Snyder wins opening night I.M.C.A. modified battle at Independence Motor Speedway
By Ryan Clark

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (April 22, 2006) – Fans and drivers who braved the cool temperatures were provided with a thrilling opening night at Independence Motor Speedway. There were 110 drivers signed in to compete on the fast 3/8-mile oval.

In the I.M.C.A. modified feature, Jason Snyder grabbed the early lead from his front row starting position. He held the point as defending track champion Jerry Luloff, Dennis Betzer and Max Corporon gave chase. Snyder, Luloff and Corporon put some distance between themselves and the rest of the field as it became a three-car battle late in the 20-lapper.

Snyder ran the high groove with Luloff and Corporon swapping positions behind him. Holding to his line, Snyder held off all challenges to score the opening night win, the second victory of his career. Luloff finished second and Corporon crossed the line in third.

Seven-time I.M.C.A. stock car track champion Dan Trimble started the season in familiar territory – atop the division’s point standings. Trimble took command from pole-sitter Norman Chesmore on the third of 20 circuits to drive away to the opening night victory. Chesmore crossed the line in second and Sean Johnson ran third.

In the 15-lap B modified feature, Joe Docekal took the early advantage from his pole position start. Docekal paced the field until a trio of cautions slowed the field on the 10th and 11th laps.

On the final restart, Brian Kunkle, who started in the fourth row, was running third behind Docekal and Tony Olson. Running the bottom groove of the speedway, Kunkle made his way around the leaders as the waving green was displayed. He led the final two laps to score the victory ahead of Docekal and Olson.

Rodney Grother led all 15 laps of the I.M.C.A. hobby stock main event to nab the feature victory. Grother survived a pair of early cautions to take the win ahead of John Meyer and Paul Shepherd.

A non-points night for the late model division closed opening night action. At the drop of the green, Dale Stolte rocketed into the lead from his second row start. Dale Hackwell Jr. gave chase while defending track champion Curt Martin worked his way into third on lap four.

Moments later, Martin engaged in a battle for the lead and took over the top spot for good on lap nine as he drove to the victory. Stolte tried to reel in the race leader late in the event, but fell short as he settled for second. Hackwell crossed the line in third.

The I.M.C.A. points season for the late model division starts next weekend when I.M.C.A. sponsors the racing program at the speedway.



RESULTS



LATE MODEL

First heat – 1. Dale Stolte, Springville; 2. Drew Johnson, Belle Plaine; 3. Dale Hackwell Jr., Washburn; 4. Scott Welsh, Marion; 5. Rick McGill, Independence; 6. Wayde Russell, Dunkerton; 7. Jake Blumer, Manchester.

Second heat – 1. Kenny Pint, Independence; 2. Dean Wagner, Evansdale; 3. Brian Hunter, Independence; 4. Luke Goedert, Holy Cross; 5. Tysus Pattee, Garrison; 6. Leon Thomsen, Waverly; 7. Nate Hartzell, Cedar Falls.

Third heat – 1. Curt Martin, Independence; 2. Randy Wheeler, Cedar Falls; 3. Darren Ackerman, Waterloo; 4. Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 5. Rick Dralle, Waterloo; 6. Brian Lillie, Independence.

Feature – 1. Martin; 2. Stolte; 3. Hackwell; 4. Wagner; 5. Ackerman; 6. Goedert; 7. Johnson; 8. Wheeler; 9. Bruening; 10. Russell; 11. Welsh; 12. Hunter; 13. Dralle; 14. Pint; 15. McGill; 16. Hartzell; 17. Lillie; 18. Pattee; 19. Thomsen; 20. Blumer.



I.M.C.A. MODIFIED

First heat – 1. Dennis Betzer, Central City; 2. Jason Snyder, Dunkerton; 3. Jerry Luloff, Independence; 4. Jon Passick, Waterloo; 5. Johnathan Thimmesch, Aurora; 6. Troy Cordes, Raymond; 7. J.D. Auringer, Waterloo; 8. Mike Gill, La Porte City; DNS Beau Duffield, Cedar Rapids; DNS Buck Swanson, Cedar Falls.

Second heat – 1. Ed Thomas, Waterloo; 2. Max Corporon, Marion; 3. Garry Stuber, Waterloo; 4. James Schaefer, Waterloo; 5. Erik Haupt, Sumner; 6. Todd Conrad, Cedar Rapids; 7. Adam Johnson, Independence; 8. Randy Trefz, Vinton; DNS Dion Speed, New Hartford.

Third heat – 1. Ben Metcalf, Evansdale; 2. Patrick Flannagan, Cedar Rapids; 3. Scott Hogan, Vinton; 4. Don Erger, Brandon; 5. Vern Jackson, Waterloo; 6. Brian Krall, Readlyn; 7. Timm Jensen, Waterloo; 8. Adam Bolin, Waterloo; 9. Mike Manson, Manchester.

First B feature – 1. Jackson; 2. Thimmesch; 3. Auringer; 4. Jensen; 5. Trefz; 6. Conrad; DNS Manson; DNS Swanson.

Second B feature – 1. Cordes; 2. Bolin; 3. Haupt; 4. Johnson; 5. Duffield; DNS Krall; DNS Gill; DNS Speed.

A feature – 1. Snyder; 2. Luloff; 3. Corporon; 4. Erger; 5. Hogan; 6. Cordes; 7. Flannagan; 8. Jensen; 9. Auringer; 10. Jackson; 11. Bolin; 12. Metcalf; 13. Betzer; 14. Thimmesch; 15. Haupt; 16. Schaefer; 17. Passick; 18. Thomas; 19. Stuber; 20. Johnson.



I.M.C.A. STOCK CAR

First heat – 1. Eric Weber, Jesup; 2. LaVerne Weber, Waterloo; 3. Sean Johnson, Independence; 4. Dallas Morin, Cedar Rapids; 5. Shane Manson, Manchester; 6. Ken Irvine, Oelwein; 7. Brian Irvine, Oelwein; DNS Jason Goedken, Fairbank; DNS Tony Schimmels, Readlyn.

Second heat – 1. Jarod Weepie, Dunkerton; 2. Dan Trimble, Fairbank; 3. Justin Temeyer, Independence; 4. Norman Chesmore, Quasqueton; 5. Nick Wroten, Rowley; 6. Doug Otto, Cedar Falls; 7. Jeff Adams, Bondurant; DNS Jason Hocken, Independence.

Feature – 1. Trimble; 2. Chesmore; 3. Johnson; 4. E. Weber; 5. Weepie; 6. Morin; 7. B. Irvine; 8. K. Irvine; 9. Wroten; 10. Adams; 11. L. Weber; 12. Otto; 13. Manson; DQ Temeyer; DNS Goedken; DNS Hocken; DNS Schimmels.



I.M.C.A. HOBBY STOCK

First heat – 1. Paul Shepherd, Marengo; 2. John Meyer, Independence; 3. Brad Forbes, Waterloo; 4. Terry Jones, Waterloo; 5. Dave Wheeler, Fairbank; 6. Matt Brown, Dysart; 7. Keven Gonzales, Fairbank; 8. Jim Ball, Independence.

Second heat - .1 Adam Gebel, Dysart; 2. Perry Thomsen, Cedar Rapids; 3. Wes Stanek, Cedar Falls; 4. Chris Luloff, Independence; 5. Gary Gates, Waterloo; 6. Joe Sprague, Independence; 7. Scott Siems, Cedar Rapids; DNS Jamie Whitaker, Nevada.

Third heat – 1. Vince Buchholz, Cedar Falls; 2. Curt Hilmer, Dysart; 3. Kevin Robinson, Independence; 4. Jeremiah Wilson, Waterloo; 5. Travis Michels, Hazleton; 6. Josh Irvine, Oelwein; 7. Bill Meyer, Sumner; 8. Joe Burmeister, Mt. Auburn.

Fourth heat – 1. Rod Grother, Cedar Rapids; 2. Greg Sweerin, Evansdale; 3. Patrick Stansbery, Evansdale; 4. Brandon Davis, Cedar Rapids; 5. Justin Ginther, Oelwein; 6. Tim Meeker, Plainfield; 7. Greg Jones, Aplington.

First B feature – 1. Luloff; 2. Gates; 3. Sprague; 4. Ball; 5. Brown; 6. Gonzales; 7. Jones; 8. Wheeler; DNS Siems; DNS Whitaker.

Second B feature – 1. Davis; 2. Wilson; 3. Michels; 4. Irvine; 5. Meyer; 6. Ginther; 7. Burmeister; DNS Meeker; DNS Jones.

A feature – 1. Grother; 2. Meyer; 3. Shepherd; 4. Luloff; 5. Stansbery; 6. Gebel; 7. Forbes; 8. Sweerin; 9. Wilson; 10. Wilson; 11. Stanek; 12. Sprague; 13. Davis; 14. Gates; 15. Buchholz; 16. Irvine; 17. Thomsen; 18. Robinson; 19. Michels; DQ Hilmer.



B MODIFIED

First heat – 1. Jim Buhlman, Cedar Falls; 2. Marty Rouse, Grundy Center; 3. Bob Ebaugh, Raymond; 4. Joel Cox, Waterloo; 5. Joe Docekal, Dysart; 6. Todd Temeyer, Independence; 7. Travis Brown, Cedar Rapids.

Second heat – 1. Tony Olson, Cedar Rapids; 2. Brett Root, Vinton; 3. Brian Kunkle, Oelwein; 4. Alan Wessels, Strawberry Point; 5. Mary Handberg, Waterloo; 6. Josh Sherbon, Cedar Falls; 7. Kyle Bentley, Fairbank.

Feature – 1. Kunkle; 2. Docekal; 3. Olson; 4. Buhlman; 5. Ebaugh; 6. Cox; 7. Rouse; 8. Temeyer; 9. Wessels; 10. Sherbon; 11. Bentley; 12. Handberg; 13. Brown; 14. Root.