Koch and Pollmann Win Features and Championships at Culbertson Speedway
By Darin Racek

CULBERTSON, NE (Aug. 10) - The night of August 10 was the Hitchcock County Fair race at Culbertson Speedway, and it was also championship night, meaning the points champions would be determined after the points were added from the nights A Features. David Murray, Jr. and Sarah Murray of Oberlin, Kan., John Huffman of McCook, Aaron Koch of Cambridge, and Max Pollmann of Trenton all added the most points to their totals, winning the nights A Features. Koch and Pollmann were the only two to win the night’s features and year’s championships for their classes. John Fabrizius of Colby, Kan., Lloyd Meeske of Champion, and Delbert Ridenour were the other track champions.

John Fabrizius came to Culbertson on Friday night with the intention to back up his track championship with an A Feature win. Early in the IMCA Modified A Feature, he appeared to ready to do it. He took the lead on a restart on lap two and moved out to a comfortable lead. A caution on lap six again bunched up the field. David Murray, Jr. was sporting a different car after wrecking his usual ride in Colby, Kan. last weekend, and appeared to be taking his time to adjust to this car. He slowly worked his way to second place, then took the lead from heat winner Fabrizius on lap twelve. He would not relinquish the lead after that. Fabrizius accepted second place, ahead of rookie Caleb Peters of Oberlin, Kan. Peters was able to hold off Jay Schilling of McCook for the spot. Brandon Hagan of Culbertson rounded out the top five. The other IMCA Modified heat race was won by Jeremy Frenier of Fort Morgan, Colo.

Although the IMCA Stock Car A Feature was one to forget for eventual class champion Lloyd Meeske, he won’t forget the honor of being selected the 2007 Ruth and Don Hagan, Sr. Sportsman of the year by Culbertson Speedway. While the feature went bad for him, it looked pretty good for McCook driver Bob Chalupa, who showed the way in the heat race. That was before John Huffman found out his car would run on the high line. After following Shane Stout of North Platte and McCook driver Larry Pollmann for a while, Huffman went higher on the track, got by those two, tracked down Chalupa, and passed him on the last lap to take the win and sneak into second place in track points. Pollmann would get by Stout and finish in third place. Shane was also unable to keep Ritchie Wickizer of Culbertson out of fourth place at the finish line.

Aaron Koch has had a good year driving his IMCA Hobby Stock, taking nine wins at four race tracks before earning his tenth win on August 10. His car ran better on the top side, and despite a little trepidation from Aaron about being so close to the wall, he used the high line to nearly get by the town of Benkelman for the win. In fact, Benkelman drivers rounded out the top five in the IMCA Hobby Stock A Feature, as heat winner Michael Brunswig, Austin Davis, Cody DeWester, and Leland Stute all rounded out the top five spots.

Max Pollmann had been racing go karts since age nine and began racing Classic Modifieds a little over two years at age 16, but had never earned a track championship. He led Duke Ebert of Culbertson by two points going into the night. Unfortunately for Ebert, his car failed him, and he dropped out of the race early. Fortunately for Pollmann, his car went to the lead on the opening lap, and he never looked back en route to earning the win and championship. Devin Allen of Culbertson snuck by heat winner Matt Matson of McCook near the end of the race to take second place. Mike Brenning of Culbertson finished in fourth place. Loren Pollmann of Trenton came back after a scary spin off of the backstretch to be the fifth place finisher.

The Mini Truck points battle came to an end during the heat race. Justin Day of Lebanon was only four points behind Delbert Ridenour going into the night, and looked fast in his heat race, leading until passed by Ron Murphy, Jr. from North Platte going into corner three. Murphy’s truck shot up the track and into the wall, taking Day’s truck as well. Murphy rolled, but was able to start the feature race. The front end of Day’s truck was beyond repair in time for the points race. Sarah Murray was credited with the heat race win, then blasted the small Mini Truck A Feature field on her way to the win. Delbert Ridenour took second place, and Murphy came home in third.

The next night of racing in southwest Nebraska will be on Sunday night, August 12 at McCook Speedway, beginning at 7 PM, Central Time. The staff of Culbertson Speedway would like to thank everyone who supported their track during the 2007 season.


August 10 results
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1
17J-Jeremy Frenier
36-Caleb Peters
9R-Robby Haines

Heat 2
42-John Fabrizius
07S-Jay Schilling
10-Don Geist

A Feature
97M-David Murray, Jr.
42-John Fabrizius
36-Caleb Peters
07S-Jay Schilling
21H-Brandon Hagan
9R-Robby Haines
98-Eddie Edwards
17J-Jeremy Frenier
10T-Todd Hartley
10-Don Geist
2J-Jim Gronewold
23-Royce Clapp (DNF)

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat
24-Bob Chalupa
5S-Shane Stout
413-Larry Pollmann

A Feature
3-John Huffman
24-Bob Chalupa
413-Larry Pollmann
25W-Ritchie Wickizer
5S-Shane Stout
32-Lloyd Meeske
05-Brandon Anderson (DNS)

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat
32M-Michael Brunswig
3L-Leland Stute
70KO-Aaron Koch

A Feature
70KO-Aaron Koch
32M-Michael Brunswig
22-Austin Davis
20-Cody DeWester
3L-Leland Stute
8C-Cory Cruzan (DNS)
16D-Todd Pankonin (DNS)

Classic Modifieds
Heat
98-Matt Matson
P82-Max Pollmann
41A-Devin Allen

A Feature
P82-Max Pollmann
41A-Devin Allen
98-Matt Matson
29B-Mike Brenning
P83-Loren Pollmann
2-Trent Jollensten
M67-Dan Rockwell
56E-Duke Ebert (DNF)

Mini-Trucks
Heat
97S-Sarah Murray
69-Delbert Ridenour
73-Justin Day

A Feature
97S-Sarah Murray
69-Delbert Ridenour
28-Ron Murphy, Jr.
73-Justin Day (DNS)
12J-Robin Runge (DNS)
3D-Dalton Dolan (DNS)