Brunswig Wins Once In a Blue Moon at McCook Speedway
By Darin Racek

McCOOK, NE (June 30) - McCook Speedway raced on June 30, the second Saturday night race in two weeks. Although that seemed strange, as McCook Speedway runs mainly on Friday nights, it was appropriate, as June 30 had a blue moon, the second full moon of the month. Robby Haines and Michael Brunswig of Benkelman, Zach Schultz of North Platte, Max Pollmann of Trenton, and Cindy Murray of Oberlin, Kansas were not blue at the end of the night, as they all had picked up A Feature wins during the night.

Near the end of the IMCA Modified A Feature, it seemed like déjà vu, as Robby Haines was leading, and David Murray, Jr. of Oberlin, Kan. was in second place when they caught slower traffic. Murray’s path to the spot was not easy, as at one time, he was in the middle of a five car battle for second place that included himself, fellow heat winner Brandon Hagan of Culbertson, Jay Steffens of North Platte, John Fabrizius of Colby, Kan., and Kyle Clough of Wallace. Once Murray got through, he tracked down Haines and caught him as Haines was catching the traffic with a few laps to go. On the last lap, Haines was able to get by the slow car after it moved up the track, which set a mini-pick, forcing Murray to whoa up a bit, and allowing Haines to drive off for the win. Steffens finished in third place, ahead of Hagan and Fabrizius.

The IMCA Stock Cars didn’t disappoint the fans looking for excitement. On the third lap of the race, Bob Chalupa of McCook spun, and several cars behind him spun and crashed, resulting in a six car melee, low-lighted by the car of Larry Pollmann of McCook on top of the car of Lloyd Meeske of Champion. Both continued the race, but Meeske was out within two laps of green. Heat winner Zach Schultz had the lead at the start and had a big lead before a car spun on lap ten, bringing out the caution. That aided John Huffman of McCook, who had started in the sixth row and had moved into second place before the race slowed. On the restart, Huffman pressured Schultz, and took the lead from him with less than two laps to go. On the last lap, Schultz was able to get his car back under Huffman’s, regain the lead, and hold John off for the win. Shane Stout of North Platte was right behind them in third place, and ahead of Ritchie Wickizer of Culbertson and Brandon Anderson of McCook. Huffman and Jason Davis of Norton, Kan. were the other heat winners.

Michael Brunswig has been running fast of late, but unable to cash in on an A Feature win in the IMCA Hobby Stock class. He ran well in his heat race until his car slowed down after losing his power steering and water pump. In the feature, however, he grabbed the lead on the opening lap and stayed out front to finally win his first ever A Feature, on a blue moon night no less. Austin Davis kept the Benkelman cars in the top two, as he finished in second place. Shane Klockman of Ogallala took home third place, ahead of North Platte’s Eric Picquet and Maxwell’s Corey Cruzan. Richard Boon of Benkelman was the winner of the IMCA Hobby Stock heat race.

Max Pollmann learned the definition of adversity in the Classic Modified A Feature. He was involved in a five car incident on the second lap that had the disabled car of Donny Sailors of McCook tangled in with his. Once the cars were separated, Pollmann drove to the pits and had a tire changed. He came out in time to line up in the back. Heat winner Devin Allen of Culbertson was in the lead at that time, and kept doing everything he was doing to keep himself out front. However, Pollmann found a better line, and with two laps to go, made the winning pass on Allen. Devin held onto second place. Rick Touslee of Oberlin, Kan. Took home third place. The top five were rounded out by Matt Matson of McCook and Loren Pollmann of Trenton.

The Mini Truck A Feature had a good battle up front early on, as heat race winner Zach Olmstead of Overton was trying to hold off his cousin Cindy Murray and Alex Silos of North Platte. Murray took the lead on lap four, and the other two tangled soon after. Silos held onto his second place, while Olmstead lost many spots. Silos regrouped and gained ground on Murray a couple of times, but was unable to deny her the win. Dalton Dolan of Oberlin, Kan. took home third place. Jake Sahm of McCook was fourth, and Delbert Ridenour of Culbertson finished in fifth.

There is considerable racing this week in Southwest Nebraska. On Tuesday night, July 3, Culbertson Speedway will have a show. McCook Speedway will be back in action on Friday night, July 6. Both tracks will have an 8 PM Central Time start on the nights they run.


June 30 results
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1
21H-Brandon Hagan
62-Matt Fabrizius
10T-Todd Hartley

Heat 2
97M-David Murray, Jr.
9R-Robby Haines
12J-Jay Steffens

A Feature
9R-Robby Haines
97M-David Murray, Jr.
12J-Jay Steffens
21H-Brandon Hagan
42-John Fabrizius
20K-Kyle Clough
10T-Todd Hartley
10-Don Geist
23-Royce Clapp
62-Matt Fabrizius (DNF)
01W-Clinton Hockersmith (DNS)

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat 1
55Z-Zach Schultz
24-Bob Chalupa
P42-Dave Plowman

Heat 2
76-Jason Davis
32-Lloyd Meeske
25W-Ritchie Wickizer

Heat 3
3-John Huffman
5S-Shane Stout
05X-Brandon Anderson

A Feature
55Z-Zach Schultz
3-John Huffman
5S-Shane Stout
25W-Ritchie Wickizer
05X-Brandon Anderson
413-Larry Pollmann
P42-Dave Plowman
76-Jason Davis
8-Travis Tilford
9-Bob Rutherford
20B-Brandon Clough
24-Bob Chalupa
12J-Kerry Jones (DNF)
32-Lloyd Meeske (DNF)
11-Todd Chrisman (DNF)

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat
5W-Richard Boon
8C-Corey Cruzan
22-Austin Davis

A Feature
32M-Michael Brunswig
22-Austin Davis
33-Shane Klockman
X5-Eric Picquet
8C-Corey Cruzan
5W-Richard Boon (DNF)
20-Cody DeWester (DNF)

Classic Modifieds
Heat
41A-Devin Allen
26RT-Rick Touslee
P82-Max Pollmann

A Feature
P82-Max Pollmann
41A-Devin Allen
26RT-Rick Touslee
98-Matt Matson
P83-Loren Pollmann
10-Roger Henthorn (DNF)
1S-Donny Sailors (DNF)

Mini-Trucks
Heat
98-Zach Olmstead
97S-Cindy Murray
28-Alex Silos

A Feature
97S-Cindy Murray
28-Alex Silos
3D-Dalton Dolan
86-Jake Sahm
69-Delbert Ridenour
98-Zach Olmstead
73-Justin Day (DNF)