RICKY STEPHAN GETS FIRST WIN AT SHELBY COUNTY SPEEDWAY; COONEY SWEEPS LATE MODELS
by Bonnie Errett

HARLAN, Iowa (June 17) – With light rain falling throughout the features, Shelby County Speedway luckily completed a full night of races before the thunderstorms rolled in later that evening. It was Hy-Vee night at the track where Ricky Stephan achieved his first win of the season.

John Bagby darted forward at the start of the I.M.C.A. Late Model feature to claim the front position ahead of Jeff Segebart. But by the second lap of the race, Todd Cooney powered by both of them to snatch the lead. Four laps in, Vance Tonack took second and Robert See followed into third. See quickly moved up to challenge Tonack for second and stole the position. Halfway through the race, Tonack reclaimed second as Barry Sorensen and Bagby competed for fourth. Leading all but one lap of the feature, Cooney skillfully collected his second win of the season ahead of Tonack, See, and Bagby.

The I.M.C.A. Modified feature was swiftly taken control of by Brad "Blackie" Madsen by the end of lap one. Four laps after the drop of the green however, Madsen, Jeff Stephens, Ricky Stephan, and Chad Preul went four wide across the track vying for the lead. Preul moved forward to take a hold on first as the other three continued in a battle for second. Stephan jumped on the opportunity and halfway through the feature grabbed the front position. In second, Preul fought to hold off Stephens, but in turn two of the final lap, Stephens slipped by and followed Stephan who picked up his first win of the season at Shelby County Speedway.

Ryan Branz was the first leader of the ProAm feature in front of Denny Berghahn Sr. and Matt Smith. In turn one of the second lap, Luke LeRette pushed into third and down the backstretch moved up to second. After starting tenth, Matt McAtee quickly picked through the field, reaching fourth just three laps into the feature. Down the backstretch at ten to go, McAtee took hold of the front position with Berghahn Sr. close behind. LeRette held the third spot as Galen Grabill took fourth. With three laps remaining, Berghahn Sr. ran into trouble in turn two, taking LeRette out with him and moving Galen and Charles Grabill up behind the leader. At the two to go mark Charles passed his dad for second, but Galen recovered by turn four. In turn three of the final lap, Charles snuck by Galen on the low side and followed McAtee to his eighth win of the year.

Jason Rold jumped out in front at the start of the I.M.C.A. Stock Car feature with Rick Christensen in second. It was Tim Bengard, moving fast on the outside, who stole the second spot and then first by the end of the second lap. At nine to go Brian Blessington jumped from sixth to fourth as Bengard stretched out into a strong lead. Blessington worked his way up to second with four laps remaining ahead of Steve Curtis. David Smith snatched third from Curtis on the final lap as Bengard drove to victory lane.

The I.M.C.A. Hobby Stocks were taken into lap one of their feature by Kenny Hansen, but by the second lap of the race, Heath Kasperbaur and Brain Snell were alongside Hansen for the lead. A caution slowed the action after the second lap was completed. The race was set back into motion with Kasperbaur leading the pack ahead of Hansen then Snell. Donovan Smith, who started the race in twelfth, entered the top four with seven laps remaining and traveled up to take the lead in just four laps. The unbeatable Smith collected his eighth win of the year ahead of Kasperbaur in second and Dale Towne in third, who just barely snuck by Snell at the finish line.

Coming from a fifth starting position, Willy Muhr shot forward on the low side of the track into the lead at the start of the Hornet feature. Andrew Hicks squeezed by Daniel Mefferd in turn two for the second position, and by turn four of the first lap, Corey Madden had stolen third. After a caution on the next lap, Madden swept around the outside of Hicks to take second from him, and with four to go, Matt Steffens picked up fourth. Maintaining a strong lead throughout the race, Muhr was first to the checkered flags for the second time this season.

Next Saturday will be Swanson Automotive night with gates opening at 5:00 pm, hot laps at 6:30 pm, and racing immediately following.

Results for 06/17/06

I.M.C.A. Late Models

A-Feature: 1. 30 Todd Cooney, Des Moines; 2. 1T Vance Tonack, Omaha; 3. 30C Robert See, Altoona; 4. 1L John Bagby, Johnston; 5. 9F Fred Miller, Avoca; 6. 45 Barry Sorensen, Avoca; 7. 1 Dave Jorgensen, Omaha; 8. 11 Todd Mason, Omaha; 9. 10 Jay Stewart, Blair, NE; 10. 17 Eddie Moore, Milford, NE; 11. 5S Jeff Segebart, Westside; 12. 9 Mark Plowman, Elkhorn; 13. 11F Randy Faux, Earlham; 14. 17M Phil Miller, Mo. Valley; 15. 33 Don Beckstrom, Carroll

1st Heat: Mason, Sorensen, Moore, Bagby

2nd Heat: Cooney, See, Jorgensen, Segebart

I.M.C.A. Modifieds

A-Feature: 1. 25 Ricky Stephen, Sioux City; 2. 92 Jeff Stephens, Arion; 3. 2K Chad Preul, Westside; 4. 17P Tim Plowman, Woodbine; 5. 54 Brad Madsen, Kimballton; 6. 12 Bill Osbahr, Avoca; 7. 62 Greg Cox, Altoona; 8. 3L Bub LeRette, C.B.; 9. 6C Eric Meents, Denison; 10. 14 Matt Bonine, Onawa; 11. 1R Craig Reetz, Dunlap; 12. 1 Dave Hulsebus, Tennant; 13. 28 Chase Mewhirter, Atlantic; 14. 77 Dustin Jarillo; 15. 3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon; 16. 19J Jeff Jones, C.B.; 17. 17X Eric Swanson, Denison; 18. 73 Travis Mewhirter, Atlantic; 19. Z62 Dan McKeighan, Carter Lake; 20. 21N Dave Newton JR, Omaha; 21. 43 Brian Foote, Essex

1st Heat: Cox, Jones, Plowman, LeRette

2nd Heat: Stephens, Preul, Madsen, Stephen

ProAms

A-Feature: 1. 6M Matt McAtee, Crescent; 2. 40 Charles Grabill, Harlan; 3. 4 Galen Grabill, Harlan; 4. 2 Mike Brown, Glenwood; 5. 10 Ryan Brans; 6. 96 Matt Smith; 7. 71 Bill Hargens, Omaha; 8. 4L Luke LeRette, C.B.; 9. 6X Denny Berghahn, Omaha; 10. 6 Denny Berghahn, Jr., Omaha; 11. 81 Dwain Pelzer, Malvern

1st Heat: McAtee, Charles Grabill, Smith, Berghahn, Jr.

2nd Heat: Galen Grabill, LeRette, Hargens, Brown

I.M.C.A. Stock Cars

A-Feature: 1. 19B Tim Bengard, Exira; 2. 92B Brian Blessington, Breda; 3. 8 David Smith, Lake City; 4. 1 Steve Curtis, Grimes; 5. 96 Jason Rold, Hancock; 6. 26 Bill Reetz, Carroll; 7. 10X Keith Knop, Avoca; 8. P42 Dave Plowman, Gretna; 9. ZR1 Ryan Webb, Denison; 10. 23A Jeremy Gettler, Adair; 11. 76 Trent Partridge, Elk Horn; 12. 63 Mike Nichols, Harlan; 13. 37X Rick Christensen, Audubon; 14. 38 Josh Filmer, Lake City; 15. 20 Jeff Segebart, Westside; 16. 90 Andy Miller, Carson; 17. 02 Tony Ritterbush, Dunlap; 18. 56G Kevin Godwin, Earlham; 19. 29 Tanner Partridge, Walnut

1st Heat: Bengard, Blessington, Smith, Rold

2nd Heat: Plowman, Reetz, Nichols, Curtis

I.M.C.A. Hobby Stocks

A-Feature: 1. 35 Donovan Smith, Lake City; 2. 1K Heath Kasperbaur; 3. 15 Dale Towne, Avoca; 4. 3S Brian Snell, Coon Rapids; 5. 2X Chuck Madden Jr., Avoca; 6. 5G Tyler Griffen; 7. 25X Trent Murphy, Jefferson; 8. 14K Kenny Hansen; 9. 68+1 Blaine Petersen, Essex; 10. 121 Robert Tippery, C.B.; 11. 5D Brent Daringer, Persia; 12. 4W Joe Wollenhaupt; 13. 14 Jay Hansen, Audubon; 14. 25M Michael Murphy, Jefferson; 15. 7W Willie Ransom, Irwin; 16. 98 Derrick Rohe; 17. 22 Jim Lampe, Carroll; 18. 12 Andrew Kinser; 19. 83 Mike Harris, Avoca; 20. 77JX Shawn Chapman, Harlan; 21. 74N Jason Nielsen, Underwood; 22. 55 Jason Fusselman, Shelby; 23. 60 Tanner Powers, Exira; 24. 29R Denny Ranson, Irwin

1st Heat: Madden Jr., Trent Murphy, Griffen, Kenny Hansen

2nd Heat: Smith, Fusselman, Rohe, Petersen

3rd Heat: Kasperbaur, Towne, Snell, Nielsen

Hornets

A-Feature: 1. 84 Willy Muhr, Exira; 2. 2 Corey Madden, Avoca; 3. 26 Andrew Hicks, Dunlap; 4. 63x Matt Steffens, Atlantic; 5. 3 Joseph Mefferd, Dunlap; 6. 22 Shannon Mahlberg, Dunlap; 7. 68 Daniel Mefferd, Dunlap; 8. 3C Cody Klein, Harlan; 9. 00 Bayley Nicholl, Audubon

Heat: Muhr, Steffens, Hicks, Madden