Mini-Truck Drivers Help Competitor at McCook Speedway
by Darin Racek


McCOOK, Ne. (May 19, 2006) - The temperature gauge pegged near 100 degrees in McCook May 19, and the racing didn’t cool down the temperatures. Ronnie Wallace of North Platte, Jason Davis of Norton, Kan., Jason Koch of Cambridge, Jay Alberts of McCook, and Leelan Bieker of McCook were the hot drivers, as they took the A Feature wins.

The IMCA Modified A Feature was mired on lap one, as four caution periods occurred while the field tried to complete lap two. Fortunately, once they got going, they went the rest of the way caution-free. Ronnie Wallace started on the pole and jumped out to the lead, closely followed by Charley Brown of Maxwell. Robby Haines of Benkelman stayed close to the front two, looking for opportunity himself. While those three paced the field, heat winner Nick Tubbs of Colby was charging through the field after being sent to the back of the pack on one of the caution periods. He caught Haines about the time Haines was trying to make a move around Brown. With one lap to go, Haines moved into second place and Tubbs followed into third, moving Brown to fourth. The racing allowed Ronnie Wallace to drive on for his first IMCA Modified A Feature in quite some time. Jay Schilling of McCook started the race in row seven, but finished in fifth place. Brandon Hagan of Culbertson and Darren Pollmann of McCook were the other two heat race winners.

Bill Matson of McCook won his IMCA Stock Car heat race and the special cash dash. He took the lead at the beginning of the A Feature and started to protect the bottom line. Brady Koch of Cambridge and Jason Davis worked their ways through the field to challenge Matson for the lead. Koch decided to try the high line, which convinced Matson to move up some on the track to protect some more ground. That opened up the bottom, and the three drivers went three wide in corner two on lap fifteen. Koch had the lead the next time around, but his car kept moving high on the track, allowing Davis to drive by and take the victory. Caleb Peters of Oberlin, Kan., also got by Koch in the waning laps for second place. Todd Chrisman of North Platte got by Matson for fourth place in that time as well. Jeremy Halouska of North Platte won the other IMCA Stock Car heat race.

Jason Koch repeated as winner of the IMCA Hobby Stock A Feature, moving by Jebb Tally of Oberlin, Kan. On lap four and never looked back. He could probably hear the engine of Justin Wagner of Culbertson, as he spent much of the final fifteen laps in hot pursuit of Koch. Fellow heat race winner Aaron Koch of Cambridge finished in third place in a clean race that saw only one caution period. Austin Davis of Benkelman and John Huffman of McCook rounded out the top five.

Max Pollmann of Trenton ran nearly a flawless Classic Modified A Feature. He took the lead on the opening lap, with Jay Alberts close behind. For thirteen and-a-half laps, Pollmann ran the preferred line. Near the completion of lap fourteen, his car pushed in corner three, opening the door for Alberts to sneak underneath and take the lead. Alberts went by the scoring line in front the final two times in the race and earned his first win of the year. Pollmann beat Karl Wickizer of Palisade to the line by a bumper for second place. Larry Pollmann of McCook and Mike Brenning of Culbertson rounded out the top five. Culbertson drivers Duke Ebert and Devin Allen won the heat races.

During intermission, the Mini-Truck drivers took up a collection for the family of Zach Olmstead, a Mini-Truck driver that was injured in a motor vehicle accident. In the short time they collected, they rounded up $472 for the family. Leelan Bieker was not generous with wins in the class, as he won the heat race and took the checkered flag first with a pickup that had a misfire. Newcomer Mike Schrader of Benkelman ran to a respectable second place finish. Dave Wimer of Trenton got by teammate Josh Bopp of McCook late to get the third spot, and Jake Sahm of McCook snaked into fifth place.

McCook Speedway will be back in action on Friday night, June 2 at 8 PM CDT. The next race in Southwest Nebraska will be at Culbertson Speedway on May 26. The races there will start at 8 PM CDT as well.

May 19 results
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1
21H-Brandon Hagan
17J-Jeremy Frenier
12J-Jay Steffens

Heat 2
P38-Darren Pollmann
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
4C-Charley Brown

Heat 3
73-Nick Tubbs
3RW-Ronnie Wallace
9R-Robby Haines

A Feature
3RW-Ronnie Wallace
9R-Robby Haines
73-Nick Tubbs
4C-Charley Brown
07S-Jay Schilling
17J-Jeremy Frenier
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
P38-Darren Pollmann
12J-Jay Steffens
19-Chuck Stryker
8EZ-Brice Riley
20-Jeremy Herbst
21H-Brandon Hagan
29S-Dewain Coleman
10T-Todd Hartley
99E-Bruce Eskew (DNF)
10-Don Geist (DNF)

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat 1
7-Jeremy Halouska
25W-Ritchie Wickizer
36-Caleb Peters

Heat 2
2M-Bill Matson
76-Jason Davis
11-Todd Chrisman

Cash Dash
2M-Bill Matson

A Feature
76-Jason Davis
36-Caleb Peters
25KO-Brady Koch
11-Todd Chrisman
2M-Bill Matson
25W-Ritchie Wickizer
55Z-Zach Schultz
32-Lloyd Meeske
7-Jeremy Halouska
42KC-Kyle Werkmeister
8R-Brent Riley
2-Joe Kasson (DNF)
24KC-Casey Werkmeister (DNS)

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat 1
2-Justin Wagner
3-John Huffmann
22-Austin Davis

Heat 2
70KO-Aaron Koch
74KO-Jason Koch
23H-Bruce Hagan, Sr.

A Feature
74KO-Jason Koch
2-Justin Wagner
70KO-Aaron Koch
22-Austin Davis
3-John Huffmann
14-Les Janousek
23H-Bruce Hagan, Sr.
5-Jim Huffmann
33-Shane Klockman
24-Brian Payton
3TX-Jebb Tally (DNF)
00-Chad Brenning (DNF)

Classic Modifieds
Heat 1
41A-Devin Allen
05-Brandon Anderson
413-Larry Pollmann

Heat 2
56E-Duke Ebert
K2-Karl Wickizer
P83-Loren Pollmann

A Feature
20-Jay Alberts
P82-Max Pollmann
K2-Karl Wickizer
413-Larry Pollmann
29B-Mike Brenning
41A-Devin Allen
P83-Loren Pollmann
1S-Donny Sailors
05-Brandon Anderson
56E-Duke Ebert (DNF)
34-Matt Caudillo (DNF)

Mini-Trucks
Heat
33-Leelan Bieker
34W-Dave Wimer
05-Mike Schrader

A Feature
33-Leelan Bieker
05-Mike Schrader
34W-Dave Wimer
34B-Josh Bopp
86-Jake Sahm
52-Dennis Wasson
69-Delbert Ridenour
4J-Treva Patterson