Kansas

Larson’s busy May starts at Kansas Speedway | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Published

2 years ago

May 5, 2024

Larson’s busy May starts at Kansas Speedway | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Kyle Larson began what will become a busy month of May on a small dirt track nestled in a crook of the Missouri River, where he started outside of the top 10 in his sprint car Friday night and managed to climb to third place by the finish.

By the end of the month, Larson hopes to have made some history.

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion is trying to join Tony Stewart as the only drivers ever to complete “the double,” finishing every lap of the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. Several have tried over the years, most recently Kurt Busch in 2014, but the task has proven to be among the most grueling in all of motorsports.

“I mean, for sure I’m excited,” Larson said Saturday, shortly before hopping into his No. 5 for Hendrick Motorsports and qualifying for the Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway. “I’m not like, overly anxious at the same time. I think I’ve known it’s been coming for a couple of years now, and just, you’ve got to be ready to get out there and get going.”

Larson also said he’s not thinking about Memorial Day weekend quite yet.

There is a lot more racing to do first.

He was running his sprint car again Saturday night at nearby Lakeside Speedway, then will try to improve on his finish Sunday from a year ago at Kansas, where Denny Hamlin bumped him out of the way on the last lap to snatch victory.

Larson also has NASCAR’s throwback weekend coming up at Darlington, and another sprint car race at Kokomo Speedway in Indiana on May 13, the night before he steps into his Arrow McLaren ride to practice for the Indy 500.

“It’s starting to set in what’s coming ahead,” Larson admitted.

Larson already has a Cup Series win from Las Vegas in March, and he has a series-leading five top-fives, including a second-place run at Dover last weekend. He has led at least one lap in eight races and his 570 laps led are 35 more than any other driver.

That consistency has helped Hendrick Motorsports join Joe Gibbs Racing in dominating the Cup Series this season. Hendrick has five wins and Hamlin gave Gibbs its fourth last week at Dover, and it’s hard to believe the two power teams won’t be at the front again on Sunday; they are tied for the most wins at the track with eight apiece.

Hamlin is certainly looking forward to another duel.

Especially if it goes the way the spring race did at Kansas a year ago.

“It was a fierce battle,” he recalled. “We were the best two guys. He got out to a lead there and I remember just chasing him down there toward the end, when he was getting loose. But it’s so race to race. I can’t go back. We have a different car coming into this race. There’s not much I can put together other than how can I attack this track to get speed?”

CHARTER CHATTER

Hamlin, who co-owns 23XI Racing along with Michael Jordan, lamented the state of charter negotiations Saturday. Charters provide guaranteed starting spots and other financial benefits to their owners, but are due to expire after 2024. Owners want them to become permanent, so they can more easily attract long-term sponsors and investors. They also want more revenue, a bigger voice in NASCAR decisions and a share of new business opportunities, such as gambling revenue.

“Why is this such an important thing?” Hamlin asked. “We’ve had 11 teams go out of business since 2016. That’s not good. And certainly if we continue on the trend of a couple stakeholders doing really well and others not, that will continue.”

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Jimmie Johnson will be driving the No. 84 car for Legacy Motor Club for the second consecutive week as part of his abbreviated Cup Series schedule. The three-time Kansas winner finished 28th at the Daytona 500, 29th at Texas and 28th last week at Dover.

“This year has been more challenging for us in a lot more ways that we anticipated,” Johnson admitted, “but I do think we’re getting closer to a consistent pace that we hope to have week-in and week-out.”

FORD’S FOCUS

The season has so far been dominated by Chevrolet and Toyota, leaving Ford still looking for its first Cup Series win. But its cars were fast at Talladega, and Noah Gragson and Ryan Blaney finished sixth and seventh last week at Dover.

“Right now our program, I feel — if we were an 18th-place team last year, I think we’re closer to a 10th-place team,” said Gragson’s crew chief, Drew Blickensderfer. “And 10th-place teams can win races.”

FILE – Kyle Larson sits on the car that he will drive in the IndyCar Indianapolis 500 after is was unveiled at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2023. Larson next month will become the fifth driver in history to attempt to complete “The Double” and run 1,100 miles in one day at both the Indianapolis 500 in an Indy car and the Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR’s longest race of the year. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

Ty Gibbs, left front, and Kyle Larson, right front, lead the field into Turn 1 after taking the green flag for the start of a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, April 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Larry Papke)

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Kansas

SW Kansas wildfires prompt evacuations, school closure, road closures

Published

17 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Press Room

SW Kansas wildfires prompt evacuations, school closure, road closures

MEADE, Kan. (KWCH) – Wildfires burning in southwest Kansas prompted evacuation orders, a highway closure, and responses from agencies and task forces from across the state, including Sedgwick County.

As efforts to gain the upper hand on fires in Ford, Meade, Clark and Stevens counties continue Friday morning, there’s a piece of good news as the evacuation order for the city of Meade has been lifted. Overnight, residents were told to evacuate due to a fire burning south of town as firefighters battled to gain control of the wildfire. Meade Public Schools will not be in session on Friday.

Around 1 a.m. Friday, the NWS said the fire in Meade County was approaching the southern portion of the city of Meade. Late Thursday, KDOT closed K-23 because of the fire from U.S. 54 to the Oklahoma state line. Kansas Wildlife and Parks also announced Meade State Park had been evacuated late Thursday afternoon.

The Englewood Fire Department shared a video from Clark County that shows what firefighters were facing late Thursday night, with thick smoke billowing from scorched ground and flames still spreading.

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Kansas

At least seven grass fires burning in southwest Kansas; highway shut down

Published

1 day ago

May 14, 2026

Press Room

At least seven grass fires burning in southwest Kansas; highway shut down

by: Wil Day

Posted: May 14, 2026 / 05:43 PM CDT

Updated: May 14, 2026 / 05:46 PM CDT

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Crews are battling multiple grass fires in southwest Kansas.

There are seven active fires near Rolla in Morton County, according to emergency management.

The Kansas Department of Transportation said Kansas 51 Highway between the U.S. 56 Highway junction in Rolla and the Kansas Highway 27 junction in Richfield is closed due to the fires.

Courtesy: KDOT

According to Storm Track 3 Meteorologist Jack Maney, the fires started as a dry thunderstorm moved through the area. But the cause of the fires hasn’t been determined yet, as crews are still working to bring them all under control.

In addition to Morton County, there are also reports of wildfires in Ford, Clark, Meade and Stevens counties.

The State Emergency Operations Center has been partially activated to help respond to the fires.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks said Meade State Park has not been affected but has warned visitors to reconsider coming due to multiple fires in the area.

For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here.

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Kansas

KHP says 135 spill was human waste

Published

2 days ago

May 14, 2026

Press Room

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) -Matthew Ho likes to keep a clean car.

“I basically use my car a lot for work, with my multiple day jobs and weekend jobs,” Ho said.

However, on Tuesday, it was anything but.

“I was on 135 going northbound towards Bel Aire,” Ho said, “Right about the exit of 21st st I kind of saw this big mess of pile up that just happened right as I was blinking.”

Ho had no choice but to drive through it. Then the smell came.

“I think it took a little bit just because at first it didn’t seem like it was anything,” Ho said.

The smell continued to get worse and there was nothing he could do about it. It was a 90 degree day, and even with that intense weather he could not use the air conditioning because the air that it used was smelly itself.

“It sticks, and now that we’re downdraft winds you can just smell it all the time,” Ho said.

The company responsible for the spill, No Limit Logistics LLC, said, ‘There was no human waste’. The Kansas Highway Patrol says otherwise.

Ho has tried to wash the smell out of his car multiple times.

“It didn’t work,” Ho said, “Washed the car again, still didn’t go away.”

Now, he is looking for someone to take responsibility.

“I would really like compensations for all the car wash, especially when it was something I didn’t do personally,” Ho said, “A mechanical failure on a truck isn’t necessarily someone’s fault, but someone’s liable for it.”

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