Riley Dodges Bullets at McCook Speedway
By Darin Racek

McCOOK, NE (July 21, 2006) - The air temperature was over 25 degrees cooler on July 21st at McCook Speedway than it was just two days prior. The rain from the night before made the track fairly tacky and assisted the racers with more than one racing groove. Brice Riley of Indianola, Todd Chrisman of North Platte, Justin Wagner of Culbertson, Karl Wickizer of Palisade, and Leelan Bieker of McCook chose the right racing grooves en route to the A Feature wins. At intermission, a collection was taken up and an auction was done to raise money for David Murray, Jr. of Oberlin and his family that were involved in a traffic accident two weeks ago. Between the two, $1,431.55 was raised.

The IMCA Modified A Feature went fourteen laps without a caution, and the drivers were putting on quite a show. Jay Steffens of North Platte caught leader Brice Riley on lap eight and snuck by him for the lead. Two laps later, Riley got underneath him to regain the top spot. After Chuck Stryker of Eddyville caught the two and made his presence known, the race was halted when Nick Tubbs of Brewster, Kan. lost power to his car and stalled. On the restart, Steffens got by Riley, only to have his car push up in corner four, and he lost several spots. Another caution with three laps to go set Stryker again on Riley’s rear bumper. Stryker got underneath him to take the lead for lap eighteen. Going into corner one, Riley decided to drive his car deep into the corner to try to get underneath The Eddyville Flyer. It worked, and Riley got the top spot back and handed it over to no one again. Brandon Hagan of Culbertson finished in third place, ahead of Robby Haines of Benkelman and Jay Schilling of McCook. Schilling, Don Hagan, Jr. of Culbertson, and Don Geist of Loveland, Colo., were the heat race winners.

IMCA Stock Car heat race winner Bob Chalupa of McCook had an A Feature slip away from him a week ago at Culbertson, and appeared for a while to seek redemption as he led the early going Friday. Behind him, fellow heat winner Zach Schultz and Todd Chrisman, both of North Platte were doing battle for the second spot. As they caught up to Chalupa, Chrisman made a bold move to get his car underneath Chalupa going into corner three as he was passing Schultz on his high side. On lap eight, Chrisman had the lead and would not relinquish it. Schultz finished in second place, while Lloyd Meeske of Champion finished in third place. Jason Davis of Norton, Kan., survived an early tangle and passed Caleb Peters of Oberlin, Kan. in the waning laps to gain fourth place.

Something got into the IMCA Hobby Stock drivers, and they had six caution periods within their fifteen lap race. Tires were a big part of the trouble. Both Aaron and Jason Koch of Cambridge experienced flat tires at inopportune times during the race. Todd Pankonin of Benkelman lost his tire on the restart of one of those cautions and planted his car on the outside edge of the backstretch. Early in the race, heat race and cash dash winner Leland Stute of Benkelman was showing the way around. He was soon joined by Justin Wagner and John Huffman of McCook. On the restart, Huffman got by both drivers and drove away with the lead. Wagner would also get by Stute and follow Huffman for many laps, and a few more caution periods. With two laps to go, Wagner was able to blast out of the corner to take the lead from the Huffman and go on for the win. Heat winner Jason Koch made a tire change during his caution, restarted in the back, and finished up in second place, getting by Huffman with one lap to go. Kyle Bond of Kearney made an appearance and took home fourth place. Austin Davis of Benkelman finished in fifth.

Both the Classic Modified and Mini Truck A Features went their entire distances without a single caution period. Max Pollmann of Trenton took the lead on the opening lap of the Classic Modified A Feature, with heat winner Karl Wickizer in second place. Larry Pollmann and fellow McCook driver Jay Alberts battled for third place for quite a while until Alberts drove into corner three too hard, hit the dirt berm, and lost several spots. Up front, Wickizer made his move and got under Max Pollmann with one lap to go. He would beat Max to the finish line the next time around and earn the win. Larry Pollmann was followed to the finish line by Duke Ebert and Mike Brenning, both of Culbertson, and then the rest of the field.

Leelan Bieker took the lead on lap four of the Mini Truck main event and drove away from the pack to win his second McCook Speedway A Feature in as many race nights. Dennis Wasson of Lebanon was surprised to find Cindy Murray of Oberlin, Kan. trying to get by him on the last lap, but he was able to hold his position. David Wimer of Trenton and Josh Bopp of McCook finished in fourth and fifth places. Bieker and Bopp also managed to take the Mini Truck heat race wins.

The next night of racing at McCook Speedway will be Thursday night, July 27. It is a special race for the Red Willow County Fair, running the three IMCA classes. The Modifieds will run for $1,000, the Stock Cars $800, and the Hobby Stocks $250, based on 25 cars in each class. The gates will open at 5:30 PM, and the racing will start at 7:30 PM CDT. Admission in the stands will be $10 for adults, $5 for children 6 - 12, and children 5 and under will be admitted for free.


July 21 results
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1
94-Don Hagan, Jr.
73-Nick Tubbs
23-Royce Clapp

Heat 2
10-Don Geist
19-Chuck Stryker
9R-Robby Haines

Heat 3
07S-Jay Schilling
12J-Jay Steffens
21H-Brandon Hagan

A Feature
8EZ-Brice Riley
19-Chuck Stryker
21H-Brandon Hagan
9R-Robby Haines
07S-Jay Schilling
29S-Dewain Coleman
94-Don Hagan, Jr.
12J-Jay Steffens
42-John Fabrizius
P38-Darren Pollmann
10-Don Geist
20K-Kyle Clough
4C-Charley Brown (DNF)
10T-Todd Hartley (DNF)
23-Royce Clapp (DNF)
73-Nick Tubbs (DNF)
3RW-Ronnie Wallace (DNS)

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat 1
55Z-Zach Schultz
76-Jason Davis
8R-Brent Riley

Heat 2
24-Bob Chalupa
2M-Bill Matson
11-Todd Chrisman

A Feature
11-Todd Chrisman
55Z-Zach Schultz
32-Lloyd Meeske
76-Jason Davis
36-Caleb Peters
24-Bob Chalupa
42KC-Kyle Werkmeister
24KC-Casey Werkmeister
8R-Brent Riley (DNF)
2M-Bill Matson (DNF)
25KO-Brady Koch (DNF)

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat 1
3L-Leland Stute
70KO-Aaron Koch
2-Justin Wagner

Heat 2
74KO-Jason Koch
3-John Huffman
16D-Todd Pankonin

Trophy Dash
3L-Leland Stute

A Feature
2-Justin Wagner
74KO-Jason Koch
3-John Huffman
00K-Kyle Bond
22-Austin Davis
X5-Eric Picquet
3L-Leland Stute
00-Chad Brenning
23H-Bruce Hagan, Sr.
24-Brian Peyton
33-Shane Klockman (DNF)
3TX-Jebb Tally (DNF)
70KO-Aaron Koch (DNF)
16D-Todd Pankonin (DNF)

Classic Modifieds
Heat 1
K2-Karl Wickizer
20-Jay Alberts
413-Larry Pollmann

A Feature
K2-Karl Wickizer
P82-Max Pollmann
413-Larry Pollmann
56E-Duke Ebert
29B-Mike Brenning
P83-Loren Pollmann
20-Jay Alberts

Mini-Trucks
Heat 1
33-Leelan Bieker
97-Cindy Murray
25-Delbert Ridenour

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

A Feature
33-Leelan Bieker
52-Dennis Wasson
97-Cindy Murray
34W-David Wimer
34B-Josh Bopp
14F-Royal Fisher
86-Jake Sahm
25-Delbert Ridenour
88-Jake Olmstead
12J-Robin Runge (DNF)
05-Mike Schrader (DNS)