Track in Top Shape at Dawson County Raceway
By Darin Racek

LEXINGTON. NE. (Aug. 20, 2006) - Despite not having a race on Dawson County Raceway in four weeks and having two demolition derbies on it the previous two nights, the track was smooth and fast on August 20 during the Dawson County fair. Chuck Stryker of Eddyville, Shane Stout of North Platte, Kyle Bond of Kearney, and Josh Leonard were smooth and fast as they drove to the A Feature wins.

The IMCA Modified A Feature was slowed for only one caution, that on lap for a car that had spun. Chuck Stryker got by fellow heat race winner Vince Leibert of Lexington and took off with a huge lead. That left Leibert to deal with Robby Haines of Benkelman, heat winner Brandon Hagan of Culbertson, and Chad Dolan of Overton. Dolan eventually found his way to second place and maintained about two-and-a-half seconds between himself and leader Stryker. Another player got into stakes in the waning laps, as Lonnie Schriner of Red Cloud had found his way from row six to challenge Dolan. As he followed Dolan, he could smell the rear end grease burning up from Dolan’s car, and with under two laps to go, Dolan’s car gave up the ghost. Schriner found his way to second place, but by then, Stryker was already on his way to the finish line first. Brandon Hagan finished in third, while Scott Blessing of Kearney finished in fourth place. Robby Haines rounded out the top five.

Alex Silos of North Platte paced the first part of the IMCA Stock Car main event, and appeared to be on his way to have a good finish. In a strange twist of fate, a caution came out on lap eight, bunching up the field. During up the caution, Pam Silos, Alex’s wife, won the 50/50 raffle. It seemed at that moment, Alex’s good fortune turned sour on the track, as he and Brady Koch of Cambridge got together in corner two on the restart, resulting in a flat tire for Silos. It handed the lead over to Lexington’s Jim Hagan, who enjoyed the lead briefly. Shane Stout started in the sixth row after trouble in his heat race and found his way by Hagan with five laps to go. The win helped Stout extended his point lead with one race to go. Brady Koch was able to come back for a second place finish. Hagan took home third, and was followed by Kerry Jones of North Platte and Steve Aitken of Cozad. Jim Hagan and Jason Smidt of Minden were the heat race winners.

The IMCA Hobby Stock A Feature was a wild race, with the worst moment happening on the third lap. Brett Hagan of Gibbon hit the wall on the front stretch, got on top of the wall, then rolled down the front stretch under the flag stand. The red flag stopped the racing action as many people rushed to his aid. Brett was not harmed, but the car was demolished. After Shane Klockman of Ogallala hit the wall on lap four, the Hobby Stock drivers seemed to finally settle down. Kyle Bond, who had taken the lead on lap two, took advantage of the long green flag period after the wrecks to get in a comfortable groove. He had one charge by John Huffman of McCook he was able to put down and earn his second win of the year in Lexington. Huffman was followed by Austin Davis of Benkelman, who suffered from clutch problems early in the night. Cash dash winner Aaron Koch of Cambridge beat his brother Jason Koch to the finish line for fourth place. Bond and Huffman were joined by Greg Hoing of Johnson Lake as the winners of the heat races.

The twelve Grand National Late Models that started the A Feature all finished the caution-free event. Josh Leonard jumped to the front immediately. Fellow heat winner Doug Warner of Minden eventually moved into second place. He was joined at the spot by Pierce driver Bob Milander and Merna driver Kevin Safranek. Milander was driving Warner’s backup car after a serious accident with his the week before at Doniphan, but it handled like his old one, and he was able to take second place away. He gained some ground on Leonard, but not enough to deny Josh his second Dawson County Raceway win of the year. Safranek also got by Warner and took third place. Cash Dash winner Robby Leonard finished in fifth place.

August 27 will be the season finale for Dawson County Raceway . The IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, and Hobby Stocks will be joined by the Mini-Sprints, and all four will be running for points. After the races, the championship trophies will be handed out. It will also be Tenneco night, and all Tenneco employees who come to the races and show their Tenneco I. D. ’s will be admitted in for half price. The gates will open at 5 p.m., and the races will start at 7 p.m.

August 20 results
IMCA Modified
Heat 1
7R-Vince Leibert
4C-Charley Brown
1X-Scott Blessing

Heat 2
19-Chuck Stryker
87D-Chad Dolan
9R-Robby Haines

Heat 3
21H-Brandon Hagan
12J-Jay Steffens
3RW-Ronnie Wallace

A Feature
19-Chuck Stryker
4-Lonnie Schriner
21H-Brandon Hagan
1X-Scott Blessing
9R-Robby Haines
12J-Jay Steffens
4C-Charley Brown
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
3RW-Ronnie Wallace
69-Justin Gregg
7R-Vince Leibert
72G-Steve Gomez
03-Josh Lester
87D-Chad Dolan (DNF)

IMCA Stock Car
Heat 1
72H-Jim Hagan
12J-Kerry Jones
28-Alex Silos

Heat 2
18-Jason Smidt
25KO-Brady Koch
7A-Steve Aitken

A Feature
5S-Shane Stout
25KO-Brady Koch
72H-Jim Hagan
12J-Kerry Jones
7A-Steve Aitken
42KC-Kyle Werkmeister
4K-Kent Lower
24-Dan Walker
9-David Kirby, Jr.
28-Alex Silos
47-Russ Small (DNF)
18-Jason Smidt (DNF)

IMCA Hobby Stock
Heat 1
00H-Greg Hoing
33-Shane Klockman
23H-Bruce Hagan, Sr.

Heat 2
5-John Huffman
70KO-Aaron Koch
20-Hunter Cantrall

Heat 3
00K-Kyle Bond
29-Jeromy Wagner
3H-Brett Hagan

Cash Dash
70KO-Aaron Koch

A Feature
00K-Kyle Bond
5-John Huffman
22-Austin Davis
70KO-Aaron Koch
74KO-Jason Koch
29-Jeromy Wagner
20-Hunter Cantrall
33-Shane Klockman
72H-Kevin Hagan
23H-Bruce Hagan, Sr.
4M-Frank Mladek
9-Robert Donaly
53-Tyler Easterday
00H-Greg Hoing (DNF)
25-Chuck Ledbetter, Jr. (DNF)
040-Gary Kneher (DNF)
3H-Brett Hagan (DNF)
32M-Michael Brunswig (DNF)

Grand National Late Models
Heat 1
74W-Doug Warner
28-Kevin Safranek
85-Robby Leonard

Heat 2
85J-Josh Leonard
12-Mark Lueken
77B-Bob Milander

Cash Dash
85-Robby Leonard

A Feature
85J-Josh Leonard
77B-Bob Milander
28-Kevin Safranek
74W-Doug Warner
85-Robby Leonard
22-Chris Avery
92X-Randy Petersen
93-Alan Jordening
010-Greg Auten
0-Mike Hetrick
6E-Brad Easterday
99-David Easterday
12-Mark Lueken (DNS)