By Greg Soukup
Wow!! What a beautiful evening Saturday as Empire Fence and Rotella’s presented Moms Rule Night at America’s Home Track, Eagle Raceway. Low 80’s temperatures and a nearly clear blue sky with a few wispy clouds greeted the large crowd itching for some great racing action on the high banks.
There were 2 serious incidents in the preliminary action, both in the heats for the Nebraska Septic IMCA Racesaver Sprints. Heat 2 saw the field coming to the initial green flag when Troy Sanford’s #12 got up over the tail tank of Nate Thompson’s 3T and went end over end down the front stretch. Then, in heat #3 a similar accident occurred as once again the field came out of turn 4 at the end of lap 1. Alex Salzman in the 2A and the 11 of Chad Koch made contact, causing Salzman to slow dramatically. That resulted in Cody Ledger’s 47 to hop Salzman’s right rear tire and go barrel rolling past the flag stand. Neither driver was seriously injured but both cars were too badly damaged to return to racing.
The finale for the evening’s action was the A Feature for the Nebraska Septic IMCA Racesaver Sprint Car s. The initial attempt at a start was called back when Chad Koch jumped the start. On the second try Trevor Grossenbacher took off from the front row and grabbed the lead on lap 1 with Jay Russell in the 76 second, Chad Koch third in the #11 and Ty Ledger’s 53L rounding out the top 4. Unfortunately, the start was called back when Shayle Bade looped her #03 on the front stretch to avoid a slowing Josh Riggins in the #14J who had made contact with the implement tire at the bottom of turns 3 and 4, causing front end damage. She ended up collecting the 51 of Mike Boston who had his push bumper ripped off when Tige Jensen made contact while trying to squeeze past Boston on the outside. Boston was pushed to the infield, ending his night. When a lap was finally in the books Ty Ledger put the 53L out front, Grossenbacher was second, Russell was third with Koch holding onto fourth. Grossenbacher went high and took the lead from Ledger on lap 2 with Koch advancing to third. Russell retook third the next lap. Cole Vanderheiden got past Koch on lap 6 to put the 15V into fourth before passing Russell for third the ensuing lap. Russell retook the third spot from Vanderheiden on lap 15. Lapped traffic began to come into play, allowing Ledger to close on Grossenbacher. Grossenbacher managed to put a lapped car between himself and Ledger in the closing laps for the win. Ledger, Russell and Vanderheiden rounded out the top 4.
This was Trevor’s first win of the 2024 season. He said “It doesn’t hurt to start up front, but you have to capitalize on it. It also makes it really difficult because it’s hard to judge how you’re doing. You have to judge yourself off of the lapped cars. I was doing really well until the last 10 laps when the lapped cars started to get really fast. I ended up moving down and finding a lane of rubber in turns 3 and 4 about a car length below the cushion. I felt pretty good there. I don’t know how good we really were, but I felt really good. That was a heck of a run for Ty. He’ll get one really soon. He’s starting to run really good”. Trevor’s sponsors include Ron Fox Motorsports, Silver Ridge, WC’s, Gregg Masonry, Cornhusker Heating and Air, Husker Diesel, Speedway Motors, Star’s Raymono’s Pizza, Stop ‘N Shop and Stewart Alley Memorial.
Next Saturday is Buckets of Candy Night, presented by Avid Realty, Mammoth Station and S&L Trenching. It’s Kids Junior Fan Club Night with those 12 and under free. Front gates open at 5:15 with adult admission being $15. The Sam’s Club Kid’s Candy Dash will be the intermission entertainment. Happy D Klown will also be in attendance and there will be face painting available.
Hot laps start at 5:30 with racing action kicking off at 6:30. All 5 classes will be competing including Nebraska Septic Sprint Cars, Nebraska Lottery Modifieds, Avid Realty SportMods, A1 Iron Stock Cars & Valentino’s Hobby Stocks.
Pit gates open at 3:30 with pit admission being $35.
RESULTS:
Sprint-IMCA A-Feature
1. Trevor Grossenbacher Panama, Ne. 2. Ty Ledger Omaha, Ne. 3. Jay Russell Wathena, Ks. 4. Stuart Snyder Lincoln, Ne. 5. Cole Vanderheiden Papillion, Ne. 6. Chad Koch Murdock, Ne. 7. Cole Wayman Lincoln, Ne. 8. Gene Ackland Martell, Ne. 9. Shayle Bade Raymond, Ne. 10. Jason Danley Lincoln, Ne. 11. Joey Danley Martell, Ne. 12. John Klabunde Fort Calhoun, Ne. 13. Clint Benson Papillion, Ne. 14. Jake Galusha Lincoln, Ne. 15. Gunnar Pike South Bend, Ne. 16. Tige Jensen Lincoln, Ne. 17. Nathan Weiler Omaha, Ne. 18. Josh Riggins Lincoln, Ne. 19. Mike Boston Lincoln, Ne. 20. Bret Klabunde Omaha, Ne.
Sprint-IMCA B-Feature
1. Joey Danley Martell, Ne. 2. Gunnar Pike South Bend, Ne. 3. Jake Galusha Lincoln, Ne. 4. Nathan Weiler Omaha, Ne. 5. Nate Thompson Fremont, Ne. 6. Bill Garrow Lincoln, Ne. 7. Tyler Hendrickson(r) Lincoln, Ne. 8. Andrew Jackson Fremont, Ne. 9. Dan Jackson Ceresco, Ne. DNS. Alex Salzman Lincoln, Ne. DNS. Brandon Horton Waterloo, Ne. DNS. Cody Ledger Omaha, Ne. DNS. Adam Gullion Lincoln, Ne. DNS. Troy Sanford Lincoln, Ne.
Sprint-IMCA Heat 1
1. Trevor Grossenbacher Panama, Ne. 2. Gene Ackland Martell, Ne. 3. Stuart Snyder Lincoln, Ne. 4. Tige Jensen Lincoln, Ne. 5. Joey Danley Martell, Ne. 6. Jake Galusha Lincoln, Ne. 7. Andrew Jackson Fremont, Ne. 8. Adam Gullion Lincoln, Ne.
Sprint-IMCA Heat 2
1. Cole Vanderheiden Papillion, Ne. 2. Cole Wayman Lincoln, Ne. 3. Jay Russell Wathena, Ks. 4. Bret Klabunde Omaha, Ne. 5. Gunnar Pike South Bend, Ne. 6.
Tyler Hendrickson(r) Lincoln, Ne. 7. Nate Thompson Fremont, Ne. 8. Troy Sanford Lincoln, Ne.
Sprint-IMCA Heat 3
1. Chad Koch Murdock, Ne. 2. Mike Boston Lincoln, Ne. 3. Shayle Bade Raymond, Ne. 4. Clint Benson Papillion, Ne. 5. Alex Salzman Lincoln, Ne. 6. Bill Garrow Lincoln, Ne. 7. Cody Ledger Omaha, Ne.
Sprint-IMCA Heat 4
1. Josh Riggins Lincoln, Ne. 2. Ty Ledger Omaha, Ne. 3. Jason Danley Lincoln, Ne. 4. John Klabunde Fort Calhoun, Ne. 5. Brandon Horton Waterloo, Ne. 6. Dan Jackson Ceresco, Ne. 7. Nathan Weiler Omaha, Ne.