Rauen redeems himself, takes Late Model checkers at Independence

One week after he was involved in a caution while leading the IMCA Late Model feature, Jason Rauen put those demons to rest as he sailed to victory on Saturday night at Independence Motor Speedway.

Front row starters Blake Anderson and Joel Brasch swapped the lead over the course of the first four laps while Rauen worked from a third row starting spot. He motored into second after three circuits, then passed Brasch for the lead two laps later. Rauen started to pull away until the race's first caution waved on lap nine.

On the restart, Rauen again started to pull away while Jeff Aikey and Jeremiah Hurst, who started 10th, passed Brasch for second and third, respectively, on lap 10. Running the low groove, Hurst slid beneath Aikey just one lap later into second. The yellow flag was displayed one lap later, putting Hurst on Rauen's rear bumper for the restart.

When racing resumed Rauen again took charge and, despite another stoppage late in the event, held on for the victory. Hurst ran second followed by Aikey, Curt Martin and Dean Wagner.

Jeremiah Hurst (29) battles to the inside of Jeff Aikey (77A) during the IMCA Late Model feature. Hurst made his way past Aikey, but could not reel in Jason Rauen as Rauen drove to the win. Hurst finished second. (photo courtesy of Scott Tjabring/Action Track Photography)

Pole-sitter Jim Ball held the early lead in the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature, but not without heavy, consistent pressure from a variety of competitors. Chris Wiltse, Mark Butler and Vince Buchholz each applied pressure at various points in the first half of the race.

Buchholz eventually broke free from Wiltse and Butler midway through the event and settled into the second position. He took a handful of laps to run down the race leader and put the nose of his #55 to the inside of Ball as the white flag waved. Buchholz took charge and led the final lap to score the win. Ball ran second ahead of Butler and a hard-charging Rod Gorther, who started 11th. Justin Lichty completed the top five.

Vince Buchholz (55) races to the inside of Jim Ball (7) for the lead of the IMCA Hobby Stock feature. Buchholz took the lead as the white flag waved to drive to the victory. (photo courtesy of Scott Tjabring/Action Track Photography)

Outside row two starter Dave Stricker assumed the early lead of the 20-lap IMCA Stock Car feature. After just one lap, Stricker made his way to the front as Norman Chesmore was working his way through traffic from a fourth row start.

Much like Stricker, Chesmore made a quick run to the front, taking only four laps to drive into a challenge for the lead. Chesmore swept past the leader on the back stretch of the 10th lap, however contact between the two drivers sent Chesmore spinning to the infield. Stricker kept going, as did Chesmore, who rejoined the field running seventh.

Stricker then pulled away from the field to take the win by a straightaway over Jarod Weepie. Phil Holtz came home third ahead of Chesmore and Tim Helle.

Norman Chesmore's (15) run out front of the IMCA Stock Car feature was short-lived as contact between him and Dave Stricker (89B) left Chesmore spinning to the infield. Stricker drove to the win while Chesmore regrouped to finish fourth. (photo courtesy of Scott Tjabring/Action Track Photography)

Justin O'Brien moved into the lead on the first lap of the IMCA Modified feature and held on to lead all 20 laps to score his first win of the year.

From his second row start, O'Brien quickly worked to the front and dodged a pair of early cautions that sidelined a handful of drivers. Following a lap three caution, O'Brien continued to pace the field while J.D. Auringer was making his way to the front from his fifth row starting spot. Running the high groove, Auringer entered a side-by-side battle for the lead with O'Brien when the race's final caution waved on lap 17.

On the restart, O'Brien once again held the point and denied all challenges from Auringer to score the win. Mark Schulte made a terrific run on the high side from a 17th starting spot to come home third. Points leader Troy Cordes joined Schulte on the high side late in the race to drive to a fourth place finish, his sixth straight top-four finish this year. Patrick Flannagan ran fifth.

J.D. Auringer (00) challenged late, but Justin O'Brien (12J) held on to lead all 20 laps of the IMCA Modified feature to score the win. (photo courtesy of Scott Tjabring/Action Track Photography)

Austin Kaplan took over the lead on lap seven of the scheduled 15-lap IMCA SportMod main event. A plethora of cautions led to that feature being cut to 12 laps after it timed out on the sixth yellow flag. Duane Van Deest ran second ahead of Joel Rust, who took over the points lead. Jason Doyle and Cory Evans rounded out the top five.

Austin Kaplan (1) works the high side around Scott Thomas (20T) for the lead of the IMCA SportMod feature. Kaplan drove to victory lane for a division-leading third time this season. (photo courtesy of Scott Tjabring/Action Track Photography)

Up next at Independence will be the annual visit from the Deery Brothers Summer Seires for IMCA Late Models this Wednesday night. Along with the Late Models, the American Stock Car Series for IMCA Stock Cars will hold night three of its four night series at Independence. Those two classes of cars brought in 100+ race cars last year for the same event, so it's bound to be another great night of racing. Gates open at 4 p.m, with hot laps scheduled for 6:45 and racing to follow.

Next Saturday night, July 3, weekly racing resumes at Independence, however everything will get started an hour earlier than normal. The city of Independence will be having fireworks at 10 p.m. that evening so the racing program has been pushed up an hour in attempt to get race fans downtown to take in the fireworks. Gates will open at 3 p.m. next Saturday with hot laps set for 5 and racing to follow.

If you scroll to the very bottom of this page, you'll see the flyer for the annual Hogan Memorial at Benton County Speedway in Vinton. The biggest night of the season in Vinton, this event has really grown in the past few seasons. Sunday, July 11, Benton County Speedway will be the place to be. All details regarding that event are outlined below.

Also, the Independence Motor Speedway track web site, http://www.independencemotorspeedway.com/, will have the entire 2010 Buchanan County Fair schedule listed on it in the next day or so. Be sure to check back (both there and here), for complete details on this year's fair.

With weekly racing done for the month of June at Independence, the next edition of the Indee Stats Blitz will also be posted in the next day or so. Be sure to check back to see all the latest numbers through six weeks of weekly points racing at Independence!

A few have asked how announcing went at CJ Speedway on Friday night. Unfortunately, heavy rain the past few days have resulted in rising water down in Columbus Junction. Due to the problematic weather, officials were forced to cancel the racing program this past Friday night. While I was unable to make the trip this past Friday, I do plan to be back at CJ in July when the Corn Belt Clash Late Model Series makes a visit during the county fair.

It's time to get to work on Buchanan County Fair info and the Stats Blitz... check back frequently this week as the blog will be updated on a very regular basis!