2008 URSS Eastern Series Champion
Salem takes 2nd at Wakeeney Speedway in Wakeeney, Ks
The Flying Angels Racing Team and Cody Salem traveled to Jetmore and Wakeeney Kansas this
weekend for the United Rebel Sprint Series Race of Champions. The Flying Angels Race team found
themselves locked into the A feature due to winning the A Feature in McCook, Nebraska last year.
The A Main found Cody starting mid pack in the midst of the 24 sprinters racing for the win. Salem
had worked his way through the field to a 7th place position when he hooked up with the #79 car of
Ken Lutters. This sent Lutters to the infield as Salem lost two positions and backed up to 9th. As
the crew watched from the stands we could see damage to the front wing of the #22 car and we
knew that Cody had his hands full. On the restart of a yellow Cody put it into gear and went flying
around turn 2 only to get the back end sideways. The car came to a rest and required a push truck
to help it back to the pits. The Night of Champions ended with a 16th place finish for #22 Cody Salem
and the Flying Angels Race Team.
Back in the pits the crew consisting of car owner John Tyrrell, sponsor from TKA Trucking
Terry Steinmetz (A.K.A. T-Bone) and Rusty Montgomery tried to diagnose the problem. Salem
indicated that the car just jumped out of gear and he couldn't get it back into gear. It was decided
that the team would meet up at Jon Johnson's the next day to diagnose and repair the car.
Sunday morning the team headed to Utica, Ks, home of the Kansas Tornado Jon Johnson.
After three hours of diagnosing, debating and double diagnosing the determination was
made that the car was ready to go. After some great pork burgers and hot dogs served up
by Verda Johnson the team loaded up and headed for the Wakeeney Speedway.
Cody took the car out for hot laps and the #22 flew around the track with no problem
reassuring the team that the car problems they encountered at Jetmore the previous evening were repaired.
Occasional showers made the team wonder if the night of racing was going to take place but the
sun popped out and we found ourselves starting outside 2nd row in Heat 1.
The green lap flew and the #22 car headed into turn 2 and the car popped out of gear. Back to the pits again
for the Flying Angels Race Team.
The team raced around trying to again diagnose the problem. After some blood, a lot of sweat and a ton of team
work the team diagnosed the problem. It was finally determined that the drive shaft was popping in and out
of the rear end. The crew consisting of John Tyrrell, Terry Steinmetz, Cody Salem and Jacob Koerperich
scrambled non stop for an hour getting the car repaired. Smokey Fairbanks showed up and put his hands
and knowledge into the mix. Finally.......repaired........we hope.
The team is still tightening nuts and bolts as they pushed Cody into the B Feature line-up. Starting outside
7th row Cody had his work cut out for him. He knew the top 10 transferred on to the A but that didn't stop
the #22 from slicing and dicing and picking the other sprinters off one by one. By the time the checkered flag
flew Cody had clinched the 2nd position in the B feature. As he rolled his car into the pit box several fellow
sprinters came over to analyze the car, feel the right rear and try to get an idea of what the track was doing.
The 20 lap A feature found the #22 car staring 6th row outside. The green flag flew and the Kansas Tornado
Jon Johnson shot to the front for an early lead. As Johnson enjoys that clean air out in front of the pack Salem
works through all the dust and picks off the competition one by one. Around lap 14 Salem finds himself behind
Johnson, Smokey Fairbanks and the lapped car of Tyler Kraus. Kraus decides to race and Salem finds himself
using up 2-3 laps before overcoming him. Once Salem got by, Kraus
he shot like a rocket past the #2 of Smokey Fairbanks and found himself on the bumperof the #86 Jon Johnson. As Cody sports a Jon
Johnson motor it all comes down to set up and driver ability. Twice Cody got on the inside of Johnson but wasn't
able to pull in front. Unfortunately for Salem and the Flying Angels Racing Team the laps ran out and we settled for a 2nd place finish behindJon Johnson. It sure felt like a win though for
Cody and the Flying Angels team after all they endured just to make the feature. It was felt by the team that had this been a 25 lap feature the outcome might have been a little different. But.......we will never know now will we. The team felt victorious and that's what matters.
Quote of the night though goes to car owner John Tyrrell when he stated to his wife “Just once......I'd like to beat a Johnson”.
The season is young. Watch out.
Special thanks goes out to Jon Johnson, not only for building the team a great engine, but also for him and Verda's hospitality on Sunday as the team
repaired the car. Thank you Verda for the great food. Thanks to Rusty Montgomery for his help Saturday night at Jetmore. Thanks to TKA Trucking Terry Steinmetz for all his help this weekend. Never seen T-Bone work so hard in the pits! And by the way ladies, Terry is single and looking......! Special thanks to our sponsors: TKA Trucking out of Norton, Ks; Ward Drug out of Oberlin, Ks and Fredrickson Insurance out of Oberlin, Ks.; Bro Basinger traveled up from Junction City and donated 20 gallon of fuel for the night. Bill Ridel jumped in and mounted a right rear for us as the team rushed to get the car repaired.
Hope you had fun hanging out with us Bro. Smokey Fairbanks-we owe you one. Not sure we would have made it out
for the B without your help. Disappointed that they couldn't stay
for the 3rd night of racing which was taking place at Wakeeney the team made the long haul back to Missouri
as the pits cleared out. Six hours later we found ourselves hungry, tired and home. Great weekend of racing.
Cody Salem in his quest for 1st at L.A. Speedway
4-4-09
Hays Daily News
by Nick Schwien
4-7-09
Most racers dread the offseason. When they're not racing, there's a void.
But for Cody Salem, well, he would have preferred just a normal, dreadful offseason. Instead, his was beyond dreadful.
The loss of a racing friend and being laid off from his job due to the economy added to a horrible winter.
But on Saturday night, things started to turn around for the St. Joseph, Mo., 305 sprint car driver. Salem, the son of United Rebel Sprint Series founder Rick Salem and an Oberlin native, won the first race of the season at LA Raceway in La Monte, Mo.
"It felt pretty good," Cody Salem said. "It had been quite a long winter, and it was definitely a big task we had in front of us."
Salem, racing for the Flying Angels Racing team, might have had a little extra help from above. He finished second in the A-main. When it came time for inspection, the initial winner chose not to undergo tech inspections, leaving Salem in first.
What made the win that much more special was the son of Dave Koerperich, Jacob, was in attendance. Dave Koerperich was a friend of team owner John Tyrrell and had lost a battle with cancer during the winter. Koerperich also was the crew chief for the Flying Angels' team during the 2007 season.
"We definitely had a rough winter," Salem said. "One of the guys that had been with us since '07 passed away from cancer, and it was quite an unforeseen thing it happened. I was glad we could give something back to his son and keep his spirits up."
Salem and Tyrell gave Jacob Koerperich the first-place trophy Saturday.
"That was big. I'm glad everything worked out for us," Salem said. "I told John I wanted to give Jacob the trophy and dedicate it to his dad and give him something to look forward to."
The loss of a former crew chief wasn't the only change Salem went through.
Earlier this winter, Salem was working on his sprint car and thinking about his lost job. He decided to peel the 3 off the back of his No. 23 sprinter. Then the phone rang, and he was offered a job interview.
Days later, Salem began peeling off one of the 3s on his wing -- and the phone rang again. Salem was offered a job from the earlier interview.
"It seemed like everything was falling into place," he said.
Salem replaced the 3s with a 2, forming the No. 22 -- a number both his father and grandfather used during their racing days.
"So far, it seems like it's working," Salem joked.
On Saturday, Salem had that special feeling again. He finished third in his heat and qualified for the feature.
In the A-main, he started outside the sixth row and battle his way to the front. Kenny Potter bolted to a significant lead on a late restart and took the checkered flag.
But Potter refused a tech inspection following the race -- he was one of three racers to do so -- giving Salem the win.
"I felt like after the way things played out and after the race, I was thinking we just had a little help," Salem said. "It all came together in the end. I kept my head up ... and it definitely felt like something special was on our side."
Dave Koerperich....Crew Chief 2007
Flying Angel 2009
Dave and Jacob Koerperich 2007 Awards Banquet
2009 Sponsors
TKA Trucking
312 Jones
Norton Ks 67654
785475-4101
Terry Steinmetz, Owner/Operator
Flying Angels Racing-Your Authorized dealer for
Rocket Headers
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We are a 305 sprint car team owned by John Tyrrell of Cameron Mo. The cars are driven by Cody Salem out of St. Joseph, Mo. This is our second year of racing in the 305 series. Check out our highlights of the 2007 and 2008 season. Just click on highlights in the navigation bar.
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