Action centered around families at Speedway

Athough May 12 begins Mother's Day weekend, the action at McCook Speedway seemed to center around the family, as many siblings who run in the same classes battled each other.

David Murray Jr. and his daughter Sara, both of Oberlin, shared another bond, as they, along with Jason Davis of Norton, Jason Koch of Cambridge and Larry Pollmann of McCook, were the center of attention after the races, being A Feature winners.

The IMCA A Feature was a well run race by the drivers, as the action was slowed by one one caution period.

David Murray Jr. started on the fifth row, but by lap four found his way around heat race winner Jay Steffens of North Platte.

Steffens was left to battle fellow heat winner Nick Tubbs of Colby and Don Hagan Jr. of Culbertson.

Steffens appeared to have matters under control until the restart after the caution with four laps to go. Tubbs got a good start and got the spot.

He then charged towards Murray, but did not deny Murray his first McCook Speedway win of the year. Steffens did finish in third place, ahead of Chuck Stryker of Eddyville and Hagan.

Sara Murray started on row three of the Mini-Truck A Feature, along side of her sister Cindy.

Cindy won a heat race, but Sara had the better setup for the A Feature, taking the lead from Jake Sahm of Indianola on lap three. It could have been said she never looked back, but it wasn't true.

Leland Bieker of McCook, also a Mini-Truck heat race victor, found his way to second place and applied pressure late in the race. He came up short in his bid. Josh Bopp of McCook finished in third place, while his teammate Dave Wimer of Trenton and Cindy Murray rounded out the top five.

Aaron Koch of Cambridge won his heat race and started on the front row of the IMCA Hobby Stock main event.

He paced 15 laps of the race until his brother Jason found his way from row six to the back of Aaron's car.

Jason took the lead on lap 16. Before the field could complete lap seventeen, pandemonium broke loose.

Bryan Smotherman of Culbertson got sideways and his car went nose first into the wall. Austin Davis of Benkelman was behind that action and was not able to slow his car down, hitting Smotherman's car hard.

The race was stopped while the fence was fixed and the disabled cars were removed from the track.

Jason Koch got a good start when the green came out and held off a late run by Justin Wagner of Culbertson for the win.

Aaron Koch fell to third place at the end of the race, ahead of his fellow heat race winners Todd Pankonin of Benkelman and Jim Huffman of McCook.

At one time in the Classic Modified A Feature, Loren Pollmann of Trenton, his son Max and Loren's brother Larry of McCook owned the top three spots. Larry went to the high side to get by Max, then took the lead from his brother Loren on lap seven.

The two stayed in that order for the rest of the race. Duke Ebert of Culbertson made a late rally to finish in third place, Karl Wickizer of Palisade finished in fourth and Donny Sailors of McCook came home in fifth place. Larry Pollmann was also the Classic Modified heat race winner.

It took three tries before the IMCA Stock Cars got their first lap in, but then got into a rhythm.

Heat winner Jason Davis took the lead from Casey Werkmeister of Maywood on lap two. After that pass, the top six soon began to race around the track in a pattern of bowling pins.

A caution on lap eight got everyone to line up in single file. Davis did not seem to get a good start, which nearly allowed heat winner Lloyd Meeske of Champion to get by.

Davis regained his composure, but there had to be concern for his crew when the caution came out again with six laps to go.

By that time, Brady Koch of Cambridge had moved into second place and had his sights on the lead. Davis had a better restart and kept Koch behind him to garner the win.

Caleb Peters of Oberlin and Todd Chrisman of North Platte swapped third back and forth until the end, with Peters getting the better of Chrisman. Mikey Dancer of North Platte finished in fifth place, despite starting the race in the back.

McCook Speedway will be back in action on Friday. The gates will open at 6 p.m. and the races will start at 8 p.m. CDT.

May 12 results

IMCA Modifieds

Heat 1

12J-Jay Steffens

19-Chuck Stryker

3RW-Ronnie Wallace

Heat 2

73-Nick Tubbs

4C-Charley Brown

9R-Robby Haines

A Feature

97M-David Murray Jr.

73-Nick Tubbs

12J-Jay Steffens

19-Chuck Stryker

94H-Don Hagan Jr.

9R-Robby Haines

8EZ-Brice Riley

4C-Charley Brown

21H-Brandon Hagan

17J-Jeremy Frenier

P38-Darren Pollmann

10T-Todd Hartley

3RW-Ronnie Wallace (DNF)

11-Garett Sporhase (DNF)

IMCA Stock Cars

Heat 1

76-Jason Davis

2M-Bill Matson

25-Ritchie Wickizer

Heat 2

32-Lloyd Meeske

24KC-Casey Werkmeister

11-Todd Chrisman

A Feature

76-Jason Davis

25KO-Brady Koch

36-Caleb Peters

11-Todd Chrisman

45-Mikey Dancer

32-Lloyd Meeske

2M-Bill Matson

25-Ritchie Wickizer

8R-Brent Riley (DNF)

24KC-Casey Werkmeister (DNF)

42KC-Kyle Werkmeister (DNF)

67-Terry Fletcher (DNF)

55Z-Zach Schultz (DNS)

IMCA Hobby Stocks

Heat 1

70KO-Aaron Koch

74KO-Jason Koch

3-John Huffmann

Heat 2

16D-Todd Pankonin

22-Austin Davis

55-Brady Brush

Heat 3

5-Jim Huffmann

2-Justin Wagner

85-Bryan Smotherman

A Feature

74KO-Jason Koch

2-Justin Wagner

70KO-Aaron Koch

16D-Todd Pankonin

5-Jim Huffmann

14-Les Janousek

3-John Huffmann

3TX-Jebb Tally

38-Michael Woodhead

20J-John Groshans

23H-Bruce Hagan Sr.

14M-Martha Newman

22-Austin Davis (DNF)

85-Bryan Smotherman (DNF)

55-Brady Brush (DNF)

3L-Leland Stute (DNS)

24-Brian Payton (DNS)

Classic Modifieds

Heat

413-Larry Pollmann

P83-Loren Pollmann

41A-Devin Allen

A Feature

413-Larry Pollmann

P83-Loren Pollmann

56E-Duke Ebert

K2-Karl Wickizer

1S-Donny Sailors

20-Jay Alberts

413-Larry Pollmann

29B-Mike Brenning

P82-Max Pollmann (DNF)

Mini-Trucks

Heat 1

33-Leelan Bieker

05-Mike Schrader

52-Dennis Wasson

Heat 2

97-Cindy Murray

34W-Dave Wimer

34B-Josh Bopp

A Feature

97S-Sara Murray

33-Leelan Bieker

34B-Josh Bopp

34W-Dave Wimer

97-Cindy Murray

05-Mike Schrader

86-Jake Sahm

52-Dennis Wasson

14F-Royal Fisher

69-Delbert Ridenour (DNF)

12J-Robin Runge (DNF)