REETZ, KNIPE, NICHOLS, AND HICKS SNATCH FIRST FEATURE WINS AT
SHELBY COUNTY SPEEDWAY
by Jessica Errett

HARLAN, Iowa (April 8) – As the third week at the Shelby County Speedway got underway, it was evident that the early-season jitters were gone, and confidence and determination filled the field of 121 cars.

Mike Smith took the first spot early in the Late Model 20 lap A-feature on the cool Saturday evening. As Smith commanded the lead, Bob Moore and Jeremy Grady began a long battle for second that left them trading positions for many laps. As soon as Bob Moore got control of second, the caution flag came out on lap 14, bringing the field together and promising an exciting finish. After the restart, Barry Sorensen captured fourth place and then the following lap gained third position coming out of the high side of turn 4. Mike Smith widened his lead going on to win the feature race for the second week in a row.

After two complete restarts, the 20 lap Modified A-feature got underway with Dale Ransom as its leader. Dan McKeighan quickly maneuvered his way between Jeff James and Mike Albertsen to claim second position. Craig Reetz moved into third on lap 4, using the high side of the track, and drove into the lead coming out of turn 4 on the following lap. As Reetz began to stretch out his lead, Jeff Anderson was charging through the rest of the pack, claiming third on lap 14. Reetz continued to lead McKeighan, Anderson, and Ricky Stephan to the end and grabbed his first feature win of the season.

The ProAm feature began with Ray Knipe in the first position, and Galen and Charles Grabill battling for second. Through 3-wide racing, Kerry Kierscht made a bold move on the outside that moved him into second on lap 5, as Charles and Mike Brown trailed closely behind. Knipe never let his lead slip, even with Kierscht threatening from behind. Starting from thirteenth position, last week’s feature winner, Matt McAtee found himself in fourth place by lap 10 and would eventually also take third. But Knipe went on to win his first feature at Shelby County Speedway ahead of Kierscht, McAtee, and Brown.

Steve Curtis took the front position at the beginning of the I.M.C.A. Stock Car feature ahead of Bill Reetz and Jason Rold. On lap 3, Jeremy Gettler used the inside lane to take the lead, but the caution flag came out one lap later. As Curtis reclaimed the lead, a hard charging Mike Nichols, who started ninth, was making his way through the pack. On lap 9, Curtis, Nichols, and Rold stretched three wide in the race for first. But Nichols took the opportunity to grab the lead and did not let go. Nichols went on to win his first race of the season at the Shelby County Speedway.

The first leader of the Hobby Stock A-feature was Jason Fusselman with Jesse Sobbing running second and Dale Towne in third. Following a caution restart on lap 3, Donavon Smith rode the high side all the way to the front and moved out to a commanding lead. Smith, who also won his heat race, went on to take the checkered flags in front of Towne, Fusselman, and Brian Snell.

Andrew Hicks worked his way into the lead at the beginning of the JnJ Fabrication Hornets A-feature followed closely by Joseph Mefferd and Daniel Mefferd. With two laps to go, Joseph challenged Hicks for the front spot, but Hicks pulled away strong for his first career feature win.

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

Results for 04/08/06

I.M.C.A. Late Models

A-Feature: 1. 37 Mike Smith, Jewell; 2. 48 Bob Moore, Sioux City; 3. 45 Barry Sorensen, Avoca; 4. 33 Don Beckstrom, Carroll; 5. 43 Jeremy Grady, Story City; 6. 11 Todd Mason, Omaha; 7. 10 Jay Stewart, Blair, NE; 8. Z17 John Bridges; 9. 30C Robert See, Altoona; 10. 2M Tony Moro; 11. 1T Vance Tonack, Omaha; 12. 11F Randy Faux, Earlham; 13. 15 Jason O'Brien; 14. 76 Jason Hahne; 15. 87 Dave Stanton; 16. 9 Mark Plowman, Elkhorn; 17. 18 Don Smith JR; 18. 17M Phil Miller, Mo. Valley; 19. 30 Todd Cooney, Des Moines; 20. 2V Vic Lovejoy, Harlan

1st Heat: Smith, Grady, Mason, Moore
2nd Heat: Stewart, Smith JR, Beckstrom, Bridges

I.M.C.A. Modifieds

A-Feature: 1. 1R Craig Reetz, Dunlap; 2. Z62 Dan McKeighan, Carter Lake; 3. 78 Jeff Anderson, Atlantic; 4. 25 Ricky Stephen, Sioux City; 5. 71J Jeff James, Stanton; 6. 3L Bub LeRette, C.B.; 7. 1 Dave Hulsebus, Tennant; 8. 62 Greg Cox, Altoona; 9. 86JR Dirk Kirk; 10. 24T Terry Hurt; 11. 17P Tim Plowman, Woodbine; 12. 92 Jeff Stephens, Arion; 13. 37 Tyler Pemble; 14. 17 Justin Sackett, Schaller; 15. 6C Eric Meents, Denison; 16. 2K Chad Preul, Westside; 17. 2R Dale Ransom, Denison; 18. 3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon; 19. 77 Dustin Jarillo; 20. 19J Jeff Jones, C.B.; 21. 23 Jim Thies; 22. 54 Brad Madsen, Kimballton; 23. 11 Chad Dills, Shelby; 24. 94 Ian Haas

1st Heat: Reetz, Cummins, Stephen, Hurt
2nd Heat: Haas, Anderson, McKeighan, Stephens
3rd Heat: Madsen, Hulsebus, Ransom, Sackett
4th Heat: Preul, Albertsen, Plowman, LeRette
B-Feature: Kirk, Pemble, Dills, Meents

ProAms

A-Feature: 1. 12 Ray Knipe, Glenwood; 2. 11K Kerry Kierscht, Denison; 3. 6M Matt McAtee, Crescent; 4. 2 Mike Brown, Glenwood; 5. 8 Nick Steier, Bennington, NE; 6. 4 Galen Grabill, Harlan; 7. 4L Luke LeRette; 8. 6 Denny Berghahn, Jr., Omaha; 9. 6X Denny Berghahn, Omaha; 10. 49X Chad Sannders; 11. 49 Jeff Atkins, Omaha; 12. 85 John Riggleman, Omaha; 13. 81 Dwain Pelzer, Malvern; 14. 10 Ryan Brans; 15. 96 Matt Smith; 16. 64 Nick Hermsen, Omaha; 17. 9 Chris Wredt, C.B.; 18. 72 Rick Negrete; 19. 40 Charles Grabill, Harlan; 20. 3T Tim Podraza

1st Heat: Brown, Pelzer, Kierscht, Steier
2nd Heat: Knipe, Grabill, Podraza, Grabill

I.M.C.A. Stock Cars

A-Feature: 1. 63 Mike Nichols, Harlan; 2. 1 Steve Curtis, Grimes; 3. 96 Jason Rold, Hancock; 4. 26 Bill Reetz, Carroll; 5. 19B Tim Bengard, Exira; 6. 8 David Smith, Lake City; 7. 20 Jeff Segebart, Westside; 8. 23A Jeremy Gettler, Adair; 9. 04 Roger Verdoom, Sibley; 10. 92B Brian Blessington, Breda; 11. 66 Jeff Joldersma, McClelland; 12. 37X Rick Christensen, Audubon; 13. 25XD Richard Devereaux, McClelland; 14. P42 Dave Plowman, Gretna; 15. 23 Scott Sturm, Templeton; 16. 38 Josh Filmer, Lake City; 17. 89 Randy Lawery; 18. 1SW Todd Mabbitt, C.B.; 19. 76 Trent Partridge, Elk Horn; 20. ZR1 Ryan Webb, Denison; 21. 29 Tanner Partridge, Walnut

1st Heat: Rold, Bengard, Filmer, Gettler
2nd Heat: Curtis, Blessington, Mabbitt, Partridge
3rd Heat: Webb, Reetz, Nichols, Smith

I.M.C.A. Hobby Stocks

A-Feature: 1. 35 Donovan Smith, Lake City; 2. 15 Dale Towne, Avoca; 3. 55 Jason Fusselman, Shelby; 4. 3S Brian Snell, Coon Rapids; 5. 98 Derrick Rohe; 6. 99 Jesse Sobbing, Glenwood; 7. 5G Tyler Griffen; 8. 74N Jason Nielsen, Underwood; 9. 60 Tanner Powers, Exira; 10. 1K Heath Kasperbaur; 11. 9X Tony Pogeler; 12. 1A Steve Anderson, Winterset; 13. 84 Josh Ruschmann, Sioux City; 14. 21B Josh Bieret; 15. 1F Marcus Fagan, Casey; 16. 70T Todd Schmitt; 17. 14K Kenny Hansen; 18. 121 Robert Tippery, C.B.; 19. 14 Jay Hansen, Audubon; 20. 25X Trent Murphy, Jefferson; 21. 7W Willie Ransom, Irwin; 22. 82B David Archibald, Harlan; 23. 75 Kurt Hansen; 24. 16X Charlie Bird; 25. 68+1 Blaine Petersen, Essex; 26. 25 Bob Lee, Griswold; 27. 29 Curtis Mincks

1st Heat: Snell, Hansen, Towne, Nielsen
2nd Heat: Smith, Fusselman, Powers, Pogeler
3rd Heat: Rohe, Sobbing, Murphy, Griffen

Hornets

A-Feature: 1. 26 Andrew Hicks, Dunlap; 2. 3 Joseph Mefferd, Dunlap; 3. 68 Daniel Mefferd, Dunlap; 4. 00 Bayley Nicholl, Audubon
1st Heat: Mefferd, Hicks, Mefferd, Nicholl