The Street Stock division began competition at Independence Motor Speedway in 1984 and ran weekly through the 1990 season when the Pro Stock division started its run. The Pro Stocks ran weekly through the end of the 2001 season before being removed from the schedule in 2002. It returned on a limited basis in 2003 before it was permanently removed from competition.
The following is a year-by-year recap of both divisions:
1984
May 5 was the first-ever Street Stock feature at the speedway. Tim Anderson scored the division's first win. He doubled-up the following week to earn back-to-back wins. There would eventually be a total of 11 back-to-back winners in the division's history. Kevin Vorwald quickly became the second driver to earn two straight wins as he was victorious the following two weeks. While Vorwald did not reach victory lane again that season, his consistency led him to the division's first points championship in the 14-week season. Other one-time winners that year included future Late Model pilot Al Brockmeyer (red No. 95A if memory serves) and Ron Schroeder. Rex Cousins scored a pair of feature wins while Dave Myers and Dennis Hovey earned three wins apiece. Myers and Hovey, who was the season championship feature winner, each scored back-to-back wins during the inaugural season.
1985
This was the first of four seasons to boast eight different feature winners. The season opened with Jim Moss in victory lane for the first of his eight wins. Despite Moss' dominance throughout the 17-week season (which included the points title), a host of other drivers were able to score wins. Vorwald and Rick Parker each collected a pair of victories while five other drivers earned one win. They included Ron Schroeder, Alan Wessels (most recently in a Pro Stock and B/SportMod), Ron Kruger (who later drove a Modified), Brockmeyer and Dan Bohr (who has been behind the wheel of a Modified for many years). Vorwald scored the win on championship night.
1986
Vorwald started 1986 where he ended 1985 - in victory lane. It was the first of Vorwald's three wins, one of a trio of drivers to snare three victories that season. Joining him with three wins were Myers and Kruger. Despite only one win (on August 2), Schroeder earned the points title. Other winners that season included Kyle Henry, Keith Knox, Dale Engen and Larry Barker. (Note: I am missing one result in the history of the Street Stock division, that being from the August 9, 1986 show.)
1987
Only six drivers found the winner's circle in the 15-week 1987 season. Two of those drivers earned three straight wins during the middle portion of the season, resulting in one of those driver's first track championship. Myers opened the season with the first of his two wins that year. Bohr found himself in victory lane in week two for the first of his seven wins that season, which included a stretch of three straight victories from July 11-25. That streak launched Bohr to the divison title. In the three weeks leading up to Bohr's streak, Vorwald reeled off three straight wins of his own. Vorwald and Bohr joined Moss (1985) as the only three drivers in Street Stock history with three-race winning streaks. (That would later be topped in the division's final year of competition.) Wessels and Henry were also one-time winners that season. Earning his first career victory that year was Cam Granger, the current promoter at Independence, who claimed top honors on August 22. Bohr won on championship night one week later.
1988
Vern Jackson opened the 1988 season on April 30 with his first win on Independence soil. He won three of the year's first four features as Alan Wessels ruined his perfect month with a week two win. Jackson scored his fourth and final win on July 23 on his way to becoming the points champion. Including Jackson, there were four multi-race winners in the 17-week season. Layne Meyer (future Pro Stock, Late Model and Modified driver) led all drivers with five wins that season while Bohr and Myers each won two. One-time winners that year included Wessels, future Late Model pilot Dan Forsyth, Henry and Dennis Dettman. Although Jackson won the title, Meyer closed the season with two straight wins, including championship night.
1989
The 1989 season remains one of the most memorable seasons to me as it was that year when I first started collecting results and compiling statistics. I was probably the hugest Alan Wessels fan of the day. (Sorry to Kevin Weidemann!) Who else remembers the Camaro body Wessels drove to the track championship?. It was also probably one of the most closely contested points races to date. While Layne Meyer opened the season with two straight wins, by season's end he was one of four different drivers to lead the division with three victories, joining Wessels, Forsyth and current Modified pilot Ray Lundry. Late in the season, Wessels entered a heated points battle with Kevin Weidemann, who led the points into late July. Despite the fact that Weidemann didn't pick up a feature win that season, he was the only driver with perfect attendance to score top 10 finishes in all 16 weeks of competition. Wessels earned the win on championship night to secure an eight point margin ahead of Weidemann in the final standings. Other winners that season included Myers, Vorwald, Dettman and future Pro Stocker Al Johnson. Rich Picha, Meyer and Forsyth completed the top five in the final standings. Jackson, Myers, Dettman, Vorwald and Lundry completed the top 10.
1990
Meyer earned his second straight opening night win as he kicked off the 1990 season in victory lane. Lundry, Knox and Jackson made it four different winners over the first four weeks before Jackson took over and simply dominated the division's final season at Independence. Including that win on night four, Jackson earned six wins in the final nine nights of competition on his way to the title. He became the only multi-time track champion in the division's seven year history at the track (1988 and 1990) and was also the only driver to take four straight wins in Street Stock history (July 7-August 4, with one rainout during the streak). Meyer did manage another win during Jackson's dominating performance that season. Knox and Lundry also scored wins while Tom Hanson earned his only two Street Stock wins in back-to-back fashion late in the season. In the final standings, Jackson finished 70-plus points ahead of Meyer and Wessels. Lundry and Henry were fourth and fifth, nearly 100 points behind Jackson. (A complete rundown of Street Stock division statistics follows below the year-by-year Pro Stock recaps.)
1991
The Street Stocks were eliminated following the 1990 season to make way for the Pro Stocks, a more modern version of the Street Stock as the times and rules changed. While the division changed, a number of drivers did not. Most notably was Vern Jackson who, in hindsight, used the Street Stocks as a launching pad to his dominance in the now defunct Pro Stock division. His dominance wasn't evident at first, however, as four different drivers found victory lane in the division's first five weeks of action. Along with Jackson, Chris Miller and Al Johnson scored victories during that first month while Meyer earned two wins. Over the course of the 16-week season, Meyer led all drivers with five wins, including a three-race winning streak late in the season. Jackson earned four wins, including championship night to wrap up the first of his six straight points titles. Miller and Knox earned two wins apiece that year, while Picha and Johnson each earned one. I have to give a shout out to my dad, Dwayne Burkey, who scored his first win in the division that season. (Oddly enough, I don't even remember it. On top of that, I wasn't even at the races the night he won his only other feature at Indee a few years later!) Picha ran second to Jackson in the final standings followed by George Cunha, Meyer and Lundry.
1992
Jackson didn't let up in 1992 as he scored three straight wins three separate times during the season to amass nine victories en route to a dominant title performance. His title margin was 40-plus points over Meyer in the final standings. The first of Jackson's streaks came in the first three weeks of the season. He closed the season in the same fashion, by reeling off three straight wins. Sandwiched in between were three straight wins during the middle of the season, from June 13-27. There were eight features not won by Jackson that season. Those winners included Meyer and Picha, who each won two times. One-time winners included Hanson, Cunha, recent Mod and B Mod pilot Mike Darnall and Ken Irvine, who has also raced in the Hobby Stock and Modified divisions and most recently has raced Stock Cars (when not on vacation).
1993
After winning the final three races of 1992, Jackson opened the 1993 season with a pair of wins to take his overall streak to five. Jackson earned three more wins that season, including championship night, in winning his third straight division title. Meyer left the division at the start of 1993 to drive a Late Model. Lundry picked up that slack and scored three wins in 1993, the only other multi-race winner that season. Knox, Miller and Cunha completed the list of five winners during the rain-shortened 11-week season. The final standings showed Jackson the champion by 36 markers ahead of Darnall. Hanson, Lundry and Cunha completed the top five. Miller, Johnson, Jerry Oelrich (who I believe drove a Wessels-owned car), Corey Best and Burkey ran sixth through 10th.
1994
Knox looked to end Jackson's run at the top by scoring the first two wins of 1994. Burkey put an end to Knox's streak by winning on the third week before Jackson returned to victory lane on week four when he picked up his first victory of the year. It was feast or famine for Knox, who won six times during the 15-week season, but finished second to Jackson in the final standings by a whopping 56 points. It was Jackson's "worst" year in the division as he picked up a career low three wins in 1994. Miller and Darnall joined Knox, Burkey and Jackson as feature winners that season. One season removed from the Hobby Stock division, Steve Farr finished third in his rookie season in the Pro Stocks. Darnall and Burkey completed the top five while Johnson, Hanson, Lundry, Tim Fobian and Brion Schaefer ran sixth through 10th.
1995
Jackson returned to the top of his game in 1995, leading all drivers with five feature wins as he drove to his fifth track championship in a row. A number of drivers earned their first career wins in the division in 1995, including Tim Fobian on opening night and Roger Ciesielski on June 17. Legendary Late Model driver Curt Hansen also scored two wins in the division in 1995 as he helped his son, Bobby, start his racing career by dialing in his machine. Knox rounded out the list of winners that season as he scored three wins in his final season in the division. By virtue of his win on championship night, Jackson secured the track title by 40 points ahead of first-year driver Josh McGowan. Farr, Hanson and Cunha completed the top five in the final points. Ciesielski, Knox, Darnall, Gary Peiffer and Fobian rounded out the top 10.
1996
With the end of the 1996 season came the end of an era in the Pro Stock division. His final season in the division before making the switch to the Modifieds was Jackson's most dominant. In 15 weeks of competition, Jackson earned an incredible 11 feature wins, including separate winning streaks of four and six races. While he ran out front most of the season, McGowan ran right on Jackson's tail, winning two features in the process and coming up only 23 points short in the final standings. Bobby Hansen earned his first win at Independence on August 10. Tom Hanson was the only other winner that season as he took home top honors on championship night. Vic Lovejoy ran third in the final standings ahead of Hanson and current Late Model pilot Tysus Pattee. Jim Aschenbrenner, Johnson, Bob Ebaugh, Schaefer and Ciesielski completed the top 10. In just six seasons of Pro Stock competition, Jackson earned 37 feature wins, a record that held through the division's final season of competition in 2003.
1997
While the Pro Stocks only knew Jackson as its champion during the first six seasons, five different drivers earned title honors over its final six seasons starting in 1997. McGowan left little doubt as to who would replace the king after he followed his opening night win with an additional five wins during the first eight weeks of the season. While McGowan earned 10 wins during the 19-week season, six other drivers were victorious in the remaining nine weeks. First-year driver John Walker led the rest of the division with three wins over the span of four weeks late in the season. The only other multi-time winner that year was Hanson. Other winners included Ciesielski, Cunha, Fobian and Ernie Alley, whose lone win in Independence came in the 100th Pro Stock feature at the speedway on July 19, 1997. McGowan won the points title by 25 points over Todd Temeyer, who was in his first year in the division after earning the track's Hobby Stock championship the year before. Fobian, Ebaugh and Ken Hanson completed the top five in the standings. Shawn Fisher, Tom Hanson, Walker, Cunha and Pattee rounded out the top 10.
1998
With McGowan's move to the Late Model division in 1998, another changing of the guard was in order for the Pro Stocks. While the opening night feature was rained out after qualifying events on April 25, Ciesielski scored the make-up win on May 23 to appear as the "opening night" winner in the record books. He also won the May 9 feature following another rainout on May 2 to give him "two straight" to open the season. Fobian won on May 16 and the regular May 23 feature as each driver earned a pair of wins to start the season. In all, a record nine drivers visited victory lane during the 17-week season. Among the multi-time winners were Ciesielski with a division-leading four wins while Tom Hanson and Walker earned three wins apiece. Fobian earned two victories while Cunha was also a winner. Four drivers scored their first wins, including Dan Rousselow, 1997 Hobby Stock titlist Adam Johnson, Joe Kaiser and Luke Merfeld, who has spent much of his career on NASCAR ovals. Following his championship night win, Ciesielski earned his first track championship by 20 markers over Fobian and 50 ahead of Walker. Rousselow and Ebaugh ran fourth and fifth. Temeyer, Fisher, Doug Hogan, Craig Powers and Al Taylor completed the top 10.
1999
The variety of winners continued in 1999 as nine different winners found victory lane. Tom Hanson scored the opening night win to lead a string of five different winners during the first five weeks. Walker was the first to double-up with wins on May 15 and June 5. Walker led all drivers that year with four trips to the winner's circle. Tom Hanson was victorious three times, while Bill Suckow, Don Erger and Rick Hagen completed the list of two-time winners. Ciesielski, Temeyer, Fisher and Rousselow were all one-time winners. By virtue of his championship night win, Suckow earned the track title by nine points ahead of Ciesielski. Tom Hanson, Walker and Ebaugh completed the top five. Adam Johnson, Temeyer, Erger, Rousselow and Hagen ran sixth through 10th.
2000
Suckow looked to defend his 1999 title by scoring the opening night win in 2000. Temeyer followed the next week with his first of three wins that season. Suckow also scored three wins that season, however Ciesielski led the division with four wins, which included three victories over the final three nights of the season. Tom Hanson used a pair of wins to propel him to the first track championship of his career. Other winners included Erger and Fisher throughout the 16-week season. Hanson edged Suckow by nine points at season's end to win the title. Temeyer, Ciesielski and Erger completed the top five. Jeff Franck, Ebaugh, Kenny Young, Fisher and Craig Powers rounded out the top 10.
2001
Aside from Jackson, Ciesielski became the only multi-title winner in the division with his championship run in 2001 to add to his 1998 crown. Franck earned his lone Pro Stock win with a victory on opening night in 2001. Ciesielski earned the first of his eight wins that season on week two. Other winners in 2001 included Jerry Dedrick, Frankie Dulin, Shawn Fisher and Rick Hagen. Along with back-to-back wins during the middle of the season, Ciesielski closed the season with four straight victories en route to the title by 30 points over Franck. Dedrick, Temeyer and Dulin ran third through fifth. Dan Higdon, Fisher, Chuck Lewis, Ebaugh and Todd Cummings completed the top 10.
2002
Declining car counts over the years led officials to remove the Pro Stocks from the weekly lineup in 2002. A rally of support from some drivers and fans led Ed Callan to bring back the class on a limited schedule in 2003 when he took over promoting duties.
2003
While 16 nights of weekly racing went on as planed in 2003, the Pro Stocks were scheduled for just 10 of them. Ciesielski scored the division's first win of the season on May 3, his first of three victories on the year. Dedrick possessed the hot shoe that year, however, as he led all drivers with five wins, including a four-race winning streak during the middle of the season to take the division's final track title. Scott Welsh and Temeyer also earned wins that year. Dedrick scored the track title by 15 points over John Vrba. Temeyer, Ciesielski and Jeff Lickiss completed the top five. Welsh, Jeff Kriz, veteran Wessels, Kevin Curl and Torrey Roster completed the top 10 in points during a season when only 12 cars competed. The poor car count led officials to permanently remove the Pro Stocks from Indee's racing program.
While I enjoyed the Pro Stock division as much as anyone, I respectfully disagree with other fans who were sad to see it go. While I would have enjoyed to see it grow over the years, the support was just not there. I know many will indicate that rules changes and the desire to go to a spec motor was the reason for its demise, but the class just didn't have the same appeal as it did when it was at its most popular during the mid-90s. Frankly, the emergence of the Stock Car division and the interest in the B/SportMod divisions left the drivers with too many options for the Pro Stocks to have a chance at survival. Quite honestly, the lack of quality drivers from top to bottom in its later years left it nothing more than a chance for spectators to hit the concession stand or use the restrooms. A sad end to the division? Most definitely. Anyone to blame? Nope, just a sign of the times and a general lack of interest by most in a sport that has seen various changes over the years.
Okay, the recaps are done, only the stats remain. Starting with the Street Stocks, here is the next installment in the Ultimate Indee Stats Blitz
STREET STOCKS (1984-1990)
Career Wins
T1. Dave Myers, 11
T1. Kevin Vorwald, 11
T3. Dan Bohr, 10
T3. Layne Meyer, 10
T3. Vern Jackson, 10
6. Jim Moss, 8
7. Alan Wessels, 6
T8. Dan Forsyth, 4
T8. Ray Lundry, 4
T8. Ron Kruger, 4
Most consecutive seasons with at least one win - 4 (Kevin Vorwald, 1984-1987; Dave Myers, 1986-1989)
Longest win streak (within same season) - 4, Vern Jackson (1990)
Longest win streak (over two seasons) - 4, Layne Meyer (1988-1989)
First-time winners per month - July (8), June (6), May (6), August (4), April (0)
Total features - 106
Total feature winners - 24
Most wins in single season - 8, Jim Moss (1985)
Most number of feature winners in same season - 8 (1985, 1986, 1988, 1989)
Career Track Championships
2 - Vern Jackson (1988, 1990)
1 - Kevin Vorwald (1984)
1 - Jim Moss (1985)
1 - Ron Schroeder (1986)
1 - Dan Bohr (1987)
1 - Alan Wessels (1989)
Most consecutive different feature winners in a season - 6 (1984, 1988)
Most consecutive different feature winners to start a season - 3 (1987)
Most consecutive different feature winners to end a season - 5 (1985, 1989)
Most opening night feature wins - 2 (Layne Meyer), 1 (Tim Anderson, Jim Moss, Jim Moss, Kevin Vorwald, Dave Myers, Vern Jackson)
Most season championship feature wins - 2 (Kevin Vorwald), 1 (Dennis Hovey, Dan Bohr, Layne Meyer, Alan Wessels, Vern Jackson)
Track champion with fewest feature wins - 1, Ron Schroeder (1986)
Most 2-race win streaks - 3 (Layne Meyer)
Most 3-race win streaks - 1 (Kevin Vorwald, Dan Bohr, Jim Moss)
Most 4-race win streaks - 1 (Vern Jackson)
Season championship feature win/Track championship in same season - 1 (Dan Bohr in 1987, Alan Wessels in 1989, Vern Jackson in 1990)
Seasons with no back-to-back feature winners - None
Bookend wins (won season opener and season championship features in same season) - 1, Kevin Vorwald (1986)
Most days between first and last feature win - 1859, Dave Myers (5 years, 29 days)
Average number of race nights per season - 15.1
Average number of different feature winners per season - 7.1
1st feature winner in division history - Tim Anderson (5/5/84)
50th feature winner in division history - Dave Myers (5/23/87)
100th feature winner in division history - Vern Jackson (7/7/90)
Final (106th) feature winner in division history - Vern Jackson (8/25/90)
PRO STOCKS (1991-2001, 2003)
Career Wins
1. Vern Jackson, 37
2. Roger Ciesielski, 22
T3. Keith Knox, 12
T3. Josh McGowan, 12
T3. Tom Hanson, 12
6. John Walker, 10
7. Layne Meyer, 7
T8. Ray Lundry, 6
T8. Jerry Dedrick, 6
T10. Bill Suckow, 5
T10. Todd Temeyer, 5
Most consecutive seasons with at least one feature win - 6, Vern Jackson
Longest winning streak (within same season) - 6, Vern Jackson (1996)
Longest winning streak (over two seasons) - 5, Vern Jackson (1992-1993, 1995-1996)
First-time winners per month - 9 (May and July), 7 (June), 5 (August), 2 (April)
Total features - 177
Total feature winners - 32
Most wins in single season - 11, Vern Jackson (1996)
Most number of different feature winners in a season - 9 (1998, 1999)
Career Track Championships
6 - Vern Jackson (1991-1996)
2 - Roger Ciesielski (1998, 2001)
1 - Josh McGowan (1997)
1 - Bill Suckow (1999)
1 - Tom Hanson (2000)
1 - Jerry Dedrick (2003)
Most consecutive different feature winners in a season - 7 (1998)
Most consecutive different feature winners to start season - 5 (1999)
Most consecutive different feature winners to end season - 5 (1994, 1998, 1999)
Most opening night feature wins - 3 (Vern Jackson), 2 (Roger Ciesielski), 1 (Layne Meyer, Keith Knox, Tim Fobian, Josh McGowan, Tom Hanson, Bill Suckow, Jeff Franck)
Most season championship feature wins - 4 (Vern Jackson), 2 (Roger Ciesielski), 1 (Keith Knox, Tom Hanson, Josh McGowan, Bill Suckow)
Track champion with fewest feature wins - 2 (Bill Suckow in 1999, Tom Hanson in 2000)
Most 2-race win streaks - 3 (Keith Knox)
Most 3-race win streaks - 3 (Vern Jackson)
Most 4-race win streaks - 1 (Vern Jackson, Roger Ciesielski, Josh McGowan, Jerry Dedrick)
Most 5-race win streaks - None
Most 6-race win streaks - 1 (Vern Jackson)
Season championship feature winners/Track championship in same season - 4 (Vern Jackson), 1 (Roger Ciesielski, Bill Suckow, Josh McGowan)
Seasons with no back-to-back feature winners - None
Bookend wins (won season opener and season championship features in same season) - 2 (Vern Jackson in 1992, 1993), 1 (Keith Knox in 1994, Josh McGowan in 1997, Roger Ciesielski in 1998)
Most days between first and last feature win - 2996, Roger Ciesielski (8 years, two months, 13 days)
Average number of race nights per season - 14.75
Average number of different winners per season - 6.3
1st feature winner in division history - Layne Meyer (4/27/91)
50th feature winner in division history - Ray Lundry (6/25/94)
100th feature winner in division history - Ernie Alley (7/19/97)
150th feature winner in division history - Todd Temeyer (7/22/00)
Final (177th) feature winner in division history - Roger Ciesielski (8/23/03)
NOTE: I have compiled the same statistics for each of the other divisions and will provide those in the coming days and weeks. Please keep in mind, for these divisions and those yet to come, the statistics include only weekly race results. Specials and non-points nights are not included.
Up next will be the B Mods and SportMods. Since they have a combined history of only six seasons, I plan to get those done at some point this weekend. Following that, I'll present the Hobby Stocks and updated Stock Car numbers that I didn't include last week.
The 27-year, 400-feature Modified history will follow and the 44-year, 600-plus-feature Late Model history will conclude the Ultimate Stats Blitz. Enjoy!
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