The IMCA Sport Compacts were added as a weekly division this season, starting Saturday, July 7. While there were a pair of draw/redraw special events in June, the July 7 show established the beginning of the division's weekly history at the speedway. A few stats from that division's current three-week history are included below.
All photos included here are courtesy of Scott Tjabring of Action Track Photography, the official track photographer of the speedway.
Car Count
Division - Average - High - Low
Late Model - 19.3 - 22 - 17
Modified – 19.8 - 29 - 17
Stock Car – 17.0 - 25 - 14
SportMod – 19.3 - 24 - 16
Hobby Stock – 23.6 - 27 -17
Sport Compact - 9.8 - 13 - 8
TOTAL – 103.1 - 124 - 90
Points
* 203 drivers have earned points this season.
* Among those 170 drivers, 72 different hometowns have been represented.
* No driver has held the lead in his division's point standings all 12 weeks of the season. The reign of current points leaders are as follows: Mark Schulte (Modified) has led following 11 of 12 events, including the last six weeks; Tyler Bruening (Late Model) has led following seven weeks, including the last four; Sean Johnson (Stock Car) has led the last 11 weeks; Danny Dvorak (SportMod) has led for a total of eight weeks this season, including the last seven; and Justin Stander (Hobby Stock) has led for the last 10 weeks.
IN THE HUNT
* 22 drivers have remained in the top-10 in the points every week of the season. Those drivers include:
Late Model (5): Joel Brasch, Tyler Bruening, Drew Johnson, Curt Martin, Jon Passick;
Modified (5): Troy Cordes, Patrick Flannagan, Adam Johnson, Ronn Lauritzen, Mark Schulte;
Stock Car (4): Norman Chesmore, Phil Holtz, Sean Johnson, Jarod Weepie;
SportMod (6): Jim Buhlman, Danny Dvorak, Matt McCahen, Rick Paulson, Dave Schulze, Sam Wieben;
Hobby Stock (2): Nathan Christie, Justin Stander.
* 8 drivers have remained in the top-5 in the points every week of the season. Those drivers include:
Late Model (2): Tyler Bruening, Curt Martin;
Modified (2): Ronn Lauritzen, Mark Schulte;
Stock Car (2): Norman Chesmore, Sean Johnson;
SportMod (2): Danny Dvorak, Sam Wieben;
Hobby Stock (0): No Hobby Stock driver has spent every week in the top-5 in points.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING...
Drivers who lead their division's standings at the end of July don't always find themselves collecting track championship trophies at the end of August. Below are the trends of the points leaders over the last 20 years entering the final month of the season:
LATE MODEL: Tyler Bruening enters August with the points lead for the third consecutive season. He went on to earn the track title in 2010, but missed a night late in the 2011 season due to a friend's wedding and gave up his bid for back-to-back titles in the process. In the last 20 seasons (1992-2011), 14 drivers went on to win the track championship when leading the points at the end of July.
MODIFIED: Mark Schulte continued his stay at the top of the Modified points through the month of July. In the last 20 years (1992-2011), 13 drivers leading the Modified points at the end of July went on to win the points title.
STOCK CAR: Current points leader Sean Johnson has never led the division standings entering the final month of the season. In the 19 years the Stock Cars have competed in Indee, 13 of the points leaders at the end of July went on to take the track title.
SPORTMOD: Danny Dvorak is looking to become the first repeat champion in the brief history of the SportMod division. Now in its fifth season, Dvorak was the inaugural titlist back in 2008. Being at the top of the standings at the end of July is a good omen for eventual SportMod champions. The points leader entering the final month of racing has gone on to win the track title in each of the first four seasons of SportMod competition in Independence.
HOBBY STOCK: Although Justin Stander has led the IMCA Hobby Stock points for the last 10 weeks, his margin at the top is the smallest it's been since he took over the lead. He currently holds a two-point advantage over Benji Irvine as those two drivers are both in search of their first career track title. In the last 20 years, 13 times has the points leader at the end of July gone on to win the Hobby Stock track title.
Feature Winners
* There have been 34 different feature winners in 63 feature events this season.* Current points leaders account for only 16 of the 63 feature wins.
* There were no first-time Late Model feature winners in the first 12 weeks for the first time since 2005. The last time a season produced no first-time Late Model winners was 2004.
* In the last seven weeks, only two different Stock Car drivers have reached victory lane. John Emerson has won four times and Sean Johnson has three wins in that span.
* John Emerson became only the sixth Stock Car driver to earn at least four wins during the season of his first career win in that division. Larry Portis won 10 Stock Car features in his first year of competition in Independence in 1995, Dan Trimble (nine in 1994), Lon Gadow (five in 1993), Justin Temeyer (four in 2001) and Brian Irvine (four in 2005).
* Benji Irvine and Curt Graham won their first-ever Hobby Stock features in back-to-back weeks. It's the first time that division has produced consecutive first-time winners since Don Arnold, Kevin Robinson and Matt Brown won their first career features in consecutive weeks in 2006.
Top-10s
* 148 drivers have earned at least one top-10 finish this season. The top-10 leaders in each division are as follows:
Late Model (26 drivers with at least one top-10): Tyler Bruening, Curt Martin (11 each); Dale Hackwell Jr. (9); Dean Wagner, Travis Smock (8 each);
Modified (28): Mark Schulte (12); Patrick Flannagan, Ronn Lauritzen (11 each); Jeff Streeter (9); Adam Johnson, Vern Jackson (8 each);
Stock Car (25): Sean Johnson (12 each); Norman Chesmore, Jarod Weepie (11 each); John Emerson (9); Jason Hocken (8); Phil Holtz (7);
SportMod (30): Dave Schulze (12); Danny Dvorak (11); Jim Buhlman (10); Matt McCahen, Sam Wieben (9 each); Lucas Lundry, Brandon Smith (7 each);
Hobby Stock (26): Justin Stander (12); Benji Irvine (11); Curt Graham, Rod Grother, Marcus Wayne, (8 each); Nathan Christie, Justin Wacha (7 each);
Sport Compact (13): Merv Chandler, Steve Miedke, Neil Nabholz, Travis Ross, A.J. Witten (3 each).
Top-5s
* 96 drivers have earned at least one top-5 finish this season. The top-5 leaders in each division are as follows:
Late Model (21 drivers with at least one top-5): Tyler Bruening (10); Curt Martin (9); Dean Wagner (8); Travis Smock (5);
Modified (17): Mark Schulte (11); Ronn Lauritzen (10); Adam Johnson (6); Darin Duffy, Vern Jackson (5 each);
Stock Car (15): Sean Johnson (12); Norman Chesmore, Jason Hocken (8 each); John Emerson (7); Jarod Weepie (6);
SportMod (17): Danny Dvorak (8); Sam Wieben (7); Jim Buhlman, Dave Schulze (6); Shane Ebaugh, Lucas Lundry (5 each);
Hobby Stock (18): Benji Irvine (9); Justin Stander (6); Marcus Wayne, Chris Luloff (5 each);
Sport Compact (8): Merv Chandler, Steve Miedke (3 each); Duayne Herb, Travis Ross, Jeff Vislisel (2 each).
Top-3s
* 71 drivers have earned at least one top-3 finish this season. The top-3 leaders in each division are as follows:
Late Model (15 drivers with at least one top-3): Tyler Bruening (8); Curt Martin (5); Travis Smock, Dean Wagner (4 each); Luke Pestka (3);
Modified (11): Mark Schulte (7); Ronn Lauritzen (6); Darin Duffy, Adam Johnson (5 each); Troy Cordes (4);
Stock Car (11): Sean Johnson (12); John Emerson (6); Jason Hocken (5); Norman Chesmore (3);
SportMod (15): Danny Dvorak (7); Sam Wieben (6); Tyler Droste, Lucas Lundry (4 each); Jim Buhlman (3);
Hobby Stock (14): Benji Irvine (7); Chris Luloff (5); Justin Stander (4); Scott Pippert, Jeremiah Wilson (3 each);
Sport Compact (5): Merv Chandler, Steve Miedke (3 each); Nathan Chandler, Duayne Herb, Adam Gates (1 each).
Feature Lap Leaders
* 73 drivers have led at least one lap of feature competition.
* Division lap leaders include:
Late Model (12 different lap leaders): Travis Smock (53 laps led), Dean Wagner (52), Tyler Bruening (46), Bryan Klein (42), Luke Pestka (25);
Modified (15): Adam Johnson (59 laps led), Darin Duffy (32), Patrick Flannagan (30), Shawn Ryan (25), Mark Schulte (22);
Stock Car (14): Sean Johnson, John Emerson (62 laps led each); Tim Helle (23); Norman Chesmore (16); Dave Stricker (14);
SportMod (13): Danny Dvorak (49 laps led); Tyler Droste (30); Kip Siems; (23); Austin Kaplan, Matt McCahen, Travis Peterson (15 each);
Hobby Stock (16): Chris Luloff (62 laps led); Justin Stander (25); Nathan Ballard (16); Rod Grother (14); Curt Graham (13);
Sport Compact (3): Steve Miedke (23 laps led), Merv Chandler (9), Nathan Chandler (2).
Heat Races
* There have been 70 different heat race winners in 143 heat races.* 33 drivers have won multiple heat races this season.
* The heat race wins leaders in each division are as follows:
Late Model (14 winners in 32 heats): Dean Wagner (7); Greg Hunter, Jon Passick (4 each), Tyler Bruening, Rick Dralle (3 each); Greg Kastli, Rory Metcalf (2 each);
Modified (15 winners in 27 heats): Johnathan Thimmesch (5); Ronn Lauritzen (4); Mike Burbridge, Troy Cordes, Darin Duffy, Adam Johnson, Mark Schulte (2 each);
Stock Car (12 winners in 23 heats): John Emerson (8), Jason Hocken (4), Tim Helle (2);
SportMod (10 winners in 26 heats): Tyler Droste, Danny Dvorak (5 each); Shane Ebaugh (4); Kip Siems (3); Jim Aschenbrenner, Curt Hilmer, Sam Wieben (2 each);
Hobby Stock (16 winners in 32 heats): Benji Irvine, Chris Luloff, Justin Stander (4 each); Rod Grother (3); Jim Ball, Nathan Ballard, Vince Buchholz, Curt Graham, Jeremiah Wilson (2 each);
Sport Compact (3 winners in 3 heats): Merv Chandler, Nathan Chandler, Steve Miedke (1 each).
Efficiency Stats
* 207 races have been run this season.
* 2,306 green flag laps have been completed.
* 205 caution flags have been thrown (an overall average of 0.99 per race).
Cautions Per Race Ratio
Sport Compact: 3 cautions in 6 races (0.50 cautions per race)
Hobby Stock: 38 / 44 (0.86 cautions per race)
Late Model: 43 / 44 (0.98)
Stock Car: 36 / 35 (1.03)
Modified: 43 / 40 (1.08)
SportMod: 42 / 38 (1.11)
Race Laps Per Caution Ratio
Sport Compact: 51 laps with 3 cautions (average of 17.00 green flag laps between cautions)
Late Model: 559 / 43 (13.00)
Hobby Stock: 439 / 38 (11.55)
Stock Car: 403 / 36 (11.19)
Modified: 464 / 43 (10.79)
SportMod: 390 / 42 (9.29)
Races with No Caution Flags
Late Model: 25 of 44 races have gone flag-to-flag without a caution (56.81%)
Modified: 21 / 40 (52.50%)
Hobby Stock: 23 / 44 (52.27%)
Stock Car: 18 / 35 (51.42%)
SportMod: 19 / 38 (50.00%)
Sport Compact: 3 / 6 (50.00%)
109 of 207 races have gone green to checkers without a caution
Feature Cautions
Stock Car: 31 of 36 total cautions have been thrown in feature races (86.11%)
Modified: 35 / 43 (81.39%)
Late Model: 35 / 43 (81.39%)
SportMod: 33 / 42 (78.57%)
Hobby Stock: 26 / 38 (68.42%)
Sport Compact: 2 / 3 (66.66%)
162 of 205 total cautions have been thrown during feature racing
Average Lap of First Feature Caution
Late Model: 7.50
Hobby Stock: 5.50
Sport Compact: 5.33
SportMod: 5.00
Stock Car: 4.58
Modified: 3.25
Since the year 1967...
* 671 Late Model feature events have been completed in weekly competition with 97 different winners. On average, a new Late Model winner visits victory lane every 6.9 events.
* 440 Modified feature events have been completed in weekly competition with 80 different winners. On average, a new Modified winner visits victory lane every 5.5 events.
* 288 Stock Car feature events have been completed in weekly competition with 43 different winners. On average, a new Stock Car winner visits victory lane every 6.7 events.
* 63 SportMod feature events have been completed in weekly competition with 17 different winners. On average, a new SportMod winner visits victory lane every 3.7 events.
* 349 Hobby Stock feature events have been completed in weekly competition with 90 different winners. On average, a new Hobby Stock winner visits victory lane every 3.9 events.
* 3 Sport Compact feature events have been completed in weekly competition with 2 different winners. On average, a new Sport Compact winner visits victory lane every 1.5 events.
* Overall, in the last 46-plus seasons, 1,814 features have been completed in the six divisions that currently compete at the speedway.
A PLACE IN HISTORY: Steve Miedke put his name in the history books by winning the first-ever IMCA Sport Compact feature held in Independence.
Qualifying Streaks
* The longest currently active feature qualifying streaks for weekly competition in each division include:
Late Model: Drew Johnson has qualified for 47 consecutive features. His last miss was July 11, 2009.
Modified: Patrick Flannagan has qualified for 43 consecutive features. His last miss was August 8, 2009.
Stock Car: Norman Chesmore has qualified for 99 consecutive features. His last miss was July 9, 2005.
Hobby Stock: Rod Grother has qualified for 41 consecutive features. His last miss was August 22, 2009.
SportMod: Jim Buhlman has qualified for all 63 features dating back to the first one at the speedway on June 21, 2008.
Weather Trends
* In each of the last three seasons, exactly 14 nights of weekly racing were completed. With 12 nights in the books this season, four nights remain on the schedule.
* Twelve weekly racing programs were completed by the end of July for the first time since the 2007 season.
* In track history, only 13.7% of all cancellations (28/174) have occurred in the month of July. Historically, it is the driest month on the calendar.
* The races scheduled for the second Saturday in July were rained out for the first time since 1993 (which many consider the wettest season in track history).
* A weekly program has not been rained out in the month of August since August 4, 2007 (which was also the last time we were scheduled to race on August 4). That is a stretch of 20 straight successful weekly programs without a rainout. The longest dry stretch for August was a 28 week span from 1993-1999.
* With two rain-free months already in the books, should we go without a rainout in August, it would be the first time since 1999 that a season saw three calendar months without a cancellation.
* Historically, August is the second driest month. The month accounts for only 29 of 174 rainouts (16.7%) in track history, however each of the four dates scheduled for racing in August this season (August 4, 11, 18 and 25) have each suffered at least one rainout in track history. Each of those dates have had six weekly races scheduled on them, with August 4, 11 and 18 each raining out once, and August 25 raining out twice. Coincidentally, the August 18 rainout and the most recent August 25 rainout both occurred in 2001. That year, season championships were rained out for the first time in track history.
IN SYNC - Dean Wagner (#60) and Rory Metcalf (#0) battle for position in IMCA Late Model feature action.
Stuff Nobody Should Know…
* Of the 63 feature winners, 34 have come from inside starting spots and 29 from the outside.
* The Late Models, Modifieds and Hobby Stocks have produced more feature winners from inside starting spots than the outside. The Stock Cars, SportMods and Sport Compacts have produced more winners from the outside than the inside.
* The 11 Stock Car winners have come from 12 different starting spots. Outside row two is the only starting position to produce multiple Stock Car winners.
* The 12 different Hobby Stock winners have come from 10 different starting spots. Only the pole position and outside row six have produced multiple Hobby Stock winners.
* Thirteen different starting positions have produced feature winners so far this season - every position in the first six rows, plus outside row eight (Sean Johnson).
* Tyler Droste's four feature wins have come in alternating weeks over the past seven weeks.
* In the 11 weeks heats have been run, no Modified driver has earned more than six top-3 heat race finishes.
* Not including Sport Compacts, 86 different drivers have cracked the top-10 in his division’s points for at least one week this season.
* 14 different drivers have held or shared their division's points lead at some point during the season.
* Nine different drivers have finished in second place in the 12 Hobby Stock features
* Ten different SportMod drivers have finished ninth in the feature through 12 weeks of racing and ten different drivers have finished 10th through 12 weeks of racing.
* Eleven different Stock Car drivers have finished eighth in the feature through 12 weeks of racing.
Stuff To Tell Your Friends That Makes Them Think You've Lost It...
* The finishing order for the top four of the July 28 Late Model feature was exactly the same as the finishing order on July 21: 1. Travis Smock; 2. Curt Martin; 3. Tyler Bruening; 4. Dean Wagner. That means it was Martin's second straight second place finish, but it was also (get this).. Bruening's third straight third place finish and Wagner's fourth straight fourth place finish. Wild.
* To continue with that first point, through 12 weeks, 11 different Late Model drivers have finished in the same position two weeks in a row at some point this season. Seven different Modified drivers have also done it.
* Adam Johnson, Part I: Johnson won his second straight Modified feature on July 28. He is looking to become just the eighth driver in track history to string together three straight wins in that division. Others who have done it include Troy Cordes, Darin Duffy, Vern Jackson, Greg Kastli, Jack Mitchell, Mark Noble and Duane Van Deest.
* Adam Johnson, Part II: Entering July 28, only 12 Modified drivers in track history had won three times in a four week span. Along with the seven names mentioned above, others who have done it include Ron Barker, Tom Bartholomew, Steve Droste, Keith Pittman and Mike Sampson. Johnson became the 13th name on that list on July 28.
* Adam Johnson, Part III: Johnson is looking to win his fourth Modified feature in five weeks on August 4. Should he get the job done, he will put his name on a list that includes only four names. They are Darin Duffy, who won four times in a five week span in both 1999 and 2000, along with Jack Mitchell (1984), Greg Kastli (1986) and Keith Pittman (1997).
* Travis Smock earned his second straight Late Model win on July 28. While he could become just the fifth Late Model driver in track history to string together three straight wins (Gary Crawford, Curt Martin, Ed Sanger and Rick Wendling have already done it), I understand Smock will be out of town this weekend and won't be attempting to earn a share of history.
* Four Hobby Stock drivers have earned their first career wins so far this season. That is the most for a single season since 2007 when six drivers in that division made their first trips to victory lane.
* Entering the final month of the season last year, only two of five points leaders went on to earn track titles. Who were they? The answer will be available in the points sheet this Saturday night!
That will take care of the month of July for Independence. The next Blitz will come following the end of August and after the completion of the weekly points season. Updated all-time stats will be included in that edition. Tomorrow, I hope to have the Stats Blitz posted for Benton County Speedway through the month of July.
Thanks for reading!
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