MCCOOK, Neb. -- Mother Nature was cruel this week to McCook Speedway, dumping over an inch of rain the previous two days before the fair races, making track prep difficult. However, the crew were able to get the track into condition to race, and the races were run. Brandon Hagan of McCook, Jesse Taylor of Fort Morgan, Colo., and Leland Stute of Benkelman ran away with the A Feature wins and fair trophies.

The IMCA Stock Car A Feature was the first feature to roll out onto the track, with eighteen cars in the starting field. Heat race winner Jesse Taylor started on the pole and took off with the lead. A good race for second place between Jason Davis of Norton, Kan. and Lloyd Meeske of Champion became a four car race when Shane Stout of North Platte and Brandon Clough of Wallace joined in. The lone caution of the race came out on lap eight after Stout spin, collecting Clough and several other cars. Stout was able to take the green at the back of the field, but did manage to finish in sixth place. After the restart, Meeske got away from Davis and began challenging for the lead. The Champion driver would get along the side of Taylor many time in the final twelve laps, but in the last couple of laps, Taylor was able to pull away for his first Nebraska win. Davis held onto third place, followed by Aaron Koch of Cambridge, who started in fifteenth, and Casey Woken of Ogallala. Cale Osborn of Cozad and Jeff Joldersma of McClelland, Iowa were the other two heat race winners.

The IMCA Hobby Stocks did one better than the Stock Cars, as the field went the distance in their fifteen lap event caution-free. The lead passed from Litton Stute to fellow Benkelman driver Richard Boon on lap two. Austin Davis, also of Benkelman, was able to sneak by Boone on lap five and enjoyed the top spot for a while, running the high line. Leland Stute ran much of the race down low, then decided to run high when he moved into second spot to catch Davis. With five laps to go, he went back to the bottom in corner two, where he could find a good bite, and passed Davis for the final of the lead changes. Cody DeWester of McCook got by Boon for the third spot. Litton Stute finished in fifth place. Davis and Boon were the two IMCA Hobby Stock Heat race winners.

With the first two races going so smoothly, it was hoped the nineteen starters of the twenty lap IMCA Modified A Feature would do the same. It was anything but a smooth race. Seven caution periods slowed the event, and well over half of the field failed to take heed in the theory, “To finish first, you must first finish.” Out in front at the start was Charley Brown of Maxwell. He enjoyed the top spot until Jeremy Frenier of Fort Moran, Colo. got by him between caution periods. On the restart, Brown snuck underneath Frenier to regain the lead, and held onto it until lap nine when Frenier got back by on the high side. On the restart, something broke on the Colorado driver's car, and that handed the lead back to bottom-racing Brown. Brandon Hagan was a high-line flyer, and after the restart to get Jeremy off of the track, he zoomed by Charley for the lead. Brown would fall out with two laps to go after getting into the heavy mud berm and breaking something. That gave McCook driver Jay Schilling a chance to take a shot at the win. The right front hood pin on Brandon Hagan's car also gave him hope, because on the restart, Hagan's hood came up, preventing him from seeing the entire track. Schilling took the lead with one lap to go, but later admitted to missing his mark in corner one. That opened the bottom of the track for Hagan, who drove into the corner hard, came out of corner two with the lead, and managed to feel his way around corners three and four for the win. Schilling was followed to the finish line by Garden City, Kansas drivers Tim Leiker and Perry Meisner. Clinton Hockersmith of Hoxie, Kansas, was the only other driver on the lead lap. David Murray of Oberlin, Kansas, Dave Hardesty of Minneapolis, Kansas, and Will Brack of Mead, Colorado were the heat race winners.

The next race in Southwest Nebraska will be held at Culbertson Speedway on Friday night August 7. The five regular classes will run at Culbertson, but the points will go towards McCook Speedway. The Ruth and Don Hagan, Sr. Memorial races will also be held that night. The gates will open at 6 PM, and the races will start at 8 PM, Central Time.

RESULTS

IMCA Modified
Heat 1
97M-David Murray
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
3RW-Ronnie Wallace

Heat 2
15W-Will Brack
12D-Scott Drake
4C-Charley Brown

Heat 3
73-Dave Hardesty
17J-Jeremy Frenier
121-Brandon Hagan

A Feature
121-Brandon Hagan
07S-Jay Schilling
65T-Tim Leiker
20M-Perry Meisner
01W-Clinton Hockersmith
4C-Charley Brown (DNF)
7L-Nate Moore (DNF)
19-Chuck Stryker (DNF)
3RW-Ronnie Wallace (DNF)
94H-Don Hagan, Jr.
17J-Jeremy Frenier
41J-Jeff Linner (DNF)
73-Dave Hardesty (DNF)
97M-David Murray (DNF)
15W-Will Brack (DNF)
12J-Jay Steffens (DNF)
16M-Matt Brack (DNF)
20K-Kyle Cough (DNF)
12D-Scott Drake (DNF)

IMCA Stock Car
Heat 1
6C-Cale Osborn
32-Lloyd Meeske
76-Jason Davis

Heat 2
66-Jeff Joldersma
5S-Shane Stout
50-Colton Osborn

Heat 3
05-Jesse Taylor
P42-Dave Plowman
20B-Brandon Clough

A Feature
05-Jesse Taylor
32-Lloyd Meeske
76-Jason Davis
70KO-Aaron Koch
35JW-Casey Woken
5S-Shane Stout
80M-Mike Wadel
42W-Kyle Werkmeister
51B-Brett Gartrell
6C-Cale Osborn
413-Larry Pollmann
79-Earl Woodward
60T-Trevor Wadel (DNF)
74KO-Jason Koch (DNF)
66-Jeff Joldersma (DNF)
20B-Brandon Clough (DNF)
50-Colton Osborn (DNF)
P42-Dave Plowman (DNF)
45-Mikey Dancer (DNS)

IMCA Hobby Stock
Heat 1
22-Austin Davis
3L-Leland Stute
8C-Corey Cruzan

Heat 2
33-Richard Boon
20K-Cody DeWester
4J-Jason Stephens

A Feature
3L-Leland Stute
22-Austin Davis
20K-Cody DeWester
33-Richard Boon
10-Litton Stute
4J-Jason Stephens
23H-Dave Werner
3D-Dalton Dolan (DNF)
8C-Corey Cruzan (DNF)
16D-Todd Pankonin (DNF)
24-Ray Caldwell (DNS)