Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

Beatrice Speedway, Beatrice, NE - June 24, 2006

Another beautiful evening for racing greeted racers and fans on Saturday. With highs in the mid-80's and light winds, we couldn't have asked for better conditions.

It looked like the track crew had spent some extra time grooming the track. We decided that it would probably stay smooth throughout the evening and ouor hunch turned out right.

We did some things to both of the R & R Racing/Shew Towing/Blue Knights Monte Carlos during the week in hopes of getting a little more out of them. Come A Feature time, we'd see how well-spent our time was.

During hot laps, the track was still a bit wet and not a true test of what it would be like later. I would line up the R & R Racing/Shew Towing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo on the inside of the 2nd row in the 2nd heat race. I was glad that we were FINALLY not in the first heat race. It was my hope that the track would be a bit drier by the time our heat race hit the track.

Tyler drew the outside of the 2nd row in the first heat race. He was pretty confident that the changes made last week would help.

After making some last moment checks, the R & R Racing/Shew Towing/Blue Knights factory stock was ready to go. The factory stocks did not have to run their heat races first tonight, so we had a bit more of a leisurely wait. It's nice not having to be buckled iinto the car before the National Anthem.

The first heat race is being called to the staging area, so we'll be next up. I get strapped in and Jeremy secures the window net. I move to the staging area and watch the 1st heat race. It looks like the track is getting better - the bottom and middle of the track looks pretty good. I just want to make the invert, which will be the top 4 from each heat.

The 69 of Tim Hessheimer is starting ahead of me on the inside of the front row. The 53m of Gary McGinty is on the outside pole, and the 9 of Gary Laflin is on my outside. The 66 of Jeff Watts is on my back bumper and Ronda Mewes is making her first start of the season in the 89.

We're pulling on the track and getting lined up. An extra couple of times around to help roll in the track and we'll be ready to go. I hope to go under the 69 on the front straightaway, but he's improving every week and I don't know if I'll be able to make the pass.

We bunch up in the back straightaway and the light in corner 3 is off. The 69 is on the gas in the middle of the corner and as we come out of 4, the green flag is waving. We're racing!

I try to make a pass oon the 69, but can't clear him going into 1 and back off a little. I'm in 2nd in the middle of 1, but it looks like the track may be faster a couple of lanes higher. The 9 pulls by me, then the 89 goes by as we're into 3. I'm right on the back bumper of the 69, but don't have enough to make a pass on him. We're under the flagstand and I'm in 4th place, the final spot to make the invert. The 66 of Jeff Watts is somewhere behind me, and I'm sure it's not too far.

Back into 1 and I move up a bit, but the 66 goes a bit higher and passes me coming out of 2. I'm still battling with the 69, trying to pass him. In 1 he slides a little high and I try to go under him, but can't make the pass. We continue to battle, but as the white flag waves, I still haven't made it around him. Into 3 and it's my last chance to make the pass, but he beats me across the line by a car length. I'll be starting on the outside of the 7th row come time for the A Feature.

Factory Stock Heat Races:

1st Heat:
1) 15s Jeremy Jensen, Beatrice
2) 5m Neal Mittan, Wymore
3) M64 Matt Post, Beatrice
4) 1w Delmar Wells. Hallam
5) 6b Travis Burger, Summerfield, KS
6) 88 Jason Tenant, Beatrice
7) 4 Greg Crannel, Beatrice

2nd Heat:
1) 66 Jeff Watts, Wymore
2) 89 Ronda Mewes, Blue Springs
3) 9 Gary Laflin, Beatrice
4) 69 Tim Hessheimer, Dorchester
5) 6 Ernie Reiss, Beatrice
6) 54m Gary McGinty, Fairbury

3rd Heat:
1) 54 Mike Pracheil, Dorchester
2) 03 Aaron Roth, Pleasant Dale
3) 6R Roy Armstrong, Beatrice
4) 23 Carey Ames, Beatrice
5) 33d Derek Sand, Hanover, KS
6) 3 Rod Latta, Marysville, KS

Tyler is in the 1st IMCA Stock Car heat race. The track is shaping up to his liking. He's in the car and headed for the staging area. They're waved onto the track where the cars all fall in and the 2nd time around they get the green.

Under the flagstand and into turn 1 three wide, then down the backstretch and into 3. Out of turn 4 and they're still 3 and 4 wide. Tyler has taken his favorite line and is going into the corners a bit farther than the other cars. Going into 3 he's in 2nd place, but coming out of 4 he's a little wide and falls back to 3rd. Out of 2 on the next lap he regains the 2nd spot. In the meantime, the 3 of Josh Carpenter has taken the lead. The front 2 cars have stabilized and the race is now on for 3rd palce back. As the checkers fall, Tyler takes the R & R Racing/Shew Towing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo to a 2nd place finish in his heat race.

Tyler still wasn't 100% happy with the way the car handled. We're still guessing on the track, but it looks like it will stay smooth and maybe dry out a bit more. Before the A Feature, we make a change on a front shock absorber.

IMCA Stock Car Heat Races:
1st Heat:
1) 3 Josh Carpenter, Fairbury
2) 6 Tyler Phelps, Beatrice
3) 98 Todd Laflin, Beatrice
4) M30 Dave Murk, Blue Rapids, KS
5) 73 Dallas Dobrolovny, Waterville, KS
6) 89 Sam Howard, Alexandria, NE
7) 5 Jim Stoltzenburg, Clifton, KS

2nd Heat:
1) 29j James Griffith, Beatrice
2) 76 Lance Borgman, Beatrice
3) 22 Hugh Carmichael, Blue Springs
4) 21 Jay Holle, Hanover, KS
5) 31 Eric Rempel, Palmyra
6) Darcy Dobrolovny, Waterville, KS

Everything has been checked over on the factory stock and we're being called to the staging area. When I'm starting toward the back of tha pack, I don't usually get too excited about getting lined up. I like to watch as much of the race before me to be able to see what the track is doing. I'm strapped in and with about 4 laps left, I pull to the staging area. The Feature race ahead of us is now over, and we're being waved onto the track.

I line up on the outside of the 7th row, alongside the 6B of Travis Burger and behind the 89 of Ronda Mewes. The track looks great from where I'm sitting, but then I'm just the driver! I really don't like starting on the outside, especially this far back, but I might have to run there some of the time tonight. The car usually doesn't want to handle higher on the track when it dries out, but I'm hoping the changes we made will help.

The parade lap is over and we're down the back chute. The corner lights are out - into 3 and the cars farther forward are on the gas. Out of 4 and the green is waving. I try to stay on the back bumper of the 89 into turn 1. Suddenly, there's chaos up ahead, with cars going everywhere. I get on the brake and go to the outside; somebody is in my back bumper pretty hard. I'm able to miss everything, and as we go down the back chute, the yellow is out. We'll have a complete re-start. That's one bullet we've dodged, and the A Feature hasn't even officially started yet.

When the line-ups came out, I noticed that the Factory Stock A Feature had been cut to 15 laps. We usually run 18 laps, and sometimes that is too many laps, Starting as far back as I was, I kind of wished we had the 18 laps tonight. We're lined back up and about ready to re-start. Back into 3 and the cars up front are on the gas. The green is out once again and we're racing! This time everybody gets through turn 1 OK. I stay high behind the 89 and my car seems to work up higher. I still want to try to go to the bottom, but the lane is filled up right now. Out of 2 and I'm able to go by the 33d of Derek Sand. I'm still on the back bumper of the 89. The 1w of Delmar Wells is also just ahead.

I like following the 1w and the 89 because both of them are so smooth. Their cars seem to handle so well and they never bobble. I always wish my car would handle like that, or that I had the nerve to try to drive my car in the same line they take.

The track is near perfect in that it's smooth. A little dust kicking up here and there, but nothing bad. We're coming up on the polesitter, the 69 of Tim Hessheimer. I'm now on the bottom and work on the 69 for a couple of laps. I'm not able to pass him low and move up a bit in the corners. I'm able to make the pass on the high side coming out of 4. In the meantime, I still haven't lost sight of the 1w or the 89.

About half way through, the yellow comes out for a car stopped on the bottom between 1 and 2. With the double-file restart, I once again have to start on the outside. This time, the 23 of Cary Ames is on my inside. Once we're lined up, the green waves and it's hammer down again. I'm able to run on the outside of the 23 for a lap before I slowly pull away from him. The 54 of Mike Pracheil, who started on the outside pole, is now just ahead of me. I try to run low on him for a lap, then in 3 he gets a bit high and I make the pass on him. The next car ahead of me is the 9 of Gary Laflin.

Once again, I moved to the high side as the car seems to be working really well there. We're back under the flagstand and the scoreboard is showing two laps to go. I'm not sure if I can cathc the 9, but if I can keep my car straight, I can close the gap. We're into 1 and I'm a bit closer. Out of 2 and I can close on his rear bumper. I try to go to the inside into 3, but he closes the door. We're out of 4 and the white flag is out. One more lap to get another position.

The 9 goes into turn 1 ahead of me, and in the middle of the corner he washes up about a car width. That leaves me enough room to get a full head of steam and get under him. I'm out of 2 and see the back bumper of the 89 ahead of me. There's not enough time left, but at the checkers I close to less than a car length on the 89. The R & R Racing/Shew Towing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo has taken home another 8th place finish.

It's been another good night as I'm able to drive the car back onto the trailer. Some post-race checks show that everything seems to have been working well. It was kind of hairy at times, and I still like running on the bottom better, but it was also a pretty exciting run. We'll be hoping for another one next week!

Factory Stock A Feature:

1) 66 Jeff Watts, Wymore
2) 15s Jeremy Jensen, Beatrice
3) 03 Aaron Roth, Pleasant Dale
4) 6r Roy Armstrong, Beatrice
5) 5m Neal Mittan, Wymore
6) 1w Delmar Wells, Hallam
7) 89 Ronda Mewes, Blue Springs
8) 6 Ernie Reiss, Beatrice
9) 9 Gary Laflin, Beatrice
10) 54 Mike Pracheil, Dorchester
11 Cary Ames Beatrice, Beatrice
12 Mathew Post, Beatrice
13 Travis Burger, Summerfield, KS
14 Tim Hesshemer, Dorchester
15 Rod Latta, Marysville, KS
16 Jason Tennant, Beatrice
17 Greg Crannell, Beatrice
18 Derek Sand, Hanover, KS
19 Gary McGinty, Fairbury

Factory Stock Points after 6-24-2006
1-370 Roy Armstrong, Beatrice
2-369 Neal Mittan, Wymore
3-357 Jeff Watts, Wymore
4-344 Delmar Wells, Hallam
5-339 Aaron Roth, Pleasant Dale
6-334 Lyle Slama, Beatrice
7-332 Gary Laflin, Beatrice
8-312 Carey Ames, Beatrice
9-310 Ernie Reiss, Beatrice
10-307 Mike Schwartz, Beatrice
11-303 Matthew Post, Beatrice
12-264 Travis Burger, Summerfield KS
13-233 Gary McGinty, Fairbury
14-223 Rod Latta, Marysville, KS
15-205 Tim Hessheimer, Dorchester
16-182 Mike Pracheil, Dorchester
17-174 Jason Tennant, Beatrice
18-159 Derek Sand Hanover, KS
19-153 Greg Crannell, Beatrice
20- 149 Jason Tenant, Beatrice
21-116 David Mischnick, Crete
22-80 Matthew Spanjer, Fairbury
23-59 Monte Fralin, Beatrice
24-57 Jeff Stohs, Hanover, KS
25-50 Jeff Shew, Beatrice
26- 34 Ronda Mewes, Blue Springs
27-30 Ashley Holle, Hanover, KS
28-24 Pat Welch Cortland

Once the factory stock is secured on the trailer, we're able to turn our attention to the stock car. I've already got tires down for spares and have the air pressures adjusted. the fuel cell has been topped off, the tires on the car checked and it looks like the car is ready to go. Tyler has been spending some time looking at the track in different spots and has come back to the car.

The call is out for the stock car A Feature to line up in the staging area. Tyler straps in, I get the window net up, and he pulls away to line up.

The track has cleared and the IMCA Stock Cars are pulling onto the track. Tyler lines up on the inside of the 3rd row. The field is lined up, and the parade lap is finished. They'll be green the next time around.

As the lead cars come out of 4 the green flag is waving. Everybody is trying to get to the front at the same time, and it looks like a blue light special at K-Mart. They're three wide into 1 and out of 2. Tyler is still on the bottom, in about 4th or 5th place. With everybody side by side, it's hard to judge for sure where he is.

Tyler is able to move to the high side of the track on the 3rd lap, but he's fallen back to 6th place. The car looks good where he's at now, and he is able to start gaining on some of the cars ahead of him. Down the back chute, he picks up a lot of ground going into 3, stays even in the corners, then gains more on the front chute. I don't know how he does it, but the car is working well in that lane.

He continues to battle for position while the 22 of Hugh Carmichael takes the lead. With three laps to go, Tyler puts the R & R Racing/Shew Towing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo in 2nd place. He looks like he is gaining ground on the leader, but runs out of laps and finishes 2nd. It's the best finish of the year for us! After stopping in the claim area on the track, the top 4 finishers pull to the inspection area for tech. Under the hood, the carburetor is inspected, while another tech inspector is looking under the rear end of the car. We're given the OK, and it's time to load the car on the trailer.

This Saturday, July 1st, is the big fireworks display after the races. We have a bit of tinkering to do to the cars, but most is just routine maintenance. The weather forecast looks good, so everybody come out to the races this Saturday, July 1st! We hope to see you soon.

Ernie #6 Factory Stock
Beatrice, Nebraska Speedway

Secretary, Blue Knights Nebraska I

IMCA Stock Car A Feature:
1) 22 Hugh Carmichael, Blue Springs
2) 6 Tyler Phelps, Beatrice
3) 76 Lance Borgman, Beatrice
4) 3 Josh Carpenter, Fairbury
5) 98 Todd Laflin, Beatrice
6) 29j James Griffith, Beatrice
7) 5 Jim Stolzenburg, Clifton, KS
8) 73 Dallas Dobrovolny, Waterville, KS
9) 21 Jay Holle, Hanover, KS
10) 31 Eric Rempel, Palmyra
11) M30 David Murk, Blue Rapids KS
12 89 Samuel Howard, Alexandria
13 99 Darcy Dobrovolny, Waterville KS

IMCA Stock Car Points after 6-24-2006
1-378 Lance Borgman, Beatrice
2-369 Todd Laflin, Beatrice
3-365 Hugh Carmichael, Blue Springs
4-356 Josh Carpenter, Fairbury
5-347 Eric Rempel, Palmyra
6-343 James Griffith, Beatrice
7-325 Dallas Dobrovolny, Waterville KS
8-317 Tyler Phelps, Beatrice
9-291 Darcy Dobrovolny, Waterville, KS
10-256 Jay Holle Hanover, KS
11-243 Samuel Howard, Alexandria
12-156 Mike Sherwood, Beatrice
13-164 David Murk, Blue Rapids, KS
14-70 Dustin Schmidt, Fairbury
15-65 Jason Kreft, Carelton
15-99 Jim Stolzenburg, Clifton, KS
17-38 Shane Stuzman, Milford
18-33 Bryan LaRiviere, Wichita KS
19-30 Eric Weyer, Centralia, KS

Email: blueknightne1@email.com