MCCOOK, Neb. -- After two previous nights were weathered out, McCook Speedway was finally able to start and finish an opening night for the five classes. Sixty-two cars from Colorado, Kansas, and thirteen different counties in Nebraska merged on the track to get in some racing. Jeremy Frenier of Fort Morgan, Colorado, Kyle Werkmeister of Maywood, Dillon Thompson of Campbell, Max Pollmann of Trenton, and Bryan Herrick of Curtis made sure to get in some A Feature wins early in the season, as they won the five on opening night.

The twenty lap IMCA Modified A Feature took four tries to get one lap in. After the field was aligned in single file, it went nineteen-and-a-half laps without a hitch. Heat race winner Nick Tubbs of Colby, Kansas took the lead from McCook’s Jay Schilling on lap three, and walked away with a big lead. He put many cars a lap down, and in between himself and the field. On the last lap, he got too close to a slow car in corner three, bumped it with his front tire, and spun out. The race was declared over at that point. As Tubbs was declared the cause for the yellow, Jeremy Frenier, who moved by Brandon Hagan of McCook for second place near the end of the race, was declared the winner. Hagan was second, with Schilliing third. Heat winner David Murray, Jr. of Oberlin, Kansas finished fourth, despite starting fifteenth on the opening lap single file start. Ronnie Wallace of McCook rounded out the top five. Don Hagan, Jr. of McCook won the other IMCA Modified heat race.

The Werkmeister brothers, Kyle and Casey, drew the front row of the IMCA Stock Car A Feature. Heat winner Kyle immediately took the lead, with Casey in tow. With the race just half over, Casey began to mount a charge on the high side. With five laps to go, he went across the scoring line nearly side-by-side with Kyle, but fell off after that, allowing Kyle to drive off for the win. Casey still made it to the finish line in second place, holding off heat winner Dave Plowman of Gretna. Stock Car Rookie Aaron Koch of Cambridge remained in the top five for the entire race and finished in fourth place. Shane Stout of North Platte was the fifth place finisher.

A scary accident started out the IMCA Hobby Stock A Feature. Ray Caldwell of McCook drove hard into the corner four wall on the opening lap of the event, moving the concrete barriers six feet. His car was severely mangled, but he was able to get out of the car on his own power. Austin Davis of Benkelman assumed the lead at the restart of the event. Newcomer Dillon Thompson found the high line to his liking and passed his fellow heat race winner on lap five. The race was stopped again on lap thirteen after the front end of the car of heat winner Jack Sherman of Kearney broke, and he unable to make it back safely to the pits. Thompson resumed where he left off for the win, which was also the first race of the nine-race Burger King 9 For 9 Challenge. Davis finished in second place, ahead of Leland Stute of Benkelman, Allen Wissmann of Bertrand, and Richard Boon of Benkelman.

The battle for second place of the Classic Modified A Feature between McCook drivers Billy Aeby and Matt Matson ended up with both cars off the track, with flat tires, and that created a caution period. They were able to rejoin the field in the back for the restart, which was led by Alex Pollmann of Trenton. Alex’s brother Max was unable to start the heat race with some mechanical issue, and his car did smoke during the main event, but it was working. When Max decided to try the high line, he was able to get by Alex with only one lap to go and held on for the win. Alex was followed to the finish line by heat winner Rick Touslee of Oberlin, Kansas, Matt Matson, and Loren Pollmann of Trenton.

Earlier, it was mentioned Austin Davis finished second in the IMCA Hobby Stock A Feature. He was hoping for some better luck in the SportMod A Feature, and actually took the lead from Jimmy Wiegel of Oberlin, Kansas, on lap two. Heat winner Bryan Herrick had plans of his own for the lead, and later put his car, into the lead. The Rubber Duck, as Herrick’s cars have been known for years, showed tail feathers to the field as he took the first SportMod A Feature win of the year. Much like his number “22”, Austin Davis ended the night with two-second place feature finishes. Wiegel took home third place, while the top five was rounded out by Josh Bopp of McCook and Trevor Gray of McCook. Duke Ebert of Culbertson was the other heat race winner.

Because of the two weather cancellations, McCook Speedway has added Friday night, May 22, to the schedule, and that will be the next night of racing. The gates will open at 6 PM, CDT and the races will start at 8 PM, CDT.

RESULTS

May 15 results
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1
97M-David Murray, Jr.
3RW-Ronnie Wallace
17J-Jeremy Frenier

Heat 2
737-Nick Tubbs
07S-Jay Schilling
21B-Jason Brees

Heat 3
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
01W-Clinton Hockersmith
121-Brandon Hagan

A Feature
17J-Jeremy Frenier
121-Brandon Hagan
07S-Jay Schilling
97M-David Murray, Jr.
3RW-Ronnie Wallace
12J-Jay Steffens
9R-Robby Haines
20K-Kyle Clough
3B-Eddie Belec, Jr.
6U-Dominic Ursetta
42-John Fabrizius
20-Jeremy Herbst
737-Nick Tubbs
21B-Jason Brees
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
01W-Clinton Hockersmith
2J-Jim Gronewold
23-Royce Clapp (DNS)

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat 1
42W-Kyle Werkmeister
24W-Casey Werkmeister
413-Larry Pollmann

Heat 2
P42-Dave Plowman
70KO-Aaron Koch
5S-Shane Stout

A Feature
42W-Kyle Werkmeister
24W-Casey Werkmeister
P42-Dave Plowman
70KO-Aaron Koch
5S-Shane Stout
6C-Cale Osborn
20B-Brandon Clough
32-Lloyd Meeske
413-Larry Pollmann
09H-Bob Hoing
74KO-Jason Koch
16-Jeff Whiting (DNS)

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat 1
38-Jack Sherman
12-Jim Buss
00H-Greg Hoing

Heat 2
22-Austin Davis
2AW-Allen Wissmann
3L-Leland Stute

Heat 3
11-Dillon Thompson
8C-Corey Cruzan
33-Richard Boon

A Feature
11-Dillon Thompson
22-Austin Davis
3L-Leland Stute
2AW-Allen Wissmann
33-Richard Boon
20K-Cody DeWester
00H-Greg Hoing
3D-Dalton Dolan
34-Josh Bopp
5-Chuck Ledbetter
4J-Jason Stephens
10-Litton Stute
8C-Corey Cruzan (DNF)
38-Jack Sherman (DNF)
12-Jim Buss (DNF)
24-Ray Caldwell (DNF)

Clasic Modifieds
Heat
26RT-Rick Touslee
98-Matt Matson
711-Billy Aeby

A Feature
P82-Max Pollmann
P83-Alex Pollmann
26RT-Rick Touslee
98-Matt Matson
P84-Loren Pollmann
711-Billy Aeby

SportMods
Heat 1
56E-Duke Ebert
1EA-Trevor Gray
18-Jimmy Wiegel

Heat 2
0-Bryan Herrick
22-Austin Davis
77H-Mitch Hamilton

A Feature
0-Bryan Herrick
22-Austin Davis
18-Jimmy Wiegel
737-Josh Bopp
1EA-Trevor Gray
0?-Bill Matson
93-Mark Kinne (DNF)
77H-Mitch Hamilton (DNF)
56E-Duke Ebert (DNF)
20H-Justin Helgoth (DNS)