Thoughts on the 2023 IMCA Racesaver Sprint Car Nationals

 

This year’s IMCA Racesaver Sprint Car Nationals was a great 4-day weekend! Mother Nature didn’t rain on our parade, so that was different from a lot of the past Nationals. She did, however, give us an abundance of sun and heat; making a lot of work for the track prep crew. There weren’t a lot of serious accidents, and although numerous cars were damaged over the weekend, some very badly, none of the drivers were severely injured.

After Thursday’s practice night, we got 3 days of fantastic racing action, culminating in the $3000 to win Big Dance on Sunday evening.

Now, for my take on the weekend. It’s widely known that I love dirt track racing, no matter the class. When you were practically raised at a dirt track, attending your first race at 1 month old at the long gone Lincoln Speedway at Capitol Beach, that love goes awfully deep. I wish I were able to attend more races at more tracks around the country. Sadly, finances won’t allow for that right now. Luckily, I have my latest home track, Eagle Raceway just a few miles from my house. Also, I am allowed to do my small part for the track, drivers and fans by writing up the story of each night’s events.

I also write articles/interviews for Dirt Empire Magazine. Over the past 70 years I have had the good fortune to meet so many people that are now part of my racing family. So many great people, all of them interesting in their own right. I could spend the rest of my life writing about all of them, and I wish that was possible. I choose to dedicate myself to letting the lesser known racers and crew members’ stories be told; something I’m happy and proud to do. I just sent in an article about a local racer in fact. Now, I need to get back to working on one that I started just prior to my wife Linda’s passing nearly 2 years ago. That really took away almost all of my ambitions for anything, but I’m back in the saddle again. I have another one after that that I also started a couple of years ago and following that, I plan to do one on a visiting racer that I became friendly with at the Nationals. My plate is full, but what else is there to do? Especially now that the season is nearly at an end.

As for the Nationals, what a fantabulous event!!! Each and every year, throngs of race teams invade America’s Home Track to test their mettle against the best of the best Racesaver drivers in the world. Some of them won’t even make the Sunday A Main, but still they are awarded with the experience of trying for the championship belt and the top prize. As the saying goes, ‘In the battle, the glory’. The fans get to witness their favorite drivers battle it out on the high banks; hoping that one of them can come out on top.

Personally, I love every single, solitary moment of the 4 day extravaganza. I really enjoy the racing during the regular season, but the Nationals are just over the top!! I was thrilled at times, and at other times shocked and angry. I’ve grown to know the local racers, and am fond of them all; but seeing Tyler Drueke’s race go out the window due to no fault of his own truly got to me. I’ve become very proud of Tyler, and I admire his perseverance and overall demeanor. I stopped by his pit after the race and he was his usual calm, even keeled self. You could tell that it hurt, but only if you knew him well. I told him what great runs he had, both before and after the wreck. His reply? ‘The stats will only show that I went from fourth back to sixth’. He is currently leading both National and State points contest and has already won the track title at Eagle Raceway, so those first 2 contests were surely on his mind. All I can say is ‘This young man is what a racer should be’. What a battle it would have been between he and Huish! Sadly, that competition will have to wait for another day, another time. Our local racers ably defended their home turf. 7 of the top 10 in the Big Dance were locals with Stu Snyder second, Jason Danley fourth, Mike Boston fifth, Tyler Drueke 6^th, Jay Russell 7^th and Trevor Grossenbacher 10^th. Way to go guys!!!

Congratulations to all 87 teams and drivers who came from all over the country to participate. Hopefully, you can and will all return next year. Will we have a repeat winner, or will a first timer put their name in the record books? Only time will tell, so in the mean time get out there and support your local dirt track. Enjoy yourself and be sure to mark your calendars and make your plans to be at Eagle Raceway during Labor Day 2024.

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.

50th season opener at Eagle is in the books

I apologize for not getting this up last Sunday when I wrote it. I SWORE that I hit publish, but evidently not.

Well, the wife and I are back working at Eagle Raceway. We worked a practice night Thursday and then the first actual racing Saturday night.

I was really pleased and surprised at the size of the crowd; it was REALLY good, considering that the temps got down to the mid-40's by the time the racing ended a little after 11. Yes, I know that's late, but when you have 164 cars in the pits, it's going to take some time to get all of the races run. I guess that's the price that Roger pays for being a good promoter.

I'll be honest here and say that it was TOUGH getting back into the swing of things, even after having a bit of a free trial Thursday. Thank God Michelle had someone come up to handle the IMCA licenses and a lot of the minor registrations!! I was really worried about being able to keep track of the racing, get it down in a manageable format to allow me to write the story for the website, but it looks like I made it through with only minor hitches along the way. The story is up on the website and e-mailed to those who requested it and the media outlets as well.

As for the evening's events, I'd say that it was a great night. The track started out a little dusty, but the moisture ended up coming up and the track went dry-slick. I personally prefer a dry-slick track, because as the sprint winner Jeff Edgerington said "you have to drive on a dry-slick track". You can't just stomp and steer. Yes, there were ruts in the track, but that comes from the wet weather we've had lately. Most of the drivers I interviewed agreed; the ones who actually knew about such things did anyway.

Of course, one of the big stories of the night was the new sprint car class having it's first races at Eagle. We only got 16 cars, which is about the same as we were getting in the 360's last year, but I thought the racing was pretty damned good! In the feature defending 360 sprint car champion Mike Boston got in a car for someone else because his motor wasn't ready yet. He won his heat and got DQéd for being too light at the scales, so he started at the back of the feature. He ran up to second before losing the nose wing from his car and being sent to the back. Well, as you would expect from Mike, he ran that thing back to second and actually took the lead for a short time right at the end. His banzai move put him out front, but he slid up and Jeff took the lead back and held on for the win.

I'd say that the 305 Racesaver class has a real future at Eagle; at least I sure hope so. Rumor has it that we lost 1 of the new drivers who decided to give the class a shot because he can't handle the sprint (he hit the wall both Thursday and Saturday). I surely hope not, because we need all of the cars we can get to be sure this class goes over. Then there's the case of the young ladies in the class. They both did VERY well!!! Given that neither of them has ever raced a sprint car before (at least not a full-sized one), I'd say that they did very well. Shayle Bade ran 5th and Lacey Tuttle grabbed 6th in their inaugural feature.

All in all, a good night. A long night, and a tiring night, but a good one.

Here is the link to my write-up of the events and the full results: http://www.eagleraceway.com/EagleRaceway/?p=4383

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!!

Long time no blog

As a lot of you know, my mother is not doing very well. She moved in with us about 2 months ago in a hospice situation. She will be here until she leaves us forever, and we wouldn't have it any other way. My saintly wife cares for her while I go to work and we share the duties while I'm home. This, coupled with her having spent the previous months in and out of the hospital offset with stays in assited living facilities has meant little to no time to spare for things like blogging. For this, I apologize. I will do my utmost to keep up my duties as a blogger to the best of my ability under the current constraints.

Eagle Raceway's season starts in less than 2 weeks. The 19th of this month will be an open practice night for any and all classes. Front gates open at 6 with free admission for everyone. Pit gates open at 5 with pit passes just $10.

The following 2 nights are the Icebreaker Challenge, featuring the IMCA Modifieds. Friday night's support classes will be Lucas Oil ASCS Sprints and IMCA Sport Modifieds. Front gates open at 6 and racing starts at 8. Adult admission is $12, youths 6-12 are just $5 and 5 and under are free. Pit gates open at 4 with pit passes costing $25.

Saturday evening the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprints will again be racing, but the Sport Modifieds will be replaced by the IMCA Hobby Stocks and IMCA Sport Compacts. Front gates will open at 5 with racing beginning at 6:30. Adult front gate admission will be $15 while the youth and children's admissions prices remain the same. Pit gates again open at 4 with pit passes again being $25.

The 27th and 28th of April there will again be a double-header weekend. On Friday night the World of Outlaws presented by SLS Promotions make their return to the high banks of America's Home Track after having been absent the past 2 years. The best 410 travelling series in the world will have the mini-sprints as their support class. Front gates open at 5:30 with time trials at 6:30 and racing at 7. If you wait until the day of the show, adult front gate admission is $35, youths are $15 and 5 and under receive free admission with a paid adult. There is a package deal with both a reserved seat and a pit pass available for just $5 more. You can save $5 on adult admission by visiting participating NAPA stores. You also can purchase reduced price front gate tickets online at SLS Promotions tickets for Eagle Raceway or by calling 1-815-344-2023. Pit gates open at 4 P.M.

Then on Saturday the Nebraska Lottery presents the SuperMania 2012 Season Opener. All regular weekly shows will consist of the Budweiser 360 Sprints, Nebraska Drive Shaft & Radiator IMCA Modifieds, NAPA IMCA Sport Modifieds, Valentino's IMCA Hobby Stocks and Exhaust Pros IMCA Sport Compacts. Front gates open at 5:30 with racing at 6:30. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for youths 6-12 and 5 and under are free. Pit gates open at 4 and pit passes are $20.

There will be lots of fun for all ages with give-aways, contests and other fan interaction to go along with plenty of racing action. As I always say, "Going to the races is an event", and the events at Eagle Raceway will have you planning your next trip back there even before you leave.

The next big event will be held the 8th and 9th of June when TBJ Promotions presents the Eagle Nationals featuring the Lucas Oil ASCS National Sprints. Friday night the IMCA Sport Modifieds and IMCA Hobby Stocks will also be on the card and Saturday evening IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sport Compacts will be the support classes. The Eagle Nationals is always one of the most exciting and hotly contested events of the year as the Eagle regulars attempt to protect their home turf against the national touring drivers.

August 3rd the Amsoil National Championship 410 non-winged Sprint Cars will make their first ever appearance in the state of Nebraska at the Rumble in the Bullring. The event was originally scheduled for last August, but unfortunately Mother Nature decided that the previous week's lack of rain needed to be remedied and the event had to be cancelled. The NCRA/MARS Super Late Models will be running topless and the other support class will be the Mod Lites.

The 2012 season wraps up with two Sunday shows. September 2nd Budweiser presents the Eagle Super Shootout featuring the 360 Sprints, IMCA Modieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Hobby Stocks and IMCA Sport Compacts.

The final event will again feature the Lucas Oil Sprints at the Nebraska Cup on September 9th. They will be supported by the IMCA Sport Modifieds and IMCA Hobby Stocks.

The entire 2012 Eagle Raceway schedule can be viewed at Eagle Raceway 2012 Schedule and the website is updated regularly during the season with results and news.

Eagle Raceway should be on everyone's bucket list, and there is no better time than the present to check that one off!!

I'll try to get another blog posted yet this week, as there are some things being said that need to be addressed; so stay tuned!!!

As always, your comments are welcomed and even encouraged!! So sound off.

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!!!

Under the weather, but a good feeling

The good thing about having to stay at home because you're feeling ill is that you have the time to put up a new blog. That, coupled with getting news from a friend, turns a bad thing into a good feeling.

Yesterday a fellow writer, an actual journalist in fact (although I doubt he would agree with the label) e-mailed me requesting contact information for John Klabunde. Lee Ackerman writes for the Omaha World Herald and is wanting to do an article about John Klabunde and the upcoming Icebreaker Challenge races at Eagle Raceway.

After giving John's phone number to Lee I informed him that he would truly enjoy interviewing John. As I mentioned in my last blog, John is a really humble individual who exemplifies the racers at almost any dirt track you visit in this great country. Although they share the same roots, none of them have visions of being the next Jeff Gordon or Tony Stewart. They spend their hard-earned money, spend countless hours every week getting their mounts ready for the weekend, and risk life and limb in what they know is a money-losing proposition. They don't do it for money or fame, they do it for the love of racing; the love that we all share.

I can't thank Craig Cormack enough for hiring me to work at Eagle years ago. He gave me the opportunity to see, talk to and interact with people who I previously had known only from a spectator's viewpoint. I find it strange how a person's perspective can be altered so drastically merely by being a part of a track, rather than just a fan in the stands. Enlightening comes nowhere near describing the difference.

Speaking of money-losing propositions, an area dirt track has been saved. Yesterday it was announced that Blackbird Bend Speedway near Onawa, Iowa will be running this year. A couple of gentlemen have signed a lease for 2011 with the intention of keeping the facility operating in the future. The classes that will be there weekly have not been decided yet, but for 2011 they will be running without sanction. Hopefully they will be able to get the IMCA sanction that they are seeking for future seasons.

They are looking for workers for concessions, track preparation and maintenance. Applications for employment, pit stalls and to reserve car numbers are being taken. So, if you have any interest at all you'd better be getting ahold of them quickly. Practice Night will be April 29th with the first races being run May 6th (weather permitting).

Practice Night at Eagle is just 2 weeks away on April 14th, with the 2-night season-opening Icebreaker Challenge the following 2 days. The Rev Honey IMCA Modifieds are the featured class both evenings, and will be competing for $1000 to win on Friday and $2000 to win on Saturday. Also racing both nights will be the ASCS 360 sprinters. The winner's share of the purse will be $1500 each evening. Support classes will be the NAPA IMCA Sport Modifieds and the Good Old Time Racing Association on Friday with the Valentino's IMCA Hobby Stocks and Exhaust Pros IMCA Sport Compacts on Saturday. For more information you can visit Eagle's website at http://www.eagleraceway.com/EagleRaceway/ or call the track office at 402-238-2595.

In other news, we announced this past Monday that the track surface had been reworked over the off-season. Also, changes will be made in the weekly track preparation this season in order to improve the racing on the high banks of "America's Home Track". There were no layout changes (other than the addition of the "Little E" track inside turn 1), and NO, the infamous spring-fed problem in turn 1 hasn't been remedied to my knowledge. But I have a strong feeling that the racing at Eagle will be fantastic this year. If you've never attended a race there, you are definitely missing out!

Hope to see everyone out there this year. And if you do make the trip, stop and say hi; you know where I'll be.