MCCOOK, Nebr. -- McCook Speedway welcomed the United Rebel Sprint Series to the races on June 12, and eighteen drivers from four different states came to take a run at the 3/8-mile action track. The IMCA classes were on hand as well to put on a show. At the end of the night, C. J. Johnson of Quinter, Kan., David Murray of Oberlin, Kan., Dave Plowman of Gretna, and Austin Davis of Benkelman had the action in their favors, as they took the A Feature wins.

The URSS Sprint Cars had trouble getting into a rhythm. Heat race winner Blake Bogenhagen of Cheyenne Wells, Colo. had the early lead, then spun on lap two, handing it over to C. J. Johnson. Johnson started back in the fifth row, but by the end of the first lap had second place, then inherited the top spot after the Bogenhagen bobble. When the race went green, Johnson would open a large hole between himself and the rest of the field. One driver trying to clear traffic and get up to race with Johnson was the one person who beat him in their heat race, St. Joe, Mo. driver Cody Salem. Salem finally worked his way into second place when the sixth caution period happened on lap thirteen. By then, it was determined the race would be decided in two laps. Salem gave Johnson a great try, but appeared to need more laps to have the opportunity to make the pass, a luxury he did not have. Jeff Radcliffe of Hill City, Kansas continued his string of good finishes, getting by heat winner Smokey Fairbank of Ransom, Kan. for the third spot. Jon Johnson of Utica, Kan. rounded out the top five.

Much like the Sprint Car A Feature, the IMCA Modified A Feature had trouble getting off of the ground. Speaking of off the ground, Don Hagan, Jr. of McCook was pacing the field early in the race, often with the left front tire of his car getting nothing but air. The cautions kept the field close, and eventually, David Murray was able to battle the fellow heat race winner for the lead. On lap seven, Murray took command and never looked back on the way to his second consecutive win. Jay Steffens of North Platte held off a late charge from Jeremy Frenier of Fort Morgan, Colo. for second place. Jay Schilling of McCook earned another top five, finishing in fourth place, ahead of Brandon Hagan.

The IMCA Stock Car A Feature was paced for the first half of the race by Brandon Clough of Wallace. A caution on lap fine bunched the field back up to him and allowed Dave Plowman the opening he needed to take a crack at the lead. Despite being in third place on the restart, Plowman was able to get by Lloyd Meeske of Champion and Clough to take over the race on lap ten. Casey Werkmeister of Maywood then worked himself around most of the other field and mounted a charge on Plowman during the last two laps. Plowman could not be persuaded from the lead, and took his first McCook Speedway A Feature win of the year. Following Werkmeister at the line were Meeske, Jason Koch of Cambridge, Shane Shout of North Platte, and the rest of the field. Meeske and Kyle Werkmeister of Maywood were the winners of the two Stock Car heat races.

For a while, it appeared as though a rookie would win the IMCA Hobby Stock A Feature. Rookie Dalton Dolan of Oberlin, Kan. took the lead at the start of the race and held it for the first third of the race. That is when rookie Litton Stute of Benkelman slipped under Dolan after his car slipped up the track. Stute would build himself a nice lead until the caution waved with three laps to go. Austin Davis lined up behind him and tried to make a pass on the next green flag lap. Stute held him off, but another caution gave Davis yet one more chance. On this start, Davis was able to keep his car underneath Stute’s until he was able to slide by and into the preferred groove with one lap to go. Davis held on for one more lap to inherit the win. On the last lap, Benkelman drivers Todd Pankonin and Leland Stute were also able to get underneath Litton, dropping him to fourth place at the finish. Jason Stephens of McCook rounded out the top five. Litton Stute and Corey Cruzan of Maxwell were the winners of the heat races.

Thunder On The Plains returns to McCook Speedway next weekend. There will be two nights of racing at McCook, with each night a complete show for all five of the regular classes. The races on Friday, June 19 will start at 8 PM, Central Time. The races on Saturday, June 20, will begin at 7 PM.

RESULTS

June 12 results
IMCA Modifieds
Heat 1
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
12J-Jay Steffens
25H-Bryan Hagan

Heat 2
97M-David Murray, Jr.
9R-Robby Haines
17J-Jeremy Frenier

A Feature
97M-David Murray, Jr.
12J-Jay Steffens
17J-Jeremy Frenier
07S-Jay Schilling
121-Brandon Hagan
737-Nick Tubbs
11S-Garrett Sporhase
10-Don Geist
20K-Kyle Clough
25H-Bryan Hagan
727-Todd Schwarz
9R-Robby Haines (DNF)
94H-Don Hagan, Jr. (DNF)
3-John Huffman (DNF)

IMCA Stock Cars
Heat
42W-Kyle Werkmeister
P42-Dave Plowman
24W-Casey Werkmeister

Heat 2
32-Lloyd Meeske
74KO-Jason Koch
05-Jesse Taylor

A Feature
P42-Dave Plowman
24W-Casey Werkmeister
32-Lloyd Meeske
74KO-Jason Koch
5S-Shane Stout
42W-Kyle Werkmeister
70KO-Aaron Koch
413-Larry Pollmann
51B-Brett Gartrell
20B-Brandon Clough
05-Jesse Taylor
6C-Cale Osborn (DNF)

IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat 1
8C-Corey Cruzan
4J-Jason Stephens
20K-Cody DeWester

Heat 2
10-Litton Stute
22-Austin Davis
16D-Todd Pankonin

A Feature
22-Austin Davis
16D-Todd Pankonin
3L-Leland Stute
10-Litton Stute
4J-Jason Stephens
3D-Dalton Dolan
8C-Corey Cruzan
34-Josh Bopp
20K-Cody DeWester (DNF)
33-Richard Boon (DNF)

URSS Sprints
Heat 1
27B-Blake Bogenhagen
2H-Bill Hays
14T-Tom Parker

Heat 2
22-Cody Salem
45X-C. J. Johnson
77W-Michael Williams

Heat 3
2-Smokey Fairbank
56-Judd Schaeffer
11-Keefe Hemel

A Feature
45X-C. J. Johnson
22-Cody Salem
21R-Jeff Radcliffe
2-Smokey Fairbank
86-Jon Johnson
36W-Willie Wynn
11-Keefe Hemel
77W-Michael Williams
2H-Bill Hays
5R-Randy Bantam
27B-Blake Bogenhagen (DNF)
79-Ken Lutters (DNF)
56-Judd Schaeffer (DNF)
17-Chad Salem (DNF)
14T-Tom Parker (DNF)
C3-Reed Bernbeck (DNF)
38-Cody Keiswetter (DNF)
140-Mike Parker (DNF)