Martin, Meyer motor to Memorial Day Indee Open wins at Independence Motor Speedway
By Ryan Clark

INDEPENDENCE, Ia (May 29, 2006) – A trio of drivers who have made numerous trips to the winner’s circle added to their lists of accomplishments during Indee Open Series action at Independence Motor Speedway.

In the late model division, former Indee Open Series champion Curt Martin piloted his way to victory in the 40-lap main event. Martin, who leads all drivers with seven career wins in the series, drew an inside second row starting position. He chased front row starters Rick Dralle and Dean Wagner at the drop of the green.

Martin edged past Wagner on the fourth circuit, then made his bid for the lead just two laps later. Shortly after the lead change, the race was slowed for caution on lap seven.

Following the restart, Jeremiah Hurst applied pressure to the race leader, but mechanical problems sidelined him on lap 12. As Martin entered lapped traffic on the 14th circuit, Tyler Bruening was working his way through the field.

Bruening, who was running fifth just prior to Hurst’s departure, settled into the runner-up spot as Martin entered the backmarkers. The race was slowed one final time on lap 16.

On the restart, Martin again pulled away from the pack and led the remainder of the event to score the impressive win, lapping everyone outside the top seven. Bruening scored his career-best series finish by taking runner-up honors. Gary Webb raced through traffic to take home third.

Former late model champion Layne Meyer returned to the 3/8-mile oval in a big way as he topped the 24-car field in the modified feature. Front row starter Meyer held his poise and the lead through a handful of cautions over the first six laps of the 25-lapper.

Jeff Morris ran a solid second, but was never able to mount a serious challenge as Meyer drove to the impressive victory. Former series champion Kevin Pittman rounded out the top three.

In stock car action, Brian Irvine picked up another victory in the 20-lap main event. Irvine assumed command at the drop of the green and led the caution-free event until the checkers waved. Jarod Weepie and Dan Trimble completed the top three.



RESULTS

LATE MODEL

First heat – 1. 9 Bobby Hansen, Center Point; 2. 16 Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 3. 78 Dale Stolte, Springville; 4. 5W Scott Welsh, Marion; 5. 4 Leon Thomsen, Waverly; 6. 33 Kevin Kirkpatrick, Waterloo; 7. 69B Joel Brasch, Dunkerton; 8. 89 Tom Pestka, Robins.

Second heat – 1. 56W Gary Webb, Blue Grass; 2. 45 Curt Martin, Independence; 3. 06 Dean Wagner, Evansdale; 4. 41J Jeremiah Hurst, Dubuque; 5. 78W Rick Wendling, Hazleton; 6. 14B Levi Benn, Dyersville; 7. 15G Cam Granger, West Union; 8. 32 Greg Hunter, Independence.

Third heat – 1. 86 Rick Dralle, Waterloo; 2. 2P Jon Passick, Waterloo; 3. 145 Dale Hackwell Jr., Washburn; 4. 8 Randy Wheeler, Cedar Falls; 5. 29 Wayde Russell, Dunkerton; 6. 25X Nate Hartzell, Cedar Falls; 7. 06J Jill George, Cedar Falls.

Feature – 1. Martin; 2. Bruening; 3. Webb; 4. Hackwell; 5. Wagner; 6. Stolte; 7. Granger; 8. Passick; 9. Brasch; 10. Russell; 11. Wheeler; 12. George; 13. Thomsen; 14. Dralle; 15. Hansen; 16. Wendling; 17. Pestka; 18. Hartzell; 19. Benn; 20. Hunter; 21. Kirkpatrick; 22. Hurst; 23. Welsh.



MODIFIED
First heat – 1. 1R Ryan York, Racine, Minn.; 2. 26P Kevin Pittman, Waterloo; 3. 9L Tim Current, Dubuque; 4. 30 Mark Massey, Worthington; 5. 2 Joey Schaefer, Waterloo; 6. 66 Dan Bohr, Decorah; 7. 40 Brett Root, Vinton.

Second heat – 1. 21 Layne Meyer, West Union; 2. 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo; 3. 41 Dennis Dugan, Colesburg; 4. 37X Mike Weidemann, Dubuque; 5. 14B Shane Burbridge, Manchester; 6. 7H Dan Kohls, Waterloo; 7. 57H Richard Hinz, Cedar Falls.

Third heat – 1. 27M Mark Schulte, Delhi; 2. 01 Ed Thomas, Waterloo; 3. 41P Keith Pittman, Waterloo; 4. 24R Adam Johnson, Independence; 5. 13 Zac Boehmer, Waterloo; 6. 11B Mike Burbridge, Delhi; 7. 20 John Fellman, Blue Grass.

Fourth heat – 1. 7 Jeff Morris, Long Grove; 2. 19 Kelly Pestka, Manchester; 3. 71 Troy Cordes, Raymond; 4. 93 Craig Haupt, Sumner; 5. 94 Terry Johnson, Waterloo; 6. 99M Tim Murty, Tama; 7. 01K Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup.

B feature – 1. Joey Schaefer; 2. Bohr; 3. M. Burbridge; 4. Root; 5. Fellman; 6. Kohls; 7. Jim Schaefer; 8. Lauritzen; 9. Hinz; 10. S. Burbridge; 11. T. Johnson; 12. Murty.

A feature – 1. Meyer; 2. Morris; 3. Kevin Pittman; 4. Dugan; 5. Schulte; 6. M. Burbridge; 7. A. Johnson; 8. Kohls; 9. York; 10. Haupt; 11. Keith Pittman; 12. Current; 13. Root; 14. Zac Boehmer; 15. Thomas; 16. Dripps; 17. Massey; 18. Fellman; 19. Weidemann; 20. Cordes; 21. Bohr; 22. Pestka; 23. Joey Schaefer; 24. Lauritzen.



STOCK CAR

First heat – 1. 26 Brian Irvine, Oelwein; 2. 56T Justin Temeyer, Independence; 3. 22 Cory Bauer, Monticello; 4. 20 Dan Trimble, Fairbank; 5. 27P Shawn Peter, Mabel, Minn.; 6. 17 Chad Halverson, Decorah; 7. JR3 Jason Hocken, Independence; 8. 7G Jason Goedken, Fairbank.

Second heat – 1. 3 Jarod Weepie, Dunkerton; 2. 28X Chip Kohl, Marion; 3. 17X Jason Niedert, Fairbank; 4. 10H Tom Hund, Fountain City, Wis.; 5. 11R Roger Samec, New Hartford; 6. 117 Scott Grady, Cedar Rapids; DNS K38 Kenny Taylor, Strawberry Point.

Feature – 1. Irvine; 2. Weepie; 3. Trimble; 4. Peter; 5. Temeyer; 6. Hund; 7. Kohl; 8. Halverson; 9. Bauer; 10. Niedert; 11. Hocken; 12. Grady; 13. Samec; 14. Taylor; 15 Goedken.