Beatrice Speedway, Beatrice, NE - 6 August 2005
Saturday was an absolutely beautiful evening for races with the temps in the mid-80's and just a slight breeze. The track ended up being just about perfect and the racing was great for the annual Kids' Night.
During intermission the kids lined up to participate in a coin toss, bicycle raffles and a chance to ride in a race car. I was one of the drivers picked to give a ride to a lucky child. A drawing of the names that signed up put the kids in a race car for two laps. Once all the winners were paired up with a driver, we fired our engines and the flagman gave the green. We started near the back of the pack and battled it out with the 03 of Aaron Roth. We nearly rubbed doors at a break-neck speed of 11 MPH, with the 03 nipping us at the checkers by a bumper. The kids had a ball - so did the drivers!
The R & R Racing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo factory stock was slated to start on the inside of the 2nd row in the 1st heat. The top 4 finishers would make the invert, with the rest of the field falling in at the back of the field.
We lost the power steering belt in hot laps and did not have enough time to put another one on before the heat race. The track was tacky this week and the car handled a bit better, even without the power steering. The m34 was starting on the pole ahead of me and I was sure I could pass him at the start.
The green was out and I dropped to the bottom of the track and made the pass. Into turn 1 in 2nd place, then down the back chute. The car was better than last week when it was dry, but I wouldn't want to run 20 laps again with no power steering! Into 3 and somebody taps my back bumper. The 89 is on my outside and passes me as we drag race down the front chute. The 15j passes me on the bottom as we come out of 2, and I've still made the invert if I can hold my spot.
According to the scoreboard, the m34 is the next car behind me. I'm sure if I keep a steady line, I can finish in the top 4.
The laps wind down and the white flag is out. One more lap and the R & R Racing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo takes the checkers in 4th place, good enough to make the invert for the A Feature. This will put us on the outside of the 3rd row.
While doing checks on the car, somebody points out to me that the right rear tire is going flat. Not sure what happened, but we got the tire changed so that part of the car was ready to go. As soon as the engine cools down a bit, I'm busy changing the power steering belt. Top off the fuel and check all the tires, and we should be ready to go for the A Feature.
Time to get strapped in the stock car. The R & R Racing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo stock car will start on the pole in the 2nd heat. There are 18 IMCA stock cars in the pits this week; the highest car count for a regular night so far this year. The top 4 make the invert.
The track is still in good shape and looks like it will stay that way for the night. The green is out and it's hammer down. I stay on the inside in order to not get run over. Out of turn 2 still in one piece and back down the back chute. The car is still a little on the loose side if I drive in too hard. Will have to make some adjustments before the A Feature.
I try a couple of different lines to get a feel of where the best line to run will be. I'm able to stay in sight of the other cars for the first 5 laps. At the checkers, I'm in 6th place, putting me at the back of the A Feature.
I'm wanting to check the radiator on the factory stock before I go out, but it's time to get on the track for the kids' rides. Hope to be able to do it before it's time to race.
The kids' rides completed, we're back in the pits. I barely have time to get my gloves and neck brace to the car, and they're calling for us to line up. Strap back in and hit the track.
We're lined up on the outside of the 3rd row, behind the 66 of Jeff Watts. He's always fast, but has had terrible luck this season. I hope to be able to stay on his bumper through the first turn and stay out of trouble at the same time. The 6B of Travis Burger is on the pole, with the m64 of Matt Post on the outside pole.
The parade lap is over, and the flagman signals that we'll be green the next time around. We're at a decent pace down the back straightaway. The light is out and when we come out of turn 4, the green flag is waving. It's showtime!
With a lot of traffic on the bottom, I hold my line higher up. That is the wrong place to be as most of the pack has gone to the bottom. We're out of 2 and I'm already back to about 10th place. Into turn 3 and we're 3 wide, back out of 4 to complete the 1st lap.
Everybody is still side by side, 2 and 3 wide. The track is tacky and my car is handling pretty good. I'm still trying to run a higher line since the car is handling there, however I'm not gaining any ground there. Out of 4 completing the 2nd lap, and some cars just ahead of me get together with the 89, being driven by Hugh Carmichael, spins across the track in front of me and backs into the inside wall. Another close call for me!
The yellow is out and when we come back around, I can see the 89 won't be able to continue. It looks like his left rear axle is broken.
The wrecker has to take the 89 off the track, and the rest of the field is lined up again. I'm in 11th place when the green comes out.
From about 5th back to where I'm at we're all door handle to door handle and bumper to bumper. The 94j of Jeremy Jensen, the m64 of Matt Post, the 9 of Gary Laflin, the 7 of Jeff Shew, the 23 of Carey Ames and the #6 R & R Racing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo are all in a pack, changing places several times every lap.
Going into 1, the 6R of Roy Armstrong passes me on the bottom, putting me back to 12th with 10 to go. I try to stay with him, but he's fast and I don't have anything for him.
The 15j of Jason Jensen is leading with the 66 of Jeff Watts in 2nd. The leader board shows the 03 of Aaron Roth in 3rd and the 5m of Neal Mittan in 4th.
Farther back, we're still bumper to bumper. The m64 is fading back and I'm able to close the gap on him. I'm along side of him, but can't quite make the pass.
At 6 to go, the 15j tangles with a lap car going into 1. The lap car is stopped and the 15j slows to a snail's pace with front end damage. A short yellow to get the lap car off the track and we're green with 5 to go.
Coming out of 4, I'm able to get under the 23 and finally make a pass on him. I close on the m64 and try to pass him coming out of 2, but no such luck. Going into 3, the 7 starts to smoke heavily and drops oil on the track. The 7 is out with a blown engine. The white flag is out and I make a last try to pass the m64. Going down the back chute, I see the 03 of Aaron Roth drive high and hit the outside wall. Out of 4 and I still can't make the pass on the m64. We have another 8th place finish.
Back to the trailer to cool the engine and I just have enough time to check air pressures on the stock car before it's time to get belted in.
I made a couple of adjustments on the chassis after the heat race to try to tighten the car up a bit. I don't want a repeat performance of last week.
I'm starting in the last row alongside the 76b of Lance Brogman. He's already had a bad night as he blew an engine in hot laps and had to put another one in so he could start the A Feature.
The 89 of Sam Howard is on the pole and the 63 of Mike Nichols is on the outside pole. At the drop of the green, Nichols takes the lead. Everybody is through 1 and out of 2 and down the back chute. The 76b has already picked up several spots. The 15x of Leif Weyer is ahead of me and I'm trying to stay with him. We're back into 1 and he goes a bit too hard. His car is too tight and wants to go to the top of the track. I'm able to get to the bottom and pull alongside, but don't have enough to make a pass.
With 2 down, the 89 has dropped back from his front row starting position and I'm now trying to catch him. I'm still battling the 15x, waiting for him to slide up too high and allow me to make a pass.
Coming out of 2, the 10k spins and stops against the inside wall. After the field passes, he pulls back onto the track, but not before the yellow comes out. The 10k is done for the night.
The field is lined back up and the green is out with 18 to go. The rest of the race is a battle in the back between the 89, the 15x and the #6 R & R Racing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo. With about 10 to go, I finally get a run out of 4 to pass the 15x and try to track down the 89. With 6 to go, the 15x passes me on the bottom coming out of 4. I stay on his back bumper and he's once again having a problem going into the corners. His car wants to go to the top of the track and before he gathers it in, I make the pass again. I can't catch the 89 in the last lap, and the R & R Racing/Blue Knights Monte Carlo stock car has a 15th place finish.
Both cars are in one piece. I hope to have all the parts to be able to put another engine in the stock car this week. Hopefully, everything will work out and we'll have a bit more power for the rest of the season. We just about have a top 10 points finish in the factory stock and with a lot of luck, we may end up with a top 10 points finish in the stock car.
The Nebraska I ride schedule shows that some of the chapter members may be coming to Beatrice this Saturday (13th), so I hope to be able to have a couple of good runs. We hope to see everybody at Beatrice Speedway real soon.
Ernie #6 Factory Stock
#6 Stock Car
Beatrice, Nebraska Speedway
Secretary, Blue Knights Nebraska I
Factory Stock
Racing Results for 8-6-05
A Feature:
1 Jeff Watts Wymore
2 Neal Mittan Wymore
3 Roy Armstrong Beatrice
4 Jeremy Jensen Cortland
5 Mike Schwartz Beatrice
6 Gary Laflin Beatrice
7 Matthew Post Beatrice
8 Ernie Reiss Beatrice
9 Cary Ames Beatrice
10 Gary McGinty Fairbury
11 Aaron Roth Pleasant Dale
12 Jeff Shew Beatrice
13 Jason Jensen Cortland
14 Travis Burger Summerfield KS
15 Ahren Ambrose Jansen
16 Matthew Spanjer Faibury
17 Hugh Carmichael Blue Springs
Factory Stock
Points as of 8-06-05
1 582 Roy Armstrong Beatrice
2 575 Mike Schwartz Beatrice
3 566 Neal Mittan Wymore
4 564 Jason Jensen Cortland
5 533 Ronda Mewes Blue Springs
6 525 Jeremy Jensen Cortland
7 511 Aaron Roth Pleasant Dale
8 496 Ernie Reiss Beatrice
9 453 Gary Laflin Beatrice
10 437 Matthew Post Beatrice
11 430 Jeff Watts Wymore
12 425 Gary McGinty Fairbury
13 423 Travis Burger Summerfield KS
14 374 Tom Creek Wymore
15 370 Shawn Howard Fairbury
15 370 Carey Ames Beatrice
17 314 Derrick Sand Hanover KS
18 302 Matthew Spanjer Faibury
19 245 Dallas Dobrovolny Waterville KS
20 231 Delmar Wells Hallam
21 185 Jeff Shew Beatrice
22 162 Pat Welch Lincoln
23 127 Owen Spanjer Lexington
24 126 Ryan Young Blue Springs
25 95 Kasey Garvin Manhattan
26 81 Peter Kruse Deshler
27 26 Kurt Wilson Hanover KS
27 52 Phil Ambrose Hanover KS
29 24 Jeff Stohs Hanover KS
30 22 Scott Jones Fairbury
IMCA Stock Car
Racing Results for 8-6-05
A Feature:
1 Mike Nichols Harlan IA
2 Eric Bartels Jansen
3 Brandon Johnson DeWitt
4 Josh Carpenter Fairbury
5 Robby Marsh Hebron
6 James Griffith Beatrice
7 Eric Rempel Palmyra
8 Lance Borgman Beatrice
9 David Murk Blue Rapids KS
10 Darcy Dobrovolny Watervills KS
11 Todd Laflin Beatrice
12 Kevin Snyder Beatrice
13 Mike Sherwood Batrice
14 Samuel Howard Fairbury
15 Ernie Reiss Beatrice
16 Leif Weyer Centralis KS
17 Derek Fralin Beatrice
18 Corey Koca Milligan
IMCA Stock
Points as of 8-6-05
1 563 Josh Carpenter Fairbury
2 561 Robby Marsh Hebron
3 557 Lance Borgman Beatrice
4 556 Todd Laflin Beatrice
5 552 James Griffith Beatrice
6 542 Brandon Johnson DeWitt
7 518 Eric Rempel Palmyra
8 499 Mike Sherwood Beatrice
9 477 Samuel Howard Fairbuy
10 454 Ernie Reiss Beatrice
11 441 David Murk Blue Rapids KS
12 338 Eric Bartels Jansen
13 310 Corey Koca Milligan
14 265 Derek Fralin Beatrice
15 251 Darcy Dobrovolny Waterville KS
16 164 Mike Nichols Harlan, IA
17 154 Greg Deters Centralia KS
18 150 Kevin Snyder Beatrice
19 148 Leif Weyer Centralia KS
20 60 Francis Dobrovolny Waterville KS
21 59 Terry Franz Concordia KS
22 27 Tracy Arntt Endicott
Front Page
Beatrice Spring Fling 2005
Opening Night April 2, 2005
Results from April 9, 2005
Results from April 16, 2005
Results from April 23, 2005
Results from April 30 & May 1, 2005
Results from May 7, 2005
Results from May 14, 2005
Results from May 21, 2005
Results from May 28, 2005
Results from June 18, 2005
Results from June 25, 2005
Results from July 2, 2005
Results from July 9, 2005
Results from July 16, 2005
Results from July 23, 2005 (Gage County Fair)
Results from July 30, 2005
Results from August 6, 2005 - Kids' Night
Results from August 20, 2005
Results from August 27, 2005
Results from September 3, 2005
Results from Eagle Raceway September 10, 2005
Email: blueknightne1@email.com
