MCCOOK, Nebr. -- The rain from earlier in the week helped McCook Speedway become a fast and tacky track on Friday night, May 29. It also helped make the night end sooner, as the races were completed in two-and-a-half hours. Jeremy Frenier of Fort Morgan, Colo., Lloyd Meeske of Champion, Corey Cruzan of Maxwell, Max Pollmann of Trenton, and Bryan Herrick were none too soon to the finish line, in their opinions, as they took the feature wins for the night.

It took three cautions before the second lap could be run in the IMCA Modified A Feature, and then the race almost went the rest of the way caution-free. Jeremy Frenier had the lead on the restart after McCook driver John Huffman found his way from fifth place to the top spot in only one green flag lap. On the thirteenth lap, Huffman, who had pulled away to a safe lead, drove up into the marbles in corner three and drove off the track. He was able to come on in sixth place. Jay Steffens of North Platte inherited the lead, and appeared to be on his way to the win when the caution came as he was completing lap nineteen, creating a two lap dash for the win. David Murray, Jr. of Oberlin, Kan. lined up in second place behind him. Murray tried to clear Steffens for the lead in corner three, but somehow, the bumpers of the two became entangled, slowing each down. Frenier was able to pass both of them for the lead with one to go and completed the race out front. Nick Tubbs of Colby, Kan. finished in second place, with Brandon Hagan of McCook in third. Huffman came back to finish in fourth place, and Murray came home in fifth place. Steffens, Frenier, and newcomer Nate Moore of Hoxie, Kan. took the heat race wins.

Only one caution period slowed the IMCA Stock Car A Feature, but that didn’t mean the drivers weren’t driving hard. Casey Werkmeister of Maywood started in the fifth row and took the lead after leader Jason Koch of Cambridge turned his car sideways on the third lap. Heat race winner Lloyd Meeske started to find a good groove for his car down low, and worked his way to Werkmeister. On the ninth lap, he made his move out of corner four. The two cars came together on the front stretch, with Meeske’s car coming across the scoring line first. As Werkmeister faded, Meeske maintained a good lead over the field to have command of the event. Jason Koch came back and drove his way to second place, ahead of Shane Stout of North Platte, heat winner Larry Pollmann of McCook, and Werkmeister.

Sometimes, wrecks end two corners away from where they start. While Corey Cruzan was enjoying the lead of the IMCA Hobby Stock A Feature, the battle for second place was heated between Todd Pankonin of Benkelman and Greg Hoing of Johnson Lake. With five laps to go, the two were leaning on each other for the position. Allen Wissmann of Bertrand went to the high side of them to make a pass down the front straight. About the same time, Campbell driver Dillon Thompson tried to go to the high side of them. When they got to corner one, there was no room at the top, and Thompson’s car rolled off the track. The driver was able to walk away, but the car sustained serious damage. On the restart, Cruzan drove out front like he’d been there before, but this time was his first time in his three year racing career he crossed the finish line in the A Feature ahead of everyone else. Hoing out battled Pankonin for second place. Cody DeWester of Benkelman finished in fourth place. Richard Boon of Benkelman won the three car battle to the line for fifth place over fellow hometown drivers Austin Davis and Leland Stute, in that order. Litton Stute of Benkelman and Dillon Thompson were the Hobby Stock heats.

Max Pollmann passed heat race winner Matt Matson of McCook on lap five on his way to his second Classic Modified A Feature win of the year. Matson had to fight Alex Pollmann of Trenton off for second place, which he was able to do. Despite killing every mosquito on the Red Willow County Fairgrounds in the heat race, Billy Aeby of McCook was able to keep his car from smoking and won the battle for fourth place. Chad Coleman of McCook drove his car to fifth place. The Classic Modified A Feature went without a caution period.

The SportMod drivers were able to say the same thing about their A Feature. The only yellow involved in their race was the yellow paint and the yellow rubber duck on Bryan Herrick’s car. Herrick got by Jimmy Weigel of Oberlin, Kan. on the second lap of the race and never looked back. Duke Ebert of Culbertson finished behind Herrick in second place. Bill Matson of McCook had issues in the heat race, but ran a smooth race to finish in third. Mark Kinne of McCook finished his first SportMod A Feature in three tries, and in fourth place. Josh Bopp of McCook rounded out the top five.

McCook Speedway will be back in action on Friday night, June 5. The gates open at 6 PM, and the races will start at 8 PM, Central Time.

RESULTS

May 29 results
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1
12J-Jay Steffens
9R-Robby Haines
20K-Kyle Clough

Heat 2
7L-Nate Moore
121-Brandon Hagan
3-John Huffman

Heat 3
17J-Jeremy Frenier
97M-David Murray, Jr.
3RW-Ronnie Wallace

A Feature
17J-Jeremy Frenier
737-Nick Tubbs
121-Brandon Hagan
3-John Huffman
97M-David Murray, Jr.
3RW-Ronnie Wallace
9R-Robby Haines
01W-Clinton Hockersmith
12J-Jay Steffens
7L-Nate Moore
25H-Bryan Hagan
20K-Kyle Clough (DNF)
10T-Todd Hartley
23-Royce Clapp
94H-Don Hagan, Jr. (DNF)
07S-Jay Schilling (DNS)

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat
32-Lloyd Meeske
74KO-Jason Koch
20B-Brandon Clough

Heat 2
413-Larry Pollmann
09H-Bob Hoing
P42-Dave Plowman

A Feature
32-Lloyd Meeske
74KO-Jason Koch
5S-Shane Stout
413-Larry Pollmann
24W-Casey Werkmeister
70KO-Aaron Koch
09H-Bob Hoing
P42-Dave Plowman
8-Travis Tilford
42W-Kyle Werkmeister (DNF)
20B-Brandon Clough (DNF)

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat 1
11-Dillon Thompson
8C-Corey Cruzan
3L-Leland Stute

Heat 2
10-Litton Stute
33-Richard Boon
16D-Todd Pankonin

A Feature
8C-Corey Cruzan
00H-Greg Hoing
16D-Todd Pankonin
20K-Cody DeWester
33-Richard Boon
22-Austin Davis
3L-Leland Stute
10-Litton Stute
2AW-Allen Wissmann
4J-Jason Stephens
11-Dillon Thompson (DNF)
34-Josh Bopp (DNF)
3D-Dalton Dolan (DNF)

Clasic Modifieds
Heat
98-Matt Matson
P84-Loren Pollmann
25-Chad Coleman

A Feature
P82-Max Pollmann
98-Matt Matson
P83-Alex Pollmann
711-Billy Aeby
25-Chad Coleman
P84-Loren Pollmann
20-Nate Berry

SportMods
Heat
0-Bryan Herrick
56E-Duke Ebert
22-Austin Davis

A Feature
0-Bryan Herrick
56E-Duke Ebert
0?-Bill Matson
93-Mark Kinne
737-Josh Bopp
1EA-Trevor Gray
18-Jimmy Weigel
22-Austin Davis