I decided to leave my lawn mower in the garage for one more night, turn on an NCIS rerun and crunch some numbers for a Bonus Stats Blitz for Independence Motor Speedway. The following stats stray from the normal information I provide at the end of each calendar month. Actually, all of it could probably fall under the “Stuff Nobody Should Know” section at the end of the monthly Blitz. Call it corny, unnecessary, just something to do on a Monday night or anything else that comes to mind… Enjoy the Bonus Blitz!
***There have been four consecutive different Late Model winners to open the current season. Although that seems like it would be a rare occurrence, in 47 years, at least four consecutive different drivers opened the season with a win in 28 separate seasons. Of those, nine times five consecutive different Late Model drivers opened the season in victory lane, three times there were six straight winners, five times there were seven straight winners and two times (in 1970 and 1985) a record eight different Late Model drivers won features through the first eight weeks of the season.
***There have been four consecutive different Hobby Stock winners to open the current season. In the division’s 23 seasons at Independence, at least four consecutive different drivers opened the season with a win in 10 seasons. Of those, three times five consecutive different Hobby Stock drivers opened the season in victory lane and two times (in 2002 and 2010) a record six different Hobby Stock drivers won features through the first six weeks of the season.
***With his Modified victory on June 11, Vern Jackson won back-to-back features in the division for the third time in his career at Independence. He is one of 18 drivers in the division’s history to win consecutive Modified features at Independence. The others, in alphabetical order, are J.D. Auringer, Jeff Barkdoll, Ron Barker, Tom Bartholomew, Troy Cordes, Max Corporon, Steve Droste, Darin Duffy, Craig Haupt, Greg Kastli, Tim McBride, Jack Mitchell, Mark Noble, Keith Pittman, Kevin Pittman, Mike Sampson and Joey Schaefer. For those scanning the list, no, Jerry Luloff’s name is not on it. Although he is fifth on the all-time wins list at the speedway for the Modifieds, none of his 21 career wins have come in consecutive weeks. To his credit, his 21 wins have come in 14 different seasons, which leads the Modified division. Jackson is second on that list with at least one Modified win in 13 different seasons. One reason Luloff probably doesn’t mind? He leads the division all-time with five track championships. You can read more about the wins-to-championships ratio at the end of this blog.
***Jackson’s first Modified win at Indee came in 1997. Of those 15 years, he has had seasons with multiple wins a record 11 times. Darin Duffy is second on that list with eight seasons of multiple Modified wins at the speedway. Saturday night’s win for Jackson was his ninth in the month of June at Independence. His nine wins are the most all-time for the division in June.
***Dating back to July 17, 2010, Josh Sherbon and Tyler Droste have won eight of the last 10 IMCA SportMod features. Sherbon has won five of the last 10 and Droste three times in that span.
***Dating back to August 14, 2010, Sean Johnson has won four of the last seven IMCA Stock Car features. No other driver has more than one win in that span.
***Through 20 features so far this season, there have been 17 different feature winners. Those drivers have earned a combined 135 career wins in their respective divisions at Independence.
***June 11 was the fourth weekly points race of the 2011 season. My apologies in advance to Luke Merfeld, Vern Jackson, Sean Johnson, Josh Sherbon and Rod Grother… In the last 30 seasons, only 15.8% of all feature winners during the fourth week of the season have gone on to win track championships. The percentage for the fourth week is tied for the least likely to produce a track champion. With which week is it tied? Week 5.
To put it into perspective, since 1981, only six of 30 eventual Late Model track champions won in week four, five of 28 Modifieds, one of 18 Stock Cars, three of 22 Hobby Stocks and one of three SportMods. Of the past 30 track champions (among all divisions since 2005), only two champions won during week four – Curt Martin (Late Models, 2005) and Danny Dvorak (SportMods, 2008).
The numbers for week five are as follows: Only three of 30 eventual Late Model track champions won during week five of the season, four of 28 Modifieds, three of 18 Stock Cars, six of 22 Hobby Stocks and none of three SportMods.
To take it a step further (because I tend to like to do that), 128 track champions have been crowned since 1981. Of those titlists, only five times has an eventual track champion won back-to-back features during the fourth and fifth weeks of racing. They include Jack Mitchell (Modifieds, 1984), Greg Kastli (Modifieds, 1986), Dave Gerner (Sportsmen, 1987), Curt Martin (Late Models, 1999 and 2004). So, yeah, sorry guys, but it looks like you’re doomed if you win again on night five!
For an overall look at how often track champions visit victory lane, here are those numbers. Since 1981, Late Model champions have won 112 of 437 features (25.6%), Modified champions have won 106 of 414 features (also 25.6%), Stock Car champs are 79 of 262 (the highest percentage at 29.8%), Hobby Stock champions are 88 of 323 (27.2%) and SportMod track champions are six of 37 (16.2%).
***While wins help a driver move up the standings, consistency (not necessarily feature wins) equates to a division title. While Jack Mitchell (Modifieds, 1984) and Larry Portis (Stock Cars, 1995) earned 10 wins (the most all-time in a season) on their way to track championships, three-time and five-time winners during the course of the season have produced the most champions since 1985. Of the 95 champions crowned since 1985 in the divisions that currently compete at the speedway, 15 were three-time winners during their championship seasons and 15 were also five-time winners. There have been 14 two-time winners to earn championships and 12 four-time winning titlists. An astounding 11 times has a driver earned a track title without earning a feature win while, on the flip-side, only seven times has a one-time feature winner earned championship honors. Just 21 times (22%) has a track champion earned more than five feature wins in a season since 1985. Of the 95 track champions mentioned above, 42 did not even lead their division in the number of feature wins during their championship seasons.
I think that’s enough for tonight. I’ll be back sometime in late June or early July with the next Blitz!
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