Final races honor Ruth and Don Hagan Sr.
CULBERTSON -- There was quite a bit of activity going during the final night of racing at Culbertson Speedway Friday.
Important to the drivers at the front of the points chase was the last opportunity to earn points and a possible track championship.
David Murray of Oberlin, Richie Wickizer of Palisade and Larry Pollmann of McCook doubled up on the Feature wins and championship for their classes.
Bruce Hagan Sr. of Culbertson and Jason Schoenberger of Russell, Kan.m also took home A Feature wins, while Dean Kerbs of Wray, Colo., and Billy Smith of Norton, Kan., took home the other two championships.
More importantly, however, it was also the Ruth and Don Hagan Sr. Memorial Night, where the races were held in memory of the cornerstones of the family who has given what they could to benefit racing in Culbertson and surrounding area.
The family donated extra money and trophies for the night's cash dashes. Jim Lewis, promoter of the track, introduced the Ruth and Don Hagan Sr. Sportsmanship award, an award that will be given annually to a driver who has exemplified sportsmanship both on and off the track. The inaugural winner of the award is Jay Steffens of North Platte.
You could expect to see a "Dave" out in front of an IMCA Modified A Feature, but early in the race, it was Dave Jeffries of Upland showing the way around.
He held the top spot for the first half of the race, keeping heat winners Tony Schultz of North Platte and Dave Murray at bay.
That was the point Murray made his move, got by both drivers and pulled away to a healthy win, his 27th IMCA Modified win of the year.
Schultz would later get by Jeffres to finish in second place, while Jay Steffens stayed ahead of Kenny McCarty for fourth.
Murray and Schilling would also in the top two spots of the Hagan Memorial Cash Dash, with Murray taking the bigger of the two checks.
For icing on the cake, Murray's money night was even $250 higher via winning the A Feature and being a participant in a program with the McCook Radio Group.
Jason Schoenberger took the lead from fellow heat race winner Buddy Brown of Valentine on the second lap of the IMCA Stock Car A Feature and never gave it away. Charley Brown of Maxwell and Bryan Hagan of Culbertson also got by Buddy to finish in second and third places, while Hagan Cash Dash runner-up Billy Smith finished in fifth place.
Smith was tied for the point lead with Todd Chrisman and only one point ahead of Todd's fellow hometowner Dustin Small going into the night.
A flat tire on Chrisman's car took him out of the hunt, and Smith's late pass on Small earned him the track title for the class, as well as a shot to get into the Race of Champions for the IMCA Stock Cars during the IMCA Supernationals during the first week of September in Boone, Iowa.
Shane Stout of North Platte passed Smith and Small while they were battling for the lead during the Cash Dash en route to an exciting win.
The IMCA Hobby Stocks must have misunderstood and though they were running for a million dollars during their Cash Dash.
On the last lap, Colby Claflin and Cliff Davis, both of McCook, made contact on the backstretch.
Davis's car ended up on the roof, and Claflin's car received damage as well. Neither driver was hurt, but both were finished for the night.
Richie Wickizer and Jason Koch of Cambridge took the top two spots in that event. Heat winner Wickizer was also the winner of the A Feature, despite a tremendous effort by Koch on the last lap to steal the win.
Les Janousek of Trenton and Chris Cuellar of Indianola were the only other cars to finish the main event.
Wickizer was also able to seal up the track championship for his class with the win.
Larry Pollmann came into the night one point behind John Werner of Palisade in the Classic Modified class.
After winning his heat race, he started the A Feature in front of Werner via points average. Matt Fletcher of North Platte and Hagan Memorial Cash Dash winner Randon Peters of McCook were out in front and racing side-by-side when Pollmann caught them.
The three came out of corner four three wide when Pollmann caught them, and Pollmann outraced them down the front stretch to take the lead.
Peters cleared Fletcher, but could not catch up to Pollmann to deny him the win.
Werner finished in fourth place, far enough back to concede his hopes for the class title to Pollmann.
The runner-up in the Cash Dash, Karl Wickizer of Palisade, finished in fifth place.
Dean Kerbs was declared the point champion in the Mini-Truck division. Earlier in the night, Kerbs took the $125 after winning the Hagan Memorial Cash Dash.
That race was marred by a scary crash on the frontstretch when Jay Alberts of McCook and Jim Kirk of Culbertson were battling for third place.
Kirk's truck spun, hit the wall, and flipped, while Alberts' truck sustained heavy front end damage.
Both trucks made it to the pits on their own power, but did not have enough power to come back for the A Feature.
Heat race winner Bruce Hagan Sr. had the strong horse of the night, and could not be denied the A Feature on a night honoring his deceased parents.
Kerbs remained in second place, good enough to secure the points title.
Brett Hagan, son of Bruce, was declared third place, Delbert Ridenour of Culbertson fourth, and Loren Roberts of North Platte fifth.
There is one more race to be run in southwestern Nebraska, and that is over at McCook Speedway.
The race is slated for 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 14. The pits open at noon.
The same five classes that run at Culbertson Speedway, as well as the Mini-Sprints, will be on hand.
Friday, Aug. 22 results
IMCA Modified
Heat 1
55-Tony Schultz
Heat 2
97M-David Murray Jr.
Cash Dash
97M-David Murray Jr.
07S-Jay Schilling
94H-Don Hagan Jr.
A Feature
97M-David Murray Jr.
55-Tony Schultz
41J-Dave Jeffres
07S-Jay Schilling
1-Kenny McCarty
94H-Don Hagan Jr.
8EZ-Brice Riley
31-Jim Arnold
29W-Mike Saathoff
33G-Tyson Garrison
(DNS)2-Troy Bayne
IMCA Stock Cars
Heat 1
6-Jason Schoenberger
Heat 2
5B-Buddy Brown
Cash Dash
5S-Shane Stout
13-Billy Smith
24S-Dustin Small
A Feature
6-Jason Schoenberger
4C-Charley Brown
25H-Bryan Hagan
5B-Buddy Brown
13-Billy Smith
24S-Dustin Small
5S-Shane Stout
24-Bob Chalupa
25KO-Brady Koch
11-Todd Chrisman
3X-Joe Kasson
45-Mikey Dancer
IMCA Hobby Stocks
Heat 1
28-Colby Claflin
Cash Dash
25W-Richie Wickizer
74KO-Jason Koch
28-Colby Claflin
A Feature
25W-Richie Wickizer
74KO-Jason Koch
14-Les Janousek
01-Chris Cuellar
8R-Brent Riley
(DNS)57-Cliff Davis
(DNS)28-Colby Claflin
Classic Modifieds
Heat 1
59-John Werner
Cash Dash
37P-Randon Peters
K2-Karl Wickizer
413-Larry Pollmann
A Feature
413-Larry Pollmann
37P-Randon Peters
44-Matt Fletcher
59-John Werner
K2-Karl Wickizer
D22-Loren Pollmann
54-Dave Werner
56E-Duke Ebert
Mini-Trucks
Heat 1
34-Josh Bopp
Heat 2
25-Bruce Hagan Sr.
Cash Dash
18-Dean Kerbs
34-Josh Bopp
69-Delbert Ridenour
A Feature
25-Bruce Hagan Sr.
18-Dean Kerbs
36-Brett Hagan
69-Delbert Ridenour
10JR-Loren Roberts
65-Bryan Smotherman
70-Bud Wasson
(DNS)K05-Jim Kirk
(DNS)68-Jay Alberts