Jerry Luloff hadn't competed at Benton County Speedway all season until Sunday night. He made his first visit to the Vinton quarter-mile this year a memorable one as the Independence driver made a late pass on leader Scott Hogan to take the win in the 40-lap Hogan Memorial feature. The event, held annually as a tribute to Hogan's parents, Dick and Janet, welcomed 33 entries in the IMCA Modified division.
Qualifying for the 40-lapper came via four heat races and two B features. The top four finishers in each heat qualified for the feature, with the top three redrawing for their starting spots on the front stretch prior to the main event. Two transfers came from each B main and provisionals were given to the two non-qualifiers highest in current track points, along with two provisionals for past champions.
The annual special, which paid $1,250 to the winner, along with lap money and a midway bonus, was split into two parts. A mandatory caution following lap 20 allowed drivers five minutes to work on their cars and make adjustments on the front straightaway.
Following a pair of early cautions, outside front row starter Hogan took the lead in the 24-car field. Running the high side, Hogan pulled away from pole-sitter Dan Chapman and J.D. Auringer. The lead trio distanced themselves from the pack with Hogan holding a comfortable lead. His lead evaporated when he came upon the lapped car of Keith Pittman just six laps into the event.
With Hogan looking for a way around Pittman, Chapman and Auringer closed the gap. Hogan was pinched into a spin on the top side of turn one as he worked the high side of Pittman. This allowed Auringer to shoot beneath the leaders as they battled for the top spot. Hogan collected his #33D and powered back on the high side to retain the lead down the back stretch. Meanwhile, Auringer held the second position as the leaders navigated lapped traffic, relegating Chapman to third.
The top three remained unchanged as Jerry Luloff was battling Jeff Waterman for fourth. Luloff slipped beneath Waterman to take the position at the 15-lap mark. Hogan, Auringer, Chapman and Luloff continued in that order until the mandatory stop on lap 20. Mike Burbridge, who started in the seventh row, was making his way through the field running the low groove as he entered the top five by the time the yellow waved.
Lap 20 running order (starting positions in parentheses)
1. (2) 33D Scott Hogan (Vinton)
2. (4) 00 J.D. Auringer (Evansale)
3. (1) 1 Dan Chapman (Clarence)
4. (5) 18 Jerry Luloff (Independence)
5. (13) 11B Mike Burbridge (Delhi)
6. (3) 71W Jeff Waterman (Quincy, IL)
7. (6) 22 Brandon Banks (Washington)
8. (16) F7 Patrick Flannagan (Cedar Rapids)
9. (7) 71 Troy Cordes (Dunkerton)
10. (9) 57V Mike Van Genderen (Newton)
11. (17) 73 Dan Ratajczak (Frog Station, WI)
12. (19) 12D Joe Docekal (Dysart)
13. (8) 32 Chris Snyder (Raymond)
14. (10) 10K Ronn Lauritzen (Jesup)
15. (14) 5 Jerry Dedrick (Vinton)
16. (20) T23 Tony Olson (Cedar Rapids)
17. (21) 25 Shawn Fisher (Garrison)
18. (18) 19G Richie Gustin (Gilman)
19. (23) 01 Ed Thomas (Waterloo)
20. (15) 85 Johnathan Thimmesch (Independence)
21. (12) 7M Mike Weikert (Muscatine)
22. (11) 41P Keith Pittman (Waterloo)
23. (24) 11 Timm Jensen (Dunkerton)
OFF (22) 17 Dawn Krall (Waterloo)
When action resumed, Hogan again held serve with Auringer, Chapman and Luloff in tow. The top three broke away from the field by nearly a straightaway margin when Auringer made a bid for the lead on lap 29. As the leaders entered turns one and two, Auringer, who was on Hogan's rear bumper, shot to the low side of the leader. He appeared to have made a successful pass for the lead when he spun his #00 to the high side of turn two. Hogan snuck past him, however Chapman had no place to go as he T-boned Auringer's parked car. Both cars were done for the night as the yellow flag waved again.
For the restart, Luloff found himself in second place and Brandon Banks, who masterfully worked the high groove through traffic, in third. Joe Docekal, who started in the 10th row, restarted in fourth and Burbridge ran fifth. When the green flag waved, Hogan again went to the top side as Luloff attempted to make a quick charge to the front on the low groove of turns one and two. Hogan proved to be too fast off the corner as he continued to show the way.
Docekal, meanwhile, was challenging Banks for third with five laps to go when he slid a little high exiting turn two. He made contact with the Banks machine and slipped off the top of the back stretch. Although Banks escaped without any problems, Docekal's miscue brought a premature end to his strong run.
Following the final caution on lap 36, Hogan remained out front with Luloff in second. On that restart, Luloff again tried his luck on the low side. He powered to the inside of Hogan and cleared the leader exiting turn two to take the lead. Hogan attempted to reel him in over the final three laps, but was unable to make a charge as Luloff drove to the exciting victory.
Banks made a late charge on Hogan for second, but came up just short at the line, settling for a great third place run. Waterman made a late charge to nip Burbridge at the line for fourth.
FINISH (lap 20 positions / starting positions in parentheses)
1. (4 / 5) 18 Jerry Luloff
2. (1 / 2) 33D Scott Hogan
3. (7 / 6) 22 Brandon Banks
4. (6 / 3) 71W Jeff Waterman
5. (5 / 13) 11B Mike Burbridge
6. (11 / 17) 73 Dan Ratajczak
7. (8 / 16) F7 Patrick Flannagan
8. (9 / 7) 71 Troy Cordes
9. (18 / 18) 19G Richie Gustin
10. (10 / 9) 57V Mike Van Genderen
11. (14 / 10) 10K Ronn Lauritzen
12. (16 / 20) T23 Tony Olson
13. (12 / 19) 12D Joe Docekal
14. (13 / 8) 32 Chris Snyder
15. (15 / 14) 5 Jerry Dedrick
16. (23 / 24) 11 Timm Jensen / past champion provisional
17. (19 / 23) 01 Ed Thomas / past champion provisional
18. (17 / 21) 25 Shawn Fisher / track points provisional
19. (22 / 11) 41P Keith Pittman
20. (21 / 12) 7M Mike Weikert
21. (3 / 1) 1 Dan Chapman
22. (2 / 4) 00 J.D. Auringer
23. (20 / 15) 85 Johnathan Thimmesch
24. (24 / 22) 17 Dawn Krall / track points provisional
Ratajczak was the hard charger, gaining 11 positions during the event. Perhaps the driver who passed the most cars without it showing in the final results was Van Genderen. Following the lap 20 stoppage, Van Genderen suffered a flat tire before the race returned to green. He was able to make the tire change, but restarted at the tail. Running 10th at the 20-lap stoppage, he worked back up to that same position at the checkers.
The nine non-qualifiers in the Modifieds included Dusty Kraklio (Durant), Jeff Kriz (Waterloo), Kevin Goben (Sherrard, IL), Kyle Krampe (Baxter), Todd Reed (Parkview), J.J. Scott (Iowa City), Jake Bowman (Maquoketa), Tony Snyder (Readlyn) and Brett Ladehoff (Marshalltown).
While the Modifieds were not running for track points, the other four weekly divisions were competing for weekly track points, in addition to added Hogan Memorial money.
Brett Vanous held the early lead in the 12-lap IMCA Sport Compact main event, then lost the lead to Brad Chandler, only to inch ahead at the stripe to score the thrilling win.
Vanous worked into the lead on the first lap from his second row start while Chandler drove the low groove into second following a lap eight caution. On the restart, Chandler slipped past Vanous for the lead, however Vanous kept close by working the low side of the speedway. He snuck between Chandler and the tractor tire in turn four on the final lap to steal the victory.
1. 35 Brett Vanous
2. 2ND Brad Chandler
3. 2 Merv Chandler
4. 8M Jacob McVay
5. 36DD Gary Peiffer
6. 1 Tyler Whalen
7. 45 Jeremy Wheeler
8. 3S Craig Streeter
9. 00W Bill Whalen Jr.
10. 51 Bryce Bailey
John Schaefer held the point throughout the first half of the 15-lap IMCA Stock Car feature. While Schaefer led, Scooter Dulin, Justin Temeyer and Damon Murty battled for runner-up honors as that trio reeled in the leader. The lead quartet engaged in a pair of two-wide battles for position before condensing into a four-wide battle out front as they entered turn three on lap eight. Contact from Murty sent Temeyer into Schaefer, who was running the extreme top side of the speedway. The contact forced Schaefer off the track for the race's only caution.
On the restart, Temeyer drove the high side as Dulin worked the low groove. Temeyer motored past Dulin on the 10th circuit as he cruised to the win. Murty worked the high side around Dulin a short time later to take second. Temeyer also earned hard charger honors.
1. 56T Justin Temeyer
2. 99D Damon Murty
3. 3T Scooter Dulin
4. 6X Bob Ahrendsen
5. 77 Andy Bryant
6. 287 John Emerson
7. 19J Jay Schmidt
8. 15 Norman Chesmore
9. 76 Mike Galli
10. 20B Andrew Burk
Greg Sweerin paced the field through a pair of early cautions in the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock main event. Sweerin's machine, however, started smoking as he took his #1S to the pits. This allowed Doug Laughridge to take the lead on lap five.
As Laughridge led, Justin Stander and Scott Pippert were closing the gap on the leader. The pursuers reeled in the leader with six laps to go as the trio entered a three-wide battle for the lead. Pippert drove the high side to the lead as he drove away to the victory. Stander held on for second while Brad Forbes made a late surge past Laughridge for third.
1. 47 Scott Pippert
2. 67 Justin Stander
3. 09 Brad Forbes
4. 25 Doug Laughridge
5. 77 Rod Grother
6. 45 Justin Wacha
7. 78 Matt Brown (crossed in fifth, but was penalized two spots for jumping on a lap 12 restart)
8. 166 Justin Lichty
9. 07 Jacob Keiser
10. 55 Vince Buchholz
Aric Becker held the early lead in the IMCA SportMod feature while Curt Hilmer drove the low groove into contention from a third row starting spot. Hilmer closed the gap on Becker and swept beneath the leader to steal the top spot on lap five.
While Hilmer led, Racer Hulin was making huge strides running the top side of the speedway. Hulin swept around Hilmer following a mid-race caution to drive to the impressive victory. Danny Dvorak made a strong run through traffic to come home second after starting 12th. For his efforts, Dvorak was the hard charger of the event.
1. 505 Racer Hulin
2. 3R Danny Dvorak
3. 87 Aric Becker
4. K0 Ken Kositzky
5. 22H Curt Hilmer
6. J2 Dave Schulze
7. K3 Kyle Olson
8. 80 Jared Van Deest
9. 3B Brian Anderson
10. 8I Brad Iverson
It was a great night as 113 race teams filled the pit area. While he always does a great job with his track prep, a shout goes out to Don Burkey for tonight's racing surface. I've seen a number of great tracks in Vinton over the years, but tonight was among the best. Dad taught you well, Don!
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is next up on my schedule. I'll be back at Independence Motor Speedway on Tuesday for the series' first-ever visit to the Buchanan County Fairgrounds. I'll see you there!
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