Fan Appreciation Night at Culbertson Speedway
By Darin Racek

CULBERTSON, NE (July 14, 2006) - July 14 was Fan Appreciaton Night at Culbertson Speedway, and many drivers donated shirts and souvenirs to the large box of giveaways. The drivers and others also took time to collect money for the David Murray, Jr. family, as he, his wife Nikki, and daughter Demi were involved in an accident last weekend. Over $1,725 was raised. Robby Haines and Austin Davis of Benkelman, Bill Matson and Leelan Bieker of McCook, and A. C. Werner of Palisade were the drivers that took the A Feature wins.

Robby Haines went to the back of the field on lap one of the IMCA Modified A Feature after being involved in an accident. Darren Pollmann of McCook paced the race for a while, until fellow McCook driver Jay Schilling got by him on lap seven. Seven cautions during the 20 lap race kept the field close together. It also allowed Haines to work back through the field, passing Schilling as the two came to take the white flag. The two made contact going into corner one. Shilling briefly had the lead in corner two, but Haines used momentum to have the lead going into corner three. Haines would come around with the lead and keep it to the finish line. Nick Tubbs of Brewster, Kan., was a distant third place, while Charley Brown of Maxwell and Jay Steffens of North Platte rounded out the top five. Haines and Tubbs were the heat race winners.

Bob Chalupa of McCook has had mechanical troubles of late in the IMCA Stock Car class. It did not show early in the A Feature, as he maintained a healthy lead over heat winner Bill Matson. With five laps to go, Chalupa spun, and then was collected by Nick Tubbs. The two remained in the race, only to see Tubbs finish in fifth and Chalupa in sixth. Matson inherited the lead and had to hold off Caleb Peters of Oberlin, Kan., and Todd Chrisman of North Platte in order for him to garner the victory. Lloyd Meeske of Champion survived an accident near the middle of the race and came back to finish in fourth.

Austin Davis almost got the lead from Andrew Richards on lap four of the IMCA Hobby Stock A Feature. However, the lap did not get completed before Audie Bundy of Benkelman gave a vivid definition of what a “blown engine” means. Richards went back to the head of the line. Davis was able to get by him on lap eight and double up on a heat race and feature win. Richards spun on the last lap while in the top five, dropping him back from a good finish. Cody DeWester of Benkelman finished in second place. Heat winner Justin Wagner of Culbertson out-battled Jason Koch of Cambridge for third place. Aaron Koch of Cambridge finished in fifth.

A. C. Werner opted to spend his last free night before he reported to his National Guard unit and head to Iraq running his Classic Modified. After winning his heat race, Werner started on the front row of the A Feature and showed the drivers the way. Larry Pollmann of McCook caught up to Werner in the waning laps, and got by as they went across the finish line with two laps to go. Behind them, Brandon Anderson of McCook got on top of the concrete barrier and nearly went over the edge. Severe damage forced a red flag period, and reverted the field to the last completed lap, in which Werner had the lead. Werner would make his car wide and hold Pollmann at bay for the last three laps and gain a win in his last race for a while. Karl Wickizer of Palisade finish in third place. Duke Ebert of Culbertson and Max Pollmann of Trenton finished in fourth and fifth places.

Leelan Bieker’s name was not drawn out of the bucket as one of the Mini Truck drivers eligible for the clean sweep challenge. Had it been, he would have been $250 dollars richer. Bieker won his heat race, then dueled Trenton’s David Wimer to gain the cash dash win. After getting by Bud Wasson of Lebanon for the lead on lap four, Leelan would drive on for his third win of the night. Heat winner Wimer would move into second place before the finish of the race. Dennis Wasson of Lebanon got by Mike Schrader of Benkelman for third place. Josh Bopp of McCook finished in fifth place.

Culbertson Speedway will be in action next on Friday night, August 4 at 8 PM CDT. The next race in Southwest Nebraska will be at McCook Speedway on July 21. The races will start at 8 PM CDT.

July 14 results
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1
9R-Robby Haines
07S-Jay Schilling
4C-Charley Brown

Heat 2
73-Nick Tubbs
12J-Jay Steffens
8EZ-Brice Riley

A Feature
9R-Robby Haines
07S-Jay Schilling
73-Nick Tubbs
4C-Charley Brown
12J-Jay Steffens
21H-Brandon Hagan
29S-Mike Saathoff
P38-Darren Pollmann (DNF)
8EZ-Brice Riley (DNF)
20K-Kyle Clough (DNF)
X9R-Jimmy Weigel (DNF)
94H-Don Hagan, Jr. (DNF)

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat 1
2M-Bill Matson
24-Bob Chalupa
5S-Shane Stout

A Feature
2M-Bill Matson
36-Caleb Peters
11-Todd Chrisman
32-Lloyd Meeske
9-Nick Tubbs
24-Bob Chalupa
5S-Shane Stout

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat 1
22-Austin Davis
74KO-Jason Koch
22R-Andrew Richards

Heat 2
2-Justin Wagner
23H-Bruce Hagan, Sr.
3L-Leland Stute

A Feature
22-Austin Davis
20-Cody DeWester
2-Justin Wagner
74KO-Jason Koch
70KO-Aaron Koch
3L-Leland Stute
00-Chad Brenning
22R-Andrew Richards
23H-Bruce Hagan, Sr.
68-Audie Bundy (DNF)
3T-Jebb Tally (DNF)

Classic Modifieds
Heat
59-A. C. Werner
413-Larry Pollmann
P82-Max Pollmann

A Feature
59-A. C. Werner
413-Larry Pollmann
K2-Karl Wickizer
56E-Duke Ebert
P82-Max Pollmann
29B-Mike Brenning
05-Brandon Anderson (DNF)

Mini-Trucks
Heat 1
33-Leelan Bieker
05-Mike Schrader
73-Bud Wasson

Heat 2
34W-Dave Wimer
34B-Josh Bopp
52-Dennis Wasson

Cash Dash
33-Leelan Bieker

A Feature
33-Leelan Bieker
34W-Dave Wimer
52-Dennis Wasson
05-Mike Schrader
34B-Josh Bopp
73-Bud Wasson
86-Jake Sahm
25-Delbert Ridenour
88-Jacob Olmstead (DNF)
12J-Robin Runge (DNF)