If it’s Labor
Day weekend around Lincoln, Nebraska you can count on 2 things. Most importantly,
it’s time for the sixth annual Racesaver Sprint Nationals. Sadly, the other thing
is that it’s going to be wet!
A half-hour
downpour followed by drizzle and mist would have caused lots of dirt tracks to
cancel, but Eagle Raceway isn’t most tracks and the Racesaver Sprint Nationals
is just any race!! The track prep crew worked overtime to bring the track into
shape to host 101 sprint car teams in what has come to be known as America’s
Largest Sprint Car National Event. Then as the preliminary features were being
run, large drops again began to fall. Eagle’s track prep crew took advantage of
the half-hour delay to rework the track again. That worked wonders with 3-wide racing
and slide jobs galore highlighting the rest of the evening’s action.
During the
preliminary racing there were several serious incidents. Josh Riggins got up
and over the wall in turns 3 and 4, ending up with the 14J hanging on the catch
fence in the second heat for the Racesaver sprints. Trey Gropp’s #54 ended up
flipping after hitting the wall in turns 1 and 2 in the third heat. Heat 5 saw
the #30 of Brandon Hickman ride the top rail in turns 1 and 2 in heat 5 and
ended up rolling over. Mike Boston’s 51 and the 11 of Justin Melton made
contact in heat 6 with Boston spinning and hitting the wall in turns 3 and 4.
The D Feature saw Tige Jensen’s 12 start smoking from the right side of the
engine. Jensen was determined to hang on to a transfer position but ended up
with the engine consumed in fire a few laps from the finish. The C Feature saw
the 22K of Kaleb Johnson start bouncing and end up flipping over the wall in
turns 3 and 4 in nearly the same spot as Riggins had earlier. Gene Ackland
suffered a stuck throttle in his #14G in the B Feature and ended up hitting the
turn 1 wall full bore before flipping.
The first A
Feature was for the ATV Motorsport IMCA Sport Compacts. Terry Tritt’s 5X,
the88K of RJ Maas, Shawn Hein in the 5H and Justin Callender’s 17 led the field
after lap 1. Contact between the 26X of Brad Gallagher and Callender on lap 3 sent
the 17 headlong into the backstretch wall, bringing out the red flag. That put
the 70SS of Steffen Oaks into fourth. Oaks moved up to third with 11 laps left.
Maas grabbed the lead the next time around before losing the spot back to Tritt
after another circuit. 1 more lap saw Maas again move back to the lead. Oaks
passed Tritt for second after another lap and grab the lead from Maas with 3 to
go. The final top 4 were Oaks, Maas, Tritt and Hein.
Oaks’ victory
came from the 10th spot on the starting grid. He related “Oh Man!!
That was definitely the best race of the year! I saw RJ and Tritt going to
battle and I was just waiting for something to happen. Finally, I got the low
line and started to count down laps. I got around RJ and took the lead. After
that I just saw the checkered flag”.
The A Main’s
initial start was called back, but when there was an official lap in the books
Kevin Ramey had used the same move he tried on the first attempt to put the 7M
into the lead with Casey Burkham’s 45B, the 5 of Stu Snyder and Ethan Barrow’s
14S hot on his push bumper. Barrow moved to second on lap 2. Tyler Drueke
pulled a 360-degree spin in turns 1 and 2 for a caution period the next time around.
On lap 4, Justin Fifield’s 17X went very high in turns 1 and 2, hit the wall
and ended up and over. Zach Newlin used the restart to put the 11Z into fourth.
Chad Wilson’s #20 stopped in turn 4 the next lap for another caution. Jason Martin
passed Newlin on lap 8, putting the 5X into fourth. Jake Bubak’s 74B hit John
Carney’s 11C coming out of turn 2, sending Carney’s mount flipping. 2 laps
following the restart Martin advanced to third. The final change in the top 4
came when Claud Estes cracked the top 4 in his 74E with 5 to go. From the
checkered flag Ramey held off strong challenges from Burkham with the top 3
nearly nose to tail. The top 4 were Ramey, Burkham, Martin and Estes.
The top 9 of
Ramey, Burkham, Martin, Estes, Barrow, Luke Cranstons 45C, Newlin, Clint Benson
in the 100 and Snyder will comprise the first 3 rows of Sunday’s Big Dance.
Ramey is
currently leading the Racesaver IMCA points chase and won the Jake Ita Memorial
Race of Champions at last year’s Racesaver Sprint Nationals. His victory came after
starting third. “That first start was just a normal deal, with that many cars
and with everybody dancing around. I had a good clean start on the first one
and then had to turn around and do it again on the second one. I got around the
5 on the back straightaway and then passed the 45B. I just ran as hard as I
could for the win. We had a great little hot rod tonight” he said. Ramey’s sponsors
include Jambo’s Barbecue Pits, Precise Racing, Fired Up Garage and Weld.
Saturday’s
action has been moved up one hour. Racing will begin at 5 PM with no hot laps
being run. Following the Racesaver A Feature the Jake Ita Memorial Race of
Champions will be run.
The front
gates will open at 4:30. Adult admission is $15, youths 6-12 are $5 and
children 5 and under are free.
Pit gates
open at 3 with pit passes costing $25.
RESULTS:
IMCA Sport Compact A-Feature 1. Steffen
Oaks Lincoln, Ne. 2. Rj Maas Wilber, Ne. 3. Terry Tritt York, Ne. 4. Shawn Hein
Beatrice, Ne. 5. Cole Krichau Lincoln, Ne. 6. Josh Young Beatrice, Ne. 7. Kyle
Owen Nebraska City, Ne. 8. Tim Horsham Raymond, Ne. 9. Tyler Masek Raymond, Ne.
10. Michelle Nicholson Ashland, Ne. 11. Jeremy Shell Columbus, Mo. 12. Kyle
Grobeck(r) Omaha, Ne. 13. Brad Gallagher Plattsmouth, Ne. 14. Justin Callender
Lincoln, Ne. 15. Bryce Walker(r) Omaha, Ne. DNS. Dan Markham Plattsmouth, Ne.
DNS. Jared Jackson Crete, Ne. DNS. Ray Harrington Lincoln, Ne.
IMCA Sport Compact Heat 1 1. Terry Tritt
York, Ne. 2. Brad Gallagher Plattsmouth, Ne. 3. Justin Callender Lincoln, Ne.
4. Rj Maas Wilber, Ne. 5. Kyle Owen Nebraska City, Ne. 6. Michelle Nicholson
Ashland, Ne. 7. Bryce Walker(r) Omaha, Ne. 8. Jeremy Shell Columbus, Mo. 9.
Jared Jackson Crete, Ne.
IMCA Sport Compact Heat 2 1. Josh Young
Beatrice, Ne. 2. Steffen Oaks Lincoln, Ne. 3. Tim Horsham Raymond, Ne. 4. Shawn
Hein Beatrice, Ne. 5. Tyler Masek Raymond, Ne. 6. Kyle Grobeck(r) Omaha, Ne. 7.
Dan Markham Plattsmouth, Ne. 8. Cole Krichau Lincoln, Ne. 9. Ray Harrington
Lincoln, Ne.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint A-Feature 1.
Kevin Ramey Fort Worth, Tx. 2. Casey Burkham Combine, Tx. 3. Jason Martin
Lincoln, Ne. 4. Claud Estes Godley, Tx. 5. Ethan Barrow Bloomington, In. 6.
Luke Cranston Holcomb, Ks. 7. Zachary Newlin Millerstown, Pa. 8. Clint Benson
Papillion, Ne. 9. Stuart Snyder Lincoln, Ne. 10. Tyler Drueke Eagle, Ne. 11.
Steven Shebester 12. Dusty Ballenger Harrisburg, Sd. 13. Andy Shouse Oklahoma
City, Ok. 14. Robert Vetter Wolfe City, Tx. 15. Chad Wilson North Richland
Hills, Tx. 16. Colin Smith Sheldon, Ia. 17. John Ricketts Burleson, Tx. 18.
John Carney Lubbock, Tx. 19. Jake Bubak Arvada, Co. 20. Justin Fifield
Mesquite, Tx.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint B-Feature 1.
Andy Shouse Oklahoma City, Ok. 2. Tyler Drueke Eagle, Ne. 3. Chad Wilson North
Richland Hills, Tx. 4. Steven Shebester 5. John Ricketts Burleson, Tx. 6.
Robert Vetter Wolfe City, Tx. 7. Toby Chapman Panama, Ne. 8. Colby Estes
Mansfield, Tx. 9. Michael Day Greenville, Tx. 10. Adam Gullion Lincoln, Ne. 11.
Zach Blurton Quinter, Ks. 12. Matt Richards Lincoln, Ne. 13. Brandon Horton
Omaha, Ne. 14. Brett Becker Odessa, Tx. 15. Rod Henning Middleton, Oh. 16.
Jesse (chip) Graham Lewisville, Tx. 17. Brandon Bosma Round Lake, Mn. 18. Gene
Ackland Martell, Ne. 19. Joey Danley Lincoln, Ne. 20. Anton Hernandez
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint C-Feature 1.
Zach Blurton Quinter, Ks. 2. Joey Danley Lincoln, Ne. 3. Robert Vetter Wolfe
City, Tx. 4. Michael Day Greenville, Tx. 5. Brandon Horton Omaha, Ne. 6. Adam
Gullion Lincoln, Ne. 7. Jason Howell Fort Worth, Tx. 8. Blake Dacus Fletcher,
Ok. 9. Daniel Estes Jr. Burleson, Tx. 10. Scott Lutz Jonestown, Pa. 11. Matt
Etzelmiller Keller, Tx. 12. Michelle Melton Flower Mound, Tx. 13. Brandon Allen
St Peter, Mn. 14. Kaleb Johnson Sioux Falls, Sd. 15. Mark Pace Lincoln, Ne. 16.
Mike Moore Des Moines, Ia. 17. Ken Duke Jr Selinsgrove, Pa. DNS. Dustin Welch
Bryan, Tx.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint D-Feature 1.
Scott Lutz Jonestown, Pa. 2. Dustin Welch Bryan, Tx. 3. Ken Duke Jr
Selinsgrove, Pa. 4. Mark Pace Lincoln, Ne. 5. Cody Ledger Omaha, Ne. 6. Ryan
King Bennet, Ne. 7. Logan Scherb Bowie, Tx. 8. Nathan Weiler Lavista, Ne. 9.
Doug Lovegrove Waverly, Ne. 10. Jerald Harris Harrisonburg, Va. 11. Keith
Dragoo Greenwood, Ne. 12. Ryan Kitchen(r) Lincoln, Ne. 13. Ryan Hall
Midlothian, Tx. 14. Tyler Thompson Des Moines, Ia. 15. Tige Jensen(r) Lincoln,
Ne. 16. Danny Nekolite O'neill, Ne. 17. Frank Rodgers Lucas, Ia. DNS. David
Luckie Lubbock, Tx.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint E-Feature 1.
Ryan Kitchen(r) Lincoln, Ne. 2. Nathan Weiler Lavista, Ne. 3. Tyler Thompson
Des Moines, Ia. 4. Ryan Hall Midlothian, Tx. 5. Ryan Voss Spirit Lake, Ia. 6.
Monty Ferriera Fresno, Ca. 7. Chase Weiler Lincoln, Ne. 8. Blake Scott Pauls
Valley, Ok. 9. Shon Pointer Grand Island, Ne. 10. Boyd Peterson Ithaca, Ne. 11.
Dan Satriano Papillion, Ne. 12. Jeremy Schultz Stewart, Mn. 13. Junior Jenkins
Greenville, Tx. 14. Tim Hilfiker Greenwood, Ne. 15. Mark Klis Jr Waxahachie,
Tx. 16. Jimmy Grasso Omaha, Ne. 17. Gary Floyd San Angelo, Tx. 18. Tom Belsky
North Platte, Ne.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint F-Feature 1.
Shon Pointer Grand Island, Ne. 2. Monty Ferriera Fresno, Ca. 3. Ryan Hall
Midlothian, Tx. 4. Dan Satriano Papillion, Ne. 5. Clayton Christensen Spencer,
Ia. 6. Austin McLean Loveland, Co. 7. Jason Danley Lincoln, Ne. 8. Mike
Houseman Jr Des Moines, Ia. 9. Neil Nickolite Bellwood, Ne. 10. Justin Melton
Lewisville, Tx. 11. Nick Bryan Lincoln, Ne. 12. Randy Sterling Morrisdale, Pa.
13. Charlie McDonald Jefferson, Tx. 14. Daren Bolac Moyock, Nc. 15. Jeff
Pendergast Norfolk, Ne. 16. Samantha Lieberman South Hampton, Pa. 17. John
Webster North Platte, Ne. 18. Chris Kelly Moore, Ok.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint G-Feature 1.
Jason Danley Lincoln, Ne. 2. Austin McLean Loveland, Co. 3. Mike Houseman Jr
Des Moines, Ia. 4. Neil Nickolite Bellwood, Ne. 5. Trey Gropp(r) Lincoln, Ne.
6. Ben Woods Newton, Ia. 7. Lucas Scherb Decatur, Tx. 8. Bob Hildreth Iowa
Falls, Ia. 9. Charlie Ware Hallieford, Va. 10. Jason Miller Omaha, Ne. 11.
Dwight Carter Lincoln, Ne. 12. Trevor Serbus Olivia, Mn. DNS. Josh Riggins(r)
Lincoln, Ne. DNS. Bruce Allen Mankato, Mn. DNS. Brandon Hickman Lubbock, Tx.
DNS. Mike Boston Lincoln, Ne. DNS. Bill Garrow Lincoln, Ne.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Heat 1 1.
Zachary Newlin Millerstown, Pa. 2. Anton Hernandez 3. Zach Blurton Quinter, Ks.
4. Jerald Harris Harrisonburg, Va. 5. Jimmy Grasso Omaha, Ne. 6. Samantha
Lieberman South Hampton, Pa. 7. Neil Nickolite Bellwood, Ne. DNS. Charlie Ware
Hallieford, Va.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Heat 10 1. Jake
Bubak Arvada, Co. 2. Steven Shebester 3. Mike Moore Des Moines, Ia. 4. Frank
Rodgers Lucas, Ia. 5. Jeremy Schultz Stewart, Mn. 6. Charlie McDonald Jefferson,
Tx. 7. Bruce Allen Mankato, Mn.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Heat 11 1.
Colin Smith Sheldon, Ia. 2. John Ricketts Burleson, Tx. 3. Brandon Allen St
Peter, Mn. 4. Ryan King Bennet, Ne. 5. Nathan Weiler Lavista, Ne. 6. Chris
Kelly Moore, Ok. 7. Bill Garrow Lincoln, Ne.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Heat 12 1.
Clint Benson Papillion, Ne. 2. Gene Ackland Martell, Ne. 3. Joey Danley
Lincoln, Ne. 4. Scott Lutz Jonestown, Pa. 5. Blake Scott Pauls Valley, Ok. 6.
Monty Ferriera Fresno, Ca. 7. Bob Hildreth Iowa Falls, Ia.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Heat 13 1.
Dusty Ballenger Harrisburg, Sd. 2. Brett Becker Odessa, Tx. 3. Matt Etzelmiller
Keller, Tx. 4. Danny Nekolite O'neill, Ne. 5. Junior Jenkins Greenville, Tx. 6.
John Webster North Platte, Ne. 7. Austin McLean Loveland, Co.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Heat 14 1.
Ethan Barrow Bloomington, In. 2. Andy Shouse Oklahoma City, Ok. 3. Adam Gullion
Lincoln, Ne. 4. Doug Lovegrove Waverly, Ne. 5. Ryan Kitchen(r) Lincoln, Ne. 6.
Randy Sterling Morrisdale, Pa. 7. Lucas Scherb Decatur, Tx.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Heat 2 1. Jason
Martin Lincoln, Ne. 2. Tyler Drueke Eagle, Ne. 3. Blake Dacus Fletcher, Ok. 4.
Ken Duke Jr Selinsgrove, Pa. 5. Ryan Voss Spirit Lake, Ia. 6. Daren Bolac
Moyock, Nc. 7. Josh Riggins(r) Lincoln, Ne. 8. Trevor Serbus Olivia, Mn.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Heat 3 1. John
Carney Lubbock, Tx. 2. Matt Richards Lincoln, Ne. 3. Daniel Estes Jr. Burleson,
Tx. 4. Dustin Welch Bryan, Tx. 5. Tom Belsky North Platte, Ne. 6. Jeff
Pendergast Norfolk, Ne. 7. Trey Gropp(r) Lincoln, Ne. 8. Jason Miller Omaha,
Ne.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Heat 4 1.
Justin Fifield Mesquite, Tx. 2. Toby Chapman Panama, Ne. 3. Kaleb Johnson Sioux
Falls, Sd. 4. Cody Ledger Omaha, Ne. 5. Tim Hilfiker Greenwood, Ne. 6. Ryan
Hall Midlothian, Tx. 7. Jason Danley Lincoln, Ne.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Heat 5 1. Kevin
Ramey Fort Worth, Tx. 2. Jesse (chip) Graham Lewisville, Tx. 3. Michelle Melton
Flower Mound, Tx. 4. David Luckie Lubbock, Tx. 5. Boyd Peterson Ithaca, Ne. 6.
Dan Satriano Papillion, Ne. 7. Brandon Hickman Lubbock, Tx.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Heat 6 1. Casey
Burkham Combine, Tx. 2. Colby Estes Mansfield, Tx. 3. Robert Vetter Wolfe City,
Tx. 4. Keith Dragoo Greenwood, Ne. 5. Mark Klis Jr Waxahachie, Tx. 6. Justin
Melton Lewisville, Tx. 7. Mike Boston Lincoln, Ne.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Heat 7 1. Claud
Estes Godley, Tx. 2. Chad Wilson North Richland Hills, Tx. 3. Jason Howell Fort
Worth, Tx. 4. Mark Pace Lincoln, Ne. 5. Gary Floyd San Angelo, Tx. 6. Clayton
Christensen Spencer, Ia. 7. Dwight Carter Lincoln, Ne.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Heat 8 1. Luke
Cranston Holcomb, Ks. 2. Rod Henning Middleton, Oh. 3. Brandon Horton Omaha,
Ne. 4. Logan Scherb Bowie, Tx. 5. Tyler Thompson Des Moines, Ia. 6. Shon
Pointer Grand Island, Ne. 7. Mike Houseman Jr Des Moines, Ia.
RaceSaver Nationals Sprint Heat 9 1.
Stuart Snyder Lincoln, Ne. 2. Brandon Bosma Round Lake, Mn. 3. Michael Day
Greenville, Tx. 4. Tige Jensen(r) Lincoln, Ne. 5. Chase Weiler Lincoln, Ne. 6.
Nick Bryan Lincoln, Ne. 7. Ben Woods Newton, Ia.
