Oahe Speedway Shootout  Races

Saturday, October 06, 2007

The final weekend of Oahe Speedway's 2007 season was held under the threat of inclement weather.  The weather held off long enough to complete the Saturday program.  An overnight deluge wiped out Sunday's season closer.  Soggy pit areas and very cool temperatures closed out the third season at the speedway.  

In the Box Shootout, on Saturday, Pierre competitors, Dale Garber and Chad Uhrig, met in the final.  Garber, in his '73 Challenger, used a lightning quick .002 reaction time, paired with perfect run on his 10.02 dial in to drive around Uhrig at the stripe.  Uhrig, completing his first year behind the wheel of his Spitzer rear engine dragster, was a little slow on his start , was unable to catch the fleeting Garber. Garber won his semifinal match against Oahe Speedway 2007 Super Pro champ, Curt Hieb, Chamberlain.  Hieb left a scant .002 seconds too soon to hand the win over to Garber.  Uhrig singled in to the final with another great .003 reaction time.  Roger Van Houten, Pierre, had the only perfect reaction time of eliminations.  Van Houten defeated Les Horsley, White River, in the first round.

John Leipold, Kimball, took his first win of the 2007 season at Oahe Speedway against Roger Hanson, Pierre.  In the all GM final, Leipold left first and was never headed.  First time visitor, Tyler Geranen, Canton, SD, fell victim to a red light against Hanson in the semis and  Paula Duncan, Midland, tried a bit too hard to hold off Leipold's hard charge in the balance of the round.  Duncan broke out by only .013 seconds at the finish line.  Duncan pulled off the best reaction time of eliminations against 2005 Pro champ, Jason Ehlers, Pierre, in the third round.  Duncan gave Ehlers a lesson in leaving, with a rapid .001 reaction time.  

Derrick Richter, Sturgis, made his first visit to Oahe successful in taking home the Trophy Shootout title.  His recently completed '68 Mustang carried him to victory over first year driver, Alyssa Colson, Blunt.  Richter took on two past speedway champs to reach the finals.  Bert Bogner, Oral, 2006 Street Trophy champ broke out against the Sturgis driver in the quarter finals. 2007 Pro champ, Kyle Currier, Onida, was a little too anxious at the start, drawing the red bulb in the semis against Richter.  Colson singled in to the finals after defeating Brittney Wuertz, Sioux Falls, in the quarter finals. 

Jonathon Huse, Onida, in his first year of Junior Dragster competition, faced off against Toni Vetter, Gettysburg.  Huse's reaction time and closer to dial in run was the difference in defeating Vetter.  Another rookie, Stephanie Holm,  Pierre, fouled away her chances against Huse in the semis, and 2007 Junior Dragster champ, James Morris, Pierre, suffered a similar fate against Vetter in remaining semi match up. 

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