For the first time in seven weeks of points racing this season, there were no career first-time winners at Independence Motor Speedway. Also for the first time this year, every winner Saturday night had already been in victory lane at least once this season.
Darren Ackerman became the first driver to return to victory lane this season in the IMCA Late Model division - and he did it in dominant fashion.
Ackerman built a straightaway lead by the time he entered lapped traffic on lap eight, then pulled away from Rick Wendling and Curt Martin following a late caution to collect his second win of the season.
With 20 Late Model wins in weekly racing history in Independence, Ackerman tied Greg Hunter for eighth on the division's all-time list at the speedway. He has now won multiple features in seven separate seasons.
Ackerman's win Saturday night came five days after the 13th anniversary of his first Independence win (June 9, 2001). He has more wins in June (8) than any other calendar month.
Ackerman's 20 career wins in weekly racing at the speedway place him alone in 25th on the track's all-time list among all drivers.
Paul Shepherd broke the streak of different winners in the IMCA Stock Car division, as well, by becoming the first repeat winner this season in that division.
Phil Holtz led throughout much of the first half of the 18-lap feature while Shepherd raced into contention from a fifth row start. Shepherd took the lead following a lap eight restart to drive to the victory.
The second win of his Stock Car career in Independence, Shepherd is one of 26 drivers with multiple Stock Car wins at the speedway. He is tied with David Adams and Robert Walters for 24th on the division's wins list.
All-time, Shepherd has earned six wins in weekly racing history at the speedway, tying him for 119th on that list.
Benji Irvine was one of three drivers to earn a fourth trip to victory lane this season. Irvine started deep in the field in the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature, but made his way into the top five before a caution following lap one.
He made his way to the front when the green flag waved to drive to his first win since May 17.
Irvine now owns nine Hobby Stock wins in weekly racing at the track, tying him with Forrest Frost and Jeff Roete for 11th on the all-time list. His first career win during the month of June in Independence, Irvine has now won at least one feature each during the months of April, May, June, July and August.
His nine career wins in Independence place Irvine in a tie for 76th on the track's all-time list.
Jenae Gustin earned her fourth win of the season in the IMCA Northern SportMods. Gustin inherited the lead when the starters at the front of the pack had trouble avoiding the caution flag.
After starting in row five, Gustin led the field back to green following a lap three caution en route to the win, her fourth in her last five appearances.
Gustin's four SportMod wins tie her with Brennen Chipp and Kip Siems for seventh on the division's weekly wins list at the speedway. She is tied for 164th on the track's all-time wins list out of 461 career feature winners in Independence.
Ronn Lauritzen's dominance in the IMCA Modifieds over the last year-and-a-half continued Saturday night. He raced the high groove into contention after starting in the middle of the pack in that 20-lapper.
Lauritzen swept past J.D. Auringer and leader Ed Thomas following a mid-race restart to drive to his fourth win of the year and his ninth in the last 17 weekly races for the division in Independence.
With 12 career Modified wins at the speedway, Lauritzen tied Scott Hogan for 10th on the division's all-time list. He is now tied for 55th in career wins in weekly racing history in Independence.
Lauritzen has won three of the last four Modified features at the speedway. The last to do it? You guessed it - Lauritzen also did it last season. Next week he will look to become the first Modified driver to win three straight features at the speedway since Adam Johnson won four-in-a-row toward the end of the 2012 season.
Tonight, I'm off to Benton County Speedway to fill in for announcer Bucky Doren while he enjoys Father's Day with his son on the baseball diamond. Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there and I hope to see you at the races!
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