Views from the Pit Shack

Sunday, May 6, 2018

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.

Sunday, April 29, 2018

Eagle Raceway 4/28/18

By Greg Soukup

Ante Up Night, presented by the Nebraska Lottery kicked off the 2018 season at Eagle Raceway Saturday evening. A sunny spring afternoon gave way to a cool, clear night that seemed perfect for horsepower and competition on the high banks.

All preliminary events were run without serious incidents.

The Purdue University IMCA Sport Modified A Main saw Shawn Harker take off from the pole position to put the #40 out front of lap 1 followed by the 96 of Gary Saathoff, Mary Lenz in the 17 and the 27 of Anthony Kobus. Kobus jumped up to second on lap 2 with Saathoff falling to third and the 25 of Gunner Pike moving into fourth. Pike passed Saathoff for third the next time around, then got past Kobus for second on lap 6. Lance Borgman cracked the top 4 with 4 laps left, then put the #76 into third 2 laps later. The final top 4 were Harker, Pike, Borgman and Kobus.

The draw/redraw format for the evening gave Harker the chance to start out front. “The car was great again tonight, and I got pretty lucky on the draw. My son picked the #1 starting spot for the heat and the feature. That put us up front both times. He did his job, so I had to make sure that I did my part. The track was great tonight! If we could have a track like that all year long, there shouldn’t be one racer out here that has a complaint. I want to thank Johnny Saathoff with Jet Racing. He’s been really helping me out. We’ve been working together to get this car going. Also, Zach Woods at Speedway is great with the power plant. Kevin Larkins helps with a lot of the sponsorships. Kyle Vanouver builds my shocks for me. And Scott Angel from D-Sign Shoppe for the great wrap on the car; he makes it beautiful every year. Right now, racing is good!!!”.

The Valentino’s IMCA Hobby Stock Feature had Tyler Saathoff’s 16T lead the first circuit with Ben Becher’s B4 second, Dave Carter held third in the 2C and Jeff Ware was fourth in the 83. Becher moved to the lead on lap 2. Lap 3 saw Ware jump up to second with Dillon Richards taking third in the 24R and Carter fell to fourth. Ware passed Becher on lap 5 as Roy Armstrong put the 6R into fourth. Armstrong moved up to third with 11 to go. 4 laps later Saathoff moved back to fourth. There were 4 laps left when Armstrong and Saathoff each advanced 1 spot. At the finish it was Ware, Armstrong, Saathoff and Becher.

Ware is the defending points champion in the Hobby Stock division and picked up right where he left off last year. His win came from the third row inside on the starting grid. “That’s why we came here; to keep doing what we did last year and try to make it 2 in a row. I tried to get to the front pretty quick, but there were a couple of guys that gave me a real run for my money. But, we got to the front, and that’s where we stayed. I’ve always been a big fan of Eagle Raceway. The track really came back to its usual this week; a couple of ruts here and there, but that will make a driver out of you. I want to thank Vince and Madison, my cousin Taylor, Shane who helps me back at the shop, Damon and Terry Richards from Charger Chassis”. Ware’s sponsors include Dewine Mechanical, Kula Repair, Charger Chassis, T & R Auto Repair and Demon Decals.

Next was the finale for the Runner Freight IMCA Modifieds. Bob Zoubek’s 5S, the 8A of Dustin Andersen, Trevor Baker in the 25! and Mike Lineberry’s 72 were the first 4 back to the flag stand on lap 1. Lineberry got past Baker on lap 3 as Shane Hiatt put the 21H into fourth. Johnny Saathoff got past Hiatt the next time around to put the 96J into fourth. Hiatt jumped up to third after another circuit as Lineberry fell to fourth. Jordan Grabouski’s #30 took over fourth after another lap before moving to third the next time around. Grabouski kept moving up, taking second with 9 to go and grabbing the lead 2 laps later. The final change in the top 4 came on the final lap when Hiatt moved to second, making the top 4 Grabouski, Hiatt, Zoubek and Andersen.

This made it 2 in a row for Grabouski as he took home the trophy at the second night of the Icebreaker Challenge last Saturday. “I had to earn it though, coming from 11^th tonight. The race track was really good tonight, and my car was awesome. I need to thank all of my guys for helping me go out and win. Tiny Moock and Wojo Painting take really good care of us when we come up here to race. It was a good night, but it’s always a good night when you put it in victory lane without so much as a scratch on the car”.

Shawn Hein brought the 5H back to the start/finish line first on lap #1 of the ATV Motorsports IMCA Sport Compact A Feature with Zach Bohlmeyer’s 24Z, the 13BS of Justin Callender and Allie Hover in the 27W close behind. Trenten Fugett’s 3T and Hover got together on the backstretch, bringing out the yellow flag. Drake Bohlmeyer used the restart to jump up to third in his #24 and Callender fell to fourth. Zach Bohlmeyer took over the lead the next lap as Drake Bohlmeyer moved to second the next time around. Drake took the lead with 10 laps left. Tommy Etherton cracked the top 4 with 6 to go in his 24T. The first four at the end were Drake Bohlmeyer, Zach Bohlmeyer, Hein and Etherton. In post-race inspection it was found that Drake did not have an inspection hole in his transmission, disqualifying him. That turned the victory over to Zach Bohlmeyer and moving Tim Horsham’s 3 into fourth.

Zach took the win reluctantly after starting fourth. “The track was pretty nice tonight, but it was slick. This is my third year out here at the big track. I want to thank my Mom, my Dad and my Grandpa. Also, my little brother who is always helping me out, plus all of the crew who comes out to make stuff happen”. Bohlmeyer’s sponsors include Morris Used Cars and Hardin Farms.

Ryan Kitchen’s 21 and the 20P of Shon Pointer got together and spun out at the top of turn 4 in the IMCA Racesaver Sprint Car A Main, collecting the 4W of Nate Weiler. Unfortunately, all 3 went to the pits and did not return. When the first lap was finally in the books the top 4 were Adam Gullion’s 91, the 51 of Mike Boston Zach Blurton in the 91J and Ron Love in the 5. Blurton passed Boston on lap 2 for second. Trey Gropp got past Love on lap 5 to put the 54 into fourth. Lap 10 saw Boston get back around Blurton for second, only to jump the cushion 2 laps later and fall to fourth. Gropp got past Blurton with 7 to go but lost the position back to him 2 laps later. Trevor Grossenbacher moved the 35 to fourth with 2 laps left making the top 4 Gullion, Blurton, Gropp and Grossenbacher.

Gullion not only won his heat and the A Feature but his second car, driven by Zach Blurton won its heat and came in second in the A Main. “It was definitely nice. To be able to unload two cars, with 2 separate drivers on the same team and win our heat races then run first and second in the feature is definitely a very big confidence booster and a big positive for the season. I don’t know that there’s ever been a team that unloaded 2 cars and run first and second. That’s something that we’re all proud of as a team, and an accomplishment we’ll be talking about for a very long time. The track was extremely technical tonight; it was really different from end to end. I got lucky and found some rubber. I could close on cars, but I couldn’t dispose of them. I started searching around and with I think 2 to go Zach poked his nose under me, coming out of 4. That relit the fire and got me back with the program. I ended up putting a slide job on Ron Love and then started pulling away and close out the victory. I need to thank my crew, John Reifschnieder, Pickle, Dustin, Mike Ramsey, Anthony Hill. Of course, my Dad and Mom and my wife. Actually, all of our wives who let us go out and do this”. Gullion’s sponsors include Cheetah Racing Engines, Walker Filters, Brenning Painting, Filley Bar and Grill, Precise Roofing, Filley Custom Powder Coating, King Racing Products, BR Motorsports, Simpson, Maxim Chassis, Engler, Pro Shocks and Speedway Shock Technologies.

Next Saturday is Royal Flush Rush, presented by Colby Ridge and Runner Freight. Front gates open at 5:15, hot laps begin at 5:30 with racing at 6:30. Adult front gate admission is $10, youths 6-12 are $5 and children 5 and under are free. The IMCA Racesaver Sprints, Runner Freight IMCA Modifieds, Purdue University IMCA Sport Modifieds, Valentino’s IMCA Hobby Stocks and ATV Motorsports IMCA Sport Compacts will all be in action.