Bassinger, Richards and Dover take the wins at the Eagle Nationals

by Greg Soukup
As if to apologize for causing the previous night’s racing to be cancelled, Mother Nature gave racers and fans at Eagle Raceway a picture-perfect night for the second evening of the Eagle Nationals presented by TBJ Promotions Saturday evening.
The only significant incident in the preliminary competition came in the 4th heat of the Lucas Oil ASCS National Series sprints when Jeff Osborn flipped his car in turn 1. Osborn also rolled his sprinter in the first B Feature.
The initial A Feature was for the Rev Honey IMCA Modifieds as Shane Hiatt’s 21H led the field at the end of the first lap with the Z00 of Lacey Tuttle, Scott Bivens in the S56 and the 11AA of Ed Raines chasing him. Raines moved up to third on lap 2. The yellow flag was brought out on lap 3 as Chad Anderson spun his #8C in turn 3. Justin Wulf’s 86 vaulted up to third on lap 4 and passed Tuttle 2 laps later as Raines again took third. Raines lost the spot to Terry Richards’ 18 the next time around, and Richards advanced another position the next circuit. One more lap was in the books when Dylan Smith cracked the top 4. Lap 11 saw Smith move to third as Richards grabbed the lead. Smith snagged the second spot 2 laps later as Raines got back to fourth. Wulf spun coming out of turn 4 the next lap, collecting the 1X of Chris Abelson. Johnny Saathoff passed Raines for fourth on the restart and then moved past Hiatt the next time around. Lap 18 saw Dan Nelson’s #94 move into fourth. At the checkered flag it was Richards, Smith, Saathoff and Nelson.
“We’ve had awfully good runs this season, but just couldn’t get the win. We broke our best motor the first night and I was leading the feature the second night before shredding a tire” Richards stated. “Tonight we made the right choices after guessing what the track would do. We got it right finally” he continued. In closing, Richards related “I want to thank my crew; Darrin Rogers, Jared Jochum and Wade Easton helped me get the win. I really don’t have any sponsors. TR’s Tool Service is me, and JDJ Construction is Jared’s company; but I’d sure love to have anyone who’s interested get a hold of me”.
The Exhaust Pros IMCA Sport Compacts were up next. Jesse Osmon was first back to the flag stand on the initial lap followed by Kevin Staack’s 10, Barry Kinnersley in the 00 and the 4X of Chad Bassinger. Staack fell to fourth on lap 2, and Brian Haller moved the B32 past him on the fourth lap. Two more laps had been finished when Bassinger moved to second before taking first the next time around as Kinnersley moved to second. Haller advanced to third on lap 7 as Ole Olsen moved the 23 to fourth. Kyle Gannon got the 66G around Olsen the next lap and also passed Haller the same circuit. Gannon grabbed second the next time around as Olsen moved to third. Haller took 2 more laps before retaking fourth. The top 4 at the checkered flag were Bassinger, Gannon, Olsen and Haller.
“I never thought I’d be talking to you 2 weeks in a row” Bassinger stated. He concluded the interview by saying “I want to thank the Eagle Raceway staff for the awesome track tonight. I’m just glad to put the blue oval in the win column with 2 wins in a row”. Chad’s sponsors include Kreifels Plumbing, Shipley Flooring, Higley Chiropractic, WARA and Charlie White.
The finale was the A Feature for the Lucas Oil ASCS National Sprint Car Dirt Series. When the second B feature has names such as Tony Bruce Jr., Jason Johnson and Tim Crawley advancing to the A Main, followed by Shane Stewart who, along with Zach Chappell were forced to use provisionals to make it, you know that the competition has been fast and furious. Jordan Boston wheeled the #4 to the lead on lap 1 with Seth Bergman’s 23, the 2L of Logan Forler and Jack Dover in the 53 close behind. Bergman took first on lap 2 and Dover passed Forler, but Jason Johnson rolled the #41 in turn four, causing the red lights to be lit. Johnson was able to make the long walk back to the pits as his sprinter went back on the hook. That put Boston back at the point. The yellow flag was displayed on lap 9 as the 77 of John Klabunde and the 38 of Wayne Johnson tangled in turn 2; Doug Lovegrove’s 44 also was involved. Just after the half way point Brady Bacon got the 99 up to fourth as Dover moved up to second. Forler stopped at the top of turn 4 the next lap. The restart lap saw Johnny Herrera’s 45X move to fourth. Herrera advanced to third a couple of laps later. Boston abandoned the rim-riding approach that had kept him in the lead with just a few laps left. That led to him doing a 360 degree spin in the closing laps, relegating him to third. His miscue allowed Dover to take the $6000 top prize. He was followed by Herrera, Boston and Bergman who got past Bacon in the waning circuits.
Dover began his interview by saying “We didn’t put on a new right rear before the feature. When the red flag came I told myself ‘Save your tires and wait until half way before you start to race’. With 5 to go I was catching Boston by going hard, and I said to myself ‘I’m going to win’. I think when I caught him in 1 & 2 he saw me and got nervous. I think we could have got him, even if he didn’t spin, but a win is a win”. He also related “They made the right call by reworking the track at intermission, because the track was fantastic!”. Dover’s sponsors include Thorpe’s Body Shop, Home Pride, Butlerbuilt, Trail Performance Coatings, Oil Medics and Ledger Motorsports.
Next week at “America’s Home Track” is Dads Rock-A Father’s Day Tribute sponsored by Bud Light and Sara Lee. The usual weekly show will feature the Budweiser Sprints, Rev Honey IMCA Modifieds, NAPA IMCA Sport Modifieds, Valentino’s IMCA Hobby Stocks and Exhaust Pro’s IMCA Sport Compacts. The Bud Light Girls will be on site, and there will be Real Men of Genius highlights as well. Happy D Klown will be performing from 5:30 until 7:30. The postponed school bus races will be held after the conclusion of the last feature. The front gates will open at 5:30, with hot laps beginning at the same time. Adult admission is $10, youths 6-12 are $5 and children 5 and under are free. Pit gates open at 4:00, and pit passes are just $20.
Results:
ASCS Sprint 6/11/2011
A Feature:1. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE), 2. Johnny Herrerra (Albuquerque, NM), 3. Jordan Boston (Crete, NE), 4. Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA), 5. Brady Bacon (Sopulpa, OK), 6. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK), 7. Tony Bruce Jr. (Liberal, KS), 8. Danny Wood (Norman, OK), 9. Scott Winters, 10. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX), 11. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK), 12. Aaron Reutzel (Clute, TX), 13. Trevor Grossenbacher (Lincoln, NE), 14. Jeff Swindel (Bartlett, TN), 15. Mike Boston (Crete, NE), 16. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR), 17. Bryan Gossel (Ft. Collins, CO), 18. Tyler Drueke (Omaha, NE), 19. Logan Forler (Eatonville, WA), 20. Mitchell Moore (Edgerton, KS), 21. John Klabunde (Fort Calhoun, NE), 22. Wayne Johnson (Knoxville, IA), 23. Doug Lovegrove (Waverly, NE), 24. Jason Johnson (Greenville, TX)
B Feature 1:1. Aaron Reutzel (Clute, TX), 2. Mike Boston (Crete, NE), 3. Mitchell Moore (Edgerton, KS), 4. John Carney (Horizon, TX), 5. Ken Klabunde (Omaha, NE), 6. Gene Ackland (Lincoln, NE), 7. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK), 8. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK), 9. Zach Davis (Savannah, MO), 10. Nick Bryan (Lincoln, NE), 11. Ryan Kitchen (Weston, NE), 12. Jeff Osborn (Savannah, MO), 13. Tige Jensen (Lincoln, NE)
B Feature 2:1. Tony Bruce Jr. (Liberal, KS), 2. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR), 3. Jason Johnson (Greenville, TX), 4. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK), 5. Lee Grosz (Harwood, MD), 6. Gage Dorr (Elmwood, NE), 7. Jason Martin (Liberal, KS), 8. Jason DANLEY (Lincoln, NE), 9. Ryan Roberts (Aurora, NE), 10. Justin Jacobsma, 11. Randy HIBBS (Savannah, MO), 12. Roger SLUKA (Lincoln, NE), 13. Jay Russell (Elwood, KS)
Heat 1:1. Danny Wood (Norman, OK), 2. Doug Lovegrove (Waverly, NE), 3. Wayne Johnson (Knoxville, IA), 4. Gary Wright (Hooks, TX), 5. Tim Crawley (Benton, AR), 6. Tony Bruce Jr. (Liberal, KS), 7. Jason Johnson (Greenville, TX), 8. Dustin Morgan (Tulsa, OK), 9. Ryan Roberts (Aurora, NE)
Heat 2:1. Logan Forler (Eatonville, WA), 2. Seth Bergman (Snohomish, WA), 3. Ken Klabunde (Omaha, NE), 4. Aaron Reutzel (Clute, TX), 5. Roger SLUKA (Lincoln, NE), 6. Gene Ackland (Lincoln, NE), 7. Jason DANLEY (Lincoln, NE), 8. Randy HIBBS (Savannah, MO), 9. Zach Davis (Savannah, MO)
Heat 3:1. Jordan Boston (Crete, NE), 2. Jeff Swindel (Bartlett, TN), 3. Jack Dover (Springfield, NE), 4. John Klabunde (Fort Calhoun, NE), 5. Jason Martin (Liberal, KS), 6. Gage Dorr (Elmwood, NE), 7. Zach Chappell (Talala, OK), 8. Shane Stewart (Bixby, OK)
Heat 4:1. Scott Winters, 2. Tyler Drueke (Omaha, NE), 3. Lee Grosz (Harwood, MD), 4. Mitchell Moore (Edgerton, KS), 5. Ryan Kitchen (Weston, NE), 6. Nick Bryan (Lincoln, NE), 7. Jay Russell (Elwood, KS), 8. Jeff Osborn (Savannah, MO)
Heat 5:1. Johnny Herrerra (Albuquerque, NM), 2. Bryan Gossel (Ft. Collins, CO), 3. Trevor Grossenbacher (Lincoln, NE), 4. Brady Bacon (Sopulpa, OK), 5. Mike Boston (Crete, NE), 6. John Carney (Horizon, TX), 7. Tige Jensen (Lincoln, NE), 8. Justin Jacobsma
IMCA Modified 6/11/2011
A Feature:1. Terry Richards (Denton, NE), 2. Dylan Smith (Osceola, NE), 3. Johnny Saathoff (Beatrice, NE), 4. Dan Nelson (Beatrice, NE), 5. Shane Hiatt (Rising City, NE), 6. Chris Alcorn (Lincoln, NE), 7. Ed RAINES (Lincoln, NE), 8. Chad Andersen (Omaha, NE), 9. Dustin Andersen (Omaha, NE), 10. Nathan Landauer (Lincoln, NE), 11. Rik Gropp (Lincoln, NE), 12. Clint Homan (Bellevue, NE), 13. Roger Hadan (Bennington, NE), 14. Mike Densberger (Malcolm, NE), 15. Chris Ableson (Sioux City, IA), 16. Aaron Pella (Lincoln, NE), 17. Scott Bivens (Ceresco, NE), 18. Lacey Tuttle (Elmwood, NE), 19. Justin Wulf (Arlington, NE), 20. Jerry Trejo (Lincoln, NE)
B Feature 1:1. Clint Homan (Bellevue, NE), 2. Dustin Andersen (Omaha, NE), 3. Bob Zoubek (Dorchester, NE), 4. Jarrod Wiechert (Lincoln, NE), 5. Ken Eckhoff (Hooper, NE), 6. Brian Cudly (Lincoln, NE), 7. Justin Addison (Leigh, NE), 8. Tim Pickens (Omaha, NE), 9. Matt Stevens (Waverly, NE), 10. Brian Olson (Lincoln, NE)
B Feature 2:1. Rik Gropp (Lincoln, NE), 2. Roger Hadan (Bennington, NE), 3. Andrew Hille (Hickman, NE), 4. Jim KRUPICKA (Denton, NE), 5. Bob Ruisinger (Bennet, NE), 6. Jan Korth (Lincoln, NE), 7. Patrick DONOVAN (Sterling, NE), 8. Jace Wikoff (Lincoln, NE), 9. Doug Deterding (Lincoln, NE), 10. Matt Templyn
Heat 1:1. Chris Ableson (Sioux City, IA), 2. Terry Richards (Denton, NE), 3. Chad Andersen (Omaha, NE), 4. Mike Densberger (Malcolm, NE), 5. Dustin Andersen (Omaha, NE), 6. Matt Stevens (Waverly, NE), 7. Tim Pickens (Omaha, NE), 8. Justin Addison (Leigh, NE), 9. Brian Olson (Lincoln, NE)
Heat 2:1. Shane Hiatt (Rising City, NE), 2. Justin Wulf (Arlington, NE), 3. Chris Alcorn (Lincoln, NE), 4. Jerry Trejo (Lincoln, NE), 5. Rik Gropp (Lincoln, NE), 6. Jim KRUPICKA (Denton, NE), 7. Doug Deterding (Lincoln, NE), 8. Jace Wikoff (Lincoln, NE), 9. Bob Ruisinger (Bennet, NE)
Heat 3:1. Dan Nelson (Beatrice, NE), 2. Johnny Saathoff (Beatrice, NE), 3. Ed RAINES (Lincoln, NE), 4. Aaron Pella (Lincoln, NE), 5. Clint Homan (Bellevue, NE), 6. Ken Eckhoff (Hooper, NE), 7. Jarrod Wiechert (Lincoln, NE), 8. Brian Cudly (Lincoln, NE), 9. Bob Zoubek (Dorchester, NE)
Heat 4:1. Lacey Tuttle (Elmwood, NE), 2. Scott Bivens (Ceresco, NE), 3. Dylan Smith (Osceola, NE), 4. Nathan Landauer (Lincoln, NE), 5. Roger Hadan (Bennington, NE), 6. Patrick DONOVAN (Sterling, NE), 7. Jan Korth (Lincoln, NE), 8. Andrew Hille (Hickman, NE), 9. Matt Templyn
IMCA Sport Compact 6/11/2011
A Feature:1. Chad Bassinger (Nebraska City, NE), 2. Kyle Gannon (Lincoln, NE), 3. Ole Olsen (Carter Lake, IA), 4. Brian Haller (Lincoln, NE), 5. Nick Lindblad (Beatrice, NE), 6. Barry Kinnersley (LaVista, NE), 7. Matt Moyer (Gretna, NE), 8. Jeremy Peckham (Lincoln, NE), 9. Kevin Staack (Lincoln, NE), 10. Rick Hollandsworth (Lincoln, NE), 11. Jesse Osmon (Alvo, NE), 12. Trevor Noonan (Lincoln, NE), 13. Kevin Fearing (Lincoln, NE), 14. Travis Schellpeper (Douglas, NE), 15. Larry Cronin (Lincoln, NE), 16. Erica Cronin (Lincoln, NE), 17. Amanda Rhiley (Bennington, NE), 18. Kenny Roberts (Lincoln, NE), 19. Brandon Bolin (Lincoln, NE), 20. Austin Angel (Lincoln, NE)
B Feature:1. Trevor Noonan (Lincoln, NE), 2. Travis Schellpeper (Douglas, NE), 3. Larry Cronin (Lincoln, NE), 4. Erica Cronin (Lincoln, NE), 5. Amanda Rhiley (Bennington, NE), 6. Josh Johnson (Lincoln, NE), 7. Fred Johnson (Lincoln, NE), 8. Melissa Cronin (Lincoln, NE), 9. Sara Deterding (Lincoln, NE), 10. Rocky Wray (Lincoln, NE)
Heat 1:1. Chad Bassinger (Nebraska City, NE), 2. Brian Haller (Lincoln, NE), 3. Ole Olsen (Carter Lake, IA), 4. Barry Kinnersley (LaVista, NE), 5. Matt Moyer (Gretna, NE), 6. Trevor Noonan (Lincoln, NE), 7. Erica Cronin (Lincoln, NE), 8. Sara Deterding (Lincoln, NE), 9. Rocky Wray (Lincoln, NE)
Heat 2:1. Kenny Roberts (Lincoln, NE), 2. Jesse Osmon (Alvo, NE), 3. Kyle Gannon (Lincoln, NE), 4. Kevin Staack (Lincoln, NE), 5. Kevin Fearing (Lincoln, NE), 6. Travis Schellpeper (Douglas, NE), 7. Amanda Rhiley (Bennington, NE), 8. Fred Johnson (Lincoln, NE)
Heat 3:1. Nick Lindblad (Beatrice, NE), 2. Rick Hollandsworth (Lincoln, NE), 3. Jeremy Peckham (Lincoln, NE), 4. Brandon Bolin (Lincoln, NE), 5. Austin Angel (Lincoln, NE), 6. Larry Cronin (Lincoln, NE), 7. Josh Johnson (Lincoln, NE), 8. Melissa Cronin (Lincoln, NE)