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From 'tep to fcetten: Dsa Weylaich drives ths $1X3 cay to
victory. Terry IMIansus checks Ms sprinter's" gauges just
seccsds before entering t&e track. Spectators leap to their i'eet
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Steve Frisell, a 29-year-old farm
er from Holdrege, drives more
than 1 70 miles twice a week so he
can risk his life driving in circles
at breakneck speeds up to ICQ
miles per hour. .
Frisell races spring cars as a
hobby.
"It's a challenge " he said of hi3
sprint car racing hobby. "I like to
see what I can prove from week
to week."
Sprint car racing is alive, well
and stronger than ever in the
Cornhusker state.
Lincoln, a racing hotbed in the
'60s and early 70s was deserted
by sprinters in 1976.
"As far as Eagle Raceway is
concerned," track co-owner Marty
Beecham said, "the previous
owner let the facilities go bad and
didn't pay well, which made the
drivers unhappy."
Beecham also said the lack of
local drivers played a role in the
demise of the sport.
"Most of the drivers came from
cities like Des Moines and Kansas
City and when they left, the fans
went too."
Sprint car racing remained dor
mant in the area for three years
until racing enthusiast Larry Sin
ner revived it. Sinner promoted
an outlaw program at Eagle Race
way and three more at Midwest
Speedway.
"When it (sprint racing) died
around here I started travling
around the country watching
races " Sinner said. "It got kind of
expensive so I decided I might as
well bring it back to Nebraska."
Sinner found out there were a
large number of veteran drivers
and few rookies. He said he started
the racing program at Midwest to
help create a new generation of
drivers.
"We. knew some of the older,
veteran drivers would retire and
the new guys needed help getting
started," he said.
Sinner is the assistant pit ste
ward at Midwest, 27th and Sup
erior streets. His brother, Lyle,
drives car No. 6. In 1031, Sinner
and Midwest owner Pete Leikam
created the tracks' own program,
which runs May through Septem
ber on Sunday nights aad fea
tures limited modified sprint cars.
The limited modified sprinters
hsve equipment restrictions
outlaw card didnt
Midwest's program took off in
the spring of 1032 when 44 csrs
registered at the track, 14 with
rcokie pilots. Nightly attendance
doubled from 1,000 to 2,000 fans,
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and sponsorship and support for
the track grew.
"Local involvement makes it
go," Sinner said. "The spectators,
sponsors, car owners and the
drivers all of them."
City Councilman Bill Hoffman
said he has received several com
plaints from residents in north
west Lincoln concerning the roar
of the engines racing at the track.
The Health Department checks
the noise at the track and the
surrounding area upon public re
quest. Midwest has a mandatory muf
fler rule, which restricts engine
noise to less than 78 decibels
Hoffman said the mufflers de
crease engine performance, so
drivers dont like to use them.
"You can't police it," Hoffman
said. "The word gets out that
they're checking and everybody
buttons it up.
There is no fine or penalty for
not running one," Hoffman said.
"The drivers who abide by the law
and run mufflers are at a dis
advantage." When Midwest was built in 1 062,
the surrounding area was un
developed. "I don't care who was here
first," Hoffman said. "They are not
abiding by the law."
Eagle Raceway, located one mile
J.J. Riggins and Don Weyh
rich proved that the element
of surprise is a valuable wea
pon in racing when they claimed
their respective divisions in the
Nebraska Cup Championship
held at Eagle Raceway.
In the sprint car division 'A'
Feature, Riggins worked his
way through the pack before
pushing past Lonnie Jensen
on the 15th lap. Jensen led
from the start and was pres
sured for the first half of the
race by Hay Lipsey.
A flat tire on Lipsey's Gambler
car forced him out of the race
on the 10th circuit. Gambler
Chasis, the company that built
Lipcry's car, is owned by country
western singer Kenny Rogers.
After Lipsey's departure, Jen
sen held a sizable lead on Rig
gins, who had moved into the
second spot.
The lead disappeared two
laps later, when Bay Lee
Gocd .vin Jr.'s car stepped on the
track, bringing out the yellow
flag.
Under the yellow, Riggins
moved up on Jensen's tail. Three
laps later, Riggins shot around
Friday, September 21, 1934
east of Eagle on Highway 34,
launched its Friday night sprint
program last spring after Bee
cham Entertainment, Inc. bought
the track from Mabie Elliott of
Alvo.
Marty Beecham, a former an
nouncer at Midwest, and his
brother, John, began renovation im
mediately. Tons of dirt were haul
ed in to smooth the one-third
mile racing surface. Other im
provements included new bleach
ers and a remodeled press box.
The Beechams have planned more
renovation for the upcoming win
ter. To help get their sprint pro
gram into full swingr Eagle had a
two-day "World of Outlaws" show
in late June. Indiana native Steve
Kinster won the race, billed as
the "Vs Mile National Champion
ship." Midwest closed out its racing
season Sept. 9 and Eagle ended
its initial spring year, with the
running of the Nebraska Cup Sept.
15.
Sinner said it's difficult to keep
the sport alive in the area.
"This is a professional sport,
one of the few pro sports in
Nebraska," Sinner said. "It's tough
making it go in this state because
everyone pays so much attention
to football."
Jensen and cruised to the
checkered flag.
Ironically, Riggins won the
race in a car he had never
driven before. The first time he
climbed into the cockpit of t he
No. 4 car was for the Nebraska
Cup hot laps.
Heat race victories went to
Paul Riggs, Lipsey and Don
Maxwell. The top four in each
heat advanced to the Nebraska
cup A feature.
Four more cars advanced to
the 'A' by placing in the top
four in the 'B' feature. Omahan
Dave Jacobs won the face, fol
lowed by Keith Hightshoe, Steve
Frisell and Skip Ross.
The 'B' feature cars started
in the rear of the Nebraska cup
. championship race. Jacobs and
Friseli moved up through the
pack to finish third and fourth,
respectively.
In the late model stock car
division, Don Weyhrich hid in
the shadows and motored past
Sammy Jacobs midway through
the feature when Jacobs had
t o slow down to avoid hitting a
lapped car.
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