Action Centered Around Families at McCook Speedway
by Darin Racek

McCOOK, Ne. (May 12, 2005Although May 12 begins Mother’s Day weekend, the action at McCook Speedway seemed to center around the family, as many siblings who run in the same classes battled each other. David Murray, Jr. and his daughter Sara, both of Oberlin, Kan., shared another bond, as they, along with Jason Davis of Norton, Kan., Jason Koch of Cambridge, and Larry Pollmann of McCook, were the center of attention after the races, being A Feature winners.

The IMCA A Feature was a well run race by the drivers, as the action was slowed by one one caution period. David Murray, Jr. started on the fifth row, but by lap four found his way around heat race winner Jay Steffens of North Platte. Steffens was left to battle fellow heat winner Nick Tubbs of Colby, Kan., and Don Hagan, Jr. of Culbertson. Steffens appeared to have matters under control until the restart after the caution with four laps to go. Tubbs got a good start and got the spot. He then charged towards Murray, but did not deny Murray his first McCook Speedway win of the year. Steffens did finish in third place, ahead of Chuck Stryker of Eddyville and Hagan.

Sara Murray started on row three of the Mini-Truck A Feature, along side of her sister Cindy. Cindy won a heat race, but Sara had the better setup for the A Feature, taking the lead from Jake Sahm of Indianola on lap three. It could have been said she never looked back, but it wasn’t true. Leland Bieker of McCook, also a Mini-Truck heat race victor, found his way to second place and applied pressure late in the race. He came up short in his bid. Josh Bopp of McCook finished in third place, while his teammate Dave Wimer of Trenton and Cindy Murray rounded out the top five.

Aaron Koch of Cambridge won his heat race and started on the front row of the IMCA Hobby Stock main event. He paced fifteen laps of the race until his brother Jason found his way from row six to the back of Aaron’s car. Jason took the lead on lap sixteen. Before the field could complete lap seventeen, pandemonium broke loose. Bryan Smotherman of Culbertson got sideways coming out of four and his car went nose first into the wall. Austin Davis of Benkelman was behind that action and was not able to slow his car down, hitting Smotherman’s car hard. The race was stopped while the fence was fixed and the disabled cars were removed from the track. Jason Koch got a good start when the green came out and held off a late run by Justin Wagner of Culbertson for the win. Aaron Koch fell to third place at the end of the race, ahead of his fellow heat race winners Todd Pankonin of Benkelman and Jim Huffman of McCook.

At one time in the Classic Modified A Feature, Loren Pollmann of Trenton, his son Max, and Loren’s brother Larry of McCook owned the top three spots. Larry went to the high side to get by Max, then took the lead from his brother Loren on lap seven. The two stayed in that order for the rest of the race. Duke Ebert of Culbertson made a late rally to finish in third place, Karl Wickizer of Palisade finished in fourth, and Donny Sailors of McCook came home in fifth place. Larry Pollmann was also the Classic Modified heat race winner.

It took three tries before the IMCA Stock Cars got their first lap in, but then got into a rhythm. Heat winner Jason Davis took the lead from Casey Werkmeister of Maywood on lap two. After that pass, the top six soon began to race around the track in a pattern of bowling pins. A caution on lap eight got everyone to line up in single file. Davis did not seem to get a good start, which nearly allowed heat winner Lloyd Meeske of Champion to get by. Davis regained his composure, but there had to be concern for his crew when the caution came out again with six laps to go. By that time, Brady Koch of Cambridge had moved into second place and had his sights on the lead. Davis had a better restart and kept Koch behind him to garner the win. Caleb Peters of Oberlin, Kan., and Todd Chrisman of North Platte swapped third back and forth until the end, with Peters getting the better of Chrisman. Mikey Dancer of North Platte finished in fifth place, despite starting the race in the back.

McCook Speedway will be back in action on Friday, May 19. The gates will open at 6 PM, and the races will start at 8 PM, CDT.

May 12 results
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1
12J-Jay Steffens
19-Chuck Stryker
3RW-Ronnie Wallace

Heat 2
73-Nick Tubbs
4C-Charley Brown
9R-Robby Haines

A Feature
97M-David Murray, Jr.
73-Nick Tubbs
12J-Jay Steffens
19-Chuck Stryker
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
9R-Robby Haines
8EZ-Brice Riley
4C-Charley Brown
21H-Brandon Hagan
17J-Jeremy Frenier
P38-Darren Pollmann
10T-Todd Hartley
3RW-Ronnie Wallace (DNF)
11-Garett Sporhase (DNF)

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat 1
76-Jason Davis
2M-Bill Matson
25-Ritchie Wickizer

Heat 2
32-Lloyd Meeske
24KC-Casey Werkmeister
11-Todd Chrisman

A Feature
76-Jason Davis
25KO-Brady Koch
36-Caleb Peters
11-Todd Chrisman
45-Mikey Dancer
32-Lloyd Meeske
2M-Bill Matson
25-Ritchie Wickizer
8R-Brent Riley (DNF)
24KC-Casey Werkmeister (DNF)
42KC-Kyle Werkmeister (DNF)
67-Terry Fletcher (DNF)
55Z-Zach Schultz (DNS)

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat 1
70KO-Aaron Koch
74KO-Jason Koch
3-John Huffmann

Heat 2
16D-Todd Pankonin
22-Austin Davis
55-Brady Brush

Heat 3
5-Jim Huffmann
2-Justin Wagner
85-Bryan Smotherman

A Feature
74KO-Jason Koch
2-Justin Wagner
70KO-Aaron Koch
16D-Todd Pankonin
5-Jim Huffmann
14-Les Janousek
3-John Huffmann
3TX-Jebb Tally
38-Michael Woodhead
20J-John Groshans
23H-Bruce Hagan, Sr.
14M-Martha Newman
22-Austin Davis (DNF)
85-Bryan Smotherman (DNF)
55-Brady Brush (DNF)
3L-Leland Stute (DNS)
24-Brian Payton (DNS)

Classic Modifieds
Heat
413-Larry Pollmann
P83-Loren Pollmann
41A-Devin Allen

A Feature
413-Larry Pollmann
P83-Loren Pollmann
56E-Duke Ebert
K2-Karl Wickizer
1S-Donny Sailors
20-Jay Alberts
413-Larry Pollmann
29B-Mike Brenning
P82-Max Pollmann (DNF)

Mini-Trucks
Heat 1
33-Leelan Bieker
05-Mike Schrader
52-Dennis Wasson

Heat 2
97-Cindy Murray
34W-Dave Wimer
34B-Josh Bopp

A Feature
97S-Sara Murray
33-Leelan Bieker
34B-Josh Bopp
34W-Dave Wimer
97-Cindy Murray
05-Mike Schrader
86-Jake Sahm
52-Dennis Wasson
14F-Royal Fisher
69-Delbert Ridenour (DNF)
12J-Robin Runge (DNF)