Gamble pays off for Trauernicht win

From Bill Martin, IMCA Public Relations

BEATRICE, Neb. (March 17) – Maybe Dave Trauernicht rode with a four
leaf clover in his IMCA Modified Saturday night at Beatrice Speedway.

After finishing seventh in the opening night pole dash Friday, the
hometown hotshoe gave up his guaranteed start ing spot in Sunday's
$5,000 to win Spring Nationals feature to try for a better position
on the second night of the three day show.

That gamble paid off as Trauernicht won the 25 lap St. Patrick's Day
pole dash. He'll take the green flag from outside row one in the
main event, in front of three time track champion Chris Alcorn, Eric
Rempel, Chris Mills, Lance Borgman, Jeff Jones, James Slawson, Brian
Foote and Vern Jackson.

Mike Hansen led the first two laps before giving way to the sixth
starting Trauernicht and then pulled off with a broken rear
suspension. Rempel, Mike Heideman, Mills and Alcorn ran in that order
behind Trauernicht before mechanical problems sidelined Heideman on
the 11th circuit.

Ronnie Wallace and Ricky Stephan challenged for transfer spots before
a multi-car tangle on lap 20 that left both with flat tires. Alcorn
caught Mills for third on lap 22 and Rempel the last time around, but
ran out of time to catch Trauernicht, who took the checkered flag
handily.

Ricky Alvarado paced Friday's dash to capture the pole start.

Lining up behind the Denton, Colo., charger on the inside row will be
four-time Spring Nationals winner Johnny Saathoff, Kyle Berck, Dan
Nelson, Dave Hardesty, Jordan Grabouski, Randy Brands, Robert
Hellebust and Marlyn Seidler.

The top two finishers in each of eight heats and four "B" features
comprised the Saturday dash. The final five rows in the 28 car
starting grid will be determined in last chance races Sunday, when
racing starts at 1 p.m.

Andy Gregg scored the Saturday dash victory and will start on the
pole for the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock Challenge feature.

Gregg led all 20 laps, chased most of the way by B.J. Dauer. Kent
Husted, winner of the October Fest special at Beatrice last fall,
passed Dauer on the white flag lap to take second.

Luke Wanninger, Max Harder, Jim Buss, Aron DeWalt, Nyle Godwin, Bill
Bonnett and Ryan Roschewski will round out the inside row for the
$600 to win main event. The outside row of 10 will be decided in last
chance qualifying Sunday.

Winner of the Modified feature at Spring Nationals qualifies for the
2007 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot.

IMCA Modified Pole Dash –
1. Dave Trauernicht, Beatrice;
2. Chris Alcorn, Lincoln;
3. Eric Rempel, Palmyra;
4. Chris Mills, Sioux City, Iowa;
5. Lance Borgman, Beatrice;
6. Jeff Jones, Council Bluffs, Iowa;
7. James Slawson, Spencer, Iowa;
8. Brian Foote, Essex, Iowa;
9. Vern Jackson, Waterloo, Iowa;
10. Darren Shaw, Kearney, Mo.;
11. Dirk Kirk, Sloan, Iowa;
12. Mike Tanner, Kansas City, Mo.;
13. Jeff Welsh, Abilene, Kan.;
14. Steven Pfeifer, West Fargo, N.D.;
15. Jay Goosmann, Hinton, Iowa;
16. Steve Burch, Junction City, Kan.;
17. Ricky Stephan, South Sioux City, Neb.;
18. John Fabrizius, Colby, Kan.;
19. Ronnie Wallace, North Platte;
20. Jordy Nelson, Marysville, Kan.;
21. Robert Brinkman, LaVista;
22. Mike Heideman, Seneca, Kan.;
23. Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa;
24. Dan Ratajczak, Luxemburg, Wis.

Heat race results (top 2)
1st heat – 1. Mills; 2. Foote.
2nd heat – 1. Hansen; 2. Stephan.
3rd heat – 1. Trauernicht; 2. Nelson.
4th heat – 1. Alcorn; 2. Borgman.
5th heat – 1. Jones; 2. Fabrizius.
6th heat – 1. Ratajczak; 2. Tanner.
7th heat – 1. Rempel; 2. Goosmann.
8th heat – 1. Heideman; 2. Brinkman.

"B" features (top 2)
1st "B" – 1. Wallace; 2. Jackson.
2nd "B" – 1. Shaw; 2. Pfeifer.
3rd "B" – 1. Kirk; 2. Burch.
4th "B" – 1. Slawson; 2. Welsh.

IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock Pole Dash:
1. Andy Gregg, Hastings;
2. Kent Husted, Sioux City, Iowa;
3. B.J. Dauer, Marquette, Kan.;
4. Luke Wanninger, Jefferson, Iowa;

5. Max Harder, Beatrice;

6. Jim Buss, Superior;
7. Aron DeWalt, Waterville, Kan.;

8. Nyle Godwin, Redfield, Iowa;
9. Bill Bonnett, Knoxville, Iowa;
10. Ryan Roschewski, Beatrice;
11. Jesse Vanlaningham, Beatrice;
12. Chad Borgman, Beatrice;
13. Travis Runcie, Beatrice;
14. Adam Armstrong, Beatrice;
15. Devin Smith, Lake City, Iowa;
16. Kenneth Hansen, Audubon, Iowa;
17. Casey Moyer, Auburn;
18. Kyle Vanover, Beatrice;
19. Kyle Bond, Kearney;
20. Bill Parde, Beatrice.

Heat race results (top 3)
1st heat – 1. Bonnett; 2. Parde; 3. Gregg.
2nd heat – 1. Buss; 2. Armstrong; 3. Wanninger.
3rd heat – 1. Husted; 2. DeWalt; 3. Roschewski.
4th heat – 1. Dauer; 2. Godwin; 3. Harder.

"B" feature results (top 4)
1st "B" – 1. Vanover; 2. Hansen; 3. Borgman; 4. Moyer.
2nd "B" – 1. Smith; 2. Bond; 3. Runcie; 4. Vanlaningham.