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Johnson Wins On “Fire and Rain” Weekend at Dawson County
Raceway
By Darin Racek
LEXINGTON, Nebr. (August 16) - If there was a song that would sum up the
August 16 races at Dawson County Raceway, it would be James Taylor’s “Fire
and Rain.” The rain came down on Friday and Saturday nights, accumulating to
nearly two inches. Promoter Allen Wissmann and crew worked hard to get the
dirt track ready for Sunday night’s races, and much of the track was racey,
but there still rough spots on the track and water holes in the bottom of
the corners. The fire came in the IMCA Hobby Stock A Feature after Lexington
driver Hunter Cantrall popped a left front tire in corner four, lost
control, and swerved into the path of Corey Cruzan of Maxwell. Cruzan’s
bumper sheered deep into Cantrall’s car, knocking off the fuel pump and
creating a big fire in front of the stands. Fortunately, both drivers were
able to get out of their cars only slightly warm. C.J. Johnson of Quinter,
Kansas, Bo Egge of Kearney, Mike Nichols of Harlan, Iowa, and Kyle Bond of
Gibbon saw the checkered flag again at the end of their four A Features.
The United Rebel Sprint Series was in town, and twenty drivers came to town
to put on an impressive twenty-five lap show. McCook driver Darren Berry
started on the pole and paced the race up to lap ten when his cousin Nate
Berry, also of McCook, spun off the back straight. On the restart, heat
winner Keith Hemel of Dodge City began to apply pressure, but it was evident
the front wing on his car had some damage on the left brace. It is unknown
whether that aided in his flying off of corner four and spinning on lap
fifteen is unknown. That moved heat winner C. J.
Johnson into second spot, and the current point leader applied the pressure
to Berry. Berry showed the way for a few more laps, but finally bobbled,
which opened the door for Johnson, and once he got out front, there was no
stopping him. Berry’s night ended after the car shut down with a few laps to
go, and a top five finish became a bottom five DNF. Jon Johnson of Quinter,
Kansas had a couple of shots of passing his son, but he had to settle for
second place. Josh Fairbank of Goddard, Kansas had one of his best runs with
the series and took home third place, ahead of Brian Herbert of Dodge City,
Kansas, and Howard Van Dyke of Clay Center, Kansas. Michael Williams of
Park, Kansas was the other heat race winner for the URSS Sprinters.
Leading the IMCA Modified A Feature early on was not a good thing. James
Libra of Elm Creek had the early lead, then nearly had his car hop off of
corner four, catching the tail of Jamey Kennicutt of Gothenburg. After the
caution, heat winner Kennicutt was given the lead, but after pieces flew off
of his car and created a caution, he was sent to the back of the field,
handing the lead to Bo Egge. Egge had participated in a Late Model race in
Dodge City, Kansas the night before, and he looked like he had a Late Model
on the track compared to the Modifeds. The last seventeen laps of the A
Feature went unabated, and there was nothing to slow Egge down to complete
the heat race, cash dash, and A Feature sweep. Jeremy Frenier of Fort
Morgan, Colorado started in the back after pitting during an early caution,
yet worked himself into second place at the finish. Jay Steffens of North
Platte was the driver involved in the final caution in lap three, but was
able to come from fourteenth and pass Chad Dolan of Gibbon in the last
couple of laps for third place. Jim Mlady of North Platte finished in fifth
place.
The IMCA Stock Car A Feature was far from a perfect race, slowed eight times
for cautions, and was ended a few laps short of the scheduled twenty after
the eighth one. Mike Nichols was not slow in taking the lead, as he somehow
snaked his way from row five to around former leader Kerry Jones of North
Platte in only two laps. He would never be confronted for the spot. Jason
Koch of Cambridge started near the front and stayed away from the trouble
behind him for his best finish of the year, second place. Heat race winner
Colton Osborne of Cozad was involved in a tangle with Aaron Koch on lap six,
but worked his way back by his brother Cale (also a heat race winner) for
third place. Heat winner Kyle Werkmeister of Maywood was credited with fifth
place when the car deemed to create the final caution (by debris) was moved
down the scoring order.
Besides the fire in the IMCA Hobby Stock A Feature, a chaotic pileup on the
opening involving at least eight cars also stopped the event, and that on
the first lap. Jim Rayburn of Gibbon rolled his car in the accident, and he
was the only driver that appeared to be tended to by medical crew. He went
to the pits on his own, but talk after the races, he went for further medial
evaluation, and his condition at press time was unknown. Tim Miller of Grand
Island, one of the drivers involved in the wreck, started the race after the
wreck in twelfth, yet took the lead from Hunter Cantrall on lap four. After
the Cantrall/Cruzan accident, Kyle Bond, who was also in the wreck,
challenged for the lead. The two put on a great side-by-side battle until
Bond was finally clear Miller with two laps to go and drive on for the win.
Dillon Thompson of Campbell finished in third place. Greg Hoing of Johnson
Lake was spun out on the final lap, but credited with fourth place, where he
was running before the accident. Frank Mladek of Cozad was credited with
fifth place.
The drivers of the IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, and Hobby Stocks have a week
to regroup, as next Sunday will be Championship night at Dawson County
Raceway, the final night of points. The SportMods will pay a visit as well.
The gates open on August 23 at 5 PM, and the races will start at 6:30 PM.
August 16 Results
URSS Sprints
Heat 1
86-Jon Johnson
45X-C. J. Johnson
12-Darren Berry
Heat 2
11-Keith Hemel
51-Josh Fairbank
79-Ken Lutters
Heat 3
77W-Michael Williams
2H-Bill Hays
74-Howard Van Dyke
A Feature
45X-C. J. Johnson
86-Jon Johnson
51-Josh Fairbank
97-Brian Herbert
74-Howard Van Dyke
C3-Reed Bernbeck
79-Ken Lutters
36W-Willie Wynn
11-Keith Hemel
2H-Bill Hays
12T-Nate Berry
5R-Randy Bantam
2-Smokey Fairbank
3R-Shawn Radcliffe
27B-Blake Bogenhagen
17-Chad Salem
12-Darren Berry (DNF)
21R-Jeff Radcliffe (DNF)
77W-Michael Williams (DNF)
83X-Mike Woodruff (DNF)
IMCA Modified
Heat 1
15K-Jamey Kennicutt
12J-Jay Steffens
7-James Libra
Heat 2
2X-Bo Egge
17J-Jeremy Frenier
22-Chris Avery
Cash Dash
2X-Bo Egge
A Feature
2X-Bo Egge
17J-Jeremy Frenier
12J-Jay Steffens
87D-Chad Dolan
19J-Jim Mlady
2-Jeremy Herbst
19-Charles Stryker
50-Scott Smith
00M-James Moore
95-Meddie Cote
22-Chris Avery
7-James Libra
15K-Jamey Kennicutt (DNF)
95W-Ty Rogers (DNF)
7R-Vince Leibert (DNS)
IMCA Stock Car
Heat 1
6C-Cale Osborn
63-Mike Nichols
70KO-Aaron Koch
Heat 2
50-Colton Osborn
24W-Casey Werkmeister
29E-Brendan Eilts
Heat 3
42W-Kyle Werkmeister
18-Jason Smidt
74KO-Jason Koch
A Feature
63-Mike Nichols
74KO-Jason Koch
50-Colton Osborn
6C-Cale Osborn
42W-Kyle Werkmeister
29E-Brendan Eilts
16-Jeff Whiting
57-Dan Stoll
18-Jason Smidt
24W-Casey Werkmeister
00-Sara Powers
20B-Brandon Clough (DNF)
51-Brett Gartrell (DNF)
70KO-Aaron Koch (DNF)
12J-Kerry Jones (DNF)
5S-Shane Stout (DNF)
1-Denny Egge (DNS)
09H-Bob Hoing (DNS)
IMCA Hobby Stock
Heat 1
0-Kyle Bond
00H-Greg Hoing
80-Jim Rayburn
Heat 2
00-Eric Steinmark
29-Jeromy Wagner
3D-Dalton Dolan
Heat 3
8C-Corey Cruzan
20-Hunter Cantrall
27-Tim Miller
A Feature
0-Kyle Bond
27-Tim Miller
11-Dillon Thompson
00H-Greg Hoing
5M-Frank Mladek
5-Chuck Ledbetter, Jr.
3D-Dalton Dolan
40-Dan Rheome
29-Jeromy Wagner (DNF)
20-Hunter Cantrall (DNF)
8C-Corey Cruzan (DNF)
26-Ryan Gardine (DNF)
80-Jim Rayburn (DNF)
99H-David Easterday (DNF)
66-Terry Eatherton (DNF)
00-Eric Steinmark (DNF)
6J-Johnny Sabin (DNS)
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