A young lady moves up a class

By Greg Soukup 

Today we continue our series of interviews with drivers who are going to be enjoying their first season on the friendly banking of Eagle Raceway. Brooke Fluckiger is a 25-year old young lady originally from Duncan, Nebraska but who currently is living in Columbus. 

She is no rookie to IMCA racing, unlike some of our previous interviewees. "I've been racing IMCA for about 7 years. I began in the compact class. I started dating Jeff Ware, and he was big into racing, and that kind of gave me the push to start racing on my own because I'd really always wanted to do it. I also grew up watching my cousins Damion and Dylan Smith racing, so they were a big factor too". 

When I asked about past racing accomplishments she said "We actually got the track championship at 2 tracks this past year, I came home with the Nebraska state IMCA championship in the sport compacts plus I won the Lady Eagle. It was a good year!". 

Her 2018 plans were influenced by Jeff Ware also. "Jeff plans to run full-time at Eagle again this year, and with me switching to the IMCA Hobby Stock division, I'm probably going to be following him around so that he can help me out with everything. I did race at Eagle a couple of times in my sport compact; it's a great facility with a great track and I plan to race there as much as possible depending on my work schedule". 

Having mentioned her move up in class to a hobby stock, I inquired about that decision. "Well, I had been in the sport compact class for 7 years, as I said before. I just felt like I had more potential in a different class. I had some great sponsors who were able to help me out, so they made my move up come true. I couldn't have done it without Jeff because he's been through the wringer in the Hobby Stock division. He gave me that push to move up a class and see what it's all about". 

Is she looking forward to the experience? "Oh yeah! I'm beyond excited!! I'm definitely looking forward to coming back to Eagle and racing there. I've had a great time every time that I've raced there. It's got the best competition that you could ask for in the state. Roger is great as a track promoter. I'm definitely looking forward to it this year". 

She had a long list of people that she needed to thank. "Jeff Ware, my boyfriend does so much. He puts the car together, he's going to set it up for me since he knows all of the ins and outs and I sure couldn't do it without him. My Mom, Dad, Grandpa and Grandma of course. My aunt Karen and "Heavy" too, plus Shane. Then I have an anonymous sponsor who just goes by "DS". Other sponsors are Spider Racing, Barber and Sons Trucking, Husker Bar, Trev's Computer Repair, Stock Reality, John Stopak with Big Iron Auctions, Chix Gear, DSR, Resting Heart Cattle Company, My Place Bar and Grill and Columbus Urgent Care". 

Her parting thoughts were "I can't thank each and every person enough for supporting me over all of the years in the compact class. I've met so many amazing people throughout the division. I've had the opportunity to race at so many tracks across Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. To everybody who's ever helped me out, I want them to know how much I appreciate that. I am definitely looking forward to meeting new awesome people in the Hobby Stock division. Again, I can't thank the fans enough for supporting me, and I just hope everyone will just bear with me in this new class because it will be a complete turnaround for me".  

Our newest sprint car driver

Another week, another driver who will be racing an IMCA legal race car this coming season for the first time. 14-year old Trey Gropp is, as the last couple of interviewees were, no stranger to racing.

"My dad raced a little bit when he was younger. He raced Late Models, modifieds, trucks, dwarf cars, stock cars and all that good stuff. I started in a cage kart at Mini-E Speedway and another track in 2007. So, that's 10 years for me".

Deciding to forego a sport compact, hobby stock or even a modified, he decided to jump into IMCA racing with both feet by competing in a Racesaver IMCA Sprint Car. "It's been a dream of mine ever since I was little. I moved from cage karts to a micro-sprint, and just decided to go to a sprint car now. I've never raced a sprint yet. I hot-lapped Stu Snyder's sprint one time, and I can't thank him enough for the opportunity. Stu even said he was proud of me for turning sa faster lap then he did".

I asked if he was looking forward to racing at Eagle, Trey said "Oh yeah; I can't wait! I'm going in there with basically no expectations and just going to see how we can do".

I asked what he hoped to accomplish in his first year in the sprinter. "I hope that we can learn a lot and that it makes me a better driver, racing against all of the great drivers out at Eagle. I think we'll run for points at Eagle Raceway this season and see how we can do. Then we might try to travel a little bit".

He wanted to be sure to thank everyone that has helped in this new adventure. "I need to say thank you to my Grandma and Grandpa Kruse, my Mom and Dad. All of the sponsors who made it possible for me to get the car ready for the track every week too. There's Mason Racin', Ron Fox, Kiss Cars, Hot Kote 751, East 'O' Storage, Nature's Variety, Spanel Racing Engines, J.J.N.J, Sardeson Racing, Keizer Wheels, Rosy's Raceland, Walker Performance Air Filters, King Racing Products, BR Motorsports, Harris Decals and Hilites Salon. Also Keith Hightshoe and Brandon Hightshoe from Hightshoe Racing helped out a lot".

In closing Trey wanted to let everyone know that "We'll have a young kid coming to Eagle every once in awhile from Missouri who has CHD. His name is Evan and he's just 5 years old. He'll be there in the stands rooting for us".

In this his 11th season of racing, he has a large task ahead of him, but with all of the time he's spent in the seat of a race car, I think this young man has a great future awaiting him as he starts this new adventure.

Rowan Mason

This week I spoke with Rowan Mason, 18, from Lincoln who is going to be making his first turns on the high banks of Eagle Raceway this year. He is no stranger to the friendly confines, however. He spent 4 years racing cage karts beginning at 14 and running them through last season. "I struggled through the first couple of years and didn't come up with any championships. But, the last two years we were able to pull off around 10 wins and last year I finally got my first win at Mini-E Raceway. Now we're making the jump up to the IMCA Hobby Stock Class". 

I mentioned that was quite a jump from a cage kart to a Hobby Stock. "I'm the first one in my family that actually wanted to get involved in racing. It's kind of an interesting move, but I'm fortunate in that all of my family is right there supporting me. I've enjoyed watching the Hobby Stocks ever since I've been coming out to Eagle Raceway, which is quite a few years. I watched all of the other races, but the Hobby Stocks have always been a very fine, competitive class that always seemed to put on a good show and it's the class that I've always wanted to get involved with. I'm really happy to get the chance to be involved with that great competition. I'm going to be running an Assasin Chassis this season. I got a chance to make some laps at a practice night, and it was awesome!! There was a LOT of learning, and I'm looking forward to getting a lot more laps turned on the track". 

When I asked how he thought it would be to race on the high banks at Eagle, he said "I can hardly imagine how different that’s going to be!". 

Then I inquired as to whether or not he had picked out his number. "#28. There's no significance to the number. I was just thinking about what one to use and 28 just sounded like a cool number. So, I went with it". 

As for help on the car he stated "My Uncle Monty is by far my biggest help, and I can't thank him enough. Matt Gropp, Zach Way; I mean there's just a lot of guys helping us out this year. I need to thank my sponsors too; Big Red Tire Pros, Daily Driver Auto Care, Elite Welding and Fabrication, KS Lawn Care, Demon Decals, Blackmax Asphalt, Assassin Chassis and Full Curl Duck Camp. I couldn't do this without all of them". 

I finished by asking what his goals were for his rookie season. "My goal is to just improve after every race, making sure that we make good use of our time on the track, using that time wisely; just learning and getting better each week. I'd love to get a feature win, a top 10 in points or Rookie of the Year, but the main goal is just to learn. Hopefully I keep getting better and better for my second season". 

It sounds like this young man knows what he wants and how to get there.