Pippert takes IMCA Stock Car Saturday Showcase checkers at Independence

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (Aug. 9) – Scott Pippert hasn’t raced at Independence Motor Speedway much this season, but he made his fourth appearance of the year pay off Saturday night.

Pippert topped a field of 17 entries to earn $500 in the Saturday Showcase for the IMCA Stock Car division.

Outside front row starter Kevin Rose held the lead at the drop of the green in the 18-lapper. He pulled away from traffic while Pippert, who started eighth, worked through the pack. Pippert sat in third behind Rose and Roger Ciesielski when the caution flag waved on lap four.

When racing resumed, Pippert quickly made his way into second and promptly challenged Rose for the lead. The lead pair ran side-by side for numerous laps before Pippert inched ahead on the 11th circuit.

Rose worked back into contention and pulled alongside the leader following a lap 15 restart. Although Rose held the lead at the line as the white flag waved, Pippert powered back to the front to score his first Independence win in a Stock Car.

Troy Cordes has led only two laps in IMCA Modified feature action each of the last two weeks, but he’s made it a habit of finding the lead at just the right time.

For the second straight week, Cordes used a last lap pass to steal victory and extend his points lead.

Vern Jackson took the lead from Brennen Chipp on lap four of the 20-lapper while Cordes worked high and low from a sixth row starting spot.

Cordes made his way into the top three at the midway point while Jackson enjoyed a sizable advantage over Ronn Lauritzen. That all changed when the caution flag waved with six laps to go.

On the restart, Cordes and Lauritzen slipped past Jackson with Lauritzen assuming command at the stripe to lead lap 15.

Cordes remained committed to the top groove and pulled even with Lauritzen in the final circuit. He surged ahead at the line to take his second straight win, his third victory in the last four weeks and fourth win in the last six weeks.

Jenae Gustin also made a return trip to victory lane. The IMCA Northern SportMod driver raced to her seventh win of the season following a late-race pass on Lucas Lundry.

Lundry led at the drop of the green and, despite a pair of stoppages, was able to build a big lead during each green flag run.

Gustin, who started eighth, realigned in the runner-up spot for the final restart with eight of 15 laps scored complete. She worked the low side of the speedway and drew even with Lundry a couple of times before taking control as the flying green waved en route to victory.

Three-wide racing at the front IMCA Hobby stock feature kept fans entertained throughout that 15-lapper. Six drivers engaged in door-to-door action at the front of the pack, all within striking distance of the lead.

After the front six cars went three-wide, two rows deep for a couple of laps, Justin Wacha broke free to assume command. Brian Happel reeled in the leader and took control before the caution flag waved on the final lap, setting up a green, white, checkered finish.

On the restart, Happel held the point while points leader Benji Irvine pressured. The lead pair ran in close formation until contact from Irvine on the final lap got Happel sideways exiting turn four.

Irvine crossed the line first and Happel was able to regroup for second, however Irvine was disqualified for questionable driving. Happel was declared the winner, his first victory this season at the speedway.

John Emerson drove to victory in the 25-lap IMCA Late Model feature. He raced past Rory Metcalf to assume command just prior to a lap 10 caution.

On the restart, Emerson drove away from the pack to score the convincing victory, his third of the year.

RESULTS IMCA LATE MODEL Feature – 1. 87 John Emerson, Waterloo; 2. 2P Jon Passick, Waterloo; 3. 60 Dean Wagner, Evansdale; 4. 1H Brian Hunter, Independence; 5. 53 Darren Ackerman, Readlyn; 6. 45 Curt Martin, Independence; 7. 99 Luke Pestka, Robins; 8. 2 Rory Metcalf, West Union; 9. 19G Richie Gustin, Gilman; 10. 70 Jerry King, Waterloo; 11. 73 Greg Kastli, Waterloo; 12. 9 Bobby Hansen, Center Point; 13. 77 Dirk Hamilton, Jesup; 14. 31 Tyler Droste, Waterloo; 15. 88 Drew Johnson, Belle Plaine; 16. 5W Scott Welsh, Cedar Rapids; 17. 4 Leon Thomsen, Waverly; 18. 21B Joel Brasch, Dunkerton; 19. 8R Sean Johnson, Independence; 20. 78 Rick Wendling, Hazleton. First heat – 1. S. Johnson; 2. Metcalf; 3. Pestka; 4. Wagner; 5. Hunter; 6. Hansen; DNS Thomsen. Second heat – 1. D. Johnson; 2. Ackerman; 3. Kastli; 4. Gustin; 5. King; 6. Droste; 7. Welsh. Third heat – 1. Hamilton; 2. Passick; 3. Emerson; 4. Martin; 5. Wendling; 6. Brasch.

IMCA MODIFIED Feature – 1. 71 Troy Cordes, Dunkerton; 2. 10K Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup; 3. 64 Vern Jackson, Waterloo; 4. 92 Tyler Droste, Waterloo; 5. 10 Kaleb Bentley, Fairbank; 6. 75 Josh Sherbon, Cedar Falls; 7. 33D Scott Hogan, Vinton; 8. F7 Patrick Flannagan, Cedar Rapids; 9. 00J J. D. Auringer, Waterloo; 10. 01 Ed Thomas, Waterloo; 11. 24R Adam Johnson, Independence; 12. 93K Jeff Kriz, Waterloo; 13. 5 Jason Morehouse, Evansdale; 14. 66 Terry Johnson, Waterloo; 15. 7 Todd Jensen, Waterloo; 16. 77 Tim McBride, Denver; 17. 14 Tom Hanson, Vinton; 18. 57B Dennis Betzer, Central City; 19. 21 Brennen Chipp, Waterloo; 20. 20L Zach Less, Hopkinton; DNS 17 Justin Buehler, Oelwein; DNS 23 J. J. Scott, Iowa City. First heat – 1. Betzer; 2. Droste; 3. Cordes; 4. Hanson; 5. Less; 6. Sherbon; 7. McBride; DNS Buehler. Second heat – 1. Jackson; 2. A. Johnson; 3. Auringer; 4. Bentley; 5. Thomas; 6. Morehouse. Third heat – 1. Flannagan; 2. Hogan; 3. Lauritzen; 4. Chipp; 5. Kriz; 6. T. Johnson; 7. Jensen.

IMCA STOCK CAR Feature – 1. 47 Scott Pippert, Elberon; 2. 22K Kevin Rose, Waterloo; 3. 37C Roger Ciesielski, Waterloo; 4. 11 Jesse Brown, Nashua; 5. 99D Damon Murty, Chelsea; 6. JR3 Jason Hocken, Independence; 7. 15 Norman Chesmore, Rowley; 8. 00 Tony Schimmels, Readlyn; 9. 15T Tim Helle, Garnavillo; 10. 23 Justin Hanson, Waterloo; 11. 8 Mitchell Evens, Independence; 12. 11J Jerome Jacoby, Waterloo; 13. 56T Justin Temeyer, Independence; 14. 3 Jarod Weepie, Dunkerton; 15. 38 Matt Brown, Marion; 16. 4JR Russell Damme Jr., Waterloo; DNS 13 Rick Milks, Jesup. First heat – 1. Ciesielski; 2. Rose; 3. Weepie; 4. J. Brown; 5. Schimmels; 6. Temeyer; 7. M. Brown; 8. Jacoby; DNS Milks. Second heat – 1. Chesmore; 2. Helle; 3. Hocken; 4. Pippert; 5. Murty; 6. Evens; 7. Damme; 8. Hanson.

IMCA NORTHERN SPORTMOD Feature – 1. 19J Jenae Gustin, Marshalltown; 2. 96 Lucas Lundry, Maynard; 3. 32Z Alex Zwanziger, Nashua; 4. 7D Dakoda Sellers, Vinton; 5. 3R Danny Dvorak, Vinton; 6. J2 Dave Schulze, Keystone; 7. 3 Tony Dunker, Quincy, Ill.; 8. CH19 Colby Heishman, Brooklyn; 9. 00 Jim Buhlman, Cedar Falls; 10. 24R Kevin Robinson, Dewar; 11. 29 Sean Vogt, Watkins; 12. 50H Steve Wimer, Toddville; 13. 63 Matt McCahen, Waterloo; 14. 80J Jared VanDeest, Holland; 15. 39 Brian Hilbert, Independence; 16. 339 Kevin Hurst, Janesville. First heat – 1. Dvorak; 2. Gustin; 3. Weepie; 4. McCahen; 5. Schulze; 6. Robinson; 7. Hilbert; 8. Wimer. Second heat – 1. Lundry; 2. Buhlman; 3. Sellers; 4. Hurst; 5. Heishman; 6. Zwanziger; 7. Vogt; 8. VanDeest.

IMCA HOBBY STOCK Feature – 1. 46 Brian Happel, Vinton; 2. 25 Jamie Whitaker, Oelwein; 3. T64 Jeremiah Wilson, Waterloo; 4. 45 Justin Wacha, Vinton; 5. 2 Nick Welch, Cedar Falls; 6. 20B Matt Burmeister, Dunkerton; 7. 1S Greg Sweerin, Evansdale; 8. 58B Randy Byerly, Tipton; 9. 7B Jim Ball, Independence; 10. 17 Nathan Forey, Waverly; 11. 357 Brett Vanous, Quasqueton; 12. 35B Shawn Kuennen, Hazleton; 13. 95 Matt Lundry, Oelwein; 14. 79 Benji Irvine, Stanley. First heat – 1. Kuennen; 2. Happel; 3. Ball; 4. Irvine; 5. Byerly; 6. Burmeister; 7. Forey. Second heat – 1. Vanous; 2. Wacha; 3. Lundry; 4. Whitaker; 5. Wilson; 6. Welch; 7. Sweerin.

Category: Independence, Iowa