By Greg Soukup
The Nebraska Cup, presented by Hoosier Racing Tire, is possibly my favorite event of the year; even if it is the final one on the racing schedule every season. This year it featured several classes including the Good Old Time Racing Association and their cars that go back to the early days of dirt track racing. The ‘Hoodoos’ as they used to be called took me back to my first memories of racing. Also, on the track were the Midwest Classic Stock Car Association’s 50’s and 60’s cars that brought me back to my twenties when I first introduced my sons to the sport. Of course, the POWRI WAR wingless sprints were also a part of that same era. Add in the Racesaver Winged Sprints and the Malvern Bank SLMR Late Models and you have one heck of a racing event!!
Neil Nickolite took off from the pole position at the start of the Racesaver IMCA Sprint Car A Feature, only to do a 360-degree spin in turn 2, bringing out the yellow flag and sending his 12N to the rear of the field. Once a lap was officially in the books the top 4 were Joey Danley’s 14, the 1B of Brandon Horton, Stu Snyder in the 5 and Tim Hilfiker’s 20. Cody Ledger’s 47 tangled with Jason Martin’s 5X on lap 2, sending him to the infield with both left side tires flat and Martin heading to the pits. Tyler Drueke jumped up to third on the restart in the #12. Snyder regained third the next time around before advancing to second the following lap. Lap 6 saw Drueke again move back to third. By this time Danley had a straightaway lead.
Toby Chapman put the #7 into fourth 3 laps later. Josh Riggins’ 14J got loose on lap 14 after contact with the 53 of Jack Dover and the yellow lights again came on in the corners. Both cars headed to the pits. The final change in the top 4 came with 5 circuits left when Adam Gullion put the 91 into fourth. From there to the finish it was all Danley with Snyder second, Drueke third and Gullion fourth.
Danley said “We got the start that we needed and got to the front right away and kind of checked out from there. The track was great tonight! The best track all year I thought. I honestly wish we could have gone out later for our A Feature
when it was slick from top to bottom. I mean, the track was perfect tonight; they really did a great job on it. I started fifth and got a great start, getting to the lead in just a lap or 2. Everything just kind of went my way tonight. Lapped traffic was good, and I just held on for the win”. Danley’s sponsors include Heiserman Flooring, Nissen Hardwood Floors, Automotive Services, Russell Shoulders Racing Engines, CleanRite Sweeping, Empire Fencing and Complete Window and Door Solutions.
The initial lap of the POWRI WAR wingless sprint A Main saw the 22S of Slater Helt, Trey Gropp in the 54, Dylan Kadous’ 31 and Don Droud Jr. in the 1M out front. Gropp made a move to the inside of Helt on lap 2, causing the bottom line of cars to get backed up and caused a huge jam on the back stretch. Both TJ Artz in the 57 and Wyatt Burks’ 11W went flying. Neither driver was seriously injured, but both cars went to the pits on the hook. Kadous grabbed the lead on the restart with Helt second, the 15B of Quinton Benson third and Riley Kreisel’s 90 third. Chris Parkinson passed Kreisel 2 laps later, putting the 65 into fourth as Benson moved up to second. Lap 8 saw Kreisel take over the third position. Helt lost second to Benson on lap 10 as Kreisel again moved to fourth. Benson grabbed the lead onlap 12 with Parkinson second, Helt third and the 18 of Terry Richards fourth. Richards moved up to third the next lap with Kadous regaining fourth. Helt stopped the next time around in turn 1. Kadous moved to second on the restart with Jason Martin’s 1B in third and Richards fourth.
Martin advanced to second the next lap and Richards moved up to third with 10 to go as Parkinson took over the fourth spot. 3 laps later Martin snagged the lead and Richards advanced to second. Kreisel again went to third with 5 to go as Benson fell to fourth. The final top 4 were Martin, Richards, Kreisel and Benson.
Martin’s victory came from the 17th spot on the starting grid. “It’s pretty cool to start that far back and work your way up. Just being comfortable here at Eagle Raceway is the key to getting around this place. I just kept telling myself to slow down, slow down, slow down so I could keep going faster. Craig Bolz is the owner of the car, he pays every bill and he has nobody else who helps him. I just have to thank him. He gave me the opportunity to drive his car a few times and we got 2 wins for him this year. He’d hadn’t had a win in I don’t know how long. This has just been the happiest time of my life!” he stated.
That concludes the racing action for 2018 at Eagle Raceway, but don’t forget that Eagle Hollow Haunts kicks off the Halloween season on October 4th 2018. For full information, tickets and schedule, go to http://eaglehollowhaunts.com/ for everything you need to know.
RESULTS:
IMCA Sprint A-Feature 1. Joey Danley Lincoln, Ne. 2. Stuart Snyder Lincoln, Ne. 3. Tyler Drueke Eagle, Ne. 4. Adam Gullion Lincoln, Ne. 5. Jason Danley Lincoln, Ne. 6. Mike Boston Lincoln, Ne. 7. Toby Chapman Panama, Ne. 8. Gene Ackland Martell, Ne. 9. Nathan Weiler Lavista, Ne. 10. Doug Lovegrove Waverly, Ne. 11. Danny Nekolite O'neill, Ne. 12. Brandon Horton Omaha, Ne. 13. Boyd Peterson Ithaca, Ne. 14. Jimmy Grasso Omaha, Ne. 15. Josh Riggins(r) Lincoln, Ne. 16. Jack Dover Springfield, Ne. 17. Tim Hilfiker Greenwood, Ne. 18. Cody Ledger Omaha, Ne. 19. Jason Martin Lincoln, Ne. 20. Neil Nickolite Bellwood, Ne.
IMCA Sprint B-Feature 1. Jason Martin Lincoln, Ne. 2. Doug Lovegrove Waverly, Ne. 3. Jason Danley Lincoln, Ne. 4. Jimmy Grasso Omaha, Ne. 5. Matt Richards Lincoln, Ne. 6. Terry Richards Denton, Ne. 7. Keith Dragoo Greenwood, Ne. 8. Paul Hendrickson Lincoln, Ne. 9. Nate Johnson Hastings, Ne. 10. Clint Benson Papillion, Ne. 11. Dwight Carter Lincoln, Ne. 12. Chase Weiler Lincoln, Ne. 13. Jason Miller Omaha, Ne. DNS. Shayle Bade Lincoln, Ne. DNS. Andrew Jackson Fremont, Ne.
IMCA Sprint Heat 1 1. Toby Chapman Panama, Ne. 2. Joey Danley Lincoln, Ne. 3. Adam Gullion Lincoln, Ne. 4. Danny Nekolite O'neill, Ne. 5. Doug Lovegrove Waverly, Ne. 6. Matt Richards Lincoln, Ne. 7. Jason Danley Lincoln, Ne. 8. Paul Hendrickson Lincoln, Ne.
IMCA Sprint Heat 2 1. Tyler Drueke Eagle, Ne. 2. Neil Nickolite Bellwood, Ne. 3. Tim Hilfiker Greenwood, Ne. 4. Nathan Weiler Lavista, Ne. 5. Chase Weiler Lincoln, Ne. 6. Jason Martin Lincoln, Ne. 7. Clint Benson Papillion, Ne. 8. Keith Dragoo Greenwood, Ne.
IMCA Sprint Heat 3 1. Mike Boston Lincoln, Ne. 2. Gene Ackland Martell, Ne. 3. Josh Riggins(r) Lincoln, Ne. 4. Jack Dover Springfield, Ne. 5. Terry Richards Denton, Ne. 6. Jason Miller Omaha, Ne. 7. Dwight Carter Lincoln, Ne. 8. Shayle Bade Lincoln, Ne.
IMCA Sprint Heat 4 1. Stuart Snyder Lincoln, Ne. 2. Brandon Horton Omaha, Ne. 3. Cody Ledger Omaha, Ne. 4. Boyd Peterson Ithaca, Ne. 5. Jimmy Grasso Omaha, Ne. 6. Nate Johnson Hastings, Ne. DNS. Andrew Jackson Fremont, Ne.
WAR Sprints A-Feature 1. Jason Martin Lincoln, Ne. 2. Terry Richards Denton, Ne. 3. Riley Kreisel(r) Warsaw, Mo. 4. Quinton Benson Sweet Springs, Mo. 5. Chris Parkinson 6. Ty Hullsey 7. Dylan Kadous 8. Ryan Kitchen(r) Lincoln, Ne. 9. Trey Gropp(r) Lincoln, Ne. 10. Wesley Smith 11. Craig Carroll Collinsville, Ok. 12. Cody Ledger Omaha, Ne. 13. Don Droud Jr Lincoln, Ne. 14. Slater Helt Pleasant Hill, Mo. 15. Brad Wyatt Kearney, Mo. 16. Ryan Kent 17. Michael Cromwell 18. John Klabunde Fort Calhoun, Ne. 19. Vinny Ward Springfield, Il. 20. Tj Artz Lincoln, Ne. 21. Wyatt Burks Topeka, Ks. DNS. Jonathan Hughes(r) Knoxville, Ia.
WAR Sprints Heat 1 1. Don Droud Jr Lincoln, Ne. 2. Dylan Kadous 3. Tj Artz Lincoln, Ne. 4. Chris Parkinson 5. Terry Richards Denton, Ne. 6. Wyatt Burks Topeka, Ks. 7. Ty Hullsey 8. John Klabunde Fort Calhoun, Ne.
WAR Sprints Heat 2 1. Riley Kreisel(r) Warsaw, Mo. 2. Slater Helt Pleasant Hill, Mo. 3. Cody Ledger Omaha, Ne. 4. Ryan Kitchen(r) Lincoln, Ne. 5. Brad Wyatt Kearney, Mo. 6. Jason Martin Lincoln, Ne. 7. Ryan Kent
WAR Sprints Heat 3 1. Quinton Benson Sweet Springs, Mo. 2. Trey Gropp(r) Lincoln, Ne. 3. Craig Carroll Collinsville, Ok. 4. Vinny Ward Springfield, Il. 5. Michael Cromwell 6. Jonathan Hughes(r) Knoxville, Ia. 7. Wesley Smith