A great field of 113 cars filled the pits at Independence Motor Speedway on Saturday for Mid-Season Championships. When the final checkers waved, four drivers earned their first career mid-season crowns at Independence while another picked up his third mid-season title.
An additional five laps were tacked onto all feature events, which were lined up based on season point totals. No heat races were run in the five weekly divisions. The top four in points in each division were given the opportunity to double their winnings if they could win the feature after starting at the tail. A couple of drivers took the challenge and, while they didn't succeed, made nice runs through the pack.
IMCA STOCK CAR
Sean Johnson was the only driver of the night to make a repeat trip to the mid-season winner's circle. Johnson, who also earned mid-season honors in 2007 and 2010, led the last 22 laps of action to take the victory. John Emerson ran second much of the way, no more than half a car-length behind the leader. Johnson held off his pursuer to take his fourth win of the season and the 21st of his career.
Johnson remains third on the all-time Stock Car wins list at the speedway and has now won a minimum of four features for the third consecutive season. It was Johnson's sixth career win in the month of June and marked the fourth time in his career he's had separate streaks of two or more wins. It was also Johnson's second career win on June 30 at the speedway.
IMCA MODIFIED
Sean's brother, Adam, was victorious in the 25-lap IMCA Modified feature. Ronn Lauritzen and Troy Cordes shared time at the front of the pack before Johnson worked the top side into the lead with just nine laps remaining. Once out front, Johnson drove away from the field to earn his second win of the season and his first career during mid-season action.
It was Johnson's second career win in the month of June, with his first June win coming earlier this season. Johnson now has multiple Modified wins in three different seasons. Overall, he now has 10 career Modified wins in weekly racing at Independence. That places him alone in 10th all-time, one win behind Scott Hogan.
IMCA HOBBY STOCK
Points leader Justin Stander led all 20 laps on his way to victory in the IMCA Hobby Stock division. The win ended Chris Luloff's streak of four consecutive wins in the division. Luloff chased Stander through lapped traffic, but Stander proved to be too strong out front as he drove to his second win of the season.
Stander became the 59th Hobby Stock driver in speedway history with multiple Hobby Stocks in weekly racing. He is tied for 46th on the division's all-time list.
IMCA SPORTMOD
Danny Dvorak led 19 of 20 laps to take the win in the IMCA SportMod feature, although the lap he didn't lead is not the one most would probably assume. After taking the lead early, Dvorak held the point until the 19th circuit when Lucas Lundry powered through the pack on the outside to inch ahead as the white flag waved. Dvorak patiently ran the low groove past Lundry at the checkers to take the win, his fourth of the season.
The win moved Dvorak into sole possession of the top of the division's all-time wins list at the speedway. He broke the tie at the top with Josh Sherbon. It was Dvorak's fourth career win during the month of June.
IMCA LATE MODEL
Points leader Curt Martin was vacationing with his family and not in attendance on Saturday, leaving Tyler Bruening on the pole for the 30-lap Late Model feature. After Jon Passick led the first two circuits, Bruening swept past the leader and won the event going away. Bruening won the event by a straightaway, leaving only the top seven finishers unlapped.
It was Bruening's 12th career trip to Late Model victory lane in weekly racing history at the speedway. He remains alone in 16th, but is one win from tying Glen Martin and Kevin Pittman for 14th on the all-time list.
IMCA SPORT COMPACTS
For the second straight week, the Sport Compact division was added to the program for a pair of draw/redraw specials. Merv Chandler took the lead three laps into that 12-lapper to take the victory, his first at Independence since a win in the IMCA Modified division on May 26, 1984.
Due to the good turnout of Sport Compacts during the last two weeks, the division is being added to the weekly program for the remainder of the season, provided the car count stays above 10 on a regular basis. Track points will start being awarded next weekend. Next Saturday, July 7, will be a final draw/redraw show for the division to establish a point average.
While many may question lining up mid-season features by points, last night proved that it can be a very entertaining event. All of the features provided fantastic racing from the first green flag to the final checkers. The track was again in superb condition, providing multi-groove racing all night on the smooth, 3/8-mile oval. Awesome job to Don Burkey and Todd Summers for all their hard work!
A pair of drivers took the mid-season challenge and started their respective features from the tail. Sam Wieben, who was scheduled to start fourth in the SportMod feature, started last in that 20-car field and made a terrific run to finish third. Likewise, Modified driver Jerry Luloff opted to go to the back (presumably to avoid lapped traffic) and made a nice run from 20th to finish fourth.
One item that has been brought up a couple different times at Independence is the use of the layover flag; well, our choice to not use the layover flag. Beyond what some may recall, the layover flag has not been used at Independence for a number of years now, and I have no idea why it's become an issue this season.
To be honest, I think the layover flag serves no purpose, unless, of course, you want to spook the lapped cars and cause more problems than they may already provide. The purpose of the layover flag puzzles me, anyway. "Don't change your line and hold your position," is what drivers are told should the layover flag wave for them. Isn't that everyone's purpose on the track, whether you're leading or running laps down to the field?
Whether people care for it or not, lapped traffic is a part of racing and will play into the strategy of winning a race more nights than not. They may not be racing for position with the leader, but they are racing for position with someone on the track. The object of racing is to pass cars, and that object doesn't change just because the guy in front of you is a lap down.
When you look at last night's features, Tyler Bruening put on a clinic in the Late Model feature, lapping up to seventh place. There was one caution during that 30-lapper... on lap two. After that, lapped cars presented themselves frequently throughout the final half of that event, many times in two and three-wide formation. Everyone who approaches lapped traffic has the goal of getting past them and every feature winner on Saturday night did just that.
With that said, the layover flag will continue to remain in chief starter John Huff's bag, right where we feel it belongs.
Coincidentally, I didn't need a layover flag to tell me the heat got the best of me last night, which explains why this blog entry is later than normal. I came home, took a cold shower and went right to bed last night before digging into my results and stats this morning and doing the Indee site update. Thanks to everyone for their patience!
Up next at the speedway is the Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models. As I write this, that event is tomorrow, Monday, July 2. Along with Late Models, the IMCA SportMod and IMCA Hobby Stock divisions will also be competing. Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 6:45 and racing to follow. For more information, visit the track's web site at www.independencemotorspeedway.com.
Following the Deery show, I plan to provide the monthly Stats Blitz for Independence. Look for the mid-season numbers sometime Tuesday or Wednesday.
Tonight, it's back across town to Benton County Speedway here in Vinton for the last event prior to next Sunday's 18th annual Hogan Memorial. It's gonna be a hot one tonight, but should be well worth the visit to Vinton. I hope to see you there!
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