Irvine collects IMCA Stock Car checkers at Independence Motor Speedway

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (May 24) – Brian Irvine took the lead on the sixth of 18 laps, then pulled away to a dominant win in the Saturday Showcase for IMCA Stock Cars at Independence Motor Speedway.

In the first of four installments this season, the Saturday Showcase offers increased prize money once a month to one featured division. It was Irvine’s first win in Independence since May of 2010.

Irvine, who started inside row five, raced through traffic and entered a four-car breakaway at the front of the pack with Jarod Weepie, Norman Chesmore and Justin Temeyer. He slipped past Weepie to steal the lead a couple laps before a pair of mid-race cautions.

Following the final restart on lap nine, Irvine pulled away from the field to win in convincing fashion and earn the $500 payday. Weepie ran second ahead of Temeyer.

Mike Burbridge held the early lead in the 20-lap Performance Bodies IMCA Modified feature. Burbridge ran the low groove of the fast, smooth oval while J.D. Auringer worked into contention from a fourth row starting spot.

Auringer cut into Burbridge’s lead and took control on lap 11 while Troy Cordes, Tyler Droste and Scott Hogan raced their way through traffic. Cordes made his way into the runner-up spot shortly after Auringer took the lead and Hogan followed him into the top three just prior to a lap 16 caution.

On the restart, Hogan went to work on the top side and pulled even with Auringer a short time later. The two ran in side-by-side formation until Hogan surged ahead as the white flag waved.

Hogan led the remainder of the event to score the victory and extend his points lead. Cordes finished second and Auringer was third.

Darren Ackerman took the lead on the second lap and then pulled away to the convincing win in the 25-lap IMCA Late Model feature. Ackerman masterfully worked through lapped traffic to take the victory a comfortable margin ahead of Tyler Bruening. Dean Wagner ran third.

Jenae Gustin earned her third win in the last four weeks in the IMCA Northern SportMod division. From her eighth row starting spot, Gustin quickly worked through the pack and settled into second by the time the caution flag waved on lap six.

Gustin took the lead two laps after racing resumed to score the impressive win ahead of Rod McDonald and Danny Dvorak.

Shawn Kuennen earned the first win of his career in the IMCA Hobby Stock division. Kuennen took charge on the second lap, then held off a hard-charging Benji Irvine in lapped traffic to score the win by half of a car-length. Chad Albert ran third.

RESULTS IMCA LATE MODEL Feature – 1. 53 Darren Ackerman, Readlyn; 2. 16 Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 3. 60 Dean Wagner, Evansdale; 4. 73 Greg Kastli, Waterloo; 5. 31 Tyler Droste, Waterloo; 6. 77 Dirk Hamilton, Jesup; 7. 9 Bobby Hansen, Center Point; 8. 51 Ryan Dolan, Lisbon; 9. 145 Dale Hackwell Jr., Washburn; 10. 70 Jerry King, Waterloo; 11. 32 Chris Snyder, Raymond; 12. 2P Jon Passick, Waterloo; 13. 45 Curt Martin, Independence; 14. 87 John Emerson, Waterloo; 15. 83 Russell Hesse, Waterloo; 16. 4 Leon Thomsen, Waverly; 17. 54 Wayne Hesse, Waterloo; 18. 8R Sean Johnson, Independence; 19. 21B Joel Brasch, Dunkerton; 20. 12 Ron Klein, Sherrill; 21. 88 Drew Johnson, Belle Plaine; 22. 23 Jeramia Boynton, La Porte City; DQ 11 Lyle Klein, Sherrill. Heat winners – Ackerman, Hamilton, S. Johnson.

IMCA MODIFIED Feature – 1. 33D Scott Hogan, Vinton; 2. 71 Troy Cordes, Dunkerton; 3. 00J J.D. Auringer; 4. 92 Tyler Droste, Waterloo; 5. 10K Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup; 6. 11B Mike Burbridge, Delhi; 7. 26J Joel Rust, Grundy Center; 8. 24R Adam Johnson, Independence; 9. 64 Vern Jackson, Waterloo; 10. 57B Dennis Betzer, Central City; 11. 27M Mark Schulte, Delhi; 12. 93K Jeff Kriz, Waterloo; 13. 75 Josh Sherbon, Cedar Falls; 14. 41P Keith Pittman, Waterloo; 15. 10 Kaleb Bentley, Fairbank; 16. 5 Jason Morehouse, Evansdale; 17. 415 Josh Barta, Cedar Falls; 18. 21 Brennen Chipp, Waterloo; 19. 17 Justin Buehler, Oelwein; 20. 01 Ed Thomas, Waterloo; DQ F7 Patrick Flannagan, Cedar Rapids. Heat winners – Johnson, Cordes, Droste.

IMCA STOCK CAR Feature – 1. 26 Brian Irvine, Oelwein; 2. 3 Jarod Weepie, Dunkerton; 3. 56T Justin Temeyer, Independence; 4. 7H Phil Holtz, Manchester; 5. 31S Paul Shepherd, Marengo; 6. 67 Justin Stander, Shellsburg; 7. 22K Kevin Rose, Waterloo; 8. 11 Jesse Brown, Nashua; 9. JR3 Jason Hocken, Independence; 10. 6X Bob Ahrendsen, Cedar Rapids; 11. 23 Justin Hanson, Waterloo; 12. 11J Jerome Jacoby, Waterloo; 13. 15 Norman Chesmore, Rowley; 14. 15T Tim Helle, Garnavillo; 15. 87 John Emerson, Waterloo; 16. 17 Jason Niedert, Evansdale; 17. K38 Ken Taylor, Strawberry Point; 18/DNS. 4JR Russell Damme Jr., Waterloo; 19/DNS. 38 Matt Brown, Marion. Heat winners – 1. Irvine, Hocken.

IMCA NORTHERN SPORTMOD Feature – 1. 19J Jenae Gustin, Marshalltown; 2. 86U Rod McDonald, Manchester; 3. 3R Danny Dvorak, Vinton; 4. 339 Kevin Hurst, Janesville; 5. 6 Jim Aschenbrenner, Aplington; 6. 7D Dakoda Sellers, Vinton; 7. 32Z Alex Zwanziger, Nashua; 8. 35 Kyle Bentley, Independence; 9. 36 Jacob Salisbury, Dunkerton; 10. 21J Joe Harken, Waterloo; 11. 4 Ryan Maitland, Waterloo; 12 24R Kevin Robinson, Dewar; 13. 50H Steve Wimer, Toddville; 14. 96 Lucas Lundry, Maynard; 15. 39 Brian Hilbert, Independence; 16. 15N Ross Neal, Marion; 17. J2 Dave Schulze, Keystone; 18. 63 Matt McCahen, Waterloo; 19. 00 Jim Buhlman, Cedar Falls; 20. S16 Kip Siems, Cedar Falls; DQ 49 Brandon Smith, Quasqueton. Heat winners – 1. Salisbury, Dvorak, Lundry.

IMCA HOBBY STOCK Feature – 1. 35B Shawn Kuennen, Hazleton; 2. 79 Benji Irvine, Stanley; 3. 23 Chad Albert, Cedar Rapids; 4. 83W Matt White, Nashua; 5. 45 Justin Wacha, Vinton; 6. 5 Marcus Wayne, Independence; 7. 58B Randy Byerly, Tipton; 8. 18X Dru Kueker, West Union; 9. 20B Matt Burmeister, Dunkerton; 10. 47 Brayton Boyer, St. Lucas; 11. 442 Neil Franzen, Sumner; 12. 25 Jamie Whitaker, Oelwein; 13. 357 Brett Vanous, Quasqueton; 14. 46 Brian Happel, Vinton; 15. 95 Matt Lundry, Oelwein; 16. 7B Jim Ball, Independence; DQ T64 Jeremiah Wilson, Waterloo. Heat winners – 1. Kuennen, Albert.

Category: Independence, Iowa