(Photos by Hale Photography)
TULSA, Okla. – Over 500 open-wheel drivers, primarily from the United States but some representing parts halfway around the world, descend on Tulsa, Okla. for the annual Tulsa Shootout micro sprint race, competing in nine separate divisions. Four drivers represented by Redbeard Promotions have added their names to the entry list. All Missouri natives that are no strangers to winning, the quartet is comprised of Warrensburg’s Kameron Key, Greenwood’s Clinton Boyles, Lone Jack’s Garrett Hulsey, and Sedalia’s Gunner Ramey, who now lives in Newcastle, Okla.
Of the four, Key is the only one who didn’t reach victory lane in 2015, although he has over 30 micro sprint wins to his name, including an astonishing 12 in 2012. The University of Central Missouri sophomore spent most of this year preparing a sprint car for the upcoming 2016 season, but still managed three top-fives and six top-tens in 13 micro feature starts. Key will take the track in two classes in the Waters Motorsports NPS Suzuki-powered MRP Chassis No. 7JR : outlaw wing and outlaw nonwing.
His cousin, Boyles, also raced sparingly, spending most of his time behind the wheel of the Ramey Racing Factor 1 / Quick Honda No. 28, in which he collected five podium finishes in 12 feature starts. Though unable to pick up a win in that entry, Boyles triumphed in his family’s Stealth/Esslinger No. 98 midget on one occasion. His Tulsa Shootout ride, however, is a Metric Suzuki-powered Pace Chassis, owned by Kent Miller and sporting No. 60. Like Key, Boyles will pilot his entry in both outlaw classes.
Joining that duo, Hulsey found success in his first full season of unrestricted racing. The 13-year-old restricted class graduate won twice, in back-to-back fashion in the sweltering heat of July. An additional five top-five finishes came Hulsey’s way, and he added a POWRi feature start in Belleville, Ill. to his stats in his first attempt. In last year’s Tulsa Shootout, Hulsey earned hard-charger honors in the restricted main event, rallying from dead last on the grid to finish 13th, gaining 11 positions. He will compete in his family’s Pace/Yamaha No. 88G in the outlaw wing and stock wing divisions.
Rounding out the group is also the winningest driver of the group this season. Ramey collected eight wins in four different states in 2015, including five at Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex, where he finished second in points. In 31 attempts, Ramey has started and completed every race this year, with 20 podium finishes 29 top-tens and the remaining two being 11th- and 12th-place finishes. Ramey will be piloting the Ramey Racing Pace/Quick Honda No. 28; he’ll be making his final restricted start at the Shootout, and will move up to stock wing and stock nonwing competition in 2016.
All four drivers move into the River Spirit Expo Center on Tuesday, followed by practice Wednesday morning. Heat races begin Wednesday evening, and Ramey will get on track first of the four drivers for restricted heat races. Key and Boyles will run their heats soon after, and Hulsey will finally get racing action in mid-day on Thursday in the stock wing class. Key, Boyles, and Hulsey will close out heat races with the outlaw wing division before the event turns to qualifying races Thursday evening.
Each of the four drivers have sponsors and others that they would like to recognize, and are listed below:
Key would like to thank Bybee Lawn Care as well as all of his fans for their continued support.
Boyles would like to thank Aaron Moon with Moon Construction, and Hinchman Racing Uniforms, as well as his fans and family for their continued support.
Hulsey would like to thank Nathan Benson Motorsports, Mike Schure at Schure Built Suspensions, Richard and Stanley Kreisel at AdvanTec Dyno Service, and Dave Byers at DDI Fab, as well as his family and fans for their continued support.
Ramey would like to thank Impact Signs Awnings & Wraps, Sure Coat Powdercoating, Rob Sneed Shorthorns, McKinney Construction, Ramey Dirtworks, Southwest Storage, 8760 Service Group, Rod End Supply, Factory Kahne Midwest, MYCHRONTOM, and Quick Engineering, as well as his family and the Renfro, Houston, and Cornell families for their continued support.
Article Credit: Redbeard Promotions