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McCOOK, Nebraska (July 1, 2011) - Things got off to a rocky start for everyone at McCook Speedway July 1. A serious accident east of town before the races caused a delay in the start of events because there was not an ambulance or fire truck available. Once the ambulance was back nearby, and the fire trucks were on the way could the night get started. It ended up being a good night for Mike Saathoff and Shane Stout of North Platte, Jeremy Frenier of Fort Morgan, Colorado, Dave Plowman of Gretna, and Austin Davis of Benkelman, as they took home the A Feature trophies. Eleven IMCA 305 Sprint Cars came into the night with hopes of winning, but Tommy Lee Williams of North Platte had that hope shot in the heat race after flipping his car several times. Fortunately, he was not hurt. His teammate, Mike Saathoff, had a much better start to his night, as he was able to win his heat. The A Feature would get even better. Saathoff jumped to the lead on the opening lap of the main event. The lead shrunk to a car length after a lengthy caution period for the car of Ron Hadley of Norton who backed off of corner two. When the race resumed, Saathoff again pulled out to a big lead on Howard Van Dyke of Clay Center, Kansas. Despite having to navigate through slower traffic, the rookie Saathoff never allowed the Kansas driver to close in on him and took his first ever Sprint Car A Feature win, and his first feature win overall in six years. Heat winner Darren Berry of McCook finished in third place. Fellow hometown driver Troy Edwards was fourth, and Randy Bantam of Norton, Kansas finished in fifth place. The IMCA Modified A Feature was also slowed by only one caution period. Charles Stryker of Eddyville took the lead from heat winner Don Hagan, Jr. of McCook on lap one and rode the high line to a big lead over the field. Jeremy Frenier also found the high line to his liking and used it to close in on Stryker. It took until five laps to go for Frenier to hit the corners just right to drop under Stryker and inherit the top spot. Frenier then pushed up in corner two, which opened the door to the Eddyville driver, but once his car caught traction, the Colorado driver went forward and earned his second victory in a row. Jay Steffens of North Platte started in sixth spot on the restart after the yellow and improved to third place at the finish. Ronnie Wallace of McCook and Hagan rounded out the top five. Jamey Kennicutt of Gothenburg ended up in the back of the IMCA Northern SportMod A Feature after an opening lap incident. It must have fired the heat race winner up, as he drove from the back to the front in two laps. Shane Stout started in row three and was a little slower on his way to the front. Once he caught Kennicutt, the two put on a good battle. Kennicutt’s car appeared to lose a little of the handle while Stout was working to find a better way around the track. On lap ten, he found the better way to the lead, and kept the Gothenburg driver at bay for his second wins in as many features at McCook Speedway. Colton Osborn of Cozad finished in third spot. Hunter Cantrall of Overton continued the run of cars from Dawson County as he put in his SportMod-best effort of fourth place. Cody DeWester of McCook finished in fifth place. Had the race gone one lap more, he may have been several spots back, as the rear end of his car seized up for the second time in the night. Sixteen IMCA Stock Cars started their main event, and all sixteen finished. Racin’ Jason Davis of Norton, Kansas passed Bob Chalupa of McCook on lap two. Two cautions in the next two laps kept the field close to him, and after a lap five restart, Dave Plowman made his charge. He was able to get out of corner four ahead of Davis to lead lap six and navigated his car on a driver’s dry slick track to the checkered flag on lap twenty. Davis was able to maintain second place. Cale Osborn of Cozad started in row five and worked his way to the third spot at the finish. Larry Pollmann of McCook finished the night with a win in his heat race and a fourth place finish. Jesse Taylor of Fort Morgan, Colorado kept ahead of heat winner Brandon Clough of Wallace for fifth place. Because of a lack of IMCA Hobby Stocks, only an A Feature was run. Austin Davis grabbed the lead from Chuck Ledbetter of Loomis at the start and paced the eight lap event. Ray Caldwell of McCook was unable to start the feature. McCook Speedway will be back in action on Friday night, July 8. The gates will open at 6 p.m., and the races will start at 8 p.m., weather permitting, and there are no emergency situations in the area. July 1 results A Feature IMCA Stock Cars Heat 2 A Feature IMCA Hobby Stocks IMCA Northern
SportMod A Feature IMCA 305 Sprint Cars Heat 2 A Feature
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