Stryker, Koch, Buss, Sabin Have Smooth Runs at Dawson County Raceway
By Darin Racek

LEXINGTON, NE (June 24) - Promoter Allen Wissmann worked hard to get Dawson County Raceway in Lexington much smoother for the June 24 show, and he was able to accomplish his mission. Chuck Stryker of Eddyville, Brady Koch of Cambridge, Kyle Bond of Kearney, and Josh Sabin of North Platte all accomplished their missions for the night, winning the night’s A Features.

Heat race winner Chuck Stryker snuck by Charley Brown of Maxwell for the lead on the opening lap of the IMCA Modified A Feature. Stryker worked his way out to a big lead when the caution flag waved for a spin on lap ten. That allowed Robby Haines of Benkelman and heat winner David Murray of Oberlin, Kan. to line up on his back bumper. When racing resumed, Stryker resumed his line and pulled away from the field for his second feature win in as many weeks. Haines held onto second place. Murray had to fend off some charges, first by cash dash winner Jay Steffens of North Platte, then points leader Ronnie Wallace of North Platte, to hang onto third place. Wallace finished in fourth, while Brandon Hagan of Culbertson took home fifth place.

It was a tricky dance at the front of the IMCA Stock Car A Feature when the leaders wanted to do battle. Jeff Whiting of Gothenburg had the early lead, but when he and Brady Koch began racing side-by-side, Whiting spun and dropped out of contention. That moved Koch to the lead and Lexington driver Jim Hagan to the second spot. As Hagan tried to slide underneath Koch in corner three, Hagan’s rear tires began to slide around, sending him up the track backwards. John Huffman of McCook had no where to go and ran into the Hagan car, ending Hagan’s night. Colton Osborn of Cozad inherited second spot, but lost touch with Koch and dropped back to fourth place come the final lap. Jason Smidt of Minden herded his way up to second, but still was left by Koch to hold the goat. Shane Stout of North Platte took third place, ahead of Osborn and Casey Werkmeister of Maywood. Dan Walker of Eddyville and Huffman were the winners of the IMCA Stock Car heat races.

The IMCA Hobby Stock A Feature was rough on a considerable amount of cars. Only six of the original thirteen starters finished, most of them taken out after Gary Kneher of Kearney spun while running in third place. Of the five cars seriously involved in the accident, only one remained in the race. Chuck Ledbetter, Jr. of Loomis paced he early portion of the race, but before the sixth lap was completed, Jim Buss of Blue Hill found a way by. Heat winner Kyle Bond of Kearney soon joined Buss at the front of the field. Although these two have raced each other several times in Central Nebraska at the front of the field, sometimes with Bond winning, and sometimes with Buss winning, Buss was the one who controlled the race to the finish. Anthony Martin of Wilcox took the third place honors. Robert Donaly of Bertrand had his best ever finish, as he took home fourth. Ledbetter rounded out the top five. Jason Koch of Cambridge was the other IMCA Hobby Stock heat race victor.

Some of the area Mini Sprints came to race on the front stretch of Dawson County Raceway, and were given a little different track, built with a dirt berm on the inside of the corners rather than a chain of tires. It didn’t matter to Josh Sabin, as he took the heat win, then passed Arden Myers of McCook on lap six of the A Feature en route to that win. Myers was able to hold on for second place. J. R. Way of Lexington showed in third place. D. J. Buck of Odessa and Adam Nielsen of Lexington rounded out the top five.

Dawson County Raceway will be back in action on Sunday night, July 1. The same four classes will be back in action to race. The gates will open at 5 PM, with the races starting at 7 PM.


June 24 results
IMCA Modified
Heat 1
19-Chuck Stryker
3RW-Ronnie Wallace
21H-Brandon Hagan

Heat 2
97M-David Murray, Jr.
12J-Jay Steffens
7A-Steve Aitken

Cash Dash
12J-Jay Steffens

A Feature
19-Chuck Stryker
9R-Robby Haines
97M-David Murray, Jr.
3RW-Ronnie Wallace
21H-Brandon Hagan
12J-Jay Steffens
7A-Steve Aitken
H2O-Jess Anderson
15-Jamey Kennicutt
7R-Vince Leibert
4C-Charley Brown
95-Meddie Cote (DNF)
25-Toph Harmon (DNF)

IMCA Stock Car
Heat 1
3-John Huffman
24KC-Casey Werkmeister
25KO-Brady Koch

Heat 2
24-Dan Walker
5S-Shane Stout
50-Colton Osborn

A Feature
25KO-Brady Koch
18-Jason Smidt
5S-Shane Stout
50-Colton Osborn
24KC-Casey Werkmeister
3-John Huffman
18X-Stew Holmes
16-Jeff Whiting
47-Russ Small, Sr.
24-Dan Walker
72H-Jim Hagan (DNF)
27-Hanny Arram (DNF)

IMCA Hobby Stock
Heat 1
0-Kyle Bond
70KO-Aaron Koch
9A-Anthony Martin

Heat 2
74KO-Jason Koch
12-Jim Buss
H2O-Cory Allen

A Feature
12-Jim Buss
0-Kyle Bond
9A-Anthony Martin
9-Robert Donaly
5-Chuck Ledbetter, Jr.
H2O-Cory Allen
72H-Kevin Hagan (DNF)
4M-Frank Mladek (DNF)
040-Gary Kneher (DNF)
74KO-Jason Koch (DNF)
27H-Sean Hagan (DNF)
53-Tyler Easterday (DNF)
70KO-Aaron Koch (DNF)
20-Hunter Cantrall (DNS)

Mini Sprints
Heat
23S-Josh Sabin
28-J. R. Way
44-D. J. Buck

A Feature
23S-Josh Sabin
42-Arden Myers
28-J. R. Way
44-D. J. Buck
21X-Adam Nielsen