By Greg Soukup
Saturday at Eagle Raceway saw the crowd greeted by sunny skies and the usual August humidity as they filed in for Rock ‘N Roll Classic night presented by A1 Iron, the Nebraska Lottery and Demon Decals. 80’s music, a mullet contest at intermission accompanied by kid’s bike races kept the fun going during the few down times of racing action.
The final race of the night was a real barnburner!! Doug Lovegrove put the 55 in front of lap 1 of the Twin Rivers IMCA Racesaver Sprint Car A Feature. Tim Hilfiker’s 20, the 100 of Clint Benson and Cole Wayman in the 18W rounded out the top 4. Hilfiker spun to the infield on lap 2 but kept going. However, the yellow flag flew to slow the action. That moved the 5A of Andrew Jackson into fourth. Tyler Drueke passed Jackson on the restart to put the #12 into fourth. Wayman advanced to second place on lap 3. Wayman took the lead away from Lovegrove on lap 5 but the pass was called off when Bret Klabunde spun coming out of turn 2. Drueke passed Benson for third on the restart. Wayman again took the lead from Lovegrove on lap 6 with Drueke also passing Lovegrove the next time around. Alex Davenport spun out in turn 2 on lap 14 to again slow the action. Galusha passed Lovegrove on the restart to take third. Wayman spun on the front stretch with just 10 circuits left. In the ensuing jumble Drueke held the lead with Galusha second, Trevor Grossenbacher’s 35 third and the 91 of Adam Gullion fourth. Grossenbacher was on a mission as he passed Galusha for second with 6 to go. There were just 2 laps left when Josh Riggins spun out in turn 2, setting up a battle to the finish between Grossenbacher and Drueke. Grossenbacher used a huge slider in 3 & 4 on the restart to grab the lead as Gullion moved up to third.
Grossenbacher held on for the win with Drueke second, Gullion third and Galusha fourth.
This was Trevor’s first win of the 2023 season as he is on a hit or miss schedule. The victory came after starting 17th. He said “Everybody was kind of 2-wide at the start and I couldn't get my momentum going. Then we had a yellow and was able to get up top to where I wanted to be. I started moving forward and found the bottom in 3 and 4. The yellows kind of fell my way and that one with 2 to go was HUGE! I knew that if I could keep up with Tyler in 1 and 2 that I would have a shot at getting him on the bottom of 3 and 4. It worked out and I couldn’t be happier. My crew gave me a great race car tonight and the Speedway Motors engine ran good. Thanks to all of my sponsors who allow me to do this. We haven’t raced much this year, but we’re making it count”. Trevor’s sponsors include Stop ‘N Shop, Muehling Financial, Fast Trak Farms, Husker Diesel, Buda Concrete, Greg’s Masonry, Cornhusker Heating and Air Conditioning, W.C.’s South, Mark Burch and Team Jack, Icon Pistons, Speedway Motors Race Engines, Ron Fox Motorsports and Zamp.
Next Saturday is Junior Fan Club Night, presented by Twin Rivers, Empire Fence and Mom’s Popcorn.
Adult front gate admission is $15 and those 12 and under get in free. There will be kids’ car rides at intermission. Blinky the Clown will be in the courtyard and there will be face painting as well.
Front gates open at 5:15. All 5 classes will be competing including the Twin Rivers Sprint Cars, Nebraska Lottery Modifieds, Avid Realty SportMods, A1 Iron Stock Cars & Valentino’s Hobby Stocks. Track, State, Regional & National Points for all classes.
Hot laps kick off at 5:30 with racing at 6:30.
Pit gates open at 3:45 with pit admission being $30.
RESULTS:
Sprint-IMCA A-Feature
1. Trevor Grossenbacher Panama, Ne. 2. Tyler Drueke Eagle, Ne. 3. Adam Gullion Lincoln, Ne. 4. Jake Galusha Lincoln, Ne. 5. Doug Lovegrove Waverly, Ne. 6. Clint Benson Papillion, Ne. 7. Gene Ackland Martell, Ne. 8. Brandon Horton Waterloo, Ne. 9. Jason Danley Lincoln, Ne. 10. Ryan Kitchen Seward, Ne. 11. Bret Klabunde Omaha, Ne. 12. Andrew Jackson Fremont, Ne. 13. Alex Davenport Lincoln, Ne. 14. Josh Riggins Lincoln, Ne. 15. Cole Wayman(r) Lincoln, Ne. 16. Dominic Dobesh Brookings, Sd. 17. Tim Hilfiker Greenwood, Ne. DNS. Mike Boston Lincoln, Ne.
Sprint-IMCA Heat 1
1. Andrew Jackson Fremont, Ne. 2. Jake Galusha Lincoln, Ne. 3. Doug Lovegrove Waverly, Ne. 4. Adam Gullion Lincoln, Ne. 5. Bret Klabunde Omaha, Ne. 6. Ryan Kitchen Seward, Ne.
Sprint-IMCA Heat 2
1. Tim Hilfiker Greenwood, Ne. 2. Clint Benson Papillion, Ne. 3. Josh Riggins Lincoln, Ne. 4. Tyler Drueke Eagle, Ne. 5. Brandon Horton Waterloo, Ne. 6. Trevor Grossenbacher Panama, Ne.
Sprint-IMCA Heat 3
1. Cole Wayman(r) Lincoln, Ne. 2. Gene Ackland Martell, Ne. 3. Jason Danley Lincoln, Ne. 4. Alex Davenport Lincoln, Ne. 5. Dominic Dobesh Brookings, Sd. DNS. Mike Boston Lincoln, Ne.