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Austin Davis Crowned “Burger King”; Alex Pollmann Wins Last
Classic Modified Race
By Darin Racek
McCOOK, Nebr. (August 21) - The track was in excellent shape for the
gigantic season finale at McCook Speedway August 21. Two makeup A Features
from June were added to the show. The night was Racers Memorial Night, as
the original night was rained out as well. The Classic Modifieds ran what is
believed to be the last race for the class. The IMCA Hobby Stocks ran the
Burger King Nine For Nine championship race. And, it was championship night
for all of the classes. Kody DeWester and Billy Aeby of McCook, Alex
Pollmann of Trenton, Jeremy Frenier of Fort Morgan, Colorado, Shane Stout of
North Platte, Bryan Herrick of Curtis, and were the winners of the exciting
A Features. The points champions were Frenier, Lloyd Meeske of Champion,
Austin Davis of Benkelman, Herrick, and Max Pollmann of Trenton became the
champions of each of their classes.
The final event of the night was the Burger King Nine For Nine Championship
race, a nine lap race with a $1,500.00 purse for the nine IMCA Hobby Stock
qualifiers. A hand of Five Card Stud was dealt to determine the lineup.
Points winner Corey Cruzan cut the deck and helps his efforts for the
$300.00 top prize money by being dealt two pair, good enough for the pole.
He and Austin Davis started in the front row, and they took off with the
front spots. Cruzan had the lead, and appeared to be cruising towards the
crown, but just after the halfway point, a new tire on the car went flat,
and his race was over. Davis took command with a car that had extra time
spent on it during the week in preparation for one of the richest IMCA Hobby
Stock races in Nebraska, and it paid off when he crossed the scoring line at
lap nine first. Greg Hoing of Johnson Lake finished in second place. Leland
Stute of Benkelman, who started last after being dealt an eight high poker
hand, got by son Litton Stute in the last couple of laps for third. Chuck
Ledbetter, Jr. of Loomis had a fifth place effort, and the $150.00 for his
effort was his largest racing paycheck of his career.
The IMCA Hobby Stock Car A Feature was a little more tense, with the
championship on the line and only three points separating Austin Davis and
Leland Stute. It became even more tense when those two and heat race winner
Richard Boone got together for a Benkelman racing meeting in corner two in
the second quarter of the race, and both contenders fell to the back. Up
front, Cody DeWester took command of the race from Jason Stephens of McCook
on lap eight and bared down on lapping Davis. Fortunately for Davis, the
caution came out with seven laps to go, allowing him to regroup with the
field. In the middle of the pack, Davis got by Stute, and the two finished
in seventh and eighth place, earning Davis the track championship. Up front,
no one way denying DeWester his first A Feature win at McCook Speedway.
Lexington promoter Allen Wissmann of Bertrand finished in second place. Greg
Hoing finished in third, heat race winner Corey Cruzan was fourth place, and
Litton Stute finished in fifth. Hunter Cantrall of Lexington was the other
heat race winner.
After sixteen years in Southwestern Nebraska, the Classic Modified division
ran what is believed to be it’s final night of racing. In the A Feature ran
to make up for the June 27 rainout Billy Aeby finally accomplished his goal
of winning an A Feature after almost two full seasons of trying. Max
Pollmann finished in second place, ahead of Loren Pollmann of Trenton, Chad
Coleman of McCook, and Alex Pollmann. The second feature, the final race for
the class, was a wild affair. Alex and Max Pollmann got out front early and
appeared to be the ones to beat. Coming around to complete lap three, Alex
spun, slowing down Max, and handing the lead to Aeby. Max then spun in
corner two, bringing out the caution. Aeby’s hopes of winning both features
for the night were hindered after Alex regrouped and made the pass for the
lead in the waning laps. It went out the window for Aeby after he looped the
car in corner two. Max Pollmann drove like “Mad Max” trying to get back from
the front, but could not deny Alex Pollmann the final victory. The two
second place finishes aided Max Pollmann in winning the final Classic
Modified points title. Loren Pollmann, the final Classic Modified heat race
winner, finished in third, wrapping up the final Pollmann sweep. McCook
racers Nate Berry and Chad Coleman rounded out the final top five.
Jeremy Frenier and McCook driver Brian Hagan were separated by one point
going into the last night in the IMCA Modified division. The A Feature had
the feeling of a long race, as the caution flag waved twice, with only two
laps completed. Fortunately, the final eighteen laps went caution free. Heat
winners Bryan Hagan of Culbertson and Jay Schilling of North Platte led the
first seven laps of the race. After Schilling took over on lap three, he
pulled out for a fair sized lead. However, Frenier found the fast lines
around the track as his car moved forward, caught Schilling, passed him on
lap eight, and secured the points title with the A Feature win. Don Hagan,
Jr. of McCook kept Brandon at bay for third place. Jay Schilling of North
Platte finished in fifth place.
The IMCA Stock Car A Feature was a thing of beauty, as the cars raced
side-by-side and nose-to-tail through much of the race. Rookie driver Cale
Osborn of Cozad was able to sneak by his fellow heat race winner Travis
Tilford of North Platte on lap four. Osborn was looking for his first A
Feature win in his attempt for Rookie of The Year honors. Shane Stout had
plans of his own, and after clearing the rest of the pack, challenged for
the lead. On lap twelve, Stout made the successful move to the lead, which
eventually led to the win. Osborn recorded his best finish of the year with
his second place. Dave Plowman of Gretna finished in third place, ahead of
IMCA Stock Car champion Lloyd Meeske, ironically of Champion. Larry Pollmann
of McCook rounded out the top five.
Bryan Herrick swept both features, the heat race, and the points title in
the SportMod division on August 21. In the early A Feature, Herrick followed
Mitch Hamilton of McCook, until Hamilton went too high on lap six, nearly
drove the car off of the track, and spun. Hamilton made it back through the
field to second place at the end, but could not get by Herrick for that win.
Duke Ebert of Culbertson and Josh Bopp of McCook finished in third and
fourth places. Herrick took the lead on the opening lap on the second
feature and walked away to nearly a half lap lead at the finish line. Josh
Bopp finished in second place for his best SportMod feature finish of the
year.
McCook Speedway would like to thank sponsors, fans, and racers who supported
the track during the 2009 racing season.
August 21 results
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1
07S-Jay Schilling
12J-Jay Steffens
20-Tony Schultz
Heat 2
25H-Bryan Hagan
3RW-Ronnie Wallace
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
A Feature
17J-Jeremy Frenier
07S-Jay Schilling
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
121-Brandon Hagan
12J-Jay Steffens
25H-Bryan Hagan
1Z-Mike Ziegler
2J-Jim Gronewold
20-Tony Schultz (DNF)
3RW-Ronnie Wallace (DNF)
IMCA Stock Cars
Heat 1
8-Travis Tilford
5S-Shane Stout
42W-Kyle Werkmeister
Heat 2
6C-Cale Osborn
24W-Casey Werkmeister
413-Larry Pollmann
A Feature
5S-Shane Stout
6C-Cale Osborn
P42-Dave Plowman
32-Lloyd Meeske
413-Larry Pollmann
8-Travis Tilford
51B-Brett Gartrell
74KO-Jason Koch
70KO-Aaron Koch (DNF)
24W-Casey Werkmeister (DNF)
42W-Kyle Werkmeister (DNF)
09H-Bob Hoing (DNF)
IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat 1
20-Hunter Cantrall
3L-Leland Stute
2AW-Allen Wissmann
Heat 2
8C-Corey Cruzan
4J-Jason Stephens
22-Austin Davis
Heat 3
33-Richard Boon
20K-Cody DeWester
00H-Greg Hoing
A Feature
20K-Cody DeWester
2AW-Allen Wissmann
00H-Greg Hoing
8C-Corey Cruzan
10-Litton Stute
22-Austin Davis
3L-Leland Stute
5-Chuck Ledbetter
23H-Dave Werner
20-Hunter Cantrall
24-Ray Caldwell
33-Richard Boon
34-Josh Bopp (DNF)
3D-Dalton Dolan (DNF)
11-Dillon Thompson (DNF)
4J-Jason Stephens (DQ)
Burger King 9 for 9 Championship Race
22-Austin Davis
00H-Greg Hoing
3L-Leland Stute
10-Litton Stute
5-Chuck Ledbetter
8C-Corey Cruzan
4J-Jason Stephens
11-Dillon Thompson
20-Hunter Cantrall
Classic Modifieds
Makeup Feature
711-Billy Aeby
P82-Max Pollmann
2-Loren Pollmann
25-Chad Coleman
P84-Alex Pollmann
20-Nate Berry (DNF)
Heat
2-Loren Pollmann
P84-Alex Pollmann
711-Billy Aeby
A Feature
P84-Alex Pollmann
P82-Max Pollmann
2-Loren Pollmann
20-Nate Berry
25-Chad Coleman
711-Billy Aeby
SportMods
Makeup Feature
0-Bryan Herrick
77H-Mitch Hamilton
56E-Duke Ebert
737-Josh Bopp
Heat
0-Bryan Herrick
56E-Duke Ebert
77H-Mitch Hamilton
A Feature
0-Bryan Herrick
737-Josh Bopp
77H-Mitch Hamilton
56E-Duke Ebert
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