Conkwright tops Sooner feature at Humboldt with last lap pass

By John Rittenoure - Jeff Milan [JM/Race Rush 66 Racing Photos] - HUMBOLDT, Kans. (May 30, 2025) - The race is never decided until the checkered flag waves, no matter how it may seem. Just ask Brandon Conkwright.

Kyle Berck seemed to have the Hayden Ross Motorsports Foundation Sooner Late Model feature well in hand with only a lap remaining when Conkwright made his move. Conkwright pushed underneath Berck in turn one of the final lap to take away the lead and pick up the victory by a 0.401 second margin.

“I made a really good corner in (turns) 1-2,” Conkwright said of his pass for the lead. “It was real slick up there in 1-2 where Berck was running and I just got fortunate enough to not miss my mark and get side-by-side with him down the backstretch. I knew if I got beside him then in 3-4 I got him.”Lapped traffic also played a part in the pass for the lead.

“He got the lapped traffic at the wrong time and he had two cars he had to split and I was fortunate enough to get by him,” Conkwright said. “He was up on the top and he was down on the bottom and the middle. it looked like he was searching for the best line. Usually when you are out front you don’t know where the line is.”

Conkwright felt fortunate to beat Berck.

“Kyle Berck is the best dirt late model driver in the midwest,” he said.

Last year Conkwright won his first career Sooner Series event with a final lap move around Dan Smith at 81 Speedway.

“It is just being in the right place at the right time,” Conkwright recalled. “Last year when I got around Dan Smith he had issues and got a right rear flat and got into the wall and I was in the right place at the right time.

“I am fortunate enough to have what I have, my mom and dad, crew guy Brad, my girl friend and daughter. I just drive it and they work their tails off to get this going.”

If Berck had it to do all over again he would have chose a different line.

“I would have ran it lower,” said Berck of his line through turn one. “I knew he was there. I felt him bump me lightly. I was trying to plug up the middle of the race track but you can’t plug up three lanes. The last three or four laps I was losing traction. The tires were going away fast. Once he got underneath me there in (turns) 1-2 I knew I was done. The outside of 3-4 did not have enough grip.”

Berck had led since lap four.

“The race was pretty clean except for that early crash, but he knew what he had to do,” Berck said of Conkwright. “His pass on me was excellent. He did exactly what he needed to do.”

Joseph Gorby led the first three laps before falling to second they dropped to third on lap 20 where he finished. Dusty Leonard was fourth and Delbert Smith rounded out the top five.

Sooner Late Model Series

Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, Kansas

May 30, 2025

Hayden Ross Motorsports Foundation A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 24C-Brandon Conkwright[4]; 2. 14-Kyle Berck[3]; 3. 9-Joseph Gorby[1]; 4. 7D-Dusty Leonard[2]; 5. 92-Delbert Smith[8]; 6. 2B-Jordan Barbee[13]; 7. 95-Zach Nickell[12]; 8. 92S-Dan Smith[5]; 9. 65-Eric Brill[6]; 10. H1-Steve Hewitt Sr[9]; 11. 2-Colby Moore[10]; 12. 18B-Bob Bills[11]; 13. H2-Chris Hewitt[7]

Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 14-Kyle Berck[1]; 2. 24C-Brandon Conkwright[5]; 3. 92S-Dan Smith[6]; 4. H2-Chris Hewitt[2]; 5. H1-Steve Hewitt Sr[7]; 6. 18B-Bob Bills[3]; 7. 2B-Jordan Barbee[4]

Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 7D-Dusty Leonard[3]; 2. 9-Joseph Gorby[5]; 3. 65-Eric Brill[2]; 4. 92-Delbert Smith[6]; 5. 2-Colby Moore[4]; 6. 95-Zach Nickell[1]

Lap Leaders: 1-3 Joseph Gorby, 4-24 Kyle Berck, 25 Brandon Conkwright.

Margin of Victory: 0.401.

2025 Winners: 3/28 - Eli Ross, Enid Speedway; 4/11 - Eli Ross, Thunderbird Speedway; 4/12 -  Bryan Glaze; 5/30 - Brandon Conkwright, Humboldt Speedway.

2025 Top 10: 1. Delbert Smith 1650; 2. Dan Smith 1632; 3. Eric Brill 1440; 4. Colby Moore 1420; 5. Steve Hewitt, Sr., Gary Lowe 1105; 7.  Chris Hewitt 1040; 8. Eli Ross 960; 9. Kip Hughes 890; 10.Jeff Cloninger 715.

Hayden Ross Motorsports Foundation

Hayden Ross Motorsports Foundation goal is to help grow both high school, trade school and college programs to start and or develop a motorsports program, club, or organizations at their school as well as individual motorsports programs. HRMF will provide financial grants, equipment, expertise, scholarships, and educational opportunities for these organizations and individuals. This program will allow students to overcome the hurdle of entering motorsports due to the high costs and specialized experience needed to get started. This program will allow these students the opportunity to be part of a team with one overall goal of success on the track, including budgeting, marketing, mechanical skills, logistics, and team building efforts. All while honoring the life lost to early of Hayden Diesel Ross, #forever66.

Sooner Late Model Series

The Sooner Late Model Series was formed in 2016 by Enid Speedway co-promoter Mark Brill. Brill felt there was not many opportunities for late model competitors to race in Oklahoma and the Sooner Late Model Series was formed. Now the series has grown beyond the borders of Oklahoma with events held in the neighboring states of Kansas, Texas and Arkansas.