Independence Motor Speedway
June 16, 2012
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Bruening works high side to win 25-lap IMCA Late Model feature

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (June 16) – On a night when three Late Model veterans paced all five features to green, a trio of drivers moved to the top of the all-time wins lists in their respective divisions at Independence Motor Speedway. One of those drivers supplanted a name that’s been at the top for nearly 17 years.

With racing legends Gary Crawford, Ed Sanger and Curt Hansen in attendance, Chris Luloff earned his third straight win in the IMCA Hobby Stock division to move past Chris Wessner at the top of the all-time Hobby Stock wins list at the speedway. That’s a position Wessner held by himself since June 29, 1995.

At the start of the 15-lapper, pole-sitter Jerome Wilson held the lead until Marcus Wayne made his way to the front just prior to a lap two caution. Following another stoppage on lap three, Luloff worked his way into a challenge for the lead. He took over the top spot five laps into the event, then drove away from the pack until the final yellow flag waved on lap 11.

Following the restart, Luloff went unchallenged over the final four circuits to drive to the 21st Hobby Stock win of his career at Independence to make his way to the top of the all-time list.

In what was arguably the best race of the night, Darin Duffy made his way to victory lane in the 20-lap IMCA Modified feature. The win, Duffy’s third of the year, broke a tie with Vern Jackson atop the all-time Modified wins list at the speedway, making Duffy the first driver to reach 40 career wins in weekly Modified racing at the speedway.

Johnathan Thimmesch took advantage of his pole position start and led the first time around the fast, smooth 3/8-mile oval just prior to the race’s only caution. On the restart, Patrick Flannagan made his bid for the lead while Ronn Lauritzen was racing through traffic from a fourth row starting spot.

Working the high side, Lauritzen made his way into a battle with Thimmesch for second after four laps before settling into the position on lap eight. Meanwhile, Duffy was running the low side into contention from his fifth row starting spot.

As Duffy made his way through the field, Lauritzen reeled in Flannagan out front. The leaders engaged in a terrific battle for the lead over the next handful of laps, trading racing grooves and the lead before Lauritzen finally broke free on lap 14.

While Lauritzen made his way to the front, Duffy gained ground on the leaders, working past Flannagan with just three laps to go. At that time, Lauritzen’s ride started showing signs of smoke as Duffy challenged from the low side. A short time later, Lauritzen’s #10K went up in smoke, forcing him to an early exit. This allowed Duffy to drive away to the milestone win.

Danny Dvorak moved into a tie with Josh Sherbon at the top of the all-time wins list in the IMCA SportMod division. Following a mid-race caution, Dvorak worked the high side past leader Jim Buhlman to take this third win of the season and the 12th of his career at Independence.

One week removed from his first career win in the IMCA Stock Car division, John Emerson proved that win was no fluke as he earned his second straight win on Saturday. Emerson held off pressure from points leader Sean Johnson to take the victory.

Tyler Bruening worked the high side past Dean Wagner to drive to the win in the 25-lap IMCA Late Model feature. Wagner closed again late, but Bruening held off those challenges to earn his first win of the season, making him the sixth different winner in the division through seven weeks.

Next week’s program is sponsored by Dunlap Motors. In addition to a number of special activities and giveaways planned for the fans, Dunlap will have cars from its lot on display. Also added to the program will be the first-ever appearance by the IMCA Sport Compact division at the speedway. The division will be run on a trial basis during the next two Saturdays and will be sanctioned for state and national IMCA points. Gates will open at 4 p.m. with hot laps at 6 and racing to follow.

RESULTS
IMCA LATE MODEL
Feature – 1. 16 Tyler Bruening; 2. 60 Dean Wagner; 3. 98 Travis Smock; 4. 2P Jon Passick; 5. 45 Curt Martin; 6. 3X Chad Lerch; 7. 145 Dale Hackwell Jr.; 8. 88 Drew Johnson; 9. 21B Joel Brasch; 10. 4 Leon Thomsen; 11. 0 Rory Metcalf; 12. 14 Tracey Rigel; 13. 99 Luke Peskta; 14. 4D Rick Dralle; 15. 68 Tysus Pattee; 16. 7 Greg Hunter; 17. 5W Scott Welsh.
First heat – 1. Metcalf; 2. Passick; 3. Hunter; 4. Bruening; 5. Welsh; 6. Hackwell; 7. Lerch; 8. Brasch.
Second heat – 1. Wagner; 2. Dralle; 3. Smock; 4. Martin; 5. Pattee; 6. Thomsen; 7. Thomsen; 8. Rigel; 9. Johnson.

IMCA MODIFIED
Feature – 1. 19D Darin Duffy; 2. F7 Patrick Flannagan; 3. 24R Adam Johnson; 4. 18 Jerry Luloff; 5. 27M Mark Schulte; 6. 85 Johnathan Thimmesch; 7. 1J Jeff Streeter; 8. 41P Keith Pittman; 9. 57B Dennis Betzer; 10. 25 Duane Peterson; 11. 10K Ronn Lauritzen; 12. 71 Troy Cordes; 13. 49 Mike Manson; 14. 01 Ed Thomas; 15. 14B Shane Burbridge; 16. 83C Todd Conrad; 17. 12D Joe Docekal.
First heat – 1. Thimmesch; 2. Lauritzen; 3. Conrad; 4. Burbridge; 5. Luloff; 6. Cordes; 7. Thomas; 8. Streeter.
Second heat – 1. Duffy; 2. Betzer; 3. Flannagan; 4. Schulte; 5. Docekal; 6. Pittman; 7. Peterson; 8. Manson; 9. Johnson.

IMCA STOCK CAR
Feature – 1. 87 John Emerson; 2. 8R Sean Johnson; 3. JR3 Jason Hocken; 4. 3 Jarod Weepie; 5. 17 Jason Niedert; 6. 15 Norman Chesmore; 7. 83E Thomas Thompson; 8. 4 Cory Tharp; 9. 09X Cole Mather; 10. 11J Jerome Jacoby; 11. 7H Phil Holtz; 12. 4JR Russell Damme Jr.; 13. 15T Tim Helle; 14. 85 Bryce Carey; 15. 21 Joe Harken.
First heat – 1. Emerson; 2. Johnson; 3. Hocken; 4. Weepie; 5. Tharp; 6. Carey; 7. Jacoby.
Second heat – 1. Helle; 2. Thompson; 3. Holtz; 4. Niedert; 5. Chesmore; 6. Damme; 7. Mather; 8. Harken.

IMCA SPORTMOD
Feature – 1. 3R Danny Dvorak; 2. 198 Sam Wieben; 3. 00 Jim Buhlman; 4. 21 Brennen Chipp; 5. J2 Dave Schulze; 6. 63 Matt McCahen; 7. 96 Lucas Lundry; 8. 25T Travis Peterson; 9. 49 Brandon Smith; 10. B62 Brandon Davis; 11. 28P Rick Paulson; 12. 11M Mike Mitchell; 13. 93 Josh Burrell; 14. 50H Steve Wimer; 15. 72 Mike Hogencamp; 16. 14 Shane Ebaugh; 17. 7Z Zac Becker; 18. 39 Brian Hilbert.
First heat – 1. Dvorak; 2. Paulson; 3. Peterson; 4. McCahen; 5. Chipp; 6. Becker; 7. Mitchell; 8. Burrell; DNS Lundry.
Second heat – 1. Ebaugh; 2. Buhlman; 3. Manson; 4. Schulze; 5. Hogencamp; 6. Davis; 7. Wimer; 8. Wieben; 9. Hulbert.

IMCA HOBBY STOCK
Feature – 1. 18 Chris Luloff; 2. 5 Marcus Wayne; 3. 64 Jerome Wilson; 4. 14G Curt Graham; 5. 25 Jamie Whitaker; 6. 79 Benji Irvine; 7. 67 Justin Stander; 8. 77 Rod Grother; 9. 45 Justin Wacha; 10. 14J Jacob Floyd; 11. 7B Jim Ball; 12. 26 Nathan Christie; 13. 95 Matt Lundry; 14. 20B Matt Burmeister; 15. 20W Bruce Fraser; 16. 20JN Justin Ginther; 17. 58B Randy Byerly; 18. 55 Vince Buchholz; 19. 73 Quinton Miller; 20. 12OZ Gary Gates; 21. 21 Jason Williams; 22. 64JR Jeremiah Wilson (DNS); 23. 166 Justin Lichty (DNS).
First heat – 1. Jerome Wilson; 2. Jeremiah Wilson; 3. Irvine; 4. Graham; 5. Floyd; 6. Christie; 7. Williams; 8. Lichty.
Second heat – 1. Miller; 2. Stander; 3. Ball; 4. Luloff; 5. Fraser; 6. Wacha; 7. Gates; 8. Byerly.
Third heat – 1. Buchholz; 2. Whitaker; 3. Wayne; 4. Grother; 5. Ginther; 6. Lundry; 7. Burmeister.