Sunshine and Racing In Independence

Saturday was another one of those days that racers and fans alike have faced often in 2015, trying to find someplace that was dry enough to still race. Personally I was supposed to be filling in for Rich Adams on the microphone at 34 Raceway in Burlington, but after mowing my yard over the noon hour in broken sunshine just twenty-two miles from the track I came in to find that it was absolutely pouring in Burlington and that the races had been cancelled. West Liberty and Maquoketa had suffered the same fate leaving me to make the choice between the World of Outlaws at the Knoxville Raceway and the Vern Weber Memorial night action at the Independence Motor Speedway.

Another night of battling wet grounds. 

Both tracks were wet, very wet in fact, but since neither had seen any race day rain as of yet both were doing everything possible to get the show in. I studied the radar and checked the forecasts before taking my shower, and then went through the whole process again an hour later before literally making my decision as I was backing out of the driveway at four o'clock. Something told me that Knoxville had more of a chance of getting wet than Indee so I pointed the car to the north. I knew that I would be driving in light rain until at least Cedar Rapids and when I cleared the city of Five Seasons I was pleased to see some sunshine up ahead. I was happy with my decision.

Long-time friend Kevin Kemp greeted me at the pit gate and rather than wading through the mud to track down promoter Dana Benning and my colleague/announcer Ryan Clark, I instead headed for the stands to get ready for hot laps. It was obvious that Benning and his crew had put forth a tremendous effort to get this show in as the infield was impassable and the track was narrow, but by taking some extra time to pack between each and every race the solid crowd in attendance was treated to some great "fast track" racing action come feature time.

This night was in tribute to the late Vern Weber, one of the original promoters of the speedway, and joining his wife Coralee were IMS legends Ed Sanger, Curt Hansen and Gary Crawford to present the big trophies to the night's winners.

The IMCA Stock Cars were the first to take the track come feature time and it was important to make a move early if you wanted to get to the front of this fifteen-lap event. Jason Hocken did just that coming from the inside of row two to snare the lead entering turn one following the drop of the green and he was never seriously challenged as he raced to victory. With Ryan Clark on the microphone fans are always treated to an array of interesting statistics and with this win by Hocken there have now been six different winners in the first six Stock Car features at Indee in 2015. Cole Mather chased him the entire distance to finish second. The race to watch was for third as Chris Luloff and Roger Ciesielski swapped the spot numerous times before contact between the two with four laps remaining caused flat tires on both cars. Jarod Weepie would then finish in third followed by Russell Damme Jr. and Norman Chesmore.

A full field of twenty-six Modifieds including first-time visitors for this season such as Jeremiah Hurst, Milo Veloz Jr., Joel Rust and Tyler Madigan lined up next for twenty laps with veteran drivers Mike Burbridge and Keith Pittman bringing the pack to green. After two no-starts and a third mis-fire when the legends decided to drive their cart across the track, the green waved and stayed on with Burbridge getting an immediate edge. The track was now fast and racy and that allowed J.D. Auringer to make the moves that he needed to quickly advance from his fifth row start up to second by lap seven. Getting around Burbridge was no easy task though as Auringer was able to pull even with the leader in the turns on each of the next four laps only to be denied in his bid to take the point. Finally on lap twelve Auringer was able to nose ahead entering turn three and he then slid up the track to shut the door on Burbridge in four.

As Auringer increased his lead while mastering traffic both Ronn Lauritzen and Jeremiah Hurst were also working their way to the front. Lauritzen needed a last corner pass in his heat race to get the fourth spot and make the invert and he then made the most of that by coming up from the fourth row. As a newcomer tonight, Hurst landed in the twelfth starting position and he too was making a charge before the caution waved on lap eighteen for a spin by Madigan in turn three. This would give the challengers one last shot at Auringer, but there would be no catching J.D. who pulled away to victory. Lauritzen was the runner-up with Burbridge in third, Hurst finished in the fourth spot and, despite driving off the top of the track mid-race, Vern Jackson was able to hold on for fifth. Current point leader Troy Cordes struggled all night failing to make the top four in his heat race and on the late restart he lined up thirteenth. He made the most of those final two laps though getting up to ninth at the checkers.

The IMCA Hobby Stock 15-lap main event was next to the track and this one would go non-stop with pole-sitter Adam Speicher leading the way. I will always remember Adam as being the driver who rolled his Hobby Stock over the fence and into victory lane during a NKF Tour Hobby Stock event at the Knoxville Raceway several years ago and I couldn't help to hope to see him just drive into victory lane here tonight. One slight mistake kept that from happening though as Speicher went off the top edge of the front stretch briefly on lap ten and by the time he recovered he had dropped back to third. Brett Vanous seized the opportunity, took the lead and then held it the final six laps to checkers to score his first Hobby Stock victory here at Independence. Speicher was able to get back around Benji Irvine to finish in the second spot while Justin Lichty and Neal Miller completed the top five.

The Late Models thundered to the green next for 25-laps of foot-to-the-floor action with front row starter Jerry King setting a torrid pace. Tyler Droste was the driver who caught my eye as the youngster was gradually picking up positions using whatever line he needed to get by the driver in front of him. Cautions on lap six and sixteen brought the field back to King and on lap nineteen Droste drove under Luke Pestka for the second spot. Pestka who had kept King honest in the early going then had his night end early the following lap as smoke billowed from his car and the caution waved with five laps to go.

On the restart Droste went to work on King and made the pass for the lead with three laps remaining. Just after that the caution waved again as Curt Martin slid sideways in turn two and when Chad Holladay spun to avoid, Martin continued on allowing him to restart in the sixth position. Droste would pull away on the restart and celebrate his nineteenth birthday with a win that he will never forget as he was joined in victory lane by Hansen, Sanger and Crawford, drivers who used to battle with his grandfather Red Droste on a regular basis. Hansen quipped "I think he's even better than his grandpa was."

King would have to settle for second ahead of veteran driver Rick Wendling. Travis Smock had another strong showing in fourth while teenager Tanner Allen came from fourteenth to fifth. Martin, who started at the back of the eighteen-car field, would hold on for sixth at the checkers.

Lucas Lundry made the most of his pole position start in the Sport Modifieds as he went flag-to-flag to win the fifteen lap main event. Tony Olson advanced from eighth at the start to second at the checkers while Kevin Hurst finished third. I found myself rooting for current track point leader Alex Zwanziger for two reasons, one I was sitting with his very nice cheering section and two he carries my favorite number (32). Alex started ninth and finished fourth on this evening. Ryan King would complete the top five.

The extra time that was taken, and definitely needed, to pack the track between races forced me to pass up the Micro Mod feature and head for home, but I understand that it was Minnesota driver Troy Soiney who took the win.

Once I was in my car a quick call to Barry revealed that Knoxville was in a rain delay and that it looked like they would not be back to racing action until around midnight, or just about the same time that I would be pulling back into my driveway after a fun night in Independence. For once, my weather instincts were correct!

Hopefully the weather cooperates again tonight as I plan to return to the same neighborhood at the Benton County Speedway in Vinton for the Iowa Donor Network Urbana Five Memorial event. It should be a great night of racing and a great night for the racing community to raise awareness for organ and tissue donor ship. Hope to see you there!