Kastli celebrates 25th anniversary with 40th Late Model win at Independence

Just three days shy of his 25th wedding anniversary, Greg Kastli offered a great anniversary present to his wife, Cam - his 40th career Late Model feature win at Independence Motor Speedway. After starting in the fourth row, Kastli worked through the pack and chased down leader Joel Brasch to score the milestone win.

At the start of the 25-lap IMCA Late Model feature, pole-sitter Tysus Pattee paced the field. He led for two laps before fellow front row starter Joel Brasch, who earned his first career win in the division one week ago, took the lead and quickly pulled away from field.

As Brasch worked into the lead on the third lap, Kastli made his way into the top five. He then made his way into second, a straightaway out of the lead, as Brasch navigated through backmarkers on lap 10. Kastli quickly cut into Brasch's advantage and shot beneath the leader exiting turn four on the 16th circuit.

Kastli then survived a late race caution to score the win, his second of the season and 40th all-time at Independence. Andy Eckrich, who started in the sixth row, made a nice run to come home second ahead of Brasch. Points leader Tyler Bruening finished fourth ahead of Darren Ackerman.

Greg Kastli is joined in IMCA Late Model victory lane by his bride of 25 years, Cam, and a slew of youngsters. (all photos courtesy of Scott Tjabring/ Action Track Photography/ http://www.actiontrackphotos.com/)

Justin O'Brien pulled off the rare feat of earning his third Modified feature win in less than 24 hours. O'Brien scored victories in both the regular feature and make-up feature in the division on Friday night at Fayette County Speedway in West Union, then turned the hat trick by taking the IMCA Modified checkers on Saturday.

Ronn Lauritzen held the early lead in that 20-lapper while O'Brien worked himself into a challenge for the lead from his second row start. O'Brien made the pass for the lead just the second time around the 3/8-mile oval, then put a few car-lengths on the field.

As O'Brien led, Vern Jackson was running the high side from his fifth row starting spot and into the top five after seven laps. Jackson continued to pick off his competitors from the high groove, but could not catch O'Brien as he took his second win of the season in the caution-free event. Jackson nipped Lauritzen at the line for second. Points leader Troy Cordes ran fourth ahead of Adam Johnson.

Justin O'Brien (12J) completed a Modified hat trick, earning three Modified feature wins in a span of 24 hours.

Rick Suckow led a hungry pack at the start of the 15-lap IMCA Stock Car feature. From his pole position start, Suckow settled into the top spot with a handful of competitors within striking distance. Kirk Fauser, Kevin Rose, Dan Trimble, Jarod Weepie, Dan Trimble and Sean Johnson all worked their way into a battle behind the leader throughout that event.

Trimble, running the low line from his seventh row start, methodically picked off his competitors and established himself as a top-three car midway through the race. He then went to work on the low side of Rose, making the pass for that position on lap 11. With Suckow running a groove higher, Trimble was able to work past him into the lead from the low side as the white flag was displayed. Trimble drove to the victory, his second straight, ahead of Weepie, Johnson and Fauser. Suckow, who was left alone up top, held on for a fifth place finish.

IMCA Stock Car driver Dan Trimble won back-to-back features at Independence for the eighth time in his career. He'll look to get his fourth career three-race win streak at the speedway next weekend.

Ray Lundry worked from a second row start and into the lead on the first lap of the IMCA SportMod 15-lapper. He then survived a trio of cautions and pressure from Tyler Droste to escape with his second win of the year. Droste came home second ahead of Duane Van Deest, who started 12th. Jim Buhlman and points leader Austin Kaplan completed the top five.

Ray Lundry earned his second IMCA SportMod win of the season, making him only the seventh driver in track history with multiple wins in the division.

Don Arnold led from the drop of the green to the checkered flag in the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature. His second career win at Independence, it was Arnold's first since July 22, 2006. Justin Stander raced to a second place finish after starting in the third row. Rod Grother finished third and took a one point lead in the division's standings ahead of sixth place finisher Vince Buchholz. Bruce Fraser and Quinton Miller ran fourth and fifth, respectively.

An interesting, not to mention improbable, pattern continued in the Hobby Stocks tonight. Entering the night, all 10 feature winners had come from different starting spots. Make that 11-for-11 as Arnold became the first Hobby Stock winner to start outside of row number one. That means every starting position in the first six rows, with the exception of inside row six, has produced one feature winner apiece.

Don Arnold picked up his second career IMCA Hobby Stock trophy at Independence.

It was a great night of racing at the speedway as the caution flag waved a season-low eight times. In fact, it took 14 races (the final heat of the night) before the yellow flag waved for the first time. With only three nights of remaining on this season's schedule, a number of points battles are starting to heat up. While no lead is completely safe, three different points leaders have less than 20-point advantages entering the final three weeks of the season. Rod Grother has a slim one point edge over Vince Buchholz in the Hobby Stocks and Jamie Whitaker is only 10 points behind in third. While he has a little more breathing room in the Stock Cars, Jarod Weepie has a trio of drivers within striking distance at the top of that division. He will enter the final three weeks with a 13-point lead over both Sean Johnson and Dan Trimble while Norman Chesmore is just 20 points out. It's become a two horse race in the Late Models. Tyler Bruening, in search of his first career track championship carries a 15-point edge over Darren Ackerman into the home stretch.

Tomorrow, weather permitting and if I feel like venturing into the heat, I'll head back to Vinton for the weekly program there. Until then, be sure to add Independence Motor Speedway on facebook as the Stock Car Fantasy Feature lineup was posted Friday. There has already been a great response so log on today and submit your fantasy results!