By Greg Soukup
Extremely heavy rains Friday night led to extra work for the Eagle Raceway track prep crew Saturday in order to get the racing surface ready for the action at Blazin’ Dads Night, presented by Pepsi, Kaplan University and The Blaze.
The crew’s challenge was kept going as intermittent light rain and drizzle kept occurring during the event; even causing an hour rain delay with 3 laps remaining in the C Feature for the Hoosier Tire IMCA Modifieds. Their efforts were rewarded with an extremely fast track for the main events.
Keith Dragoo’s 44, the 4W of Nate Weiler, Brandon Horton’s 1B and the 77D of Chad Fegley led the pack after lap 1 of the Racesaver IMCA Sprint Car finale. Lap 2 saw Ron Love pass Fegley for fourth, only to give the spot up to the 03 of Shayle Bade the next lap. Bade moved up to third the next time around and Mike Boston put the 51 into fourth. Bade continued her march to the front, taking over second on lap 7 as Tyler Drueke advanced to fourth in the 12. Drueke gained the third position after 1 more lap. The next circuit saw Terry Richards’ 18 stop in turns 1 and 2. Bade snagged the lead 2 laps after the restart. Weiler got too high in turn 1 the next time around, catching the wall and ended up flipping in turn 2. He was not seriously injured. That made the top 4 Bade, Drueke, Horton and the 14 of Joey Danley. 1 lap after the restart Dragoo and the 20 of Tim Hilfiker got together with Dragoo flipping. He also was not seriously hurt. Hilfiker continued while Dragoo’s sprint went to the pits on the hook. Danley moved up to third on the restart. Clint Benson put the #100 into fourth with 8 laps remaining, but gave the spot up to Adam Gullion’s 91 the next lap. Drueke grabbed the lead with 3 to go and Benson again took fourth the next time around. The final top 4 were Drueke, Bade, Danley and Benson.
“The track turned out basically the way that I thought it would after the rain delay. I knew it would be heavy, and we needed to be free. So, basically it was the same as in the heat races. I knew how the car felt in the heat race, so we just made adjustments from there. We started 16th after winning the B. We ran up into lapped traffic, and there was a whole bunch of cars. I didn’t even know who was the leader. I just saw cars and knew that I had to get by them. I didn’t know if they were lapped cars or in position, because I had lost track at that point. So, then we had the yellow and I found out that we were in third. I thought to myself ‘That isn’t too bad. Now, just try to not mess it up’. A big thanks to Danner Spray Foam, Drueke Trucking, Zoz Farms, Jeffres Trucking, Picadilly Rosehill Ranches, Angel Energy Services and all of the other sponsors who help us get down the road every week. I also want to thank Matt, Dustin, my Dad and Mom, my girlfriend and my brother for getting everything ready to go racing. It’s all a big team effort, and I can’t do it by myself” Drueke related.
Next Saturday sees Colby Ridge present Junior Fan Club Night. There will be a $1000 kids Money Dash at intermission. Twinky the Clown will be there from 5:30 to 7:30. The Racesaver IMCA Sprints, Kaplan University IMCA Modifieds, Hoosier Tire IMCA Sport Modifieds, Valentino’s IMCA Hobby Stocks and Mountain Dew Kick Start IMCA Sport Compacts will all be in action.
Front gates open at 5:15. Adult admission is just $10, youths 6-12 are only $5 and children 5 and under are free. Hot laps start at 5:30 with racing beginning at 6:30.
Pit gates open at 4 PM, with pit passes costing $25.
Results:
IMCA Sprint A-Feature
Driver Nbr
-----------------------------------
1. Tyler Drueke 12
Eagle, Ne
2. Shayle Bade 03
Lincoln, Ne
3. Joey Danley 14
Lincoln, Ne
4. Clint Benson 100
Papillion, Ne
5. Adam Gullion 91
Lincoln, Ne
6. Toby Chapman 7KX
Panama, Ne
7. Gene Ackland 14G
Martell, Ne
8. Brandon Horton 1B
Omaha, Ne
9. Boyd Peterson 57B
Ithaca, Ne
10. Ron Love 5
Lincoln, Ne
11. Neil Nickolite 12N
Bellwood, Ne
12. Tim Hilfiker 20
Greenwood, Ne
13. Chad Fegley 77D
Eagle, Ne
14. Nathan Weiler 4W
Lavista, Ne
15. Keith Dragoo 44
Lincoln, Ne
16. Mike Boston 51
Lincoln, Ne
17. Terry Richards 18
Denton, Ne
18. Doug Lovegrove 1
Waverly, Ne
19. Jimmy Grasso 8G
Omaha, Ne
20. Matt Richards 1R
Lincoln, Ne
IMCA Sprint B-Feature
Driver Nbr
-----------------------------------
1. Tyler Drueke 12
Eagle, Ne
2. Joey Danley 14
Lincoln, Ne
3. Clint Benson 100
Papillion, Ne
4. Neil Nickolite 12N
Bellwood, Ne
5. Tim Hilfiker 20
Greenwood, Ne
6. Nick Bryan 52
Lincoln, Ne
7. Bill Garrow 3G
Lincoln, Ne
8. Jason Miller 77
Omaha, Ne
IMCA Sprint Heat 1
Driver Nbr
-----------------------------------
1. Ron Love 5
Lincoln, Ne
2. Keith Dragoo 44
Lincoln, Ne
3. Toby Chapman 7KX
Panama, Ne
4. Matt Richards 1R
Lincoln, Ne
5. Jimmy Grasso 8G
Omaha, Ne
6. Jason Miller 77
Omaha, Ne
7. Nick Bryan 52
Lincoln, Ne
8. Clint Benson 100
Papillion, Ne
IMCA Sprint Heat 2
Driver Nbr
-----------------------------------
1. Brandon Horton 1B
Omaha, Ne
2. Shayle Bade 03
Lincoln, Ne
3. Mike Boston 51
Lincoln, Ne
4. Nathan Weiler 4W
Lavista, Ne
5. Adam Gullion 91
Lincoln, Ne
6. Tyler Drueke 12
Eagle, Ne
7. Tim Hilfiker 20
Greenwood, Ne
8. Bill Garrow 3G
Lincoln, Ne
IMCA Sprint Heat 3
Driver Nbr
-----------------------------------
1. Chad Fegley 77D
Eagle, Ne
2. Doug Lovegrove 1
Waverly, Ne
3. Gene Ackland 14G
Martell, Ne
4. Terry Richards 18
Denton, Ne
5. Boyd Peterson 57B
Ithaca, Ne
6. Neil Nickolite 12N
Bellwood, Ne
7. Joey Danley 14
Lincoln, Ne