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Beatrice Speedway, May 20, 2006

IMCA Stock Car photo by Nick Vrtiska

For the first time this season, very pleasant weather greeted drivers and fans to Beatrice Speedway. With temperatures in the 80’s and a 15 mph breeze, we all decided the track would be dry slick again.

I had to draw for a starting position in the R & R Racing/Shew Towing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo. My draw put me on the front row of the first heat race, outside the 4 of Greg Crannel. Coming up behind me would be the 5m of Neal Mittan, the 23 of Carey Ames, the 35 of Mike Schwartz, the 54m of Gary McGinty and the 88 of Jason Tennant.

It looked like the track would be a bit greasy, but after hot laps were done, it looked like it would go dry pretty fast. With the two-man cruisers up first, the track was rolled in even better when we took to the track. A final check on the fuel cell and tire pressures and I’m in the car getting strapped in. They’re calling for our heat race to line up in the staging area.

Taking a couple of pace laps, it looked like the track still had some moisture in it and was still pretty smooth. My best bet is to try to stay on the bottom. I know that the 5m and the 35 will be running a bit higher. I’m hoping for a top 4 finish as the top 4 will make the invert for the A Feature.

We’re on the back stretch and the lights are out, signaling that we’ll be green when we exit turn 4. A little past halfway through the corner, we’re on the gas and the green flag is waving. Into turn 1 and I’m in the lead. However, as we come out of 2, the 5m and 23 pass me on the high side. Into 3 and out of 4 to complete the 1st lap in 3rd place. I see that the 54m is next behind me, with the 35 behind him. Sometimes I wish we were allowed to have rear view mirrors so I knew how close the next car is.

I’m able to stay within about 10 car lengths of the 23, but can’t gain any on him. In the meantime, the 5m of Neal Mittan has checked out on us. The scoreboard still shows the 54m being the next car behind me, with the 35 behind him.

The laps are winding down with the R & R Racing/Shew Towing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo still in 3rd place. With two to go, the 54m is still the next car behind me. However, as I take the white flag, I see that the 35 is now the next car behind me. I just don’t know how far. I have to run as hard as I can, but not make any mistakes. Into 1 and there’s still some shadows there. I can’t see any shadow except mine. Into 3 and out of 4 and I can sense a car on my outside. I’m on the gas hard and cross the line less than a car length ahead of the 35.

We have to cross the scale to be sure we made weight. The officials also do a quick check of the wheel base, then it’s off to the pits. The water temp stayed where I wanted and the oil pressure was good. The car felt and handled good. I did a quick check of the tire pressures and found they all came up evenly. I feel like the only thing I’m lacking is a bit more power to keep up with some of the front runners. When the line-ups come out a bit later, I find myself on the outside of the front row to start the A Feature.

This is also the night the Women for Racing Bowl-a-Thon has been scheduled. Back in March a lot of drivers and crew members got pledges for bowling. Part of the money received goes into a fund for the Bowl-a-Thon races and ends up paying us a bit more on that particular night. We race one lap per car entered and line up according to the amount of money we had brought in.

Before doing that, we need to make a few last minute checks on the stock car. Fuel is OK and Tyler checks the tires, setting them where he wants them. He is scheduled to start the R & R Racing/Shew Towing/Blue Knights IMCA Stock Car on the inside of the 2nd row in the 2nd heat.

We’d also had an overheating problem with this car, although it had not been as bad as the factory stock. This week we put a new radiator in, and I’m still nervous about everything working right. The first heat race is on the track now, and the 2nd is lining up in the staging area. Tyler is strapped in and starts the car, pulling slowly up to the staging area. He’s starting alongside the winner from two weeks ago, Todd Laflin in the 98, and behind the 99 of Darcy Dobrolovny. The 29j of James Griffith is on the outside pole.

The cars are out of 4 and the green is waving. Into the first turn and everybody is close. The 99 slides up a bit and Tyler tries to pass, but gets shut off as the 99 straightens out. Down the back chute and into 3 and Tyler is able to make the pass on the bottom. Out of 4 and he’s in 2nd place with the 29j leading. Todd Laflin in the 98 is making a move on the high side coming out of 2. He passes Tyler and goes after the 29j out of 4. Into 1 and the 98 is in the lead.

Another lap and Tyler is able to pass the 29j and go into 2nd place. The 3 of Josh Carpenter is coming up behind him, but they stay pretty even for the rest of the race. Tyler brings the R & R Racing/Shew Towing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo home to a 2nd place finish in the heat race. When the line-ups come out, he’s scheduled to start on the inside of the 3rd row in the A Feature.

Factory Stock heat race #1:

1 Neal Mittan, Beatrice
2 Carey Ames, Beatrice
3 Ernie Reiss, Beatrice
4 Gary McGinty, Fairbury
5 Greg Crannel, Beatrice
6 Mike Schwartz, Beatrice
7 Jason Tennant, Beatrice

Factory Stock heat race #2

1 Roy Armstrong, Beatrice
2 Gary Laflin, Beatrice
3 Delmar Wells, Hallam
4 Lyle Slama, Beatrice
5 Tim Hessheimer, Dorchester
6 Travis Burger, Summerfield, KS

Factory Stock heat race #3

1 Jeff Watts, Wymore
2 Aaron Roth, Pleasant Dale
3 Derek Sand, Hanover, KS
4 Matt Post, Beatrice
5 David Mischnick, Crete
6 Matt Spanjer, Fairbury

They’re calling for the factory stocks to start lining up for the Bowl-a-Thon Race. I’m strapped in and start the engine. On with the helmet, neck brace, and gloves. Check the gauges real quick - everything looks good. Into line and they’re waving us onto the track. The 5m of Neal Mittan will be on the pole with the 6b of Travis Burger on the outside pole. I was on the outside of the 2nd row with the 9 of Gary Laflin on my inside and the 15s of Lyle Slama bringing up the rear.

We’re out of 4 and the green is waving. The 5m is immediately in the lead. I can’t go to the bottom yet as the 9 is still on my inside. The 6b slides up a bit in the middle of the turn and I’m able to pass him. Out of 2 down the back chute and I’m staying even with the 9. He goes into 3 a bit hard and bobbles, but saves it. I make a mental note to watch him real close because he just might spin himself out. Under the flag stand and we have 4 to go. The 15s is next behind me.

Out of 2 and I feel like I’m gaining a bit of ground on the 9 of Gary Laflin. He goes into 3 a bit harder than I do, and once again crosses up. This time, he can’t save it and starts to come down the track. I’m on the brake and going to the bottom of the track. He gets stopped, I miss him and get back on the gas. Not sure of what’s unfolding behind me, but there’s no yellow. I try to get a bit closer to the 5m but have nothing for him. As the white flag waves, the 15s is still the next car behind me. Down the back chute and into 3 and the 15s is on my outside. Out of 4 and under the checkers, I’m still in 2nd and able to hold off the 15s of Lyle Slama.

WFR Bowl-A-Thon Race

1 Neal Mittan, Wymore
2 Ernie Reiss, Beatrice
3 Lyle Slama, Beatrice
4 Gary Laflin, Beatrice
5 Travis Burger, Summerfield, KS

We’ll have a little time to check things over again before the A Feature. There will be an intermission with trophies being presented to last weeks’ winners as well as the Bowl-a-Thon Race winners. We take the time to fill the fuel cell and get tires ready in case we need to change one during the race. Tear-aways on the helmet are OK, shouldn’t need many of them unless I get up in no-man’s land.

The cruiser A Feature is on the track and it’s time for me to get to the staging area. Back into the car, get the window net up and locked in place, strap in, put the helmet and neck brace on, lock the steering wheel on, and put the gloves on. When there’s 5 laps left on the scoreboard, I fire the engine and pull into the staging area to take my place in the line-up.

The crusiers are done and as soon as everybody is off the track, they wave us on. I take my outside pole starting position and the 33d of Derek Sand lines up on my inside. The 15s of Lyle Slama is starting right behind me and the 54m of Gary McGinty is on his inside. Last week’s winner, the 1w of Delmar Wells, is starting on the inside of the 5th row. I know that I have to get into 1 ahead of the 33d to be able to have a good showing. He struggles on the dry slick and that should provide me with a bit of cushion as the cars behind us try to get around him.

As we take our pace laps and then the parade lap, I’m looking the track over. It looks like there’s still a little moisture on the bottom of the track in the turns, but further up it’s dry. The track is fairly smooth - anyway, I don’t see any ruts. The track crew has done a good job overall.

One last check of the belts and lower the visor on the helmet a bit farther. The parade lap is complete and they’re showing that we’ll be green on the next lap. We’re out of 2 and down the back chute, slowly picking up speed. I don’t want to jump the gun and have a false start, but I need a good start. Between 3 and 4, the 33d starts to accelerate hard and I’m on the gas. The green flag is waving and we’re racing!

I’m able to clear the 33d and go to the bottom of 1 where my car is comfortable. Out of 2 and down the back chute into 3, out of 4 and we’ve completed the first lap. Nobody has come alongside me yet, but I have no idea how close the next car is, or who that is, for that matter. The scoreboard shows me in the lead, buy nothing else. Back into 1 and out of 2 and we’re still in the lead. Out of 4 to complete the 2nd lap and I see that the 15s is in 2nd place with the 1w of the Milkman, Delmar Wells in 3rd. The 33d is in 4th and the 5m of Neal Mittan is in 5th.

We continue to lead as we start the 3rd lap. As I come out of 4 to complete lap 3, the yellow is out. That means we’ll go back to the last complete lap. The lap counter shows 16 to go. I still have the 15s behind me in 2nd, the 1w in 3rd, the 33d in 4th and the 5m in 5th. I’m on the point and the other cars fall in behind me double file. We’re lined up and out of 4 for the green flag. Into 1 and the Milkman passes me on the outside. Down the back chute and the 5m also passes me. Out of 4 and there’s another yellow, re-setting the field back to the last complete lap. I’m back in the lead, even if it’s only temporarily. It takes several laps to get everybody lined up right, then we’re green again. I hold my line and try to go in harder, but the Milkman has too much for me tonight. He clears me coming out of 2 and I try to stay as close as I can. By the time we’re into 3, he’s about 10 car lengths ahead and the 5m of Neal Mittan also passes me. However, when we come out of 4, there’s another yellow, which will once again re-set the field. I'm in the lead once again.

I’m not sure what the cause of the yellow was, but things behind us get straightened out and in a few laps we get the green again. Short of trying to block him, there’s no way I can hold off the 1w, and if I were to take a higher line, the cars behind me would just go by on the bottom. I’m a sitting duck.

The scoreboard still shows 16 to go as we come out of 4 and the green waves. I remember thinking if this was NASCAR, the laps under the yellow would have counted and we’d be about done. Dream on…… Into 1 another time, and one more time, the 1w passes me coming out of 2. Kind of feels like Ground Hog Day.

This week, they didn’t all pass me at once. Neal Mittan goes by on the outside on the back chute, putting me back to 3rd. On the next lap, the 35 of Mike Schwartz goes by me on the outside coming out of 2. The big cubic engines are taking over tonight. With 14 to go, the 66 of Jeff Watts passes me going into 3. I hope to hold onto a top 5.

The 03 of Aaron Roth dives to the inside of me going into 3. That surprises me since he usually runs high. We have some incidental contact, and I beat him out of 4 and across the start/finish line. We’re into 1 side by side and out of 2 he makes the pass on me. As we go into 3, the yellow is out again. The scoreboard is re-set to 12 to go.

The 03 is able to clear me again after the re-start, then a lap or two later, the 9 of Gary Laflin passes me on the bottom going down the front stretch. I watch as the 03 and 9 trade spots over the next few laps. With 5 to go, I get a pretty good tap in the back bumper in the middle of 1 and 2, but manage to save it. Going down the back stretch, the 23 of Carey Ames passes me, putting us in 8th. The laps are winding down. I’m able to glance at the gauges and the water temp is good as well as the oil pressure. With 2 to go there’s another yellow.

Once we’re all lined up, I find myself on the inside of the 4th row. The 15s of Lyle Slama is on my outside. I’m not sure if I can make it 2 for two against him tonight, but I’m sure going to try. Out of 4 and the green is out for the last 2-lap dash to the checkers. I manage to stay in front of the 15s. The white flag is showing and we’re still in 8th. Into 3 and the 9 and 03 are leaning on each other pretty hard. They’re sideways in front of me and I back out of the throttle a bit to avoid them in case they wreck. They straighten out and I’m back in the gas. The 15s is under me and we cross the finish line practically in a dead heat. I thought I might have been ahead by a few inches, but could not say for sure.

I’m able to drive the car into the pits and onto the trailer. That has always been our first goal since we started racing. I make a quick check of the tires and everything seemed to heat up evenly. The engine ran well for what we have in it, the temp and oil pressure were good and it turned about 6,000 RPM. All in all, a good night.

Lyle stopped by after he had his car loaded and asked me if I knew which one of us finished ahead of the other. I told him I wasn’t sure, but thought I might have been a couple of inches ahead of him. We later found that I had barely finished ahead of him, taking the R & R Racing/Shew Towing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo factory stock to an 8th place finish.

I lead the A Feature for the 2nd week in a row Photo by Nick Vrtiska

Factory Stock A Feature:
1 Delmar Wells Hallam
2 Jeff Watts Wymore
3 Neal Mittan Wymore
4 Mike Schwartz Beatrice
5 Gary Laflin Beatrice
6 Cary Ames Beatrice
7 Aaron Roth Pleasant Dale
8 Ernie Reiss Beatrice
9 Lyle Slama Beatrice
10 Gary McGinty Fairbury
11 Derek Sand Hanover KS
12 Greg Crannell Beatrice
13 Matt Post Beatrice
14 David Mischnick Crete
15 Travis Burger Summerfield KS
16 Tim Hessheimer Dorchester
17 Roy Armstrong Beatrice
18 Matthew Spanjer Fairbury
19 Jason Tennant Beatrice

Factory Stock Points after May 20, 2005
1-186 Neal Mittan Wymore
2-185 Jeff Watts Wymore
3-182 Delmar Wells Hallam
4-179 Roy Armstrong Beatrice
5-174 Mike Schwartz Beatrice
6-166 Aaron Roth Pleasant Dale
7-165 Gary Laflin Beatrice
8-156 Matthew Post Beatrice
9-163 Cary Ames Beatrice
10-158 Lyle Slama Beatrice
11-149 Ernie Reiss Beatrice
12-142 Travis Burger Summerfield KS
13-122 Gary McGinty Fairbury
14-116 David Mischnick Crete
15-102 Greg Crannell Beatrice
16-84 Derek Sand Hanover KS
17-82 Bob Latta Marysville KS
18-80 Matthew Spanjer Fairbury
19-77 Jason Tennant Beatrice
20-75 Tim Hessheimer Dorchester
21-59 Mike Pracheil Dorchester
22-30 Jeff Shew Beatrice

Once the factory stock is on the trailer, it’s time to concentrate on any last minute things to do to the stock car. Everything is in order and the R & R Racing/Shew Towing/Blue Knights IMCA Stock Car will be on the track soon.

The officials are calling for the stock cars to go to the staging area. Tyler is strapped in and ready to go and pulls away to the staging area. The laps in the hobby stock race are winding down; now the checkers fall and it’s time for the stock cars to hit the track.

The Dobrolovny brothers, Darcy in the 99 and Dallas in the 73, are on the front row. The 29j of James Griffith and the 33x of Mike Sherwood are in the 2nd row. Last week’s winner, the 22 of Hugh Carmichael, is on Tyler’s outside, while previous winners Todd Laflin in the 98, Josh Carpenter in the 3 and Lance Borgman in the 76, as well as the 31 of Eric Rempel, the 89 of Sam Howard and the 21 of Jay Holle will all be chasing us. Everything looks good on the track and when the pack comes out of 4, the green flag is waving!

We’re into 1 and starting out of 2. Several of the cars farther back are already trying to move to the front and they’re 4 wide. Wheels rub and sparks fly, and the 22 has his tires part way up the back chute wall. Everybody manages to come out in one piece and continue to race. Out of 4 to finish the first lap in 7th place.

I notice that Tyler has been in that turn 2 fray as the front fender is crumpled a bit more than it had been. I’m just hoping that none of the suspension got bent. They‘re back down the front chute and into 1 and Tyler is able to pass the 99 coming out of 2. Back down the back chute and the 33x slows on the high side. Everybody clears him, and he pulls off the track, putting us in 6th place.

Tyler is having a good run, but the 22 of Hugh Carmichael is pressing him hard. They battle for several laps, with the 22 first on the inside and then on the outside. It looks like the R & R Racing/Shew Towing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo is a bit tight in the middle of the corners. He looks good coming out and on the straightaways. While he’s still being pressured by the 22, the 31 of Eric Rempel slows on the front straightaway and exit’s the track in turn 2. Tyler is now in 5th place.

The 98 of Todd Laflin has been running a higher groove in the track and really looks fast up there. He makes a run out of 4 and passes both the 22 and Tyler on the front chute. In the meantime, Tyler has made a pass on the 73, who then drops out with what appears to be a flat tire.

The 22 is still right behind Tyler and goes under him coming out of 2. He finally makes the pass and we’re back in 6th place. The pack has strung out a bit and as the laps wind down, nobody gains any ground on us, and Tyler is not able to pick up any ground on the cars ahead of him. When the checkers fall, he’s picked up another 6th place finish.

A check of the tires shows they heated evenly, although the right front picked up a little more than usual. We later found that he must have bent a tie rod in that first lap incident since we had over an inch of toe-out. The water temp was good, so we know the new radiator helped take care of that problem.

Barring finding anything serious, it looks like another week of normal maintenance on both cars. We’re contemplating changing the number on the stock car, maybe to “1”. Seems that with the “6”, all of our finishes this year have been 6th. Maybe by changing the number to “1”, we could find our way to victory lane.

This weekend looks to be a great weekend for racing as the weather is finally cooperating. We hope to see everybody at the track soon. When the races are over, stop at our cars in the pits and say hi.

Ernie #6 Factory Stock
Beatrice, Nebraska Speedway

IMCA Stock Car heat races
First Heat:
1. Lance Borgman, Beatrice
2. Mike Sherwood, Beatrice
3. Hugh Carmichael, Blue Springs
4. Eric Rempel, Palmyra

Second Heat
1. Todd Laflin, Beatrice
2. Tyler Phelps, Beatrice
3. Josh Carpenter, Fairbury
4. James Griffith, Beatrice

IMCA Stock Car A Feature:
1 Josh Carpenter Fairbury
2 Todd Laflin Beatrice
3 Lance Borgman Beatrice
4 James Griffith Beatrice
5 Hugh Carmichael Blue Springs
6 Tyler Phelps Beatrice
7 Darcy Dobrovolny Waterville KS
8 Jay Holle Hanover KS
9 Samuel Howard Alexandria
10 Dallas Dobrovolny Waterville KS
11 Eric Rempel Palmyra
12 Mike Sherwood Beatrice

IMCA Stock Car points after May 20, 2006

1-190 Lance Borgman Beatrice
2-189 Josh Carpenter Fairbury
3-179 Eric Rempel Palmyra
4-185 Todd Laflin Beatrice
5-183 Hugh Carmichael Blue Springs
6-157 Mike Sherwood Beatrice
7-163 James Griffith Beatrice
8-155 Dallas Dobrovolny Waterville KS
9-139 Tyler Phelps Beatrice
10-127 Darcy Dobrovolny Waterville KS
11-121 Samuel Howard Alexandria
12-100 David Murk Blue Rapids KS
13-88 Jay Holle Hanover KS
14-70 Dustin Schmidt Fairbury
15-65 Jason Kreft Carelton
16-38 Shane Stutzman Milford
17-33 Bryan LaRiviere Wichita KS
18-30 Eric Weyer Centralia KS

Gearing Up for 2006

Beatrice Spring Fling 2006
Opening Night 8 April 2006
Results from April 15, 2006
Results from April 22, 2006
Results from April 29, 2006
Results from May 6, 2006
Results from May 13, 2006
Results from May 20, 2006
Results from May 27, 2006

Email: blueknightne1@email.com