BURKS BACK ON TOP WITH USAC’S MIDWEST WINGLESS SPRINTS IN 2022
By: Richie Murray – USAC Media
Speedway, Indiana (December 19, 2022)………Wyatt Burks has proven he knows how to close out a championship run.
In 2022, the Topeka, Kan. native became the first two-time USAC Wholesale Batteries Midwest Wingless Association Sprint Car champion in its short three-year history.
Overall, it’s Burks’ third title in the past four seasons after scoring the Iowa Sprint League crown in 2019, followed by inaugural USAC MWRA honors in 2020 and once more in 2022 behind the wheel of his Wyatt Burks Racing/Smith & Loveless, Inc. – Harris Fabrication – Weber Watowa/Triple X/BR Chevy.
Following a slight hardship season in 2021, Burks was back on point with the series in 2022 as he collected a pair of feature victories in his home state of Kansas during June at 81 Speedway and in August’s Weld Memorial at Lakeside Speedway. In nine points-race feature starts, Burks finished no worse than fourth.
In the meantime, Burks became the first driver to reach double-figures in career MWRA feature wins with 10, which are the most in series history. Furthermore, Wyatt’s father/crew chief Jeff Burks was named the series Mechanic of the Year for 2022.
Wesley Smith (Billings, Mo.) was the winningest driver of the MWRA season in terms of full points race victories, notching three for the John Helm Racing team. However, he did his work in just six series starts, topping the field thrice in his homeland of Missouri. He led off with a victory in June at U.S. 36 Raceway, then took the checkered in August at Nevada Speedway and in September at Bethany Speedway. Smith led all drivers with 75 feature laps led in 2022.
Despite missing the first three outings of the season, Luke Howard (Overland Park, Kan.) came on strong in midsummer, winning twice at Missouri’s I-35 Speedway in July and once again in September at U.S. 36 Raceway. The recent high school graduate led all drivers in the series with four heat race victories.
No driver finished the season hotter than Cody Baker (Lone Jack, Mo.). Baker picked off the final points race of the 2022 season in September at Missouri’s Valley Speedway, marking the start of three consecutive feature wins in a span of eight nights with the series. During the ensuing week’s two-night residency at U.S. 36 for a pair of non-points, special events, Baker swept the weekend with two more victories to close out the campaign. Baker was also named the Comeback Driver of the Year for his triumphant return to action after suffering injuries in a passenger car accident in 2021.
Seventeen-year-old high school student Xavier Doney (Odessa, Mo.) reached victory lane once again with MWRA in 2022, scoring in June at Valley. A track & field and band standout by day, Doney earned Rookie of the Year honors with the series in 2021 while also venturing out to compete with the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship on several occasions, including leading a lap and finishing sixth with the series at South Dakota’s Huset’s Speedway in July.
Speaking of which, the USAC MWRA calendar began with a couple non-points special events in conjunction with the USAC National Sprint Cars back in May in Kansas and Missouri. Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, Okla.) defeated Robert Ballou (Rocklin, Calif.) at Lakeside Speedway while the roles were reversed in the next outing with Ballou prevailing over Bacon at Odessa, Missouri’s I-70 Motorsports Park.
Chris Parkinson (Gladstone, Mo.) has continued his steady charge up the USAC MWRA pecking order, finishing fourth in the 2020 standings, third in 2021 and second in 2022. It was a similar story for Chad Goff (Spring Hill, Kan.) who finished fourth in points a year ago, then upped his performance to third in the 2022 rundown. Teenager Dakota Earls (Independence, Mo.) posted his best career year with the series by collecting a fourth-place result in the final tally.
The Ralph Parkinson Sr. Rookie of the Year award was captured by Chad Winfrey (Gladstone, Mo.), who piloted a second car for owner Chris Parkinson to a fifth place finish in points. The 46-year-old veteran, who has raced extensively in midgets in recent years, lost his brother, Delty, earlier this year, but still raced on with pride, finishing a best of fourth at 81 Speedway’s feature in June en route to a fifth place standing in the final points.
Additional season awards were captured by Warren Johnson (Harrisonville, Mo.), who was named the Most Improved Driver after finishing ninth in the standings. Chris Parkinson was named the Owner of the Year for fielding two entries, both of which finished inside the top-five in points (Parkinson & Winfrey). Trey Biggs and Rick Smith were named co-Sportsman of the Year while Ray Cunningham earned the Kenny South Media Person of the Year.
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2022 USAC MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR DRIVER POINT STANDINGS:
POS. PTS. DRIVER, HOMETOWN
1. 1710 Wyatt Burks, Topeka, Kan.
2. 1535 Chris Parkinson, Gladstone, Mo.
3. 1285 Chad Goff, Spring Hill, Kan.
4. 1265 Dakota Earls, Independence, Mo.
5. 1235 Chad Winfrey, Gladstone, Mo.
6. 1200 Brian Beebe, Oak Grove, Mo.
7. 1190 Brad Wyatt, Kearney, Mo.
8. 1170 Wesley Smith, Billings, Mo.
9. 1165 Warren Johnson, Harrisonville, Mo.
10. 1160 A.J. Gilbert, Tonganoxie, Kan.
11. 1055 Luke Howard, Overland Park, Kan.
12. 975 Zach Clark, Olathe, Kan.
13. 920 Tyler Burton, Independence, Mo.
14. 915 Buddy Parker, Gardner, Kan.
15. 855 Cody Baker, Lone Jack, Mo.
16. 835 Tom Curran, Kansas City, Mo.
17. 740 Justin Johnson, Parkville, Mo.
18. 615 Zach Sanders, Kearney, Mo.
19. 605 Xavier Doney, Odessa, Mo.
20. 560 Garrett Hulsey, Lone Jack, Mo.
21. 560 Kyle Lewis, Spring Hill, Kan.
22. 455 Spencer Martinez, Wichita, Kan.
23. 450 Heath Murry, Tonganoxie, Kan.
24. 325 Mark Lane, Grain Valley, Mo.
25. 190 Bryson Smith, Springfield, Mo.
26. 185 Jason Billups, Holt, Mo.
27. 175 Chad Frewaldt, Kansas City, Kan.
28. 165 Kory Schudy, Battlefield, Mo.
29. 135 Michael Moore, Camden, Mo.
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2022 USAC MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR FEATURE WINNERS:
May 12: (SE) Lakeside Speedway - Kansas City, KS
WINNER: Brady Bacon (Dynamics #69)
May 14: (SE) I-70 Motorsports Park - Odessa, MO
WINNER: Robert Ballou (Ballou Motorsports #12)
Jun 3: U.S. 36 Raceway - Osborn, MO
WINNER: Wesley Smith (John Helm Racing #12)
Jun 4: Valley Speedway - Grain Valley, MO
WINNER: Xavier Doney (Doney-Lawson Racing #74)
Jun 25: 81 Speedway - Park City, KS
WINNER: Wyatt Burks (Wyatt Burks Racing #11w)
Jul 23: I-35 Speedway - Winston, MO
WINNER: Luke Howard (Howard Racing #2H)
Aug 5: Lakeside Speedway - Kansas City, KS
WINNER: Wyatt Burks (Wyatt Burks Racing #11w)
Aug 6: Nevada Speedway - Nevada, MO
WINNER: Wesley Smith (John Helm Racing #12)
Sep 2: U.S. 36 Raceway - Osborn, MO
WINNER: Luke Howard (Howard Racing #2H)
Sep 4: Bethany Speedway - Bethany, MO
WINNER: Wesley Smith (John Helm Racing #12)
Sep 24: Valley Speedway - Grain Valley, MO
WINNER: Cody Baker (Tribble-Hall Racing #38)
Sep 30: (SE) U.S. 36 Raceway - Osborn, MO
WINNER: Cody Baker (Tribble-Hall Racing #9H)
Oct 1: (SE) U.S. 36 Raceway - Osborn, MO
WINNER: Cody Baker (Tribble-Hall Racing #9H)
(SE) represents a non-point, special event
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2022 USAC MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR FEATURE WINS: (FULL POINTS)
3-Wesley Smith (Jun 3 at U.S. 36 Raceway, Aug 6 at Nevada Speedway & Sep 4 at Bethany Speedway)
2-Wyatt Burks (Jun 25 at 81 Speedway & Aug 5 at Lakeside Speedway)
2-Luke Howard (Jul 23 at I-35 Speedway & Sep 2 at U.S. 36 Raceway)
1-Cody Baker (Sep 24 at Valley Speedway)
1-Xavier Doney (Jun 4 at Valley Speedway)
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2022 USAC MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR FEATURE WINS: (NON-POINTS SPECIAL EVENTS)
2-Cody Baker (Sep 30 at U.S. 36 Raceway & Oct 1 at U.S. 36 Raceway)
1-Brady Bacon (May 12 at Lakeside Speedway)
1-Robert Ballou (May 14 at I-70 Motorsports Park)
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2022 USAC MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR FEATURE LAPS LED:
75-Wesley Smith
73-Wyatt Burks
32-Luke Howard
28-Cody Baker
14-Xavier Doney
3-Chris Morgan
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2022 USAC MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR TOP-5 FEATURE FINISHES:
9-Wyatt Burks
5-Chris Parkinson & Wesley Smith
4-Quinton Benson & Chad Goff
3-Cody Baker & Luke Howard
2-Brian Beebe, Braydon Cromwell, Xavier Doney & Jack Wagner
1-Jeremy Campbell, Tom Curran, Chris Morgan & Chad Winfrey
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2022 USAC MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR TOP-10 FEATURE FINISHES:
9-Wyatt Burks
8-Chris Parkinson
6-Brian Beebe, Chad Goff & Wesley Smith
5-Dakota Earls & Luke Howard
4-Quinton Benson, Zach Clark, Tom Curran, Warren Johnson & Brad Wyatt
3-Cody Baker & Chad Winfrey
2-Braydon Cromwell, Xavier Doney, A.J. Gilbert, Jack Wagner & Samuel Wagner
1-Jeremy Campbell, Garrett Hulsey, Spencer Martinez, Chris Morgan, Buddy Parker, Zach Sanders, Kory Schudy, Doug Sylvester & Taylor Walton
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2022 USAC MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR HEAT RACE WINS:
4-Luke Howard
3-Cody Baker & Chris Parkinson
2-Quinton Benson, Xavier Doney, Dakota Earls, Chad Goff, Zach Sanders & Wesley Smith
1-Brian Beebe, Wyatt Burks, Zach Clark, Don Droud Jr., Chris Morgan, Jack Wagner & Samuel Wagner
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2022 USAC MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR SEMI-FEATURE WINS:
1-Zach Clark, Dakota Earls, Doug Sylvester & Jack Wagner
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2022 USAC MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR FEATURE STARTS:
9-Wyatt Burks, Dakota Earls, A.J. Gilbert, Chris Parkinson & Chad Winfrey
8-Brian Beebe, Chad Goff, Warren Johnson & Brad Wyatt
7-Tyler Burton
6-Zach Clark, Luke Howard, Buddy Parker & Wesley Smith
5-Cody Baker, Tom Curran, Justin Johnson, Kyle Lewis, Zach Sanders & Chad Tye
4-Quinton Benson, Xavier Doney & Garrett Hulsey
3-Braydon Cromwell, Spencer Martinez, Heath Murry, Jack Wagner & Samuel Wagner
2-Jesse Bebee, Mark Lane, Lance Silvers, Doug Sylvester & Taylor Walton
1-Jason Billups, J.D. Black, Jeremy Campbell, Don Droud Jr., Chad Frewaldt, Kelly Graham, Tyler Graves, Gary Gray, Ty Hulsey, Eric Matthews, Todd McVay, Michael Moore, Chris Morgan, Chris Rupard, Glen Saville, Kory Schudy & Bryson Smith
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ALL-TIME USAC MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR FEATURE WINS: (FULL POINTS EVENTS)
10-Wyatt Burks
8-Wesley Smith
4-Kory Schudy
3-Luke Howard
2-Cody Baker, Xavier Doney, Don Droud Jr. & Jack Wagner
1-Chad Goff
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ALL-TIME USAC MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR FEATURE WINS: (NON-POINTS SPECIAL EVENTS)
2-Cody Baker
1-Brady Bacon
1-Robert Ballou, Tim Kent, Riley Kreisel, Wesley Smith & Brett Wilson
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USAC MIDWEST WINGLESS RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR DRIVER CHAMPIONS:
2020: Wyatt Burks, Topeka, Kan.
2021: Kory Schudy, Battlefield, Mo.
2022: Wyatt Burks, Topeka, Kan.
