Remembering a racetrack legend in namesake classic
Mike Hughes’s story began in Smith Center, KS, born on September 13th, 1955. He lived most of his life in Smith Center but shortly after college in 1974 he started a part-time career broadcasting dirt track racing.
“Huey', as he was known around the dirt tracks, was always a friendly guy, looking to capture fans' attention with his witty jokes and boasting voice. Hughes also spent time as Smith Center’s play-by-play guy at their sporting events. Hughes passed away in December 2017. In 2018, the Sunflower Classic was renamed the Mike Hughes Memorial Sunflower Classic.
Racing was not just a passion of Huey’s but a passion he instilled in his family as well, his niece Alaina remembers growing up with her siblings and always being at the racetrack alongside Huey. Alaina’s favorite memory was sitting in the press box one evening, as her oldest son was playing with his hot wheels while Huey was calling the racing action.
Hughes’s family was always around the racetrack as Alaina worked in merchandising, her sister worked concessions, and her brother was the track flagman. They all remember Hughes making a point of saying a prerace prayer before every race before starting that evening’s racing action, something that current track announcer Tanner Schmidt continues to do.
“He was such a special guy, never knew a stranger and would befriend anyone,” said Alaina.
Cody Williams will never forget Huey, whether it was the early morning radio shows listing stats, or Huey driving by in his van to greet Williams before every race.
“He was always around, and always good to us racers, we miss him dearly,” said Williams.
Jerry Vansickel, a long time IMCA announcer got several chances to work alongside Huey, and always had good memories.
“One of my biggest memories was getting to see how it made him feel when he was inducted to the RPM Speedway wall of fame in the Tiki Hut. Just sitting and talking to Mike was always pure enjoyment, because there was always a story about something, whether it be where he stopped on his way for a snack to the races or listening to how he had announced at all the two racetracks in Kansas, and to understand how respected he was in the Kansas racing community,” said Vansickel
Vansickel also made it clear that Mike Hughes gave Kansas racing a sense of normalcy, that if Huey were calling the event, you knew it was going to be an enjoyable time, and that would happen often, as he rarely would miss an event.
Huey was known to be a character; a good sense of humor and a love for the sport of racing created a community around him. A community that cared so much for him, they wanted to remember and honor him in the most fitting way possible.
The 12th Annual, "Mike Huey Hughes" Sunflower Classic presented by Nutrien Ag Solutions, fueled by Casey's is a two-day event hosted at the legendary Rolling Plains Motor Speedway at the Ellis County Fairgrounds. The event takes place Friday, March 29th and Saturday, March 30th. Hot laps begin each night at 5, races begin at 6. Both competitive events will have a grandstand admission fee. Thursday evening, there will be a free practice session beginning at 5.
The event features two complete shows each day, heat races and features on both days. Unlike Fall Nationals, this springtime kick off is two separate shows, rather than one big weekend event.
This show will feature five IMCA classes: Sport compacts, front-wheel drive, four-cylinder cars; Sport mods, open wheel cars that are slightly smaller with less horsepower than the modified class; Hobby stocks, an opening class to stock cars, consisting of full body rear wheel drive passenger cars; Stock cars, similar to hobby stocks, but with more power underneath the hood, and allowing more adjustments on the car and lastly, the modified class which is the most powerful open wheel car IMCA has to offer.
Diving into sport compacts, a few names to look out for in 2024 include Kiowa Higdon, defending class champion in Hays, who also runs at Salina Speedway and other area tracks. Higdon hails from Hays, a local fan favorite.
Madison Reed hails from nearby Stockton and is always a threat to win races and finish well. Last year, Reed had a quiet year as he and his wife welcomed twins and reined back on the racing. Reed is also a Fire Protection Specialist for the Kansas Forest Service away from the track. Reed will return to racing this year, and despite all the busy plans and trying to help promote two compact shows in Stockton at the Rooks County Fair, Reed is not ready to retire from racing anytime soon.
“I am excited to get back on the dirt and see all the friends I have made over the years. “We will try to get back to Boone, to see if we can make the big dance,” Reed said.
Boone is the home of the IMCA Super Nationals, a coveted event for IMCA racers.
Out of Imperial, Nebraska is Brock Leibhart, piloting the 15B sport compact. Last year he had an up and down season, competing for track points at several Kansas, Colorado, and Nebraska IMCA tracks. Leibhart’s season came to an abrupt ending in 2023 at Boone when he crashed his car in an early portion of Super Nationals. Leibhart had some success with four wins in twenty-one starts in 2023. Leibhart will debut a new car at this year’s Sunflower Classic and hopes to find early momentum to get ready to chase numerous track championships again this year. Leibhart did not let an accident that changed his life slow him down, as he learned to adapt, and his dad kept his racing dream alive by figuring out a set of hand controls.
“We’re looking at a forty-four race schedule this year, if we can pick up some wins, and return to Boone and have success up there, it will be a great year,” said Leibhart.
Looking at the sport mod class, the defending champion hails from Beloit in Tyler Watts. Watts races at several IMCA tracks in Kansas and is always a threat to win on any given night.
A huge name in this class is the always fast missile out of Collyer, Blaine Walt. Walt had a major setback last year as he rolled his car in Colby. Walt was okay, but the car was not. Though it took a while for the 14W to show back up, when he did, he was no stranger to victory lane.
One of the coolest stories in this class is a father/son duo of Ryan and Jack Kirchoff from Garden City. Jack being a second-generation racer and Ryan a third-generation racer, they both race all around Western Kansas every year, always smiling and glad to be part of Kansas Racing.
“We want to get back to being competitive and winning races, consistency will be key for both of us,” Ryan Kirchoff said.
The hobby stock class is always entertaining, full of big names including Cody Williams from Minneapolis, Zach and Morgan Olmstead from Overton, Nebraska. Zach returns as the 2022 hobby stock Super Nationals Champion. All three look for big years as last year saw the trio compete nose-to-tail throughout each feature, sharing the top three spots throughout their various competitions.
Cody Williams is off to a fast start already in 2024 as he has picked up three feature wins outside of Kansas already, along with the IMCA.TV Winter Nationals championship that was run in Arizona.
“Well, I got 21 wins last year, so why not 25? That is the goal this year,” said Williams when asked about his 2024 expectations.
The stock car class is full of some of the hardest working IMCA drivers in the area, big names like Jason Rogers of Selden, Tathan and Troy Burkhart of Hays, Nick and Jeff Tubbs of Colby, Doug Holzmeister of Colby. The defending class champion is Tathan “Two-fiddy” Burkhart, who races all over the country alongside dad Troy. Another thing to look forward to with Burkhart’s is a brand-new late model being debuted this season at select events.
The modified class is led by several recognizable names, as it is the most popular class in the IMCA ranks. Wakeeney is home to drivers Dylan Sherfick and Kyle Rohleder, while Penokee has the “Moneyman,” Clay Money. Grainfield and Quinter have a couple of veterans in Mike Bainter and Bill Albin. Bucklin has the always fast Clay Sellard!
Dylan “Dynamite” Sherfick is the defending class champion, and he looks to build on an impressive 2023 with a season full of wins and memories. Mike Bainter returns to the cockpit of a modified for the first time since the late nineties. Clay Money is always entertaining to watch, as the Penokee native gets to represent the state of Kansas at the Gateway Dirt Nationals.
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