,000 of the fund has been set aside for the inaugural champion.
The POWRi Mel Hambelton Racing Heartland Late Model Tour would like to recognize and thank our season long partners. Please thank them, with your patronage for their support.
Gold Partners – Central Spray Foam & Cement Lifting, Day Motor Sports, Deatherage Opticians, Dirt Track Specialist, Dylan Scott Entertainment, Hochatown Saloon, Hoosier Tire Great Plains, Kevko Racing, Midwest Sheet Metal, Mel Hambelton Ford Racing, Pannell Chipping, RacinDirt.com, Real Racing Wheels, Rick Beebe Heating and Air Conditioning, Smith Equipment Company, Swift Springs, VP Racing Fuels Heartland, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products
Silver Partners – American Racer Tires, Buck Monson Photos, Bulletproof Tees and Racewear, Duvall Electric, Integra Shocks, JRT Trucking, Keyser Manufacturing, Midwest Automation, Photos By Boyd, Scotty Dogg’s Hideout
Bronze Partners – Bryke Racing, Fast Shafts, Freight Logistics Inc., KS Engineering, Maxima Racing Oil, Milburn Acreages by Tillison Enterprises, PEM Racing, Premier Lubricants, Schoenfeld Headers, Service Plumbing of Wichita, Transmissions Unlimited, Wagdog Spices, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Yeoman Race Engines
2026 HLMT Point Fund
1. $10,000
2. $6,000
3. $5,000
4. $4,000
5. $3,000
6. $2,800
7. $2,600
8. $2,400
9. $2,200
10. $2,000
*80 Percent attendance required to remain point fund eligible
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