Large Crowd and Car Count Give McCook Speedway A Large Night
by: Darin Racek

McCook, Ne. (April 21, 2006) - There was an excellent crowd in the grandstand and 73 cars in the pits on April 21 for the opening of night of races at McCook Speedway. Chuck Stryker of Eddyville, Lloyd Meeske of Champion, Todd Pankonin of Benkelman, Larry Pollmann of McCook, and Dave Wimer of Trenton all had large nights, as they each won his respective A Feature.

Twenty-two of the twenty-four IMCA Modifieds in the pits started the A Feature, with heat winner Brandon Hagan of Culbertson alongside of Chuck Stryker. At the start of the race, Stryker jumped to the lead, leaving Hagan to do battle with Jason Schoenberger of Russell, Kan., and Robby Haines of Benkelman. Schoenberger would get by him as well as Haines. While Stryker had a safe lead, Haines passed Schoenberger with six laps to go. Their battle allowed “The Eddyville Flyer” to fly away for his first win of the year. Schoenberger worked the high side to get by Haines on the last lap for second place. Hagan placed in forth, ahead of heat winner David Murray, Jr. of Oberlin, Kan., who had to start at the rear of the field after spinning on the original start of the race. John Fabrizius of Colby, Kan., was the other IMCA Modified heat race winner.

The IMCA Stock Car main event was a battle in more than one way. Lloyd Meeske started in the second row, but quickly made his way to the lead. Behind him was a six car battle for second place between Bill Matson of McCook, Mikey Dancer , Zach Schultz, and Todd Chrisman of McCook, Jason Schoenberger, and Caleb Peters of Oberlin, Kan. Peters appeared to be in the middle of the field until the action became physical in front of him, and that allowed him to take over the runner-up spot. It looked as though he would have it until heat winner Chrisman got by him at the finish line by a bumper. Heat winner Schoenberger finished in fourth place, ahead of Schultz. Meeske, in his second year of racing, garnered his first McCook Speedway win with his effort. Brady Koch of Cambridge was the third IMCA Stock Car heat race winner.

Despite seventeen cars in the IMCA Hobby Stock A Feature, the drivers managed to keep the race pretty clean. A pileup involving John Huffman of McCook, Aaron Koch of Cambridge, and heat winner Thomas Lower of North Platte was the major accident of the four-cautioned race. Newcomer Barry Brush of McCook showed the veteran drivers early in the race the fast way around the track. Todd Pankonin knew the fast way around the track, despite never winning an A Feature here in 2005. That all changed, as the car held together and the 2005 IMCA Hobby Stock Rookie of the Year got his first McCook Speedway victory. Jason Koch of Cambridge followed up his heat race win with a second place finish in the feature, while Austin Davis of Benkelman came home in third. Brush kept his car in fourth place at the finish, ahead of heat winner Justin Wagner of Culbertson.

The Classic Modified A Feature showed there was more than one racing groove. Culbertson driver Devin Allen was leading the race using the low line. Larry Pollmann opted to run the higher line. It worked for him, as he took the lead from Allen on lap four and stayed out front for the remaining eight laps. Allen held off the late advances of Duke Ebert of Culbertson and Karl Wickizer of Palisade to remain second place at the finish line. Jay Alberts of McCook rounded out the top five. Max Pollmann of Trenton dominated the Classic Modified heat race.

The Mini-Truck drivers watched how the Classic Modifieds got around the track, and they put on their own clinic on patience and passing. Cindy Murray of Oberlin, Kan., was able to take the lead from Dave Wimer at the drop of the green flag. She was running a groove in the middle of the track, while Wimer ran a low line. Wimer inched closer and closer to the top spot, finally garnering it on lap nine. A lap later, Cindy Murray jumped her truck over the inside dirt berm, giving up second spot to her sister Sara. Cindy would get back in the race, losing only that spot, and following Wimer and heat winner Sara Murray to the finish line. Josh Bopp of McCook came home in fourth place, while rookie Jake Olmstead of Overton was able to finish in fifth place.

The next race at McCook Speedway will be Friday, April 28. The gates will open at 6 PM, and the races will start at 8 PM, Central Time.

April 21 results
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1
97M-David Murray, Jr.
37-Jeff Tubbs
07S-Jay Schilling

Heat 2
21H-Brandon Hagan
19-Chuck Stryker
8EZ-Brice Riley

Heat 3
42-John Fabrizius
3RW-Ronnie Wallace
12J-Jay Steffens

A Feature
19-Chuck Stryker
6-Jason Schoenberger
9R-Robby Haines
21H-Brandon Hagan
97M-David Murray, Jr.
12J-Jay Steffens
8EZ-Brice Riley
07S-Jay Schilling
37-Jeff Tubbs
73-Nick Tubbs
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
4C-Charley Brown
42-John Fabrizius
P38-Darren Pollmann
15W-Brad Wagoner
C29S-Dewain Coleman (DNF)
K20-Kyle Clough (DNF)
99-Bob Aspenleiter (DNF)
23-Royce Clapp (DNF)
14-Jason Gallentine (DNF)
3RW-Ronnie Wallace (DNF)
4KJ-Terry Houchin (DNF)
83C-Chris Stevens (DNS)
99E-Bruce Eskew (DNS)

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat 1
6-Jason Schoenberger
76-Jason Davis
36-Caleb Peters

Heat 2
25KO-Brady Koch
42-Kyle Werkmeister
45-Mikey Dancer

Heat 3
11-Todd Chrisman
55Z-Zach Schultz
2M-Bill Matson

A Feature
32-Lloyd Meeske
11-Todd Chrisman
36-Caleb Peters
6-Jason Schoenberger
55Z-Zach Schultz
8R-Brent Riley
45-Mikey Dancer
2M-Bill Matson
12J-Kerry Jones
42-Kyle Werkmeister (DNF)
24-Bob Chalupa (DNF)
76-Jason Davis (DNF)
25KO-Brady Koch
24KC-Casey Werkmeister (DNS)
7-Jeremy Halouska (DNS)

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat 1
74KO-Jason Koch
23H-Bruce Hagan, Sr.
16D-Todd Pankonin

Heat 2
3T-Thomas Lower
5-Jim Huffmann
14-Les Janousek

Heat 3
2-Justin Wagner
55-Brady Brush
3-John Huffmann

A Feature
16D-Todd Pankonin
74KO-Jason Koch
22-Austin Davis
55-Brady Brush
2-Justin Wagner
23H-Bruce Hagan, Sr.
85-Bryan Smotherman
14-Les Janousek
5-Jim Huffmann
7-Derrik Bundy
00-Chad Brenning
33-Shane Klockman
3TX-Jebb Tally (DNF)
24-Brian Payton (DNF)
3-John Huffmann
3T-Thomas Lower (DNF)
70KO-Aaron Koch (DNF)

Classic Modifieds
Heat
P82-Max Pollmann
20-Jay Alberts
41A-Devin Allen

A Feature
413-Larry Pollmann
41A-Devin Allen
56E-Duke Ebert
K2-Karl Wickizer
20-Jay Alberts
P83-Loren Pollmann
1S-Donny Sailors
29B-Mike Brenning
P82-Max Pollmann

Mini-Trucks
Heat
97S-Sara Murray
97-Cindy Murray
34W-Dave Wimer

A Feature
34W-Dave Wimer
97S-Sara Murray
97-Cindy Murray
34B-Josh Bopp
88-Jake Olmstead
69-Delbert Ridenour
4J-Treva Patterson
98-Zach Olmstead (DNS)
86-Jake Sahm (DNS)