Schilling, Meeske, Koch, Pollmann, and Fisher Win at Culbertson Speedway
By Darin Racek

CULBERTSON, NE (May 25) - While there weren’t as many first time winners May 25 at Culbertson Speedway as there were May 4, there were some different names not only in victory lane, but also in the field of nearly every class. Jay Schilling of McCook, Lloyd Meeske of Champion, Aaron Koch of Cambridge, Max Pollmann of Trenton, and Royal Fisher of Oberlin, Kan. were the ones to put their names and race vehicles in victory lane during the night.

Jay Schilling took off at the start of the IMCA Modified A Feature, and had himself a good lead when the caution came out after Royce Clapp of McCook and Jim Gronewald of Wray, Colo. piled p in corner one. Both cars were able to drive to the pits. John Fabrizius of Colby, Kan., who won the heat race with an exciting last lap pass, applied the pressure on the restart and stayed on Schilling’s tail for many laps. Schilling again found his line and moved away. One more caution with four laps to go did little to change the outcome up front. Brandon Hagan of Culbertson put down several advance tries by Robby Haines of Benkelman to maintain third place at the finish. Don Geist of Loveland, Colo. took home the fifth place position.

Being in second place early in the IMCA Stock Car A Feature was not the place to be. Brandon Anderson of McCook was following leader Brandon Clough of Wallace when he looped his car on lap three. Lloyd Meeske knew second was not the place to be, and made the move to get by Clough for the lead soon after. On the following lap, Clough spun, dropping him out of the top five. After that bobble, it seemed as though everyone wanted second place. Bob Chalupa of McCook inherited the spot, then was hounded for many laps by fellow McCook drivers Larry Pollmann and heat race winner John Huffman. Pollmann was running the high line and was able to eventually work his way by Chalupa in the waning laps. Huffman got by as well before a late caution, and challenged Pollmann on the restart. Pollmann held his high line for second place, while Caleb Peters of Oberlin, Kan. snuck by Huffman for third. Ritchie Wickizer of Culbertson had a flat tire before the first caution of the race, but got it changed and came home in fifth. Meeske was well out in front of the other battles once he took the lead and stayed out there.

The IMCA Hobby Stock drivers were full of vim and vigor. Benkelman drivers Leland Stute and Michael Brunswig were first and second after one lap and got side-by-side while coming around for lap two. They were far enough the track to allow Aaron Koch to sneak underneath them to make it three wide coming out of corner four. The three then all made contact, but managed to save their cars from spinning out. Brunswig fell out of contention with a flat, and Stute eventually fell out. Flat tires were common throughout the field during the race, but Koch’s tires remain aired up, and they carried him safely to the win. Austin Davis and fellow Benkelman driver Cody DeWester finished in second and third places. Bryan Smotherman of Culbertson stayed out of trouble and earned himself one of his better fourth place finishes, ahead of Jim Huffman of McCook and the rest of the field. Brunswig did win the IMCA Hobby Stock Heat race.

Max Pollmann swept the Classic Modified field, winning both the heat race and A Feature. The race took three tries to get going, but once it did, it went twelve consecutive green flag laps. Donny Sailors’ car has run better lately, and it took the McCook driver to a second place finish. Duke Ebert of Culbertson took home third place, while Matt Matson of McCook finished in fourth. Newcomer Trent Jollensten was credited with fifth place. The win was Max’s first win at Culbertson Speedway.

There was a good chance someone was going to win their first ever A Feature, as the top four starters of the Mini-Truck A Feature had never won one. Local driver Delbert Ridenour put his Silver Bullet Dirt Rocket out front early, using a higher line on the track. Royal Fisher liked a lower line, and on lap four, the heat winner drove low and took the lead. Ridenour held his line up high, and did catch back up to Fisher for a while, but the Kansas driver was too strong and too determined to be denied his first ever win. Delbert settled for second place. Ron Murphy, Jr. of North Platte finished in third place, while Robin Runge of Palisade took home fourth. Justin Day of Lebanon did move late into second and was gaining ground on Fisher when he spun in corner two on the last lap. That dropped him to fifth in the finish.

The next race in Southwest Nebraska will be at McCook Speedway on Friday night, June 1, beginning at 8 PM CDT. The next race at Culbertson Speedway will be on Friday night, June 15. The gates will open at 6 PM CDT, and the races will start at 8 PM CDT.


May 25 results
IMCA Modifieds
Heat
42-John Fabrizius
21H-Brandon Hagan
07S-Jay Schilling

A Feature
07S-Jay Schilling
42-John Fabrizius
9R-Robby Haines
21H-Brandon Hagan
10-Don Geist
10T-Todd Hartley
2J-Jim Gronewald (DNF)
23-Royce Clapp (DNF)
9-R. C. Heil (DNF)

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat
3-John Huffman
20B-Brandon Clough
413-Larry Pollmann

A Feature
32-Lloyd Meeske
413-Larry Pollmann
36-Caleb Peters
3-John Huffman
25W-Ritchie Wickizer
24-Bob Chalupa
20B-Brandon Clough
5S-Shane Stout (DNF)
05-Brandon Anderson (DNF)

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat
32M-Michael Brunswig
20-Cody DeWester
22-Austin Davis

A Feature
70KO-Aaron Koch
22-Austin Davis
20-Cody DeWester
85-Bryan Smotherman
5J-Jim Huffman
59-David Werner
8C-Corey Cruzan (DNF)
32M-Michael Brunswig
3L-Leland Stute (DNF)

Classic Modifieds
Heat
P82-Max Pollmann
29B-Mike Brenning
1S-Donny Sailors

A Feature
P82-Max Pollmann
1S-Donny Sailors
56E-Duke Ebert
98-Matt Matson
2-Trent Jollensten (DNF)
29B-Mike Brenning (DNF)
P83-Loren Pollmann (DNF)

Mini-Trucks
Heat
14F-Royal Fisher
73-Justin Day
69-Delbert Ridenour

A Feature
14F-Royal Fisher
69-Delbert Ridenour
28-Ron Murphy, Jr.
12J-Robin Runge
73-Justin Day