Chipp, Johnson sweep championship night at Independence Motor Speedway

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (Aug. 24) – Six season champions and six track champions were crowned during Budweiser Season Championships Saturday at Independence Motor Speedway. Three of those drivers celebrated track titles by making their way to victory lane during the final night of weekly points racing for the 2013 season.

Less than three months ago, Brennen Chipp earned his first Independence win in the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod division. Just 12 weeks following that win, he was celebrating his fifth win of the year and the first track championship of his career.

From his front row starting spot, Chipp took command with Alex Zwanzinger in pursuit. Chipp paced the field through a handful of cautions while Kip Siems and Joel Rust worked through traffic.

Siems reeled in the leader on the 17th of 20 laps, then pulled to the inside of Chipp when the front-runners encountered lapped traffic in turns one and two. Contact while the leaders battled through traffic sent Siems into a spin, ending his run.

When racing resumed, Rust, who started 22nd, restarted on Chipp’s rear bumper. Rust was unable to challenge over the final three laps as Chipp led the event in its entirety to score the win and earn the track title by five points over Zwanziger.

Points leader Sean Johnson took the lead at the drop of the green and was never seriously challenged in the 23-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Johnson sailed to the win, his third of the season, and his third straight track title in the division.

Merv Chandler rounded out the list of drivers who wrapped up track titles with feature wins. Chandler, who started on the pole of the 12-lap Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature, worked past A.J. Witten on the second lap to cruise to the win, his fourth of the year.

After chasing points leader and pole sitter Tyler Bruening for one lap, Darren Ackerman shot past the leader on the second circuit to dominate the 30-lap IMCA Late Model headliner. Ackerman led the remainder of the event to take his second win of the year. Bruening, who finished fifth, locked up his third Late Model track title in the last four seasons.

Ronn Lauritzen, Mark Schulte and Tyler Droste waged an incredible battle for the lead in the 25-lap Performance Bodies IMCA Modified feature. Lauritzen, who led early, was challenged by Schulte and Droste following a mid-race restart.

The leaders ran in three-wide formation throughout the middle stages before Lauritzen broke free for his fifth win of the year. Droste crossed the line in second to wrap up the first Modified title of his career.

When points leader Benji Irvine left early with engine problems, Chris Luloff pulled away from the field in the 20-lap IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature. Luloff extended his advantage to over a straightaway margin while Quinton Miller settled into second on lap seven.

Miller chased down the leader in lapped traffic and was briefly able to take the lead as the flying green waved, however Luloff sliced and diced his way through traffic to drive to his seventh win of the year. By virtue of taking the green flag in the event, Irvine earned his first career track title.

Although weekly racing has concluded at the speedway, one event remains on the 2013 schedule. The Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models will be making its second appearance of the season on Friday, September 20. Stock Cars will also be in competition that evening in a $2,000-to-win event. Details will be available at www.independencemotorspeedway.com.

RESULTS
IMCA LATE MODEL
Feature – 1. 53 Darren Ackerman, Readlyn; 2. 73 Greg Kastli, Waterloo; 3. 77A Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls; 4. 99 Luke Pestka, Robins; 5. 16 Tyler Bruening, Decorash; 6. 88 Drew Johnson, Belle Plaine; 7. 9 Bobby Hansen, Center Point; 8. 77 Dirk Hamilton, Jesup; 9. 1 Rick Dralle, Waterloo; 10. 35 Curran Beckler, Tiffin; 11. 21B Joel Brasch, Dunkerton; 12. 25 Kenny Pint, Independence; 13. 2 Rory Metcalf, West Union; 14. 98X Jason Rauen, Farley; 15. 145 Dale Hackwell Jr., Washburn; 16. 45 Curt Martin, Independence; 17. 54 Wayne Hesse, Waterloo; 18. 2P Jon Passick, Waterloo; 19. 60 Dean Wagner, Evansdale; 20. 14 Tracey RIgel, Waterloo.

IMCA MODIFIED
Feature – 1. 10K Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup; 2. 92 Tyler Droste, Waterloo; 3. 27M Mark Schulte, Delhi; 4. 00J J.D. Auringer, Waterloo; 5. F7 Patrick Flannagan, Cedar Rapids; 6. 24R Adam Johnson, Independence; 7. 01 Ed Thomas, Waterloo; 8. 64 Vern Jackson, Waterloo; 9. 41P Keith Pittman, Waterloo; 10. 77 Tim McBride, Denver; 11. 11 Timm Jensen, Dunkerton; 12. 5 Jason Morehouse, Evansdale; 13. 10 Kaleb Bentley, Fairbank; 14. 93K Jeff Kriz, Waterloo; 15. 98 Jason Snyder, Dunkerton; 16. 91 Shawn Ryan, Waterloo; 17. 49 Mike Manson, Manchester; 18. 71 Troy Cordes, Dunkerton; 19. 17 Justin Buehler, Oelwein; DNS 9M Ben Metcalf, Evansdale.

IMCA STOCK CAR
Feature – 1. 8R Sean Johnson, Independence; 2. 11 Jesse Brown, Nashua; 3. 7H Phil Holtz, Manchester; 4. 4JR Russell Damme Jr., Waterloo; 5. 17 Jason Niedert, Winthrop; 6. 22K Kevin Rose, Waterloo; 7. 81 K.C. Ansel, Dubuque; 8. 3 Jarod Weepie, Dunkerton; 9. JR3 Jason Hocken, Independence; 10. 11J Jerome Jacoby, Waterloo; 11. 87X Travis Shipman, Mason City; 12. 15 Norman Chesmore, Rowley; 13. 87 John Emerson, Waterloo.

IMCA NORTHERN SPORTMOD
Feature – 1. 21 Brennen Chipp, Waterloo; 2. 26J Joel Rust, Grundy Center; 3. 32Z Alex Zwanziger, Nashua; 4. 63 Matt McCahen, Waterloo; 5. 22H Curt Hilmer, Dysart; 6. 14 Shane Ebaugh, Evansdale; 7. 21J Joe Harken, Waterloo; 8. J2 Dave Schulze, Keystone; 9. 20T Scott Thomas, Waterloo; 10. S16 Kip Siems, Cedar Falls; 11. 4 Ryan Maitland, Waterloo; 12. 45 Jonny Williams, Walker; 13. 3R Danny Dvorak, Vinton; 14. 93 Josh Burrell, Dysart; 15. 50H Steve Wimer, Toddville; 16. 35 Kyle Bentley, Independence; 17. 23 Synjun Bauer, Prairie du Chien, Wis.; 18. 39 Brian Hilbert, Independence; 19. 86U Rod McDonald, Manchester; 20. 00 Jim Buhlman, Cedar Falls; 21. 339 Kevin Hurst, Janesville; 22. 14A T.J. Hampton, Waterloo; 23. 114 Mike Nielsen, Evansdale; 24. 96 Lucas Lundry, Maynard; 25. 7 Dave Fangman, Marion.

IMCA HOBBY STOCK
Feature – 1. 18 Chris Luloff, Independence; 2. 73 Quinton Miller, Independence; 3. 25 Jamie Whitaker, Oelwein; 4. 95 Matt Lundry, Oelwein; 5. 45 Justin Wacha, Vinton; 6. 64 Jerome Wilson, Waterloo; 7. 20B Matt Burmeister, Dunkerton; 8. 58B Randy Byerly, Tipton; 9. 35B Shawn Kuennen, Hazleton; 10. 10MW Mike Wilson, Jesup; 11. T64 Jeremiah Wilson, Waterloo; 12. 8 Dave Wheeler, Fairbank; 13. 47 Brayton Boyer, St. Lucas; 14. 31 David Balik, Fort Atkinson; 15. 55 Vince Buchholz, Waterloo; 16. 23 Justin Hanson, Hawkeye; 17. 2 Nick Welch, Cedar Falls; 18. 79 Benji Irvine, Cedar Falls; 19. 7B Jim Ball, Independence; 20. 18X Dru Kueker, West Union; DNS 82 Billy Rhoades, Maynard.

IMCA SPORT COMPACT
Feature – 1. 2 Merv Chandler, Urbana; 2. 111 A.J. Witten, Cedar Rapids; 3. 83 Travis Ross, Waterloo; 4. 8R Jeff Dvorak, Des Moines; 5. 26H Jim Hoth, Elkader.

Category: Independence, Iowa