Murray, Wickizer, Brunswig, Touslee, and Olmstead Make McCook Speedway Wins
By Darin Racek

McCOOK, NE (Aug 17) - With the season winding down, the drivers at McCook Speedway did they to try and help their point situations on August 17. David Murray and Rick Touslee of Oberlin, Kan., Ritchie Wickizer of Culbertson, Michael Brunswig of Benkelman, and Jake Olmstead of Overton did the most for their point situation, taking the five A Feature victories. The Ruth and Don Hagan, Sr. Memorial races were also held for the first time in their five year history, and each class had a dash after the night’s A Features that paid cash and trophies for the top three finishers. Don Geist of Loveland, Colo., Lloyd Meeske of Champion, Justin Wagner and Devin Allen of Culbertson, and Olmstead were the ones to take the top prizes in those races.

David Murray took the IMCA Modified A Feature lead the first time about 100 feet after Benkelman driver Robby Haines zipped around Don Hagan, Jr. of Culbertson for the lead. The caution came out on that lap, putting Murray back to second on the restart. When the race resumed, Murray again had the lead going into corner one, and zoomed away to take the win. Haines finished in second place, ahead of Fabrizius brothers Matt of WaKeeney, Kan. and John of Colby, Kan. Brandon Hagan of Culbertson finished in fifth place. Jay Steffens of North Platte Don Hagan were the winners of the two heat races.

Seventeen IMCA Stock Car drivers took the green flag for their A Feature. However, by lap five, the field dwindled to eight cars. A huge pileup on the second lap involved six cars, sending four of them to the pits for the night, including second in points John Huffman of McCook and last week’s winner Dave Plowman of Gretna. When the racing settled down, Bob Chalupa of McCook settled into the lead. Fellow heat winner Ritchie Wickizer was running a little higher line than the rest of the field, and his car was set up perfectly in corner one. That corner helped him get alongside Chalupa, take the lead on lap ten, and drive away for victory. Zach Schultz of North Platte came home in second place. Chalupa survived a tangle with Lloyd Meeske near the end of the race to take home third. Todd Chrisman and Shane Stout of North Platte rounded out the top five. Hagan Dash winner Lloyd Meeske took the other heat win.

The IMCA Hobby Stock A Feature went without any cautions, and the entire field finished, in spite of several of them hitting the field in the heat race. The race was paced by Leland Stute of Benkelman in the early going and had some distance on the field. Michael Brunswig got to second place on lap six, reeled in Stute on the next lap, and had the lead on lap eight. He held on for the win, his second at McCook Speedway in only six days. Hagan dash winner Justin Wagner also got by Stute for second place. Heat winner Cody DeWester and Austin Davis of Benkelman finished in fourth and fifth places.

Rick Touslee took the lead at the start of the Classic Modified A Feature, and led the entire way for his first McCook Speedway A Feature win. Matt Matson of McCook, the heat race winner, was the second place finisher. Points leader Max Pollmann of Trenton took third, followed by Donny Sailors of McCook and Loren Pollmann of Trenton. Devin Allen crashed on the opening lap of the A Feature, but the crew fixed the car in time for the Hagan Dash race for the Classics, of which he won.

Jake Olmstead broke out big time on Friday night. After winning his heat race, he took the Mini-Truck A Feature lead on lap four and drove on for his first ever A Feature victory. He then capped the night off with another trophy and an extra $100 by sweeping the Mini Truck events, taking the Hagan Dash win. Alex Silos of North Platte padded his Mini Truck lead by finishing in second place. Robin Runge of Palisade also had his best ever A Feature run, taking the lead from Delbert Ridenour of Culbertson on the opening lap and holding onto it for the first three laps before being overtaken by Olmstead and Silos. He did hold onto third place to the finish. Royal Fisher of Oberlin, Kan. crossed the finish line in fourth place, with Ridenour finishing in fifth place.

McCook Speedway’s final night of points will be on Friday night, August 24. The gates will open at 6 PM, and the races will start at 8 PM, Central Time.


August 17 results
IMCA Modifieds
Hagan Memorial Race
10-Don Geist
10T-Todd Hartley
23-Royce Clapp

Heat 1
12J-Jay Steffens
07S-Jay Schilling
36-Caleb Peters

Heat 2
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
97M-David Murray, Jr.
62-Matt Fabrizius

A Feature
97M-David Murray, Jr.
9R-Robby Haines
62-Matt Fabrizius
42-John Fabrizius
21H-Brandon Hagan
10-Don Geist
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
36-Caleb Peters
23-Royce Clapp
07S-Jay Schilling (DNF)
20K-Kyle Clough (DNF)
12J-Jay Steffens (DNF)
10T-Todd Hartley (DNF)
8EZ-Brice Riley (DNF)

IMCA Stock Cars
Hagan Memorial Race
32-Lloyd Meeske
25W-Ritchie Wickizer
24-Bob Chalupa

Heat 1
24-Bob Chalupa
P42-Dave Plowman
76-Jason Davis

Heat 2
25W-Ritchie Wickizer
3-John Huffman
8-Travis Tilford

Heat 3
32-Lloyd Meeske
55Z-Zach Schultz
5S-Shane Stout

A Feature
25W-Ritchie Wickizer
55Z-Zach Schultz
24-Bob Chalupa
11-Todd Chrisman
5S-Shane Stout
76-Jason Davis
32-Lloyd Meeske
79-Earl Woodward
20B-Brandon Clough (DNF)
24KC-Casey Werkmeister (DNF)
42KC-Kyle Werkmeister (DNF)
05X-Brandon Anderson (DNF)
05-Jesse Taylor (DNF)
P42-Dave Plowman (DNF)
413-Larry Pollmann (DNF)
3-John Huffman (DNF)
8-Travis Tilford (DNF)

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Hagan Memorial Race
2-Justin Wagner
20-Cody DeWester
5W-Richard Boon

Heat 1
20-Cody DeWester
5W-Richard Boon
3L-Leland Stute

A Feature
32M-Michael Brunswig
2-Justin Wagner
3L-Leland Stute
20-Cody DeWester
22-Austin Davis
5W-Richard Boon
33-Shane Klockman
8C-Corey Cruzan

Classic Modifieds
Hagan Memorial Race
41A-Devin Allen
P82-Max Pollmann
P83-Loren Pollmann

Heat
98-Matt Matson
1S-Donny Sailors
26RT-Rick Touslee

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

Mini-Trucks
Hagan Memorial Race
28-Alex Silos
98X-Jake Olmstead
12J-Robin Runge

Heat
98X-Jake Olmstead
14F-Royal Fisher
28-Alex Silos

A Feature
98X-Jake Olmstead
28-Alex Silos
12J-Robin Runge
14F-Royal Fisher
69-Delbert Ridenour
73-Justin Day