Nostalgia and June 5th, 2018's racing at Eagle Raceway

Last night at Eagle Raceway was a "Back in time" evening or me. Having first attended in 1963 and spent more nights than I want to think about there, it was truly a deja 'vu.

I cannot remember the last time that there were 39 sprint cars in the pits there. That was enough to require a 10 car C Feature. A C FEATURE!!! I'm not sure how long it's been since that happened, but I do recall seeing fields of 15 or less for a total car count far too many times.

Having switched to the IMCA Racesaver Sprints has been the resurrection that the sprints in the area needed. Teams that had long ago given up racing have drug their cars from their dusty hiding places and put them back on the track. Young racers who most likely could never have moved up can now do that on a budget. Every racer; young, old or in between who competes in the Racesaver class knows that they are on a level playing field. They may be outdriven, but they don't need to worry about being beaten because someone else spent more money.

Couple the big car count last night with some of the names of the drivers of those cars took me back also. When you have names like Bowes, Riggins, Grossenbacher, Kitchen, Jensen and Hendrickson being announced it certainly makes your heart skip a beat. Lots of years ago those names were being talked about, albeit with different first names. Going through the pits back then and seeing Ed, JJ, Steve, Reagan, Lonnie and Rex there and then knowing that they are supporting the younger drivers now gives me a nostalgic rush like no other. Having watched the elder drivers battling on the high banks of Eagle Raceway and other tracks in the area, then watching last night's action is SUCH a rush for me. Throw in other local legends such as Keith Hightshoe who is helping out Trey Gropp along with the reappearance of the black Tracy Motorsports sprinter with Tige Jensen at the wheel and you feel that the circle has been completed. I know that the sport is in great hands with Roger Hadan and Racesaver, so long as we can keep recruiting young talent like we have been, and keep the racing even and affordable.

Now, let's get to the actual racing last night at America's Home Track. Here is the story and results.

Saturday night’s Royal Flush Rush, presented by Colby Ridge and Runner Freight saw 150 teams fill the pits at Eagle Raceway. Both the weather and the track went through lots of changes; we had intermittent rain, spots of sunshine and brisk winds while the track that started out narrow and tacky finished wide and racy.  Heats saw 3 and 4-wide racing with lap times close to the track record.

All preliminary races were run without significant occurences.

The Purdue University IMCA Sport Modified Feature saw Mary Lenz’s 17, the 18 of Dion Kovar, Jason Harms in the 6H and the 09RX of Randy Fox lead the first circuit. Fox spun out in turns 3 & 4 on lap 5 to turn on the yellow lights. That moved the 99RE of Arie Schouten into fourth. The restart was called back after debris was spotted in turn 2. A lap after the action got going again Schouten moved to third and advanced to second 2 laps later as Harms held third and the 40 of Shawn Harker moved to fourth. Harker passed Harms the next time around and Lee Horky put the #7 into fourth. Harker continued his advance moving to second with 6 laps remaining and grabbed the lead from Lenz with 3 to go. The next time around Horky moved to third and Gary Saathoff put the #96 into fourth. The final top 4 were Harker, Lenz, Horky and Saathoff.

This was Harker’s second victory in a row on the high banks starting out the 2018 season. Harker said “I love this place! I’ve been coming here since I was a kid in the ‘80s to watch the races. It just suits my driving style really well. Tomorrow is my 37^th birthday, so I guess I gave myself a birthday present. The track was good tonight; with a lot of character to it. You could run around the bottom or clear up at the top. You just had to pick a line and go for it. I really have to thank Speedway Motors, Johnny Saathoff with Jet Racing, Cole with Lakeside Landscaping is a huge supporter of mine and VP Heartland Fuels came aboard this year. There are just so many people behind us that I need to thank”. Harker’s sponsors also include Tex Cattle, Kyle Vanouver, D-Sign Shop and Patriot Crane and Rigging.

The Valentino’s IMCA Hobby Stock A Main had a stoppage before it could actually start. When a lap was official it was Nick Beckman’s 22, the 85 of Albert Kiihne, Casey Moyer in the 38C and the 22C of Cheyenne Purchase out front. Kiihne took the lead on lap 2 as Purchase moved to third. Purchase spun in turn 4 the next time around and headed pit side. That moved the 23 of Mark McKinney into fourth. McKinney moved up to third the next lap as Jeff Ware put the #83 into fourth. Roy Armstrong got past Ware in the 6R the next circuit and moved to third after another lap as Ware moved back to fourth. Ware and Armstrong traded third and fourth the next 2 laps before Ware jumped up to second and Armstrong took over the third spot 2 laps later. With 7 to go Ware and Armstrong grabbed first and second respectively. From there to the checkers Armstrong tried everything he could to get past Ware, running high low and everywhere in between to no avail. At the end it was Ware, Armstrong, Kiihne and McKInney.

Like Harker, this was Ware’s second win in a row this season. When I said “Same song, second verse” Ware stated “I think that’s what they call that. I started outside the 6^th row; 12^th, just like every single night last year. I managed to win the first two last year, and the first two this year. So, I guess that’s back to back, to back, to back! The track was good tonight; I definitely liked it. A little slick, a little tacky, a little choppy and a little smooth. It took a driver out there tonight”. Ware’s sponsors include Dewine Mechanical, Kula Repair, Charger Chassis, T & R Auto Repair and Demon Decals.

Next, it was time for the Runner Freight IMCA Modifieds with an additional $600 on the line, donated by Runner Freight to the victor. Nate Thompson in the 3T, Jeff Schroyer’s 007, Jaxon Saathoff in the 96 and Justin Wulf’s 86 led the field after the initial lap. Chad Andersen cracked the top 4, putting the 8C into fourth on lap 2 before moving up to third the next time around as Wulf retained fourth. Andersen looped it at the top of turns 1 & 2 the next time around for a caution. That moved Bob Zoubek’s 5S into fourth. Wulf grabbed second on the restart as Zoubek moved to third and Johnny Saathoff put the 96J into fourth. Zoubek and Saathoff passed Wulf with 12 to go, moving to second and third. 2 laps later Zoubek snagged the lead as Dan Nelson’s 94 moved to fourth. With 5 to go there was a caution for debris on the track, bunching the field. Saathoff advanced to second with 3 circuits remaining as Wulf fell to fourth. Wulf got back to second the next lap, but lost the spot to Schroyer who passed him on the last lap making the final top 4 Zoubek, Schroyer, Wulf and Saathoff.

Zoubek’s victory came from starting outside of the fifth row. “The track was really racy tonight. There was 2 lines, and they were both fast. We just kind of came through there nice and slow and stayed out of trouble. Jeff kind of had the better line for awhile there, but I finally got around him and drove away a little” stated Zoubek. Zoubek’s sponsors include Kremer Storage and Rental, Klein Construction, Pracheil Farms, Goldfuss Shocks and Fab, Kohmetscher Roofing and City Slickers Bar in Dorchester.

The ATV Motorsports IMCA Sport Compact main event had the 22B of Daniel Morris, the 32X of Nathan Wahlstrom, Noah Boller in the 26B and Steven Rol’s 16 out front after the first lap. Trenten Fugett jumped his 3T into third on lap 2 with Boller holding fourth. Rol took the fourth spot again on the next circuit. 2 laps following that Zach Bohlmeyer moved his 24Z into fourth past Rol. Fugett took the lead with 10 to go, making the final top 4 Fugett, Moris, Wahlstrom and Bohlmeyer.

This was Fugett’s first Eagle Raceway  win after having run just 6 races last year and making this his first full year in the class. It came from starting inside of the third row. “I love Eagle Raceway. It’s a fast track. You get banged up once in awhile, but that’s racing. It was a really fun race; the track was good. I was really impressed with my car. Last week we came out and I totaled it. We bent it back straight, put it back together and it’s faster than ever now. I owe  huge thanks to Wade and Dillon. They’re the ones who pretty much helped me get this car back on the track”. Fugett’s sponsors include Fester’s Bait and Tackle.

The IMCA Racesaver Sprint Car A Feature had Brandon Horton’s 1B lead the first lap with Paul Hendrickson’s 19JR, and Ryan Kitchen in the 21 and Neil Nickolite close behind. Kitchen advanced to second on lap 3 with Nickolite following him into third the following circuit as Shon Pointer put the 20P into fourth. Nickolite passed Kitchen for second on lap 5, only to lose the spot back to him 2 laps later. Toby Chapman’s #7 slowed on lap 10 with a failed driveline, causing the yellow lights to come on in the corners. Trevor Grossenbacher used the restart to put the #35 into fourth, moving to third with 12 circuits remaining. The next time around Ryan King moved the 93 into fourth. There were 10 to go when Grossenbacher moved up to second. Pointer again moved to fourth 3 laps later. Grossenbacher took over the lead with 4 to go. With only 2 circuits remaining Jason Martin moved to fourth in his 5X as Pointer advanced to third. Pointer got up to second on the final lap making the final top 4 Grossenbacher, Pointer, Horton and Martin.

Grossenbacher began the feature in the 12^th spot on the starting grid. “We’ve been good all 3 nights this year. It’s just that we haven’t gotten the results. The first night we ran into a little trouble, and last week we needed a caution to bunch everyone up but didn’t get it. This week we got our caution, and that made the difference. The car handled perfectly tonight, the motor ran good and everything worked the way that it should. The track was awesome! I mean, there was 2 lanes to race in, the top was really fun in 1 and 2. In 3 and 4 you had to slow down and go around the bottom, but the track was good and racy”. Grossenbacher’s sponsors include Husker Diesel, True North Construction, WC’s South, Lincoln WinNelson, Restore A Muscle Car, Stop ‘N Shop, Lincoln Battery, SkyTop Towers, Central Body Shop and Speedway Motors Engines and Racing Shocks.

Next weekend Pepsi and the Lincoln Stars present Queen of Hearts Ladies Night. Blinky the Clown will be there from 5:30 to 7:30. There will be Pepsi Bowling at intermission.

Front gates open at 5:15, hot laps begin at 5:30 with racing at 6:30. Adult admission is $10, youths 6-12 are just $5 and children 5 and under are free.

Pit gates open at 4 P.M. with pit passes costing $25.

The ATV Motorsports IMCA Sport Compacts, Valentino’s IMCA Hobby Stocks, Purdue IMCA Sport Modifieds, Runner Freight IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Racesaver Sprint Cars will all be in action.

RESULTS:

IMCA Hobby Stock A-Feature 1. Jeff Ware Columbus, Ne. 2. Roy Armstrong Beatrice, Ne. 3. Albert Kiihne Lincoln, Ne. 4. Mark McKinney Omaha, Ne. 5. Tyler Saathoff Holland, Ne. 6. Ryan Gilland Sterling, Ne. 7. Dillon Richards(r) Beatrice, Ne. 8. Brett Saathoff Lincoln, Ne. 9. David Carter Fremont, Ne. 10. Nick Beckman Lincoln, Ne. 11. Charlie Bartels Lincoln, Ne. 12. Jamie Bruce Lincoln, Ne. 13. Brint Lemke Lincoln, Ne. 14. Khrysta Stransky Lincoln, Ne. 15. Matt Beckner Lincoln, Ne. 16. Casey Moyer Auburn, Ne. 17. Cheyenne Purchase Papillion, Ne. 18. Jeff Watts Beatrice, Ne. 19. Tyler Jackson Lincoln, Ne. DNS. Don Hall Jr Lincoln, Ne. IMCA

Hobby Stock B-Feature 1. Ryan Gilland Sterling, Ne. 2. David Carter Fremont, Ne. 3. Tyler Jackson Lincoln, Ne. 4. Matt Beckner Lincoln, Ne. 5. Khrysta Stransky Lincoln, Ne. 6. Luke Nicholson Omaha, Ne. 7. Dalton Shearer(r) Auburn, Ne. 8. Brooke Fluckiger(r) Columbus, Ne. 9. Robert Gould Eagle, Ne. 10. Troy Dowty Fremont, Ne. 11. Tanner Dowty Fremont, Ne.

IMCA Hobby Stock Heat 1 1. Nick Beckman Lincoln, Ne. 2. Mark McKinney Omaha, Ne. 3. Roy Armstrong Beatrice, Ne. 4. Brett Saathoff Lincoln, Ne. 5. Jeff Watts Beatrice, Ne. 6. Troy Dowty Fremont, Ne. 7. Matt Beckner Lincoln, Ne. 8. Khrysta Stransky Lincoln, Ne. 9. Robert Gould Eagle, Ne.

IMCA Hobby Stock Heat 2 1. Albert Kiihne Lincoln, Ne. 2. Cheyenne Purchase Papillion, Ne. 3. Jamie Bruce Lincoln, Ne. 4. Jeff Ware Columbus, Ne. 5. Brint Lemke Lincoln, Ne. 6. Tyler Jackson Lincoln, Ne. 7. David Carter Fremont, Ne. 8. Dalton Shearer(r) Auburn, Ne. 9. Brooke Fluckiger(r) Columbus, Ne.

IMCA Hobby Stock Heat 3 1. Casey Moyer Auburn, Ne. 2. Dillon Richards(r) Beatrice, Ne. 3. Tyler Saathoff Holland, Ne. 4. Charlie Bartels Lincoln, Ne. 5. Don Hall Jr Lincoln, Ne. 6. Ryan Gilland Sterling, Ne. 7. Luke Nicholson Omaha, Ne. 8. Tanner Dowty Fremont, Ne.

IMCA Modified A-Feature 1. Bob Zoubek Dorchester, Ne. 2. Jeff Schroyer Elkhorn, Ne. 3. Justin Wulf Arlington, Ne. 4. Johnny Saathoff Beatrice, Ne. 5. Shane Hiatt Rising City, Ne. 6. Dustin Andersen Omaha, Ne. 7. Dan Nelson Holmesville, Ne. 8. Josh Blumer Marysville, Ne. 9. Rik Gropp Lincoln, Ne. 10. Trevor Baker Omaha, Ne. 11. Clint Homan Bellevue, Ne. 12. Chad Andersen Ft Calhoun, Ne. 13. Nate Thompson Fremont, Ne. 14. Mark Carrell Redmond, Or. 15. Norm Ziegenbein Lincoln, Ne. 16. Mike Lineberry Fremont, Ne. 17. Jan Korth Lincoln, Ne. 18. Jared Deterding Lincoln, Ne. 19. Jaxon Saathoff Beatrice, Ne. 20. Bob Ruisinger Bennet, Ne. 21. Mike Densberger Lincoln, Ne. 22. Jordan Grabouski Beatrice, Ne.

IMCA Modified Heat 1 1. Jeff Schroyer Elkhorn, Ne. 2. Rik Gropp Lincoln, Ne. 3. Bob Zoubek Dorchester, Ne. 4. Mike Densberger Lincoln, Ne. 5. Clint Homan Bellevue, Ne. 6. Dan Nelson Holmesville, Ne. 7. Norm Ziegenbein Lincoln, Ne. 8. Jared Deterding Lincoln, Ne.

IMCA Modified Heat 2 1. Mike Lineberry Fremont, Ne. 2. Nate Thompson Fremont, Ne. 3. Johnny Saathoff Beatrice, Ne. 4. Justin Wulf Arlington, Ne. 5. Shane Hiatt Rising City, Ne. 6. Mark Carrell Redmond, Or. 7. Bob Ruisinger Bennet, Ne.

IMCA Modified Heat 3 1. Chad Andersen Ft Calhoun, Ne. 2. Jordan Grabouski Beatrice, Ne. 3. Trevor Baker Omaha, Ne. 4. Jaxon Saathoff Beatrice, Ne. 5. Jan Korth Lincoln, Ne. 6. Josh Blumer Marysville, Ne. 7. Dustin Andersen Omaha, Ne.

IMCA Sport Compact A-Feature 1. Trenten Fugett Homesville, Ne. 2. Daniel Morris Bellevue, Ne. 3. Nathan Wahlstrom Beatrice, Ne. 4. Zach Bohlmeyer Beatrice, Ne. 5. Steffen Oaks Lincoln, Ne. 6. Nick Lindblad Beatrice, Ne. 7. Rj Maas Wilber, Ne. 8. Shawn Hein Beatrice, Ne. 9. Justin Callender Lincoln, Ne. 10. Noah Boller Beatrice, Ne. 11. Josh Johnson Lincoln, Ne. 12. Tommy Etherton Lincoln, Ne. 13. Tim Horsham Raymond, Ne. 14. Kelly Petersen(r) 15. Josh Young Beatrice, Ne. 16. Steven Rol Hastings, Ne. 17. Kyle Grobeck(r) Omaha, Ne. 18. Bryce Walker(r) Omaha, Ne. 19. Louis Pavey Douglas, Ne. 20. Adam Reifler Lincoln, Ne.

IMCA Sport Compact B-Feature 1. Tommy Etherton Lincoln, Ne. 2. Tim Horsham Raymond, Ne. 3. Josh Young Beatrice, Ne. 4. Louis Pavey Douglas, Ne. 5. Kyle Grobeck(r) Omaha, Ne. 6. Fred Johnson Lincoln, Ne. 7. Dan Markham Plattsmouth, Ne. 8. Kasha Hall Lincoln, Ne. 9. Jared Jackson Crete, Ne. 10. Drew Grobeck Omaha, Ne. 11. Robert Greser Fremont, Ne. 12. Ahndreya Roberts Lincoln, Ne. 13. Braydon Thornton(r) Nebraska City, Ne. 14. Tyler Masek Raymond, Ne. 15. Allie Hover Bellevue, Ne.

IMCA Sport Compact Heat 1 1. Steffen Oaks Lincoln, Ne. 2. Nick Lindblad Beatrice, Ne. 3. Rj Maas Wilber, Ne. 4. Noah Boller Beatrice, Ne. 5. Kelly Petersen(r) 6. Allie Hover Bellevue, Ne. 7. Tommy Etherton Lincoln, Ne. 8. Kasha Hall Lincoln, Ne. 9. Drew Grobeck Omaha, Ne. 10. Ahndreya Roberts Lincoln, Ne.

IMCA Sport Compact Heat 2 1. Bryce Walker(r) Omaha, Ne. 2. Adam Reifler Lincoln, Ne. 3. Shawn Hein Beatrice, Ne. 4. Nathan Wahlstrom Beatrice, Ne. 5. Steven Rol Hastings, Ne. 6. Kyle Grobeck(r) Omaha, Ne. 7. Fred Johnson Lincoln, Ne. 8. Louis Pavey Douglas, Ne. 9. Dan Markham Plattsmouth, Ne. 10. Robert Greser Fremont, Ne.

IMCA Sport Compact Heat 3 1. Daniel Morris Bellevue, Ne. 2. Trenten Fugett Homesville, Ne. 3. Zach Bohlmeyer Beatrice, Ne. 4. Josh Johnson Lincoln, Ne. 5. Justin Callender Lincoln, Ne. 6. Josh Young Beatrice, Ne. 7. Tim Horsham Raymond, Ne. 8. Tyler Masek Raymond, Ne. 9. Braydon Thornton(r) Nebraska City, Ne. 10. Jared Jackson Crete, Ne.

IMCA SportMod A-Feature 1. Shawn Harker Nebraska City, Ne. 2. Mary Lenz Lincoln, Ne. 3. Lee Horky Fairbury, Ne. 4. Gary Saathoff Beatrice, Ne. 5. Scott Bivens Waverly, Ne. 6. Joe Feyen Plattsmouth, Ne. 7. Jason Harms David City, Ne. 8. Matthew Andrews Malcolm, Ne. 9. Roger Sluka Lincoln, Ne. 10. Anthony Kobus David City, Ne. 11. Logan Thomsen Lincoln, Ne. 12. Adam Vrbka Eagle, Ne. 13. Randy Fox Lincoln, Ne. 14. Trevor Noonan Dorchester, Ne. 15. Hunter Weber Council Bluffs, Ne. 16. Nick Morris Bellevue, Ne. 17. Joe Schidler Omaha, Ne. 18. Arie Schouten Blair, Ne. 19. Dion Kovar Rising City, Ne. 20. Cole Wayman Lincoln, Ne.

IMCA SportMod B-Feature 1. Cole Wayman Lincoln, Ne. 2. Joe Schidler Omaha, Ne. 3. Logan Thomsen Lincoln, Ne. 4. Hunter Weber Council Bluffs, Ne. 5. Bobby Draper Valparaiso, Ne. 6. Amber Cook Lincoln, Ne. 7. Beau Riffel(r) Fremont, Ne. 8. Mike Scheinost Ceresco, Ne. 9. Jason Heaps Lincoln, Ne. 10. Braydon Latture Omaha, Ne. 11. Bradley Schreiner(r) Weeping Water, Ne. 12. Terry Callender Lincoln, Ne. 13. Brock Curtis Papillion, Ne. DNS. Derek Hall Lincoln, Ne. DNS. Dana Deeke Waverly, Ne. DNS. Gunnar Pike South Bend, Ne.

IMCA SportMod Heat 1 1. Shawn Harker Nebraska City, Ne. 2. Roger Sluka Lincoln, Ne. 3. Adam Vrbka Eagle, Ne. 4. Matthew Andrews Malcolm, Ne. 5. Joe Schidler Omaha, Ne. 6. Dana Deeke Waverly, Ne. 7. Bradley Schreiner(r) Weeping Water, Ne. 8. Terry Callender Lincoln, Ne.

IMCA SportMod Heat 2 1. Randy Fox Lincoln, Ne. 2. Scott Bivens Waverly, Ne. 3. Gary Saathoff Beatrice, Ne. 4. Nick Morris Bellevue, Ne. 5. Hunter Weber Council Bluffs, Ne. 6. Bobby Draper Valparaiso, Ne. 7. Amber Cook Lincoln, Ne. 8. Brock Curtis Papillion, Ne.

IMCA SportMod Heat 3 1. Dion Kovar Rising City, Ne. 2. Joe Feyen Plattsmouth, Ne. 3. Anthony Kobus David City, Ne. 4. Trevor Noonan Dorchester, Ne. 5. Cole Wayman Lincoln, Ne. 6. Logan Thomsen Lincoln, Ne. 7. Braydon Latture Omaha, Ne. 8. Mike Scheinost Ceresco, Ne.

IMCA SportMod Heat 4 1. Mary Lenz Lincoln, Ne. 2. Arie Schouten Blair, Ne. 3. Jason Harms David City, Ne. 4. Lee Horky Fairbury, Ne. 5. Derek Hall Lincoln, Ne. 6. Beau Riffel(r) Fremont, Ne. 7. Jason Heaps Lincoln, Ne. 8. Gunnar Pike South Bend, Ne.

IMCA Sprint A-Feature 1. Trevor Grossenbacher Hickman, Ne. 2. Shon Pointer Grand Island, Ne. 3. Brandon Horton Omaha, Ne. 4. Jason Martin Lincoln, Ne. 5. Ryan Kitchen(r) Lincoln, Ne. 6. Jason Danley Lincoln, Ne. 7. Ryan King Bennet, Ne. 8. Tyler Drueke Eagle, Ne. 9. Clint Benson Papillion, Ne. 10. Nathan Weiler Lavista, Ne. 11. Stuart Snyder Lincoln, Ne. 12. Neil Nickolite Bellwood, Ne. 13. Doug Lovegrove Waverly, Ne. 14. Zach Blurton Quinter, Ks. 15. Joey Danley Lincoln, Ne. 16. Matt Richards Lincoln, Ne. 17. Paul Hendrickson Lincoln, Ne. 18. Gene Ackland Martell, Ne. 19. Josh Riggins(r) Lincoln, Ne. 20. Toby Chapman Panama, Ne.

IMCA Sprint B-Feature 1. Jason Martin Lincoln, Ne. 2. Josh Riggins(r) Lincoln, Ne. 3. Doug Lovegrove Waverly, Ne. 4. Stuart Snyder Lincoln, Ne. 5. Mike Boston Lincoln, Ne. 6. Dan Satriano Papillion, Ne. 7. Cody Ledger Omaha, Ne. 8. Nate Johnson Hastings, Ne. 9. Danny Nekolite O'neill, Ne. 10. Tim Hilfiker Greenwood, Ne. 11. Adam Gullion Lincoln, Ne. 12. Trey Gropp(r) Lincoln, Ne. 13. Jimmy Grasso Omaha, Ne. 14. Boyd Peterson Ithaca, Ne. 15. Dwight Carter Lincoln, Ne. DQ. Chase Weiler Lincoln, Ne.

IMCA Sprint C-Feature 1. Stuart Snyder Lincoln, Ne. 2. Mike Boston Lincoln, Ne. 3. Trey Gropp(r) Lincoln, Ne. 4. Danny Nekolite O'neill, Ne. 5. Keith Dragoo Greenwood, Ne. 6. Tim Fricke Lincoln, Ne. 7. Tige Jensen(r) Lincoln, Ne. 8. Mark Pace Lincoln, Ne. 9. Rick Hansen Omaha, Ne. 10. Jason Miller Omaha, Ne. DNS. Lee Bowes Lincoln, Ne.

IMCA Sprint Heat 1 1. Paul Hendrickson Lincoln, Ne. 2. Joey Danley Lincoln, Ne. 3. Jason Danley Lincoln, Ne. 4. Nathan Weiler Lavista, Ne. 5. Dwight Carter Lincoln, Ne. 6. Chase Weiler Lincoln, Ne. 7. Dan Satriano Papillion, Ne. 8. Trey Gropp(r) Lincoln, Ne. 9. Tim Fricke Lincoln, Ne. DNS. Mark Pace Lincoln, Ne.

IMCA Sprint Heat 2 1. Gene Ackland Martell, Ne. 2. Brandon Horton Omaha, Ne. 3. Ryan Kitchen(r) Lincoln, Ne. 4. Zach Blurton Quinter, Ks. 5. Doug Lovegrove Waverly, Ne. 6. Tim Hilfiker Greenwood, Ne. 7. Nate Johnson Hastings, Ne. 8. Keith Dragoo Greenwood, Ne. 9. Jason Miller Omaha, Ne. DQ. Mike Boston Lincoln, Ne.

IMCA Sprint Heat 3 1. Shon Pointer Grand Island, Ne. 2. Clint Benson Papillion, Ne. 3. Toby Chapman Panama, Ne. 4. Tyler Drueke Eagle, Ne. 5. Cody Ledger Omaha, Ne. 6. Jimmy Grasso Omaha, Ne. 7. Adam Gullion Lincoln, Ne. 8. Stuart Snyder Lincoln, Ne. 9. Lee Bowes Lincoln, Ne. 10. Tige Jensen(r) Lincoln, Ne.

IMCA Sprint Heat 4 1. Neil Nickolite Bellwood, Ne. 2. Ryan King Bennet, Ne. 3. Trevor Grossenbacher Hickman, Ne. 4. Matt Richards Lincoln, Ne. 5. Josh Riggins(r) Lincoln, Ne. 6. Jason Martin Lincoln, Ne. 7. Boyd Peterson Ithaca, Ne. 8. Danny Nekolite O'neill, Ne. 9. Rick Hansen Omaha, Ne.

Some personal stuff, and lots of racing

I ended up staying home from work again today, because my wife was feeling very poorly. She's having heart troubles, and someone had to stay and take care of my mother, so I was elected since Linda couldn't do it. She's had an overnight stay at St.E's Hospital and then another trip to the ER at Bryan LGH. Despite I don't know how many tests, they can't find out what the cause is. We've discussed the wife's problems with several of Linda's doctors, and Ed Raines of course, and we'll talk it over tonight after I get Mom in bed and make our decision then as to what we're going to do. Her cardiologist and Dr. Raines both said she should probably have a pacemaker, so we'll decide on that and go from there. We've got insurance, but the co-pay is going to be a biggun I'm afraid. I just pray that I don't run out of vacation time before the end of the year. I sure can't afford to take a day off without pay since I'm the sole source of income in the house.

Mom's doing as well as can be expected, so we can be thankful for that. I cherish every day that she's with us, and want every one of them to be the best that they can because those days are numbered.

Speaking of Ed Raines, it was SOO nice to chat with him again, even considering the circumstances. I miss him terribly already, at the track and outside of it. We were never really close friends outside of racing, but it was a great comfort to know that he was available whenever we needed him. I doubt that will change, and I wish him well wherever he lands. I know he'll do great, and many lives will be saved thanks to him.

Speaking of racing; we've actually gotten 4 of the first 5 race nights in this year. If you recall, that's pretty good compared to the last couple of years. The only one that we missed out on was the World of Outlaws. That really bummed me out, because it's been 3 years since they've been at Eagle and I really miss seeing all of my friends on the tour. The race has been rescheduled as a mid-week show in September. Let's all keep our fingers crossed that Mother Nature doesn't rear her ugly head for that one!!

USAC will be coming back on August 3rd to hopefully get in the first USAC 410 wingless sprint car race ever held in Nebraska. That's another one that I'm very jazzed about seeing, since I've never seen them before and grew up with the wingless sprints. The topless super late models will be running with them, so it should be one whale of an evening. After last year's rain-out, we need good weather for that one too.

The first 2 nights this year were the Icebreaker Challenge, and it was CHILLY both nights. The first night saw plenty of racing; even a C Feature in the IMCA Sport Modifieds. Last year's IMCA Sport Modified Champion Jesse Sobbing was there and won as he seems to do so often. Jay Noteboom came down and took home the IMCA Modified Main. Kaley Gharst won the ASCS 360 Sprint Car Feature. Kaley has been showing up every week, and there are rumors floating around that he intends to run the high banks every week this season. Stay tuned to find out if that's true or not.

The second night of the Icebreaker was a real treat for me and probably 10,000 others. After Tony Stewart announced that he'd be running that night the fans came in droves!! Heck, I bet that we had over 1000 just in the pits. Brandon Johnson won the IMCA Hobby Stock A, with Johnny Saathoff winning the IMCA Modified Feature and Ole Olsen coming home in first for the IMCA Sport Compacts. Then came the most exciting race that I've seen at Eagle Raceway in quite awhile. Last year's points champion Stu Snyder snagged the lead on lap #3 with Stewart and Jack Dover right behind him. Stewart used lapped traffic to grab the lead on lap #11. The race ran from green to checkers without a caution or red flag and I can tell you that all of the fans got their $15 worth just in that 1 race. Stewart was the master racer that he is throughout, but he never ran away from Stu! I still get excited just recalling it. Although Stewart had said that there would be no autographs, he stayed in the pits for over an hour and a half until everyone that wanted to got their autograph. I had interviewed the other winners and ended up standing off to the side for over half an hour before I could talk to him. I reminded him that I had told him earlier that I needed to interview him and he said "C'mon man! I have to be up at 8:30!!!" and it was already past midnight. As he walked into his trailer he repeated "C'mon!" indicating that I should follow him. I would have been okay with not getting the interview, considering that he still had to drive out to the other side of Lincoln, take a plane to Kansas City and then drive to the track; only to get a few (very few) hours of sleep before racing the next day, but was thrilled when he said he would. He seemed to be extremely impressed with all of the improvements that had been made since he was there 18 years before. He also praised the track conditions, which obviously were to his liking given his performance. His statement was “This track is just awesome, and it’s the perfect size and shape. It was easy to run anywhere I wanted; top, middle or bottom. The racing is fantastic. I didn’t want to get down off of my hauler for my race because I was having so much fun watching the sport compacts. I mean they were running 3-wide behind the leader!”. I gave him a picture that I had printed out of him and the trophy from his last visit to Eagle. When he saw it he called his crew together and said "Look guys!! I WAS skinny once". I hope he comes back soon and often, because he is one whale of a racer and seems to be a pretty nice guy to boot.

The next weekend was the first points show at the track, and the temperatures weren't too awfully bad during the day, but then the clouds rolled in and the temperature dropped but the wind didn't and again it was a 3 sweatshirt night for this Pit Shack Guy. We got over 180 cars in the pits that night! How many dirt tracks would KILL to say that? Jesse Sobbing came back and won from the front row in the IMCA Sport Modifieds. It just isn't fair to give that good of a racer a front row spot, because pretty much everyone else is running for the rest of the purse. Jesse VanLaningham took the victory in the IMCA Hobby Stocks, Chris Alcorn was first in the IMCA Modifieds and Nick Lindblad won the IMCA Sport Compact Feature. Mike Boston got his first win of the season in the 360 Sprint Cars. Another great night of racing.

Last Saturday saw another great turnout of cars in the pits and a really great crowd in the stands. The racing was no less spectacular than the preceding weeks either. The biggest change was that instead of freezing, we were all sweating (well, as least I was) as the afternoon temperatures were above 90 degrees. The wind was relentless again (that seemed to be the rule every week so far) and the track turned dry-slick again, but that didn't mean that the racing was any less great. The competition was still 3-wide in the features. Max Harder won the IMCA Sport Modifieds. Chad Bassinger was the winner in the IMCA Sport Compacts after Scott Spellmeier was DQ'ed for a modified rear suspension. Lee Kracht won the most intense A Feature so far in the IMCA Hobby Stocks as he and Justin Busboom battled tooth and nail for the lead throughout. Johnny Saathoff again won in the IMCA Modifieds and Jordan Boston won a truly fabulous 360 Sprint Car A main, passing for the lead on lap 12 and holding off 3 really tough competitors in Trevor Grossenbacher, Mark Pace and Jack Dover.

Despite being dry-slick most times this year, the track has been extremely smooth and racey. The addition of George Bogue to the track prep crew to help out Larry Tombs seems to have resolved the problem with the dip in turn 1 right over the spring that has been a problem for as long as I can remember. I even kidded him that he and Larry should try putting some water on the track and he said "We started watering at 9 this morning!!". With winds and temps like Saturday, I don't think that there IS enough water for the track. Keep up the great work guys, it's well appreciated by the drivers and fans. Even if we do have to eat a little dust, when the racing is as good as it's been, who cares???

The crowds have been good, the racing has been great; what more could we ask?? I heard that Eagle Raceway had been named the #2 dirt track in the country. I haven't verified that, but I will look into it more and see where that was published if I can. I love working at and watching racing at Eagle, so it doesn't surprise me at all that such accolades should befall the facility; because last year it was named the #2 fan venue in the state behind Memorial Stadium. Roger and the staff must be doing something right, huh??

If you want to see the complete stories (written by yours truly) and the complete results, just go to http://www.eagleraceway.com/EagleRaceway/ and find whichever week you want to know about. There is also a complete schedule and lots of other information. Check it out.

As always, I welcome any and all comments so feel free!!

I'll try to at least get results up every week, but with caring for both Linda and Mom plus working a full-time job and at Eagle it's been tough. I have 3 unfinished articles and 1 in the works that I haven't had time for either. Hopefully soon things will settle down and life will return to it's normal level. Please keep my 2 special ladies in your thoughts and prayers. Until next time, I hope to see you all out at the track!!

Home life, Tony Stewart and more

Well, it's Sunday again and it has not been a good one. My wife is having a horrible day, so that leaves my mother's care to me. I don't mind, and it's not hard work, but it leaves me unable to do anything else like get the yard work done. The lawn needs to be mowed and "weed and feed"ed, but I'm stuck in here so maybe tomorrow night after work.

Mom is having a pretty good day actually, and for that we're very thankful. She even got up and walked around with her walker today; a really good day for her. Supper's going, so I'm taking a little time to do the blog that I promised in my last posting. I'll finish it after supper and getting Mom in bed and then publish it.

First off, I got a call from the owner/promoter at Eagle Raceway Friday. Nothing unusual in that, but the news he had was definitely out of the ordinary. He told me that Tony Stewart (yes, THAT Tony Stewart) was coming to run with the ASCS sprints next Saturday night at The Icebreaker Challenge at Eagle. So, after it became official I started getting the word out to the public. I received several differing responses with my announcement; and I was surprised by some of them, even though I probably shouldn't have been.

As with all famous people, Tony evokes many differing emotions in the general populace. They range from those who fawn over him, to such comments as "Big deal!!" or "He's a jerk" to "What a big ego" and even "We don't want him there!!". I even experienced a couple of folks who didn't know who he was. Now THAT surprised me, since the 1000 pound gorilla known as NASCAR is so ever-present that it seems odd that anyone could not have some inkling as to who "Smoke" is.

Quite a few said that they would come out and bring their friends just because he was going to be there, and that's the whole point. When you run a dirt track the most important thing is to fill the stands, and it looks like that will happen thanks to Tony.

I'm not worried about that so much, because I think that is a given. What I AM concerned with is that we'll have so many "NASCAR groupies" that it's going to be a disaster. It happens quite frequently it seems, because at a Sprint Cup event you have absolutely NO access to the drivers, whereas at a dirt track race you can go right into the pits either during the evening (with a pit pass) or after the night's contests are finished with no extra cash outlay. And when a certain part of the populace finds out that someone like Tony will be there they lose all common sense. They HAVE to be there!!

At Tony's own track, Eldora Speedway, they have a big late model race every year, The Dream. There also is a race with late models the night before that is called "Prelude to the Dream"!! Most of the competitors in the Prelude are NASCAR drivers or personalties past and present along with a few from other racing endeavours such as USAC and even drag racing. This year Danica Patrick is slated to race in fact. All of the proceeds go to charity, and from what I gather, the stands are PACKED!!! I've heard more than 1 dirt track fan and Eldrora regular complain about all of the "NASCAR people" who are only there to see the Sprint Cup stars. I'm hoping against hope that it doesn't happen this coming weekend. I've also got my fingers crossed that some of the folks who make their first trip to Eagle end up really enjoying the racing and become regulars. The only way that I know of to get folks hooked on dirt track racing is to get them to go to one.

We'll provide extra security for Tony and his team, but not just because he's a star; but still partially due to that fact. He has given and continues to give back not just to dirt track racing but also to charities in significant amounts. I personally think that he deserves the right to use his free time as he wishes. If that means going to and competing at a dirt track like any other racer, so be it. We provide the same courtesy to folks such as Larry the Cable Guy who has made numerous trips to Eagle Raceway. Larry wanted the ability to just sit and watch the races with his family, and we made sure that he could do exactly that. Just because you're famous, or rich, doesn't mean that you can't have some peace and quiet when you want it.

The long and short of it is, Tony wants to be just another sprint car driver for the night. He doesn't want to be pestered by autograph seekers, or drooling fans who want to get close to a star. No autographs, no pictures with your kids, none of that. Seems like a fair request to me. Should he give the autographs and take the pictures? Maybe so, but that's his call; not mine or anyone else's.

I admire Tony's accomplishments in the racing world today. Many people have deigned him the modern day AJ Foyt; a designation with which I wholeheartedly agree. He can drive and win in almost any type of race car. He's a past NASCAR Champion, IRL Champion, USAC Champion, he won the Triple Crown, even snagged a World of Outlaws race win last year. He drinks plain old beer, plays poker, and enjoys what he does best; RACE!! If I weren't just a lowly pit shack guy I'd love to be able to pal around with him because he seems to me to be just a regular guy who makes a VERY good living racing. Sadly, not everyone sees it that way.

I once wrote an article for a long-defunct website that I titled "But I paid for this ticket". It was basically telling the average race fan that the price of a seat in the stands did not entitle them to anything but a good show. They didn't buy the right to pry into or discuss the drivers' personal lives, or those of the owner or promoter of a race track, or those who put the teams out there for our enjoyment. I think that goes for the present situation especially. Do people come to where you work and pester you for an autograph, or a picture of you with their children or themselves? Doubtful. And don't give me the same, tired old excuse of "They're famous. They aren't like everybody else". Of course they are, they're just famous. If you don't like what you DID pay for, you can complain. But, if you complain, you'd better be able to offer a better way of doing what you didn't like. A reasonable way that actually will work without bankrupting the track or causing more headaches that it solves.

And that takes me off of the soap box and onto another subject that is reflected above. A certain bloviator....excuse me; blogger; embodies to the Nth degree the sort of thing that I mentioned above. Although they admit to being nothing more than a grumpy fan (read bleacher creature) he constantly berates promoters as if though they were second class citizens, not normal human beings. Where this attitude springs from is up for debate, and his actions are a matter of humor even to his friends. I've been told that more than once in fact. This person also is constantly putting me down for my attitude towards race tracks and their owners & promoters. My only belief is that the owner/promoter that I deal with constantly is a great guy. He took over a track that the previous owner was losing large amounts of money at and was prepared to sell to the highest bidder. It didn't matter to him what the purchaser wanted to do with it. Land development, housing or keep the facility going; it wasn't important. The new owner didn't want to see the track close, so he not only purchased it, he made a go of it, and is finally turning a profit at it. I read that Eagle is the second highest attended fan venue in the state, behind Memorial Stadium. No, it doesn't hold the most, but over a year's time, it draws the 2nd highest amount of people. I believe an average weekly show is around 2500 people. Pretty good for a dirt race track I'd say, and the envy of some much more well-known ones. With so many dirt tracks folding every year, it's a shining example of what can be done at one.

One wish I have is that this person and his fellow complainers would actually have control of a dirt track for just 1 year. After they implemented all of their fantastic innovations and lost a huge amount of money and failed miserably in their attempt they most likely would STILL refuse to believe that they didn't have the know-how to run such a facility and would blame it on God, the previous owner or something else. Maybe if this blogger would actually WORK at a track and be a part of the inner workings of said facility they might realize that a lot of what they think are brainstorms are really only brain farts!!

Oh well, I suppose that will never happen. And the blogger will keep on complaining about tracks and promoters with no workable solutions  to remedy what is perceived by them as a problem. And, they'll probably insist on continuing their 5-year old game of "I know something that you don't want to be told and if you aren't careful I'll tell!!". Just another perceived but untrue situation that I know the truth of. There is no problem, as both parties involved were pleased with the arrangement that was agreed upon and fulfilled.

Alright; Mom is in bed and I'm heading there shortly. Take care, and I hope to see you out at Eagle Raceway soon. If you make the trip; and you should; stop by and say hello. As far as I'm concerned, you're either already a racing friend or one that I just haven't met yet. We may not agree on everything, but what friends do?? We need to remedy that situation!!

2012 Eagle Raceway Schedule

There will be plenty of racing action on the high banks of America's Home Track this season as Eagle Raceway brings you a complete field of action each and every Saturday night with lots of specials thrown in to boot!! Weekly racing action will feature the IMCA A Modifieds, IMCA Northern Sport Modifieds, IMCA Hobby Stocks and IMCA Sport Compacts in addition to the 360 Winged Sprints.

The ASCS Sprints kick off the year headlining the Ice Breaker Challenge Friday and Saturday April 19th & 20th.

The World of Outlaws 410 Winged Sprints come to town for the first time in 3 years on Friday April 27th.

Friday and Saturday, June 8th and 9th will see the ASCS Sprint National Tour invade Eagle to take on the locals during the Eagle Nationals.

USAC brings their non-winged 410 sprinter cars to Nebraska for the first time in history on Friday August 3rd.

The ASCS Sprints return to Eagle on Sunday September 9th to help close out the season.

Here's the tentative schedule for the year:

■Thursday, Apr 19 2012 - Open House Practice Night


■Friday, Apr 20 2012 - Ice Breaker Challenge* -Fri. April 20, 2012

■Saturday, Apr 21 2012 - Ice Breaker Challenge* -Sat. April 21, 2012

■Friday, Apr 27 2012 - SLS presents World of Outlaw Sprints* -Fri. April 27, 2012

■Saturday, Apr 28 2012 - Season Opener -April 28th, 2012

■Saturday, May 5 2012 - Jr Fan Club Night -May 5th, 2012

■Saturday, May 12 2012 - Super Mother's Day Tribute -May 12th, 2012

■Saturday, May 19 2012 - Armed Forces Day -May 19th, 2012

■Saturday, May 26 2012 - Memorial Day Extravaganza -May 26th, 2012

■Saturday, Jun 2 2012 - Student Breakout Night -June 2nd, 2012

■Friday, Jun 8 2012 - TBJ presents Eagle Nationals* -Fri. June 8th, 2012

■Saturday, Jun 9 2012 - TBJ presents Eagle Nationals* -June 9th, 2012

■Saturday, Jun 16 2012 - Father's Day Tribute -June 16th, 2012

■Saturday, Jun 23 2012 - Super Mania 12 -June 23rd, 2012

■Saturday, Jun 30 2012 - Freedom Fest* Fireworks Extravaganza -June 30th, 2012

■Saturday, Jul 7 2012 - Christmas in July -July 7th, 2012

■Saturday, Jul 14 2012 - Super Mania 12 -July 14th, 2012

■Saturday, Jul 21 2012 - Kid's Night Super Bike Giveaway -July 21st, 2012

■Saturday, Jul 28 2012 - Super Mania 12 and Kid's Bike Races -July 28th, 2012

■Friday, Aug 3 2012 - Rumble in the Bull Ring* -Fri. August 3rd, 2012

■Saturday, Aug 4 2012 - Scout Night and Kid's Car Rides -August 4th, 2012

■Saturday, Aug 18 2012 - Jr Fan Club Night -August 18th, 2012

■Saturday, Aug 25 2012 - Season Finale -August 25th, 2012

■Sunday, Sep 2 2012 - Eagle Shootout* -Sun. September 2nd,2012

■Sunday, Sep 9 2012 - Nebraska Cup* -Sun. September 9th, 2012


S-Budweiser Sprints, M-RevHoney IMCA Modifieds, B-NAPA IMCA Sport Modifieds, H-Valentino’s IMCA Hobby Stocks, T-Exhaust Pro’s IMCA Sport Compacts.

For further information, stop by Eagle's website at http://www.eagleraceway.com/

I look forward to seeing you all out there. If you get a chance, stop by the Pit Shack and say hello!!!

Stu Snyder article for Flat Out Magazine

It's been over 5 months since my last blog, but my mother's health concerns have been my only priority in that time. She's back home with us now, and doing fairly well so it's time to let a little of my mind think about racing.

I know that not everyone subscribes to Flat Out Magazine, and I've had requests from those who don't to post my last article online. Well, to those of you who don't subscribe, you should!! But, I want everyone to read about Stu Snyder. Stu was the 2011 points champion in the 360 Sprint Car division at Eagle Raceway, and a nicer young man you could never hope to meet.

So. here it is; my latest article. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It appeared in the lastest issue of Flat Out Magazine. Please, click on the ads beside the blog to help support those who allow me to have my blog on here.

I and a lot of other well-seasoned fans remember fondly the days before the huge trailers with plenty of spares; when even the best of the best pulled into a dirt track with a sprinter on an open trailer behind a pickup and a few extra tires. That was all that they needed to win wherever they raced.

Stu Snyder is proof that you can still do it that way and be successful. He won the 2011 Eagle Raceway Sprint Car points championship, and did it old school! “The trucks and trailers don’t win races; cars, crews and drivers win races” is how Stu puts it. “Would it be nice? Oh yeah it would; but when you don’t have the money for it, you spend the money where it matters. And we’ve proved that a 10 thousand dollar motor can beat anyone out there; we HAVE beaten the best with one”.

Stu started out racing a go kart for the Manleys when he was spotted by Ron Love who gave him the chance to run his 600 mini-sprint at a practice night at Wave-Link Park. After 25 laps Ron told Stu’s father “It’s time to get him into racing full time”. “My career basically began because of the Love family. I started driving for mom and dad; we ran as many 360 shows as we could, and even got to run a 410 show with the Outlaws”. Stu’s dad Joe had worked on mini-sprints quite a lot, but when he started helping out Jeff Lowery (past Eagle Raceway champion), Stu told himself “I want to do that, and I want to be as good as him, if not better!.  Dad brought home Jeff’s 1997 Jenkins when I was 13. Mom wasn’t too happy about the purchase, but after a year of seeing my school work take a turn for the better, she said okay. That was the deal my dad made with me; work your butt off in school and pull good grades, try and get sponsors and work on the car, they would do what they could to get me in a race car”.

Being named the 2003 ESTS and 2004 NCRA Rookie of the Year heralded great things to come, and Stu’s first feature victory came in 2005 while driving for Reagan Kitchen (a previous Eagle champion). The next 4 years saw 3 different teams, plus a ride at the 2009 Belleville Midget Nationals for AJ Felker where he made the A Main both nights. He also had a few nights at the end of that year with his current car owners Eldon and Paula Rhoten. The Rhotens gave him the seat full-time in 2010 and Stu, in turn, gave them their first points win in a long time in 2011.

“I have helped some other drivers win races and championships, including 2 USAC Western States Midget titles with Cruz Pedregon, but I can say now that we won Eldon and Paula something they have wanted for so many years. I only wish I could have driven for them years ago and had my whole career with them. Who knows what more we could have accomplished??”. They managed 4 wins and an 89% top 5 percentage in 2011 at Eagle. “That’s what it takes to be the champ. Wins are nice, but you also have to be smart; make sure you keep finishing in the top 5 and not have any DNF’s. We might have won the title in 2010, but had a few DNF’s that cost us. This year I wasn’t letting anything take it away”.

When asked where he wanted to be 10 years from now in racing, Stu said “I would like to be able to move on to racing with the big dogs in NASCAR or even running some Indy cars”. Stu’s early idols were Doug Wolfgang, Keith Hightshoe, Jeff Lowery, John Gerloff and Jan Opperman. And now, he looks up to former dirt trackers Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. “I always wanted to follow in their footsteps because they started out doing what I’m doing and made it to the big leagues. That’s what I want to do with my career. But, the Rhotens are the most amazing people I’ve ever driven for, and I hope we can continue this relationship on down the road”.

Stu has great passion for the sport and wants nothing more than to give back to it. “I spend every night in the shop, and every day trying to learn and get better as a driver and as a teacher. The people that come down after the races with their families give every one of us the chance to do something we love to do”. That is the sign of a true champion; paying it forward.e T

A bad couple of nights, a sad couple of weeks

Well, the last 2 nights at Eagle haven't been the greatest. We got to the track a little after 3 on Friday, and went to the office to pick up the money drawers and bands to put on the people coming into the pits. While we were standing outside waiting it decided to rain; and I DO mean rain!! It came down for about an hour, long enough that the night couldn't be salvaged. After a very long and very intense discussion between the owner and Jason from USAC, it was decided that there was no way to make it work. They also discussed a possible make-up at a later date, but it just couldn't be worked out.

We headed home around 5:30 and went to the drug store to pick something up. We came out to more rain and got into the car to sit it out. After 10 minutes of a downpour, I said "The heck with this, I'm heading home". Not the smartest move on my part as it rained even harder!! I could barely see the road and the gutters were running full. Guess USAC and Roger made the right call, huh??

Such a shame!! The first time EVER for USAC's 410 wingless sprints in the state and the only appreciable rain in a couple of weeks has to happen!! There were people from all over camped at the track specifically to catch this show, and I can't remember all of the people who called to find out if the races were still on. Most of them said "AHHH NO!! Oh well, we'll be back next year". Throw in all of the racers who towed in for the show; USAC, SLMR, the mod lites and 600cc mini-sprints, and you have an awful lot of disappointed people. I would be right up there at the top of the list, followed closely by the owner. He said to me that this was the show that he was most excited to watch all year!! One of the drivers even told Jason that he had been looking forward to running the high banks with his 410 ever since he did it in a midget! Oh well, we will all just have to start planning our vactions, sick days, etc. for next year in August.

So, on to Saturday night. Another typical August day in Nebraska. Hot and muggy as all get out!! Lots of people in the stands, track was VERY fast but had a few holes due to all of the rain the night before. There was some really good racing in the heats for all 5 classes, with the only real problem being when Gene Ackland caught the hole in turn 1 and went from wheels, to air, to wheels, to air and back to wheels. He dinged the wing just slightly, but I saw on his Facebook page that the frame was junked.

At intermission the drivers gave all of the kids in the crowd rides around the track in some of the cars that were competing that night. Sport compacts, hobby stocks and modifieds had youngsters getting a thrill that they won't soon forget.

So, as I looked around the sky which had been showing lightning in a 270 degree arc around the track, I hear them telling people to get out of the high-rise grandstand. Well, it didn't take long for the wind to shift and the monsoon began!! The lightning flashed, the thunder crashed and the rain came down SIDEWAYS!! So, we sat in the Pit Shack and watched the procession of haulers and half-drowned spectators slowly pass by the windows. After quite awhile it began to let up and lo and behold, there was clear sky out west. We headed up front to check out and went to the car to try and get out of the parking lot. It only took about 10 minutes; a lot shorter than the folks who left right away. I was told that some of them had spent an HOUR waiting for their turn to hit the highway.

2 nights, 2 rain-outs. The bright spot in it is that I and the fans will be treated to double features during Junior Fan Club Night on the 20th. Hope to see you all there.

Now that I've discussed the couple of bad nights, I'll touch on the sad couple of weeks. 2 weeks ago Saturday Gary Grossenbacher passed away at the young age of 65. This was a great loss to our racing family, to say the least. Gary was the crew chief for the "Black Bandit", Lonnie Jensen, and then took on the role for Lonnie's son Tige who is an Eagle regular in the 360 Sprints.

Equally sad for the local racing scene, and even more sorrowful for me personally was the loss of Frank "Zook" Scdoris. Zook raced at all kinds of local tracks from Capitol Beach, to Beatrice where he is enshrined in their Hall of Fame, to Midwest Speedway where he ended his driving career and took up the reigns as flagman. After he stopped racing his daughter Rhonda took over the seat in the 52 sprinter. And now, his grandson Nick races a 360 at Eagle. The Scdoris (and now Bryan) families are in our thoughts and prayers. They are some of the greatest people I've ever met and I'm very VERY proud to call them friends. I knew Frank for what seems like forever, and I'll miss him terribly, but I know that he's in a better place now.

God obviously needed a couple of great guys who knew their way around a sprinter, because he got 2 of the very best. Our loss is his gain, and I know that the 3 of them are bench racing right now and having a whale of a time!! That would be a conversation worth hearing. Lord, please keep these 2 close to you, and hold their families in your heart as they travel through these rough times.

So, there you have it. 2 lost nights of racing, and MUCH more importantly, 2 horrible losses to our racing family. It's life, and sometimes life is hard. The rest of us just have to pick up the slack for our 2 lost friends and carry on the racing tradition that they were such a large part of.

Thank you for stopping by, and please click on the ads on the right side of the page to help support this site that allows me to post my blogs.

Eagle Raceway Sprint Car committee update for the 2011 season

The Eagle Sprint Car Committeehas received and reviewed numerous ideas and suggestions in regards to what could be done to make the sprint car show more exciting for our fans, while attracting better car counts. We appreciate everyone's input.

The following rule change will be in effect for the 2011 season:

Wings: Eagle Raceway will adhere to all ASCS wing rules, including the top and front wings.

Additional changes:

Lineups: Eagle Raceway will implement a pill draw for the heat race starting lineups. Each pill draw will cost $10 which will become part of the season end point fund. The top 8 drivers with the most points accumulated in the heat races will redraw for the starting position in the A Main Feature. Starting positions 9-24 will be determined by points accumulated in heat races. Draws will decide all ties.

Point Fund: The Eagle Raceway Sprint Car Committe is excited to announce we have secured additional sponsorship for the 2011 sprint car point fund. Our sponsors include: Budweiser (Primary Sponsor), Carpetland (Associate Sponsor), and personal contributions from Ken Klabunde and Dennis Parker in addition to the funds attributed to the pill draw. We anticipate the 2011 point fund will be nearly 300% of the 2010 point fund and will pay back to the top 15 in points.

Additionally, the Rookie of the Year will receive a contingency prize as well as a monetary prize. More info is forthcoming in regards to the point fund.

Purse: The 2011 purse has been increased contingent on a sustained car count of 25 cars. If the car count requirement is not met, the purse will revert to the 2010 purse amount.

Under 240 hours, Eagle racers success, Homer

With the up and down weather that we in eastern Nebraska have been enduring, it's hard to believe that Eagle Raceway will open it's doors for the first time this season just 2 weeks from today. Granted, it's only a Practice Night, but it seems like it's been forever since I've seen cars running on the high banks!!!

Thursday April 14th is the first Practice Night for Eagle, followed by the 2-night Icebreaker Challenge. I've written about this before, so I'll refrain from doing it again. But, suffice it to say that I and a LOT of other racing fans (not to mention the racers themselves) are chomping at the bit!!

Local racing actually started on March 18th & 19th at Beatrice Speedway. Familiar faces from the pits at Eagle Raceway made a good showing with past track champion Jordan Grabouski winning the IMCA A-Modified features both nights. Bob Zoubek was 2nd Friday and Johnny Saathoff took the runner-up position Saturday with Zoubek taking the remaining podium step. Friday night saw another past track champion from Eagle take the top prize in the Hobby Stock division when Roy Armstrong won. Chad Fegley brought home the third-place money. Way to go guys!!!

Another track opened their 2011 season last weekend with I-80's Spring Meltdown. Eagle regulars made a good showing on Saturday evening. Kyle Prauner (B-Mods) as well as Johnny Saathoff and Jordan Grabouski (A-Mods) had podium finishes. RJ Macku won the A Feature for the Hobby Stocks, with Keith Dragoo also finishing in the top 10. Again, congratulations to the guys from Eagle!! Although I couldn't attend, I understand that the racing was VERY good; the crowd was lacking on Friday night however, and I have heard no reports on Saturday's fan count.

Although my 'home track' is also "America's Home Track", I hope that I-80 can find some way to keep going. I'm not sure about their sudden affinity (both last year and this year) with so many sprint car shows, as I-80 has always been known as a fendered car track, but if it keeps the doors open, I say go for it!!!

And now, a commercial message.

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Well folks, you might possibly be suffering from Race Crab Syndrome. And, if that's the case, I have the solution for you!! It's a brand new product called Grouch-Off!! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I said Grouch-Off. All natural, no artificial sweeteners, no preservatives, and completely 'Green'!! A 55 gallon drum sells for just $1995 (the last year that anything went right in racing according to some people). Take just 2 cups of this miracle product every 10 minutes for 3 years and something might actually happen (hey, it's possible).

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And now, back to our regularly schedule blog.

Please do me a favor and click on the ads that you see on this page. I'm not asking that you buy anything, but I do want to keep this space going so that I can talk about racing. Click 2 or 3 or however many you have time for. Those ads make it possible for folks like myself to be able to blog.

Thanks to everyone who reads these blogs.

The Rumble in the Bullring

Finally, I get to see the USAC non-winged 410 sprint cars!! Wingless sprinters hold a special place in my heart, because the first sprinters I saw were wingless, because that's all that they ran back then. The plywood toppers didn't come along until I was in my mid-teens, and then not around here until a couple of years later. Although USAC has run numerous times around here with their midget series (the midgets were a staple at Eagle for a lot of years), this is the first time EVER for the 410 wingless sprints to run in the state of Nebraska.

You can see the press release that I wrote here: http://www.eagleraceway.com/EagleRaceway/?p=2913.

This is going to be a really great night at Eagle Raceway. People have been complaining because another race track wasn't going to have the wingless 410's this year, and that there wasn't going to be a Late Model show at Eagle this year after last year's Late Model special lost money. 1 person in particular was VERY vocal about that in fact. Well, now he and a lot of other fans will get their wish. Wingless 410's and Late Models the same night on the high-banked 1/3 mile of "America's Home Track"?? WOW!!!!! What more could you ask??

I'm finally shaking off the mental and physical aspects of my August major surgery, thank God. I finally finished my article for Flat Out magazine on last year's Eagle Raceway 360 Sprint Car points champion, John Klabunde.

John is, as I said in my article, a truly good guy. Very unassuming, humble nearly to a fault, and just your typical weekend warrior. He races because he loves doing it. He never had visions of track championships, or being a big shot in dirt track racing. Heck, he was afraid I'd make fun of him in my article!! After he read the final version he said "Wow! You made me sound like somebody special!". My response was "That's because you are". Maybe he's been reading other people's blogs where all they do is complain about racetracks, NASCAR, drivers, certain classes, other writers and anything else that they think aren't exactly what they believe that they should be. I'll be posting the article about John in it's entireity after it is published, so stay tuned to this blog.

In regards to some people's writing, you will NEVER hear anything negative about a driver, track or the sport of dirt track racing itself from me. That's just not me. I LOVE dirt track racing; all kinds of dirt track racing; like very few other things in my life, other than my family and friends. And even if my mind should ever run in that direction, I still wouldn't. You see, I work for not only Flat Out magazine but also for Eagle Raceway. Not only would any such rants reflect badly on myself, it could possibly do so towards Eagle and the magazine. Although some writers don't mind doing it, I refuse to. Lord only knows I would love to respond, but I cannot and will not. But it does irk me. I doubt that there would be any retributions from either place, but I still won't do it. The thought of dengrating dirt track racing in any way, shape or form just irritates me more than I can possibly say.

Yes, I see things wrong with racetracks, promoters, sanctioning series, drivers, etc. but you can bank on the fact that you won't see it manifest itself in this blog or anywhere else. Racetracks and promoters are businesses and business men who's job is to make money. Series' job is to protect itself (it's profitability) first and it's drivers second. Drivers are people first (people with families)

and public figures second. They put their very lives on the line every week for our entertainment. What right does ANYONE have to question them?? The old saying goes "Walk a mile in my shoes, and then judge me". Advice that I live by, and others should too.

I hate the namby-pamby, politically correct nation that we have become; but I was taught the golden rule at a very young age and still believe in it. Plague, famine, pestilence, war, etc. all are something we need to speak out against. But there are very few other things about which we deserve to feel outrage; and none of these are dirt track racing.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to read my blog. I'm going to make every effort to post something at least every week, if nothing else than my write-up and the results from the weekly racing at Eagle Raceway; so keep stopping by.

Tadd Holliman

It's been awhile since I blogged anything; okay, it's been a REALLY long time since I have actually. With everything else going on in my life I just don't seem to find the time to do it often enough. I swear that I will try to do better.

This blog is for all of those who don't have a subscription to Flat Out magazine. As most of you know, I write for the magazine off and on (more off than on, rather like my blog). Since you can only get Flat Out through a subscription there are a lot of people who never get to see the magazine.

Well, recently I had the great pleasure to do an article on someone I consider to be a good friend. Tadd is a local sprint car driver who goes out every Saturday during the racing season at Eagle Raceway and does something that he loves. Racing isn't his life, it's his passion; and it's that passion that I wrote about. For people to not get a chance to read about Tadd would be a tragedy; because he is one of the good ones, on and off of the track.

Here is the article, which appeared in the June 2010 issue of Flat Out magazine. Now, go out and buy a subscription so I can get a raise and you won't miss any of my contributions.

"An All-American football player, a soccer coach, a basketball coach and a sprint car driver walk into the pits at Eagle Raceway". No, this isn't one of 'those' jokes; it happens every Saturday night during the racing season. And the football player, the coaches and sprint car driver are really just one person; Tadd Holliman.

"I grew up racing the street of Hamburg, Iowa in a lot of different cars. Mostly it was Dad's '79 Bronco for snowy street racing, but I even tried my mom's Corvette. But that was only when she was out of town, and then only until one rain slickened street sent my buddy Al and I over the curb and spinning out until we came to a stop 2 feet from a house. We slowly drove it home and I never got behind the wheel of it again because if it didn't kill me, Dad sure as hell would have if I wrecked it".

"I wanted to move my racing to the track as soon as I graduated High School, but Mom put the stops to that. So, my next step was attending McPherson College in Kansas where I played free safety on the football team." Tadd's education came as the result of a full-ride football scholarship. Obviously the school's faith in him was well-placed as he garnered many honors in his years on the team, culminated by being named All-American in his senior year. In fact, he still retains the NAIA record for the most return yardage.

Having graduated with his teaching degree, Tadd was free to pursue his next competitive challenge; racing. "I always knew I wanted to be a racer, but I thought it might be in Late Models since that was what dad was racing when I was younger, and he was kicking ass". By the time he was ready to actually strap in however, Tadd's father Terry had moved back to sprint cars. "So, I decided that it was my time to get a sprinter".

Tadd's first sprinter was his own #19 which he purchased from Jeff Griffis and Brent Morris. "That was Grandpa Sam's number when he had Dad and uncle Dan driving for him. I'm actually a third-generation racer. Grandpa drove some and my Grandma even drove in powder puff races at the old Hamburg Speedway". He ran his own car for the first few years, mostly at Eagle Raceway and I-80 Speedway in addition to running with the NSCA. Then, in 1997 his father suffered badly burned legs after an engine expired in his racer and car owner Eldon Rhoten asked Tadd to take over the #23 until Terry could heal.

When Terry was ready to return to driving, a second team car, the #23R was added to the team; and that has been Tadd's ride ever since. Two A Feature wins, countless heat race wins and the 1995 Most Improved award at Eagle are a few of the highlights of Tadd's career thus far. However, when asked what his best night at the track was, Tadd simply replied "Any time I can beat my Dad".

It was unneccesary to ask what his worst night was. That came on July 29th, 2009. Tadd was flying full speed down the back stretch at Eagle, when an incident in front of him caused another sprinter to come to a halt at the bottom of turns three and four. The 23R barreled head-long into the stalled racer, leaving Tadd with 6 broken ribs, a bruised lung, a badly broken arm and a concussion. During his recovery and throughout his therapy Tadd swore that he would be recovered in time for this year's Chili Bowl. And true to his word, he was there in his mother-in-law's midget. "I like to say that she fired Dad and hired me for the ride. After a dismal Chili Bowl this year, including blowing a motor in practice, the team has decided to update the midget program and is currently looking at many options".

It's obvious that Tadd loves racing the moment that you speak to him. I inquired as to what was special to him about racing, and he replied "Adrenalin. Competition! I've been in sports my whole life, so mostly the competition". That spirit saw him through what was arguably the lowest point in his life, and brought him back to his current sports challenge; piloting a sprint car.

Tadd's wife of 9 years, Darla, will be in the stands cheering him on this season at Eagle. She'll be accompanied by their two daughters, as well as Tadd's step-son and step-daughter. They'll be joined by a throng of fans, cheering on the 23R sprinter with it's redesigned paint scheme. And that is Tadd's latest victory; the fact that he is back racing in front of the fans and the ones who love him.

Welcome to "Views from the Pit Shack"

Thanks for visiting my blog.

As you can see from reading the main page, I've been around racing for a long time. Here's a little bit of background information so that you can gain some insight into my background.

First of all, I should introduce myself. My name is Greg Soukup, sometimes better known (for better or for worse) as The Eagle Pit Shack Guy. I’ve been going to races for over 56 years now. My first experiences were as a baby at Capitol Beach Raceway, here in Lincoln, Nebraska. My father loved racing, and we went every weekend.

Of course, I didn’t really appreciate the racing the first few years that we went. BUT!!! There is no doubt that I wanted to go all the same. You see, they had an amusement park there on the grounds also!! I got to ride the rides to my heart’s content, right up until race time. Then we went to watch the likes of Lloyd Beckman run their “hoodoos” around that little track. What’s the old saying? “If only I knew then what I know now”? Well, I think that one applies to me in every way. I wish that I’d spent less time on the merry-go-round and more time watching the races.

I also was fortunate enough to be taken to the IMCA races at the Nebraska State Fairgrounds each and every fall. Those sprints, or super-modifieds, or whatever you want to call them were something to see. Sleek monsters of chrome and sheet-metal, flying around that track, throwing dust and dirt everywhere!! That’s where I developed my ever-lasting love for racing. The old hoodoos were fun, but these beasts were so far above them that I can’t to this day describe the joy which I felt while sitting there on the boards of the stands.

Unfortunately, my father was killed in the line of duty as a police officer in 1966. I still went to the State Fair every fall, and watched the racing, but it just wasn’t the same. Racing just isn’t as much fun if you don’t have someone to share it with.

Shortly after Capitol Beach fell victim to development, I started going to Eagle Raceway and Midwest Speedway and for a short time Lincoln Speedway before it also closed. What a double punch!! Saturdays at Eagle, Sundays at Midwest!!! This had to be heaven, or pretty darn close to it. Kenny Gritz, “Little Joe” Saldana, Lloyd Beckman and Gordon Wooley were a few of the A feature winners at Eagle in 1968. How’s that for name-dropping?? In the ensuing years, I would get to see other greats at Eagle, such as Thad Dosher, Dick Sutcliffe, Jan Opperman and Lonnie Jensen. Those are but a few of the all-time greats that I remember seeing. I apologize for any others I may have forgotten.

Midwest had a few of the travelers come and try out the local talent there also. Every so often Ray Lee Goodwin Jr., Ed Bowes, the 3 Drouds (Senior, Junior and Rodney), Lloyd Beckman and many others would get to test their mettle against the likes of the legendary Jan Opperman, Doug Wolfgang, and even Steve Kinser. Again, my sincere apologies for any omissions.

Probably my most profound memory of Midwest (of so many) was the night Jan Opperman pulled in, unloaded and proceeded to lap all but 1 or 2 of the cars in the A Feature. I rushed to the pits, wanting to get a peek at the man who’d performed this miracle. I’d never heard of Jan Opperman!! But, then again, I wasn’t very worldly. Remember, I’d spent my entire life in Lincoln, Nebraska.

I managed to get my first look at this scruffy, long-haired, easy-going man who’d made monkeys out of all the local big boys. I managed to overhear him as he told someone “we’d have been faster, but I dropped a cylinder in the heat race”. Makes you wonder what would have happened if he’d had all 8, doesn’t it??

Approximately 6 years ago, I got the opportunity to actually get into the races at Eagle for FREE!!! Well, I hesitated no more than the infamous New York minute before I accepted. Then I found out that they’d actually PAY me to go!! Okay, had I died and passed to the great beyond?? Nosirreebob. I found out that they actually expected me to work, but all things considered, it was still a good deal.

I’ve been there nearly every race since, greeting the racers and fans. Meeting new “racing friends”, and renewing old acquaintances from time to time. I hope that one day, you and I will have a chance to meet and become friends. So, if you’re ever at Eagle Raceway, stop by the Pit Shack and say hello. I’m always looking forward to meeting others who love this sport as much as I do.

Around that same time, I was contacted to write for a now defunct website about sprint car racing. It was very enjoyable, and I found that I had a small knack for writing. I'll try and put up a couple of the things that I wrote for the website to fill in my "writer's block" moments.

A year or so ago, an aquaintence by the name of Ron Meyer convinced me to try my hand at writing for Flat Out magazine and Justin Zoch has been gracious enough to print a few of my interviews. The first time I read my name as the byline in a national magazine about sprint car racing was indescribable!! Thanks Justin, for giving me the chance to make a couple of bucks while doing something I love.

Currently I am still working in the Pit Shack at Eagle Raceway, and doing interviews with the night's winners each week. Then I write up the story of the evening's events for posting on the website. You can keep up with all of the goings on at http://www.eagleraceway.com

I hope you enjoy my blog, and that you check back often to see what's new at Eagle Raceway. I'll also try to keep you all advised as to some of the goings-on in the world of dirt track racing.