Auringer, Dralle return to victory lane at Independence Motor Speedway

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (May 18) – A pair of drivers familiar with the winner’s circle made long-awaited return visits to victory lane Saturday during Armed Forces Night at Independence Motor Speedway.

IMCA Modified driver J.D. Auringer picked up his first win at the speedway in nearly six years while Rick Dralle topped his first IMCA Late Model feature since 2010.

Pole-sitter Mike Burbridge led the 20-lap Modified main to green while Troy Cordes worked the high side into contention. Cordes swept past the leader on the second circuit, then quickly distanced himself from the pack while Auringer raced through traffic on the bottom side of the fast, smooth 3/8-mile oval.

Following a lap four caution, Auringer powered beneath Burbridge and Jeff Kriz to take over the second spot, only to find himself nearly a straightaway behind Cordes. He quickly started to cut into that deficit before caution bunched the field on lap eight.

On the restart, Auringer worked the low side while Cordes continued to run the high groove. The leaders ran in side-by-side formation before Auringer broke free a handful of laps later. He went on to score the win, his first at the speedway since August 11, 2007.

Rick Dralle powered into the lead in the early going of the 25-lap Late Model feature. Dralle built over a straightaway lead by the time the caution flag waved on lap six.

When racing resumed, Jon Passick kept pace with Dralle at the front of the pack while Tyler Bruening was making his way through traffic from a sixth row starting spot. Dralle maintained the point as Bruening slid beneath Passick for second with six laps to go.

Bruening quickly cut into Dralle’s straightaway lead and reeled in the leader in the waning moments. Bruening made numerous attempts to pass for the lead on the low side, however Dralle held on to lead the event in its entirety to take the thrilling win by a few feet. It was Dralle’s first triumph since July 3, 2010.

Sam Wieben became the 19th different IMCA Northern SportMod winner in track history. From his pole position start, Wieben raced into a big lead ahead of Brennen Chipp and Alex Zwanziger.

The top three remained unchanged when caution slowed action with four laps to go in the 15-lapper. On the restart, Chipp challenged down low with Zwanziger up high. Wieben proved to be too fast out front as he sailed to his first win in Independence and the second of his career.

John Emerson continued his winning ways in the IMCA Stock Car division. From a third row start, Emerson rocketed to the low side of the speedway and raced into second place on the first lap. He powered past Tim Helle one lap later to make his way into the lead.

Emerson pulled away to score his third straight win and remain undefeated on the season. With the win, Emerson became the first Stock Car driver since Dan Trimble in 2000 to win the first three features of the season.

Justin Wacha led the early stages of the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature. Wacha paced the field until Nathan Ballard raced his way into contention from a fourth row start. Ballard made his way to the front on lap four with Chris Luloff and Benji Irvine in tow.

Ballard held the point for five circuits until Luloff made his way into the top spot just past the midway point. When the leaders exchanged paint at the front of the pack, Irvine took advantage and made his way around that battle to assume command on lap 11. Irvine led the remainder of the event to take his second win of the season.

Adam Gates took the lead on the first lap, then drove away to the convincing win in the 12-lap IMCA Sport Compact feature. He took his second win of the season by a straightaway ahead of Brad Chandler.

Two nights of action highlight Memorial Day weekend at the speedway. Friday, May 24 will be the first-ever visit of the Brockway Mechanical & Roofing Sprint Invaders series, which headlines the Open Wheel Shootout. Unsanctioned Modifieds and SportMods will also compete.  Weekly racing returns the following night, Saturday, May 25.

For event details and the latest information, visit the track web site, www.independencemotorspeedway.com.

RESULTS

IMCA LATE MODEL
Feature – 1. 1 Rick Dralle (Waterloo); 2. 16 Tyler Bruening (Decorah); 3. 77A Jeff Aikey (Cedar Falls); 4. 73 Greg Kastli (Waterloo); 5. 98 Travis Smock (Independence); 6. 2P Jon Passick (Waterloo); 7. 38S Dain Sires (Cedar Falls); 8. 45 Curt Martin (Independence); 9. 60 Dean Wagner (Evansdale); 10. 145 Dale Hackwell Jr. (Washburn); 11. 53 Darren Ackerman (Readlyn); 12. 88 Drew Johnson (Belle Plaine); 13. 2 Rory Metcalf (West Union); 14. 21B Joel Brasch (Dunkerton); 15. 9 Bobby Hansen (Center Point); 16. 35 Curran Beckler (Tiffin); 17. 89 Tom Pestka (Maquoketa); 18. 4 Leon Thomsen (Waverly); 19. 83 Russell Hesse (Waterloo); 20. 21M Luke Merfeld (Dubuque); 21. 99 Luke Pestka (Robins); 22. 77 Dirk Hamilton (Kesup); 23. 19 Kelly PEstka (Preston); 24. 7 Greg Hunter (Independence); 25. 54 Wayne Hesse (Waterloo); 26. 68 Tysus Pattee (Vinton).
First heat – 1. Dralle; 2. Smock; 3. Bruening; 4. Sires; 5. Brasch; 6. Hackwell; 7. Passick; 8. Wagner; 9. T. Pestka.
Second heat – 1. L. Pestka; 2. Passick; 3. Aikey; 4. Kastli; 5. K. Pestka; 6. R. Hesse; 7. Pattee; 8. Hunter; 9. Merfeld.
Third heat – 1. Hamilton; 2. Martin; 3. Johnson; 4. W. Hesse; 5. Ackerman; 6. Hansen; 7. Thomsen; 8. Beckler.

IMCA MODIFIED
Feature – 1. 00J J.D. Auringer (Waterloo); 2. 71 Troy Cordes (Dunkerton); 3. 26P Kevin Pittman (Waterloo); 4. 92 Tyler Droste (Waterloo); 5. 24R Adam Johnson (Independence); 6. 33D Scott Hogan (Vinton); 7. 10K Ronn Lauritzen (Jesup); 8. 11B Mike Burbridge (Delhi); 9. 98 Jason Snyder (Dunkerton); 10. 12D Joe Docekal (Dysart); 11. 01 Ed Thomas (Waterloo); 12. 93K Jeff Kriz (Waterloo); 13. 27M Mark Schulte (Delhi); 14. 23 J.J. Scott (Iowa City); 15. F7 Patrick Flannagan (Cedar Rapids); 16. 32 Chris Snyder (Raymond); 17. 5 Jason Morehouse (Evansdale); 18. 57B Dennis Betzer (Central City); 19. 19D Darin Duffy (Urbana); 20. 49 Mike Manson (Manchester); 21. 64 Vern Jackson (Waterloo); 22. 91 Shawn Ryan (Waterloo); 23. 12J Justin O’Brien (West Union); 24. 41P Keith Pittman (Waterloo).
First heat – 1. Cordes; 2. Auringer; 3. Kriz; 4. J. Snyder; 5. Jackson; 6. Duffy; 7. Hogan; 8. Morehouse.
Second heat – 1. Burbridge; 2. Kevin Pittman; 3. Droste; 4. Lauritzen; 5. O’Brien; 6. Johnson; 7. C. Snyder; 8. Betzer.
Third heat – 1. Ryan; 2. Thomas; 3. Keith Pittman; 4. Flannagan; 5. Docekal; 6. Manson; 7. Schulte; DNS Scott.

IMCA STOCK CAR
Feature – 1. 87 John Emerson (Waterloo); 2. 8R Sean Johnson (Independence); 3. 15 Norman Chesmore (Rowley); 4. 3 Jarod Weepie (Dunkerton); 5. 3 11 Jesse Brown (Nashua); 6. 15T Tim Helle (Garnavillo); 7. K38 Ken Taylor (Strawberry Point); 8. 11J Jerome Jacoby (Waterloo); 9. 12 Cole Mather (Fairbank); 10. 9 Austin Evens (Independence); 11. 18 Tom Schmitt (Independence).
Heat: 1. Johnson; 2. Chesmore; 3. Helle; 4. Emerson; 5. Weepie; 6. Schmitt; 7. Taylor; 8. Brown; 9. Mather; 10. Evens; 11. Jacoby.

IMCA NORTHERN SPORTMOD
Feature – 1. 198 Sam Wieben (Dysart); 2. 21 Brennen Chipp (Waterloo); 3. S16 Kip Siems (Cedar Falls); 4. 32Z Alex Zwanziger (Nashua); 5. 14 Shane Ebaugh (Evansdale); 6. 3R Danny Dvorak (Vinton); 7. 21K Lee Kinsella (Peosta); 8. 96 Lucas Lundry (Maynard); 9. 29 Sean Vogt (Watkins); 10. 20T Scott Thomas (Waterloo); 11. 4 Ryan Maitland (Waterloo); 12. 22H Curt Hilmer (Dysart); 13. 63 Matt McCahen (Waterloo); 14. 23 Synjun Bauer (Prairie du Chien, Wis.); 15. 7 Dave Fangman (Marion); 16. 00 Jim Buhlman (Cedar Falls); 17. 11 Al Sweerin (Waterloo); 18. 7D Dakoda Sellers (Vinton); 19. 50H Steve Wimer (Toddville); 20. 21J Joe Harken (Waterloo); 21. 115 Bob Ebaugh (Raymond); 22. 114 Mike Nielsen (Evansdale).
First heat – 1. Wieben; 2. Kinsella; 3. Zwanziger; 4. Dvorak; 5. Thomas; 6. Sellers; 7. Scott; 8. Harken.
Second heat – 1. Chipp; 2. Hilmer; 3. Lundry; 4. Buhlman; 5. Wimer; 6. Fangman; 7. Nielsen.
Third heat – 1. Siems; 2. Maitland; 3. McCahen; 4. S. Ebaugh; 5. Sweerin; 6. Vogt; 7. B. Ebaugh.

IMCA HOBBY STOCK
Feature – 1. 79 Benji Irvine (Cedar Falls); 2. 29 Nathan Ballard (Marengo); 3. 18 Chris Luloff (Independence); 4. 67 Justin Stander (Vinton); 5. 45 Justin Wacha (Vinton); 6. 7B Jim Ball (Independence); 7. 14G Curt Graham (Tiffin); 8. 25 Jamie Whitaker (Oelwein); 9. 73 Quinton Miller (Independence); 10. 35B Shawn Kuennen (Hazleton); 11. 166 Justin Liuchty (Waterloo); 12. 58B Randy Byerly (Tipton); 13. 95 Matt Lundry (Oelwein); 14. 10MW Mike Wilson (Jesup); 15. 126 Nathan Christie (Waterloo); 16. 35 Brett Vanous (Quasqueton); 17. 55 Vince Buchholz (Waterloo); 18. T64 Jeremiah Wilson (Waterloo).
First heat – 1. Irvine; 2. Ballard; 3. Wacha; 4. Ball; 5. M. Wilson; 6. J. Wilson; 7. Lundry; 8. Stander; 9. Christie.
Second heat – 1. Kuennen; 2. Miller; 3. Whitaker; 4. Luloff; 5. Vanous; 6. Lichty; 7. Graham; 8. Buchholz; 9. Byerly.

IMCA SPORT COMPACT
Feature – 1. 007 Adam Gates (Marion); 2. 2C Brad Chandler (Cedar Rapids); 3. 2 Merv Chandler (Urbana); 4. 83 Travis Ross (Waterloo); 5. 111 A.J. Witten (Cedar Rapids); 6. 1D Dakota Schroyer (West Union); 7. 78 Jeffrey Vislisel (Springville); 8. 2K Derek Ihde (Fayette).
Heat – 1. Gates; 2. M. Chandler; 3. B. Chandler; 4. Ross; 5. Vislisel; 6. Ihde; 7. Schroyer; 8. Witten.

Category: Independence, Iowa