Races return to Culbertson Speedway

CULBERTSON -- Racing returned to the high-banked 3/8 mile Culbertson Speedway July 18, and the races went fast and clean. David Murray of Oberlin, Billy Smith of Norton, Kan., Karl Wickizer of Palisade, and Keith Miner and Leelan Bieker of McCook cleaned house by taking the A Feature wins.

The IMCA Modified A Feature was a caution-free affair. David Murray started on the front row and would never hear another car behind him as he had a straightaway lead by the end of the race.

It became a battle for second place, and Don Hagan Jr. of Culbertson was up to the challenge. He fought off Jay Steffens of North Platte for the runner-up spot.

Brice Riley of Indianola had a solid fourth place finish, while Barry Richards of Oberlin finished fifth. Murray and Steffens took the heat race wins in the class.

Heat race victor Charley Brown of North Platte started on the front row of the IMCA Stock Car A Feature, and he too had a large lead over the field.

A caution on lap five bunched up the field, putting Billy Smith on his back bumper. Billy worked Charley the last 10 laps of the race, and briefly took the lead with three laps to go.

Brown was able to get back by, but on the last lap, Smith again got underneath Brown. Charley tried to make a dash out of corner four and fell a fender length short of denying Billy Smith the win.

Brady Koch of Cambridge, Bryan Hagan of Culbertson and heat winner Dustin Small of North Platte finished in third, fourth and fifth places.

The battle for the lead in the main event in the IMCA Hobby Stock class remained close as well.

Pole sitter Keith Miner and Jason Koch of Cambridge remained close throughout the race.

Before the race was over, the top six cars all were within ear shot of each other.

Miner successfully defended the lead from Koch, his first win in a while.

Trophy Dash winner Les Janousek of Trenton finished in third place, ahead of Richie Wickizer of Palisade and Colby Claflin of McCook.

The heat races in the class were won by Cliff Davis of McCook and Brent Riley of Indianola.

Karl Wickizer has been battling a sore arm of late, but found out the best medicine for it was getting out front and staying out front of the Classic Modified A Feature.

The heat race winner lead every lap, missing a good battle behind him for second place.

Larry Pollmann of McCook, another Classic Modified heat winner for the night, had taken that position midway through the race, but lost it late to John Werner of Palisade, who fell back early after an early tangle.

Randon Peters of McCook and Erick Farmer of Yuma, Colo. rounded out the top five finishers.

A.C. Werner of Palisade appeared close in not only winning his heat race, but also the Mini-Truck A Feature. In the heat race, he was passed on the last straightaway by Dean Kerbs of Wray, Colo. In the A Feature, he lead early, but soon had the weight of the world on his shoulders with heavy hitters Kerbs, heat winner Jay Alberts of McCook, and Leelan Bieker all hounding him for the lead.

Bieker started in the fifth row, and was the last one to join in on the fun for the top spot, but worked his way around Alberts, then Kerbs, and finally got by young Werner with just one lap to go.

Werner's runner-up spot would be among his best ever finishes. Kerbs and Alberts finished in that order, while Josh Bopp of McCook finished in fifth.

The next Southwest Nebraska race will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday at McCook Speedway.

The next night of racing at Culbertson Speedway is slated for 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, as part of the Hitchcock County Fair.

Culbertson Speedway

results from Friday, July 18

IMCA Modified

Heat 1

2K-David Murray Jr.

Heat 2

12J-Jay Steffens

A Feature

2K-David Murray Jr.

94H-Don Hagan Jr.

12J-Jay Steffens

8EZ-Brice Riley

22R-Barry Richards

41J-Dave Jeffres

07S-Jay Schilling

10-Roger Henthorn

29W-Mike Saathoff

2-Troy Bayne

33G-Tyson Garrison

IMCA Stock Cars

Heat 1

4C-Charley Brown

Heat 2

24S-Dustin Small

A Feature

13-Billy Smith

4C-Charley Brown

25KO-Brady Koch

25H-Bryan Hagan

24S-Dustin Small

11-Todd Chrisman

45-Mikey Dancer

72H-Jim Hagan

6-Jason Schoenberger

5B-Buddy Brown

(DNS)24-Bob Chalupa IMCA Hobby Stocks

Heat 1

57-Cliff Davis

Heat 2

8R-Brent Riley

Trophy Dash

14-Les Janousek

A Feature

8-Keith Miner

74KO-Jason Koch

14-Les Janousek

25W-Richie Wickizer

28-Colby Claflin

57-Cliff Davis

01-Chris Cuellar 2-Jason Stephens

48-Dewayne Jesse

8R-Brent Riley

Classic Modifieds

Heat 1

K2-Karl Wickizer

Heat 2

413-Larry Pollmann

A Feature

K2-Karl Wickizer

59-John Werner

413-Larry Pollmann

37P-Randon Peters

18-Erick Farmer

54-Dave Werner

44-Matt Fletcher

56E-Duke Ebert

Mini-Trucks

Heat 1

18-Dean Kerbs

Heat 2

68-Jay Alberts

A Feature

33-Leelan Bieker

59-A.C. Werner

18-Dean Kerbs

68-Jay Alberts

34-Josh Bopp

25-Bruce Hagan Sr.

65-Bryan Smotherman

70-Bud Wasson

36-Brett Hagan

10JR-Loren Roberts

69-Delbert Ridenour

K05-Jim Kirk