SEASON FIRST WIN FOR GRABILL AT SHELBY COUNTY SPEEDWAY
by Bonnie Errett

HARLAN, IA (July 8, 2006) – Local favorite, Galen Grabill, also known as the "Flyin’ Farmer", achieved his first win of the season Saturday night. This broke Matt McAtee’s streak in the ProAms, but Todd Cooney continued his in the Late Models to total his fourth win in a row at the track.

Vic Lovejoy set the IMCA Late Model feature into motion with Don Beckstrom on his tail. Beckstrom wasted no time in taking over the lead and Vance Tonack promptly moved into second. On the inside of turn two, seven laps into the race, Robert See took third with Barry Sorensen following into fourth. Halfway through, Tonack was the new leader and Sorensen had third. Todd Cooney joined the top four as Sorensen pushed up to second. A caution with six laps to go took out See and sent Sorensen to the back. One lap later, Beckstrom and Cooney came around either side of Tonack in competition for the lead. Cooney came out on top and Phil Miller shifted up to third. With two to go Jay Stewart obtained fourth and Cooney held off Beckstrom to pick up his fifth win for the season.

The IMCA Modifieds were taken into their twenty-lap feature by B.J. Bruck, but Dale Ransom was the new leader at the end of lap one. Brad "Blackie" Madsen quickly journeyed into second and pushed for first but was held off. The second spot was next swept up by Adam Larson just after Jeff Stephens got a hold of fourth. Eight laps in, Larson went low into the lead as Stephens took the high route to reach third. Two laps later Stephens bounded up to second and at the halfway marker seized the front spot. Stephens pulled away as Ricky Stephan traveled all the way to second after starting the race in fifteenth. Stephens was first to the checkers with his fifth win of the season at the track.

Denny Berghahn was the first leader of the ProAm feature, holding off his son, Denny Berghahn Jr., right behind him. But on the second lap of the race, Galen Grabill split the duo and filled in the second position. Five laps after the drop of the green, Grabill overcame the leader. Kerry Kierscht soon filled in behind Grabill with Matt McAtee taking third. Kierscht moved up, pressuring Grabill for the lead on the low side. The two traded the first spot throughout the next lap, but Grabill then took control and held on. Skillfully guiding his car to the checkered flags, Grabill entered victory lane for his first win of the season.

The caution was thrown one lap into the IMCA Stock Car feature after which Tim Bengard stole the lead from Tanner Partridge. Four laps in, Trent Partridge collected third, and one lap later Dave Plowman took fourth. Trent grabbed second from Tanner at nine to go as Mick King acquired fourth. With five laps left, Josh Filmer powered by King and Tanner on the high side to take third. Filmer, who started the race in eleventh, traveled up to second on the following lap. Fighting off Filmer to the finish line, Tim Bengard received win number three for the season.

The IMCA Hobby Stock feature got rolling with Jim Lampe out in front, and by the end of lap one, Heath Kasperbaur had second. Coming from a twelfth starting position, Donovan Smith entered the top four on the fifth lap of the race. After a caution at six laps to go, Smith got around Brent Daringer for third. One lap later it was Dustin Smith moving into the fourth position. Donovan took on Kasperbaur for the second spot, but Kasperbaur jumped forward all the way to the lead. At the drop of the white flag Donovan slid into second, and Dustin picked up third down the backstretch. Kasperbaur finished the race in first but subsequently gave up the win to Donovan after refusing a claim.

Traveling along the outside, Willy Muhr came from the back of the pack to sweep up the lead in turn two of the first lap of the Hornet feature. A rough and tumble race sent a few to the back for rough driving. Muhr accomplished his third victory ahead of Daniel Smith, Joseph Mefferd, and Bayley Nicholl.

Wednesday, July 12, during the Shelby County Fair, the IMCA Deery Brothers Late Models will make their first appearance at the track. The night begins with hot laps at 6:30 pm. In addition to the Deery Brothers Late Models, Harlan will be running IMCA Sports Mods, ProAms, and Hornets. Saturday, July 15 regular season races will take place with the gates opening at 5:00 pm, hot laps at 6:30 pm, and racing immediately following.

Results for 07/08/06

I.M.C.A. Late Models

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

1st Heat: See, Mason, Cooney, Stewart

2nd Heat: Jorgensen, Sorensen, Lovejoy, Miller

I.M.C.A. Modifieds

A-Feature: 1. 92 Jeff Stephens, Arion; 2. 25 Ricky Stephan, S. Sioux City, NE; 3. 2L Adam Larson, Ames; 4. 54 Brad Madsen, Kimballton; 5. 91B B.J. Bruck, Westphalia; 6. 12 Bill Osbahr, Avoca; 7. 17P Tim Plowman, Woodbine; 8. 19J Jeff Jones, C.B.; 9. 28 Chase Mewhirter, Atlantic; 10. 11 Chad Dills, Shelby; 11. 62 Greg Cox, Altoona; 12. Z62 Dan McKeighan, Carter Lake; 13. 1 Dave Hulsebus, Tennant; 14. 73 Travis Mewhirter, Atlantic; 15. 17X Eric Swanson, Denison; 16. 2R Dale Ransom, Denison; 17. 3L Bub LeRette, C.B.; 18. 2K Chad Preul, Westside; 19. 78 Jeff Anderson, Atlantic; 20. 1R Craig Reetz, Dunlap; 21. 6C Eric Meents, Denison

1st Heat: McKeighan, Bruck, Osbahr, Anderson

2nd Heat: Larson, Ransom, Reetz, LeRette

3rd Heat: Plowman, Madsen, Stephens, Jones

ProAms

A-Feature: 1. 4 Galen Grabill, Harlan; 2. 11K Kerry Kierscht, Denison; 3. 6M Matt McAtee, Crescent; 4. 40 Charles Grabill, Harlan; 5. 6X Denny Berghahn, Omaha; 6. 6 Denny Berghahn, Jr., Omaha; 7. 2 Mike Brown, Glenwood; 8. 7 Jim Kruse, Omaha; 9. 96 Matt Smith; 10. 7ET Sheldon Thompson, Glidden

1st Heat: Kierscht, Galen Grabill, Berghahn, Berghahn, Jr.

2nd Heat: Charles Grabill, Brown, McAtee, Kruse

I.M.C.A. Stock Cars

A-Feature: 1. 19B Tim Bengard, Exira; 2. 38 Josh Filmer, Lake City; 3. 76 Trent Partridge, Elk Horn; 4. 92B Brian Blessington, Breda; 5. P42 Dave Plowman, Gretna; 6. 4K Mick King, C.B.; 7. 63 Mike Nichols, Harlan; 8. 29 Tanner Partridge, Walnut; 9. 37X Rick Christensen, Audubon; 10. 96 Jason Rold, Hancock; 11. 24B Randy Biederman, Dallas Center; 12. 90 Andy Miller, Carson; 13. 56G Kevin Godwin, Earlham; 14. 25X Richard Devereaux, McClelland; 15. 8 David Smith, Lake City; 16. 25C ,; 17. 69X Shane Nielsen, Panora; 18. 1 Steve Curtis, Grimes

1st Heat: Smith, Trent Partridge, Plowman, Nichols

2nd Heat: Bengard, Blessington, King, Rold

I.M.C.A. Hobby Stocks

A-Feature: 1. 35 Donovan Smith, Lake City; 2. 22 Jim Lampe, Carroll; 3. 85 Dustin Smith, Lake City; 4. 3S Brian Snell, Coon Rapids; 5. 20 Luke Wanninger, Jefferson; 6. 5G Tyler Griffen; 7. 2X Chuck Madden Jr., Avoca; 8. 25X Trent Murphy, Jefferson; 9. 55 Jason Fusselman, Shelby; 10. 121 Robert Tippery, C.B.; 11. 16X Charlie Bird; 12. 68+1 Blaine Petersen, Essex; 13. 14 Jay Hansen, Audubon; 14. 5D Brent Daringer, Persia; 15. 74N Jason Nielsen, Underwood; 16. 14K Kenny Hansen; 17. 32 Tyler Hunter, Jefferson; 18. 77 Rick Hansen, Manilla; 19. 60 Tanner Powers, Exira; 20. 83 Mike Harris, Avoca; 21. 12X Doug Smith, Lake City; 22. 7W Willie Ransom, Irwin; 23. 25M Michael Murphy, Jefferson; 24. 1K Heath Kasperbaur; 25. 4W Joe Wollenhaupt

1st Heat: Dustin Smith, Lampe, Snell, Wollenhaupt

2nd Heat: Donovan Smith, Wanninger, Daringer, Fusselman

3rd Heat: Madden Jr., Kasperbaur, Griffen, Powers

Hornets

A-Feature: 1. 84 Willy Muhr, Exira; 2. 35 Daniel Smith, Lake City; 3. 3 Joseph Mefferd, Dunlap; 4. 00 Bayley Nicholl, Audubon; 5. 38SS Scott Watts, C.B.; 6. 26 Andrew Hicks, Dunlap; 7. 3C Cody Klein, Harlan; 8. 68 Daniel Mefferd, Dunlap; 9. 63x Matt Steffens, Atlantic; 10. 2 Corey Madden, Avoca

1st Heat: Hicks, Joseph Mefferd, Smith, Watts

2nd Heat: Madden, Daniel Mefferd, Muhr, Steffens