Superheroes in Victory Lane at McCook Speedway
By Darin Racek

McCOOK, Ne. (June 3, 2006) - The races at McCook Speedway went pretty smooth on June 2, as the races were finished in under two-and-a-half hours. Nick Tubbs of Colby, Kan., Todd Chrisman of North Platte, Jason Koch of Cambridge, Duke Ebert of Culbertson, and Sarah Murray of Oberlin, Kan., were smooth, as they took the A Feature victories.

Heat race winner David Murray, Jr. of Oberlin, Kan., took the lead from Jay Steffens of North Platte early in the IMCA Modified A Feature. The Iceman had a big on the field until his motor gave up the ghost. Steffens inherited the lead, but lost it on lap fourteen to Nick Tubbs, who found the high line to his liking and went from the sixth row at the start of the race to victory at the end of it. After tech, he did his Spiderman climb on the front stretch fence. Steffens won the battle of the Jays, as he held off Jay Schilling of McCook for second place. Don Hagan, Jr. of Culbertson showed “Father knows best,” as he held off his son, heat winner Brandon, for the fourth spot.

The IMCA Stock Car A Feature was a good race to watch, slowed only by one caution on lap one. Bill Matson of McCook had fellow heat race winner Lloyd Meeske of Champion on his tail. They were soon joined by Todd Chrisman, Caleb Peters of Oberlin, Kan., and Jason Davis of Norton, Kan. As Meeske worked Matson low, Chrisman went to the high line. Once Chrisman got by Meeske, he spent several laps trying to get by Matson. Matson was able to hold him at bay until two laps to go, when “The Green Lantern” car got by, and Chrisman earned the win. Matson did stay in second place, ahead of Davis, Meeske, and Peters.

Jason Koch has been “The Flash” of late in the IMCA Hobby Stock class, as his win on Friday night was his third consecutive win at the track. The A Feature was a wild one, as there was plenty of passing and more than enough crunches. Rookie John Huffman of McCook took the lead on lap three and had a pretty good race going when the caution came out after heat winner Aaron Koch of Cambridge and Austin Davis of Benkelman got together while racing for third, and Davis’s car became disabled. On the restart, Jason Koch wound it up and jumped around Huffman and would never look back. Aaron Koch rebounded to finish in second place, while Todd Pankonin of Benkelman ran in third place. Austin Davis came from thirteen after he made repairs to finish in fourth place, and Bruce Hagan, Sr. of Culbertson rounded out the top five. Justin Wagner of Culbertson and Jebb Tally of Oberlin, Kan., were the other two Hobby Stock heat race winners.

The Classic Modified A Feature went caution free. Duke Ebert stormed out to the lead on the opening lap, closely followed by fellow Culbertson resident Mike Brenning. Brenning would soon be joined in the fray by heat race winners Jay Alberts of McCook and Max Pollmann of Trenton. Brenning ran his best race as he was able to hold them off for second at the finish, but had nothing for “The Duke of Culbertson.” Pollmann finished in third, ahead of Alberts and Karl Wickizer of Palisade.

The Mini-Trucks also put on a yellow-free race. Cindy Murray of Oberlin, Kan., got by Jake Sahm of McCook for the lead on lap two, and enjoyed it while heat winners Leelan Bieker of McCook and David Wimer of Trenton battled with Sarah Murray for second place. Sarah was able to break free from them and challenged her sister for the lead. She passed her on lap six and led the last six laps en route to her second win in the last three nights. The Murray girls were Wonder Women finishing in first and second, ahead of Bieker, Wimer, and Josh Bopp of McCook.

The next race in Southwest Nebraska will be at Culbertson Speedway on June 9, with the races starting at 8 PM. McCook Speedway will be back in action on June 16 and 17 with “Thunder On The Plains,” two one-night shows where the drivers will be eligible for extra money. The Friday night show starts at 8 PM CDT, while the Saturday show starts at 7 PM CDT.

June 2 results
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1
97M-David Murray, Jr.
P38-Darren Pollmann
4C-Charley Brown

Heat 2
21H-Brandon Hagan
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
07S-Jay Schilling

A Feature
73-Nick Tubbs
12J-Jay Steffens
07S-Jay Schilling
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
21H-Brandon Hagan
9R-Robby Haines
29S-Dewain Coleman
P38-Darren Pollmann
8EZ-Brice Riley
19-Chuck Stryker
10T-Todd Hartley
97M-David Murray, Jr. (DNF)
4C-Charley Brown (DNF)

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat 1
2M-Bill Matson
25W-Ritchie Wickizer
11-Todd Chrisman

Heat 2
32-Lloyd Meeske
76-Jason Davis
55Z-Zach Schultz

A Feature
11-Todd Chrisman
2M-Bill Matson
76-Jason Davis
32-Lloyd Meeske
36-Caleb Peters
24-Bob Chalupa
55Z-Zach Schultz
25W-Ritchie Wickizer (DNF)
25KO-Brady Koch (DNF)

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat 1
2-Justin Wagner
16D-Todd Pankonin
33-Shane Klockman

Heat 2
3TX-Jebb Tally
3-John Huffmann
22-Austin Davis

Heat 3
70KO-Aaron Koch
14-Les Janousek
00-Chad Brenning

A Feature
74KO-Jason Koch
70KO-Aaron Koch
16D-Todd Pankonin
22-Austin Davis
23H-Bruce Hagan, Sr.
14-Les Janousek
00-Chad Brenning
85-Bryan Smotherman
3-John Huffmann
24-Brian Payton
2-Justin Wagner (DNF)
33-Shane Klockman (DNF)
5-Jim Huffmann (DNF)
68-Audie Bundy (DNF)
3TX-Jebb Tally (DNF)

Classic Modifieds
Heat 1
P82-Max Pollmann
29B-Mike Brenning
K2-Karl Wickizer

Heat 2
20-Jay Alberts
56E-Duke Ebert
P83-Loren Pollmann

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

Mini-Trucks
Heat 1
34W-Dave Wimer
97-Cindy Murray
69-Delbert Ridenour

Heat 2
33-Leelan Bieker
97S-Sara Murray
34B-Josh Bopp

A Feature
97S-Sara Murray
97-Cindy Murray
33-Leelan Bieker
34W-Dave Wimer
34B-Josh Bopp
86-Jake Sahm
69-Delbert Ridenour
52-Dennis Wasson (DNS)