MADSEN AND PODRAZA OBTAIN FIRST FEATURE WINS AT SHELBY COUNTY SPEEDWAY
by Bonnie Errett

HARLAN, IA (Aug. 5, 2006) – Two new drivers entered victory lane Saturday during Shelby County Chamber of Commerce night, including local favorite Brad Madsen as well as Tim Podraza from Carter Lake, Iowa.

Last week’s feature winner, B.J. Bruck, initiated the IMCA Modified feature as Brad "Blackie" Madsen dashed up to second. Dale Ransom grasped onto third, and Dave Hulsebus took fourth by the end of the first lap. On the second lap of the feature, Madsen glided by Bruck on the low side to move his car into first. Four laps in, Jeff Stephens took over fourth, and as Madsen stretched out his lead, Stephens fought his way into third. Stephens continued forward, ascending up to second, but halfway through the race, Stephen’s car malfunctioned and he began to slow. Jeff Anderson spun to miss and Hulsebus unluckily slammed into Anderson, taking them both out of the race. Ransom was now in second and Tim Plowman third. Madsen skillfully maintained the lead through two more cautions as Craig Reetz maneuvered up to second and points leader, Greg Cox, third. Bill Osbahr rounded out the top four as Madsen received the checkered flags for his first win of the 2006 season.

Starting on the pole, Tim Podraza swiftly escorted the ProAms into turn one of their feature ahead of Matt Smith and Jim Kruse. By turn three of the first lap, Denny Berghahn collected the third spot, but his son, Denny Berghahn Jr. stole the position before a caution was thrown on the second lap of the race. The Berghahns quickly climbed up to second and third and Charles Grabill filled in fourth. As Podraza maintained a powerful lead, Mike Brown was rapidly moving forward through the field. With four laps to go, Brown grabbed second and closed the gap to the leader. But Podraza, who led the entire race, dominated to the finish line for his first feature win of the season.

The IMCA Stock Car feature was taken control of by Clay Christian on the first lap of the race with Ryan Webb in second and Tim Bengard third. Going into turn one four laps after the drop of the green, Bengard dove low, initiating a battle for second with Webb. At eleven to go, Bengard had a hold on second. Chris Ullrich inched around Webb for third at eight to go, but one lap later, Webb snatched the position back. Christian and Bengard were running side-by-side at this point, but with six laps left, Bengard pushed forward into the lead as Trent Partridge claimed fourth. Partridge worked to get around Webb, but was held off and crossed the finish line in fourth with Jason Rold, who started the race in last, at his side. Bengard rolled to victory lane for the third week in a row.

Michael Murphy aggressively led the IMCA Hobby Stocks into their feature, followed closely by Mike Harris and Kenny Hansen. Dale Towne took on Hansen for third, but it was Trent Murphy who shot up to steal the position on lap three. Trent did not last long in the spot as Luke Wanninger took third for himself by the front stretch and quickly migrated up to second. At the seven to go marker, Donovan Smith jumped from fifth to third with Trent hanging on in fourth. Halfway through the race, Wanninger had reeled in race leader, Michael, and got around him down the front to take first. Two laps later, Donovan was behind Wanninger. A caution came out with two laps remaining and Wanninger left the race, leaving Donovan in first and Michael second. Running on the high side at the next start, Dustin Smith powered up to third and down the backstretch of the final lap claimed second. Dustin followed his brother through the checkered flags as Donovan picked up his thirteenth win at the track.

After starting the race in fifth, Willy Muhr was leading the Hornet feature by the backstretch of the first lap with points leader, Joseph Mefferd, in second and Bayley Nicholl third. Corey Madden swept up the fourth position by the end of lap one. In turn two of the next lap, Madden climbed up to third with Andrew Hicks following to take fourth. Muhr stretched into a big lead as Hicks stayed glued to Madden’s tail end. In turn four of the final lap of the race, Madden got around the low side of Mefferd and Hicks took the high side around him to finish the race in second and third as Muhr collected win number five.

Next Saturday gates open at 5:00 pm, with hot laps at 6:30 pm, and racing immediately following.

Results for 08/05/06

I.M.C.A. Modifieds

A-Feature: 1. 54 Brad Madsen, Kimballton; 2. 1R Craig Reetz, Dunlap; 3. 62 Greg Cox, Altoona; 4. 12 Bill Osbahr, Avoca; 5. 2K Chad Preul, Westside; 6. 23 Jim Thies; 7. 6C Eric Meents, Denison; 8. Z62 Dan McKeighan, Carter Lake; 9. 17P Tim Plowman, Woodbine; 10. 91B B.J. Bruck, Westphalia; 11. 34 James Showers, Mo. Valley; 12. 28 Chase Mewhirter, Atlantic; 13. 73 Travis Mewhirter, Atlantic; 14. 19J Jeff Jones, C.B.; 15. 2R Dale Ransom, Denison; 16. 92 Jeff Stephens, Arion; 17. 1 Dave Hulsebus, Tennant; 18. 78 Jeff Anderson, Atlantic; 19. 11 Chad Dills, Shelby

1st Heat: Madsen, Osbahr, Plowman, Thies

2nd Heat: Bruck, Cox, Stephens, Meents

3rd Heat: Anderson, Reetz, Ransom, Hulsebus

ProAms

A-Feature: 1. 3T Tim Podraza; 2. 2 Mike Brown, Glenwood; 3. 6X Denny Berghahn, Omaha; 4. 11K Kerry Kierscht, Denison; 5. 40 Charles Grabill, Harlan; 6. 6M Matt McAtee, Crescent; 7. 6 Denny Berghahn, Jr., Omaha; 8. 4 Galen Grabill, Harlan; 9. 7 Jim Kruse, Omaha; 10. 96 Matt Smith; 11. 1K Heath Kasperbaur, Dedham; 12. 81 Dwain Pelzer, Malvern; 13. 71 Bill Hargens, Omaha

1st Heat: Brown, McAtee, Berghahn, Kruse

2nd Heat: Podraza, Kierscht, Pelzer, Berghahn, Jr.

I.M.C.A. Stock Cars

A-Feature: 1. 19B Tim Bengard, Exira; 2. 7 Clay Christian, Avoca; 3. ZR1 Ryan Webb, Denison; 4. 76 Trent Partridge, Elk Horn; 5. 96 Jason Rold, Hancock; 6. 92B Brian Blessington, Breda; 7. 38 Josh Filmer, Lake City; 8. 90 Andy Miller, Carson; 9. P42 Dave Plowman, Gretna; 10. 29 Tanner Partridge, Walnut; 11. 37X Rick Christensen, Audubon; 12. 01U Chirs Ullrich, Kiron; 13. 25C Chad Devereaux, Council Bluffs; 14. Z06 Jesy Webb, Denison; 15. 63 Mike Nichols, Harlan; 16. 4K Mick King, C.B.; 17. 8 David Smith, Lake City; 18. 10X Keith Knop, Avoca; 19. 26 Bill Reetz, Carroll

1st Heat: Webb, Miller, Nichols, Devereaux

2nd Heat: Christian, Blessington, Knop, King

3rd Heat: Bengard, Smith, Trent Partridge, Ullrich

I.M.C.A. Hobby Stocks

A-Feature: 1. 35 Donovan Smith, Lake City; 2. 85 Dustin Smith, Lake City; 3. 25M Michael Murphy, Jefferson; 4. 14K Kenny Hansen; 5. 83 Mike Harris, Avoca; 6. 3S Brian Snell, Coon Rapids; 7. 55 Jason Fusselman, Shelby; 8. 2X Chuck Madden Jr., Avoca; 9. 68+1 Blaine Petersen, Essex; 10. 121 Robert Tippery, C.B.; 11. 98 Derrick Rohe; 12. 7W Willie Ransom, Irwin; 13. 74N Jason Nielsen, Underwood; 14. 25X Trent Murphy, Jefferson; 15. 20 Luke Wanninger, Jefferson; 16. 15 Dale Towne, Avoca; 17. 5G Tyler Griffen; 18. 60 Tanner Powers, Exira; 19. 77JX Shawn Chapman, Harlan; 20. 14 Jay Hansen, Audubon

1st Heat: Nielsen, Donovan Smith, Michael Murphy, Snell

2nd Heat: Griffen, Trent Murphy, Wanninger, Harris

3rd Heat: Towne, Fusselman, Hansen, Madden Jr.

Hornets

A-Feature: 1. 84 Willy Muhr, Exira; 2. 2 Corey Madden, Avoca; 3. 26 Andrew Hicks, Dunlap; 4. 3 Joseph Mefferd, Dunlap; 5. 35 Daniel Smith, Lake City; 6. 22 Shannon Mahlberg, Dunlap; 7. 00 Bayley Nicholl, Audubon; 8. 38S Chris Shanno, Council Bluffs

Heat: Muhr, Madden, Hicks, Nicholl