The Late Model division has been around Independence longer than many of the track's fans, dating back to the mid-1960s. Below is a year-by-year recap of every season dating back to 1967 followed by division statistics since that time. Although I understand the track opened a year or so prior to the start of the 1967 season, I was only able to locate results as far back as 1967. Additionally, I only have the track champions dating back to 1981, along with a handful prior to that season. For that reason, I did not include division champions in the stats section. I did, however, include the titlists in the yearly recaps where available.
Please keep in mind, these results and statistics include only weekly racing. Special series, such as the Deery Series, Indee Open, Corn Belt Clash and other specials are not included. And now, 43 years of Late Model results...
1967
Under the promotion of Doc Hunt and Vern Weber of Greater Iowa Racing, Independence kicked off its 1967 season with Glen Martin in victory lane on May 6, his only triumph that year. He started the season as the first of five different winners. Red Droste, Chub Liebe, Bob Hilmer and Tom Hughes were all victorious before Droste became the first two-time winner on June 10. Chub Liebe followed up with his second win the next week. Liebe went on to lead the division with five victories during the 15-week season, including a win during the July 22 mid-season championships. He was the only driver to earn back-to-back wins that year. Droste posted four wins, including a victory on championship night, September 9. Completing the list of one-time winners that year were Martin, Hilmer, Hughes, Ty Burger, Dave Noble and Dick Heiden. Liebe earned track championship honors.
1968
Droste continued his winning ways into 1968 by picking up the opening night victory. It was the first of only 10 times in division history that the season championship winner of one season won the opener of the following season. Droste's only other win that year came one week before championship night during the 16-week season. Liebe continued to pace the field in 1968, matching his 1967 performance with another five-win season in 1968. He was the only driver to earn back-to-back wins during that season, as well. Cal Swanson earned his first division win on May 18, the first of his three victories that season. Klaus Stricker and Bill Zwanziger scored their lone wins of the season prior to Ed Sanger's first triumph, that being during the July 13 mid-season championship program. Paul Fitzpatrick rounded out the list of winner that year. He earned two victories, including the final race on championship night.
1969
It took Bill Barthelmes three weeks to earn his first victory to start the 1969 season. The season opener on May 10 was cut short due to rain, forcing Barthelmes to wait until the next time Mother Nature cooperated on May 31 to take the season opening win. It was his only trip to the winner's circle that year. Droste led the division with three wins that year, including back-to-back wins in July, as well as a September 20 season championship triumph. Sanger and Liebe each earned two wins, while Joe Schaefer also scored his first two wins that season, coming on August 9 and 3o. Curt Hansen drove to his first and only win on August 2 to complete the list of eight winners during the rain-shortened 13-week season.
1970
Barthelmes scored his second straight season-opening win, his only victory that season, as well. He was the first of eight straight different winners to open the season, a season-opening record that still stands 40 years later. Hansen, Droste, Martin, Bill Beckman, Swanson and Liebe all won features before Sanger doubled-up on July 4 and 11. Sanger scored his division-leading third win on championship night to wrap up the points title. Zwanziger was the only other multi-race winner that year with his two wins coming in back-to-back fashion in August. Al "Doc" Mayner earned his first win on July 18 of that year while Schaefer added his name to the list of 11 winners with a victory on August 22. That was the last race of the season before season championships finally dodged the rain four weeks later on September 19.
1971
Sanger continued his winning ways in 1971 by taking the first two features of the year. Sanger eventually visited the winner's circle seven times that season, a mark that has only been topped two other times in the last 39 years, once by Sanger himself. Mayner broke Sanger's streak to take the first of his two wins that season in week three. Red Dralle scored his first Late Model win at Independence on May 29 of that year (remember that date), the first of two wins for him that season. Jim Burbridge got his first victory on June 26 as part of a make-up feature from the previous week's washed out show. Liebe took mid-season championship honors in his only win of the year before Burger, Hansen and Karl Sanger earned single wins. Sanger closed the season with three wins in the final four nights, including a championship night victory.
1972
Liebe opened the 1972 season with the first of his two wins that year. Hansen and Arthur Nesteby joined Liebe in the two-win column while Mayner, Barthelmes, Schaefer, Karl Sanger and Bob Hesse completed the list of one-time winners. Ed Sanger again dominated victory lane as he drove to five feature wins, all coming in the final seven weeks of the season, including championship night. In the process, Sanger set a mark that has been matched only 11 times (twice by him), but never topped. Remarkably, that record is earning three straight wins. It's hard to believe nobody has ever won four straight in 43 years. Hansen, however, walked away with track title honors.
1973
After a three year absence, Martin returned to victory lane to open the 1973 season. Mayner and Dan Nesteby also made trips to the winner's circle that season, while Hansen posted two victories, including one on mid-season championship night. It was Ed Sanger, however, who posted another mark that has been matched only one time since the 1973 season, but never topped. Starting with his feature win during the second weekly show on May 19, Sanger won a total of eight times that year. His victories included two separate streaks of three straight wins. His mark of eight wins has been matched only one other time. While it's one of the years I'm missing, I would have to believe Sanger won the points title again in 1973.
1974
Although he won the season opener in 1974, Ed Sanger slowed down a bit as he posted just two wins in 1974. It was the seventh straight year he posted at least one feature victory and the final season in that streak. Despite his low win total, Sanger was one of five drivers to score two wins to lead the division. Among the other two-time winners were Martin, Schaefer, Arthur Nesteby and Gary Crawford, who earned his first Late Model win at Independence on June 22 of that year. Both Martin and Nesteby won their features in back-to-back fashion while Schaefer's final win came on championship night. One-timers that year included Jack Mitchell, Barthelmes, mid-season victor Dralle and Dan Nesteby.
1975
Martin scored back-to-back wins to open the 1975 season in a year when a number of first-time winners visited victory lane. Among those were Denny Osborn on May 31, Darrell Sells on July 5, Jim Burger on July 15 and Dave Bedard on July 26. For Sells, Burger and Bedard, those wins were the only victories of their careers at Independence. Crawford, Burbridge, Dralle, Mayner and Arthur Nesteby were also one-time winners. Osborn, Martin, Barthelmes and Schaefer each drove to two wins to lead the division in a season that saw 12 different feature winners throughout the 16-week season. The 12 winners that year has remained the record for the past 34 seasons. Schaefer was the season championship winner while Osborn nabbed track title honors.
1976
The variety of feature winners kept on coming in 1976 as 10 drivers posted wins in the 14-week season. Barthelmes led the way with three wins, the largest number of wins in the division in three seasons. Barthelmes won the season opener, the third such win of his career, along with back-to-back wins ending on mid-season championship night. Following his May 8 opening night win, rain forced the cancellation of the next three consecutive nights of racing. Since they did not race again until June 5, Hunt and Weber reportedly decided it had "been so long since they raced" that they were going to forget the original opener and declare the June 5 show their season opener. Martin topped that show for his only win of the season. Burbridge, Dralle and Arthur Nesteby also scored single wins that year while Larry Wasserfort and Roger Bruggeman scored the only wins of their careers that season. Bill Beckman and Crawford each collected a pair of victories.
1977
Crawford became the man to beat in 1977 as he posted five feature wins, including three straight to end the season. Dave Trower, the opening night winner, along with Roger Klingfus and Jim Decker, earned their only Independence wins that season. Beckman, Hesse, Mitchell, Martin and Mayner also collected single wins while Dralle topped mid-season action. For the second straight season there were 10 different winners in 14 nights of racing.
1978
Crawford continued to dominate in 1978 as he posted a career high six wins, including two separate back-to-back streaks, one of which came at the end of the season. Ed Sanger appeared to be the dominant car as he posted three wins in the first four weeks before Crawford accomplished the same feat in the following four weeks of competition. Mayner and Dralle eached scored wins in the first half of the season. Following Crawford's mid-season championship victory, Burbridge won two straight prior to victories by Martin and John Weers. Crawford then ended the season with two straight trips to the winner's circle.
1979
Tom Fitzpatrick won the 1979 opener before Zwanziger returned to victory lane for the first time in nine years in week two. Crawford then reeled off four wins over the next five weeks. Zwanziger matched Crawford's division-leading four wins that season. Greg Kastli scored the first win of his Late Model career at Independence on June 30 and added his second win seven weeks later, one of six straight different winners to close the season. Gary Tigges, Tom Fitzpatrick, Dave Merfeld and Plum were part of that string, along with championship night winner Martin.
1980
Mayner won on opening night of the 14-week 1980 season to earn his only win of the year. Crawford posted a trio of wins that year, his final one during mid-season championships. Zwanziger and Tom Fitzpatrick added wins during the first half of the season along with Rick Wendling, who earned his first career win on June 28, one week prior to mid-season. The week following mid-season, on July 12, Dave Bentley scored his first career Late Model win. Ed Sanger and Dick Schiltz also scored wins in the closing weeks of the season, however Jim Burbridge was the man to beat toward season's end as he won three times in the final five weeks.
1981
Ed Sanger scored the opening night victory in 1981, the first of his two wins. His only other win that year came on championship night. After the May 9 program was cut short due to rain, Kastli not only won the make-up feature on May 16, he also won that night's regularly scheduled main event. He eventually scored five wins that season on his way to the track title. John Connolly earned two wins, while Bentley, Tigges, Schiltz and Burbridge also scored victories. The Late Model feature on August 22 was cut short, ultimately canceled and never made up following an injury during that event.
1982
Crawford and Burbridge led the list of nine different winners in 1982 as those drivers each earned three wins during the 14-week season. Wendling kicked off the year in victory lane, the first of seven different consecutive winners to open the season. Burbridge, Kastli, Ed Sanger and Crawford followed before Steve Auringer posted his only Late Model win at Independence on June 19. Dralle completed the list of seven straight winners the following week. Crawford was the first to double-up that season, one of only three drivers to earn multiple wins. Mayner and Karl Sanger joined the winners' list toward the end of the year. Burbridge's two wins came in back-to-back fashion late in the season to wrap up the points title. One week later, Wendling closed the season on championship night the way he started it, in victory lane.
1983
Gary Henderson opened 1983 with his first Independence Late Model win. After the season opener was rained out on May 21, Henderson won the make-up feature the following week. Burbridge scored the first of his two wins during the regularly scheduled feature on May 28. Wendling got his only win that season on week three. Kastli nabbed a pair of wins that season to drive to the track title while Dralle won consecutive features as the middle of the season approached. Bentley also scored a win in the second half of the season. Zwanziger had the hot foot throughout the second half of the year as he posted four wins to lead the division, all during the final seven weeks of the season, including on championship night.
1984
Opening night of the 1984 season was a turning point for the division, as well as the speedway itself. The most dominant driver in division history at Independence scored his first career victory to open the season that former driver Jerry Blue purchased Greater Iowa Racing and took over the reigns of the speedway. It was on May 5 of that year when Curt Martin scored the first of his 90 career wins in weekly competition at the speedway. It was the first of five wins for Martin that year, who closed his memorable year with a win on championship night. Wendling posted four victories that year as he and Martin dominated the final six weeks of the season; each driver won three times in that span. Ed Sanger scored a pair of wins that year while Dralle and Karl Sanger each posted single victories. The season marked the first of three straight track titles for Martin, who eventually motored to 10 championships overall at Independence.
1985
Martin opened 1985 with another victory, the first of eight straight different drivers to score wins that season, matching the mark first established at the start of the 1970 season. Crawford, Dralle, Larry Schmidt, Ed Sanger, Wes Merritt, Jeff Aikey and Henderson completed the list of different winners. Crawford ended the list of new winners in grand fashion as he went on to score three striaght wins. The season then closed with another streak as six different drivers found victory lane over the final six weeks. That list included Martin, Kastli, Crawford, Merritt, Vern Jackson (whose lone Late Model win came on August 17) and Red Dralle, the winner on championship night. Overall, Crawford led the way with five wins while Martin drove to his second straight track title
1986
Martin was the first to double-up in 1986, however it took eight weeks (mid-season championships) to do so as, again, a long string of different winners opened the season. In all, seven drivers won during the first seven weeks with a total of 10 drivers earning victories that season. Martin opened the season with a win, followed with wins by Greg Hunter, whose first career win came on May 3, Osborn, Dralle, Ed Sanger, Zwanziger and Henderson. Following Martin's mid-season win on July 12, Burbridge, Crawford and Randy Frush added their names to the list of 1986 winners. After a rain-shortened program on August 9, Martin won the make-up feature on August 16 while Burbridge won the regular feature that night, the first of two straight for him. Martin concluded the season with a win on championship night, his fourth of the season, on the way to his third straight title.
1987
With his three wins in 1987, including mid-season and season championship triumphs, Wendling drove to his first division crown as the Late Models were sanctioned with I.M.C.A. for the first time in track history. Burbridge also scored three victories to match Wendling for that season's high. Crawford's lone win came on opening night before Hunter won back-to-back features the following two weeks. Osborn posted a pair of wins while Merritt and Schmidt also claimed a checkered flag apiece. Dennis Schwake earned his only win on June 27 of that season before Dave Thorsten took his first Late Model win the following week on July 4.
1988
Aikey opened the 1988 season with a win before Martin went back-to-back in the following two weeks. Dralle earned his only win of the season the following week before Dennis Dugan earned his first Late Model win on June 4. He won his second feature later that season. Burbridge and Wendling scored two wins each, as did Hunter, whose mid-season and season championship feature wins lifted him to his first division title. (Note: The August 13 show did not include weekly Late Model racing as I.M.C.A.'s Late Model Series, now known as the Deery Brothers Summer Series for I.M.C.A. Late Models, made it's first-ever stop at Independence that night. Osborn took the victory in that historic event. Coincidentally, the series ran without a title sponsor in its first season and it no longer competes at tracks on points nights during the season.)
1989
Denny Osborn scored two wins in 1989 to drive to the track title and the I.M.C.A. national championship. Both of Osborn's wins came in the final five weeks of the season, including season championship night. Five other drivers matched Osborn with two wins apiece that season. Those drivers included Kastli, Wendling, Burbridge, Dralle and Dave Gerner, whose first win came on June 3. Other winners that year included Bernard Reinking, Hunter and Dean Wagner. Following Osborn in the final standings were Kastli, Dralle, Hunter and Wendling. Thorsten, Schwake, Gerner, Reinking and Dugan completed the top 10. (Yes, this was the year I started my collection of endless points sheets.)
1990
Martin opened the 1990 season with consecutive wins on his way to the track championship. Along with his track championships that season, which included Marshalltown Speedway, Martin won I.M.C.A.'s Late Model Series (sponsored by J&J Steel) and the national championship to earn the unprecedented Triple Crown of I.M.C.A. Late Model racing. Martin tallied five wins at Independence that year, including mid-season and season championship victories, on his way to the track title. Osborn and Wendling each scored a pair of wins while Burbridge and Ed Sanger were also victorious that year. In the final standings, Kastli and Osborn followed Martin in a tight battle for second. Dralle, Wendling, Burbridge, Merritt, Hunter, Verly and Reinking were among the top 10 in the final standings.
1991
Martin continued his stay at the top of the division with another track title in 1991. In all, Martin scored five wins, including victories on opening, mid-season and season championship nights en route to the title by 60-plus points ahead of Kastli. Burbridge, with four victories, was the only other multi-race winner. Along with victories by Wagner, Gerner, Dugan and Thorsten, it was on May 4 of that season when Ed Sanger earned his most recent (final?) career win at Independence. Burbridge ran third in the final standings, followed by Wendling and Kevin Pittman. Dan Forsyth, Dralle, Wagner, Darin Burco and Wayde Russell were also among the top 10.
1992
Despite six wins by Martin, a number of drivers scored the first wins of their careers in 1992. Following wins by Martin, Burbridge and Wendling to open the season, Kevin Pittman scored his first win on May 23. Just two weeks later, following another Wendling victory, Burco won his first feature on his hometown track on June 6. Forsyth took his first win the following Saturday, the first of his two wins that season. Burbridge scored a trio of wins that year and Em Fretheim nabbed his lone win at Independence on July 25. Dugan won on championship night, but it was Greg Hunter who overcame a seven-point deficit to Kastli that evening to snag the track title.
1993
After a six-year absence from victory lane, Crawford made a memorable return by posting six wins on his way to the track championship in 1993. Following Hunter's opening night victory, Crawford scored five wins in a seven week span to take command. He posted his sixth and final win on championship night to lock up the title by 48 points over Hunter. Crawford was the only multi-race winner that season. In addition to Hunter, the winners of the remaining five events of the rain-shortened 11-race season included Osborn, Martin, Kastli and Les Verly, whose first career win came on August 21. Kastli finished third in the standings ahead of Wendling and Layne Meyer. Dugan, Osborn, Modified veteran Timm Jensen, Pittman and Martin completed the top 10.
1994
The pattern of different winners at the start of the season continued in 1994 as seven straight different drivers saw victory lane before mid-season championships. Martin, Crawford, Hunter, Burco, Blaine Blessing, Kastli and Dralle all scored wins before Kastli earned his second victory during the July 9 mid-season championships. The second half of the season was also littered with different names as Lynn Idler, Kevin Pittman and Dean Wagner were all victorious. Kastli led the way with four feature wins while Martin and Pittman each scored two victories. Pittman won on championship night. Kastli's on-track success led to the track title for the veteran driver, who finished 31 points ahead of Pittman. Crawford, Hunter and Burco completed the top five while Wagner, Idler, Blessing, Meyer and Martin ran sixth through 10th.
1995
Wendling led the way with four feature wins on the way to his first track championship in eight years. Wendling scored season opening and championship night wins, along with a pair of consecutive wins in the middle of the season en route to the crown. Martin tallied three wins, including mid-season championship night, while Hunter and Meyer each added a pair of wins. Idler and Rich Picha also took victories. Pittman ran second to Wendling in the final standings, 56 points out of first. Martin, Meyer and Hunter completed the top five. Wagner, Idler, Crawford, Picha and Verly rounded out the top 10. Coincidentally, Meyer ran second to Wendling in the championship feature. By virtue of that finish, Meyer clinched the national championship title over Wendling. FRC, anyone?
1996
Wendling earned his second straight track title in dominating fashion in 1996. His division-leading seven feature wins included two separate three-race winning streaks in the final two months of the season as Wendling won six of the final seven features that season. His championship night win sealed a 79-point victory over Burco in the final standings. Burco was the winner of two events. Martin also won two features, including the only non-Wendling victory in the waning weeks of the season. Crawford, Kastli, Osborn and Pittman comprised the list of single-race winners, Wagner, Hunter and Pittman completed the top five in the final standings. Martin, Verly, Crawford, Osborn and Kastli ran sixth through 10th.
1997
The introduction of the spec motor led promoter Jerry Blue to drop the I.M.C.A. sanction in the Late Model division. It marks the only season in the past 23 years that the division has gone unsanctioned. It was also the only season in history that the track went rainout-free as 19 events were completed. Martin and Pittman led the division with four wins apiece, with Martin taking season championship feature honors to earn the track title by 26 points over Wagner. Kastli scored three wins while Hunter, Burco and Verly won two times each. One-time victories went to Denny Osborn and his son, Brad. Kastli ran third in the final standings ahead of Pittman and Crawford. Hunter, Burco, Drew Johnson, Verly and Drew Hamilton completed the top 10.
1998
I.M.C.A.-sanctioned Late Models returned for good in 1998 and Kevin Pittman made the most of it as he scored five wins to drive to the track championship. His five wins came in a nine-week span in the middle of the season. Burco nabbed three wins while Martin and Kastli each grabbed a pair. Crawford, Dralle, Hunter and Denny Osborn each scored wins while Dale Hackwell Jr. earned his first Late Model win on August 15. Burco ran second in the final standings, 26 points behind Pittman. Kastli, Martin and Hunter completed the top five. Crawford, Verly, Kevin Kirkpatrick, Darren Ackerman and Hackwell rounded out the top 10.
1999
Martin piloted to seven feature wins and his seventh track championship in 1999 in Greater Iowa Racing's final season at the helm of the speedway. Following a Martin victory on opening night, Jim Gallery scored his only career win at Independence on May 8. Hunter nabbed his lone feature win the following week before Martin went back-to-back in weeks four and five. After the first career Independence Late Model wins for Drew Johnson on June 5 and Greg Bruening on June 12, Martin reeled off three straight wins. Seven straight different winners closed the season, which included Hunter, Martin, Burco, Tysus Pattee (first career win on August 7), Hackwell, Verly and Kastli on championship night. Martin led Hunter by 51 points in the final standings, followed by Burco, Kastli and Ackerman. Crawford, Verly, Hackwell, Johnson and Gallery completed the top 10.
2000
Under the direction of the Buchanan County Fair Board and new race director Dana Benning, the 2000 season opened on April 29 with another Martin victory. Kastli won the following week before Martin won back-to-back to earn three wins in the first four weeks of the season. Hunter collected three wins on the season, including mid-season championship, while Wendling and Burco each took a pair of victories. Burco landed in victory lane on championship night to clinch the points title by three markers ahead of Martin. Pattee and Dralle also reached victory lane. Kastli, Hunter, Ackerman, Hackwell, Verly, Hunter, Pattee and Wendling completed the top 10.
2001
Kastli scored five wins, including two in the first three weeks, to win the division title in 2001. Kastli took his final three wins over the course of the final eight weeks to secure top honors by 17 points ahead of Martin in the final standings. Martin added three wins of his own as the two drivers made it a two-horse race at the top of the heap. Hunter, who took two wins, finished a distant third, sitting 56 points behind Martin at season's end. Burco and Verly also scored victories while Ackerman earned his first win at Independence on June 9. Brad Osborn and Verly completed the top five in the standings while Hackwell, Brian Hunter, Johnson, Ackerman and Pattee completed the top 10. The season was the first in history when season championships were not run, as the original date (as well as the make-up date) rained out.
2002
Curt Martin was the dominant driver at Independence in 2002... when he was there. Despite racing only 11 of the scheduled 15 nights, Martin tied the mark Ed Sanger set clear back in 1973 by taking eight feature wins. Maybe the only more impressive stat from that season was Kastli's championship run. Not only did Kastli defeat nearest competitor Ackerman by 59 points in the final standings, he did so by winning just two feature events and missing a night of competition altogether. Denny Osborn and LaVern Carey each won two features that season while Dale Stolte rounded out the list of winners in 2002. Just five different drivers won features throughout the course of the 15-week season. That mark tied 1973 and 1990 for the all-time fewest number of winners in a season. Hackwell ran third in the final standings ahead of Brad Osborn and Carey. Denny Osborn, Johnson, Verly, Martin and Crawford completed the top 10.
2003
Despite earning only one win, Kastli made it three straight championships in 2003. Martin, who again led the field with six feature wins, competed in only 13 of the 16 race nights. It was also a memorable season as two of the speedway's legendary drivers each earned their final feature wins at the track. Crawford, who earned the opening night win, scored his last Independence victory on June 14. Just one month later, Red Dralle took his final victory lap at the speedway on July 12. (Check out their staying power in the stats following the yearly recaps.) Stolte, Wheeler and Carey also scored single wins in 2003 while Darin Duffy made the move to the Late Model division and picked up three wins in his rookie campaign. Two of those wins came back-to-back at the end of the season. Duffy ran second in the final standings, 35 points behind Kastli. Hackwell, Crawford and Ackerman completed the top five. Martin, Stolte, Greg Hunter, Pattee and Carey ran sixth through 10th. It was the second time in three years that season championship racing was rained out.
2004
Dean Wagner opened the season with a feature win, his first since 1994. Duffy and Ackerman split wins the following two weeks before Martin went on a tear. Martin won seven of the next 10 features and engaged in a close points battle with Ackerman at the top of the standings. Ackerman's two wins on the season, along with his consistency, kept him in a battle at the top. His 11 top-five finishes led the division and kept him on Martin's heels. Ackerman's second place finish on championship night, combined with Martin's seventh place finish, resulted in a tie at the top of the standings for the division crown. Since I.M.C.A. did not recognize tie-breakers at the track level at the time, the two were declared co-champions. Coincidentally, Martin again missed a night of racing in 2004, competing in just 13 of 14 events. Other winners that year included Duffy with three victories and Thorsten with one. Running third in the final standings was Stolte, followed by Duffy and Hackwell. Wagner, Pattee, Thorsten, Greg Hunter and J.D. Auringer completed the top 10.
2005
Martin again led the way in 2005, winning six of the division's 16 features as he drove to his ninth championship. Kastli, Duffy, Martin and Ackerman opened the season with wins over the course of the first four weeks before Duffy and Martin alternated trips to victory lane over the next four weeks with the pattern ending on mid-season championships when Martin won. Ackerman and Stolte opened the second half of the season with wins before Martin triumphed in back-to-back weeks. A streak of four straight different winners closed the season starting with Duffy. Josh McGowan followed with his only career Late Model win at Independence on August 13 before Aikey won the following week. Martin wrapped up the division title with a victory on championship night. Ackerman ran second in the final standings with McGowan, Duffy and Greg Hunter completing the top five. Hackwell, Stolte, Wagner, Rick Dralle and Kastli completed the top 10.
2006
Martin opened the 2006 in victory lane to begin pursuit of his 10th and most recent track championship. He added another three wins to his total on his way to the title. His back-to-back wins on July 1 and July 8 was his most recent such streak, taking his record total to 14 separate sets of back-to-back wins in his career. Kastli steered to victory lane two times while Tyler Bruening scored the first win of his Independence racing career on July 22. He added a second win two weeks later. One-time winners included Hackwell, who finished second in the final standings and won on championship night, Ackerman, Luke Goedert, Dave Stricker, Stolte and Aikey. Wagner, Pattee and Ackerman completed the top five in the standings. Tyler Bruening, Joel Brasch, Wheeler, Levi Benn and Kastli ran sixth through 10th.
2007
Martin found himself in opening night victory lane once again in 2007 for a record 13th time in 24 seasons. It currently serves as his most recent win at the speedway. The season was the last time a double-digit number of drivers made trips to the winner's circle as 10 drivers scored victories during the 15-week season. Ackerman led the field with three victories while Aikey, Terry Neal and Benn added two wins apiece. One-time winners included Martin, Goedert, Pattee, Bruening and Burco. Rounding out the list of winners was Rick Dralle, son of legend Red Dralle, who made his first-ever trip to victory lane on July 7. Ackerman's three wins, including mid-season and season championship triumphs, lifted him to his first outright championship and second overall. He finished 16 points ahead of Goedert. Burco, Hackwell and Pattee completed the top five. Rookie Travis Smock, Martin, Jon Passick, Benn and Johnson rounded out the top 10.
2008
Following the delay to the start of the season after the devastating spring storms, Ackerman maintained his winning ways by taking the June 21 opening night feature. Stolte, Bryan Klein and Tyler Bruening began the abbreviated nine-week seasons with wins before Rick Dralle won consecutive events on July 26 and August 2. Luke Pestka scored his first win one week later, followed by Ackerman's second and final win of the season on August 16. Bruening scored his second win of the season on championship night. Hackwell held off Burco by a single point to score his first Independence track title. Bruening, Smock and Ackerman completed the top five while Klein, Goedert, Wheeler, Rick Dralle and Johnson finished sixth through 10th.
2009
Ackerman drove to his third track championship in six years after pulling away in the standings late in the season. Back-to-back wins just past the midway point of the season combined with a championship night victory locked up the title. Neal and rookie Chad Lerch also scored three victories apiece to match Ackerman in the win column. Stolte, Rob Toland, Rick Dralle and Scott Welsh also earned wins while Wendling made his first trip to victory lane almost nine years to the date after his last visit with his win on August 22. His most recent win had been August 19, 2000. Ackerman beat Smock by 24 in the final standings while Martin, Burco and Brian Hunter completed the top five. Kastli, Passick, Hackwell, Johnson and Tyler Bruening rounded out the top 10.
LATE MODELS (1967-2009/current)
Career Wins
1. Curt Martin, 90
2. Gary Crawford, 46
3. Ed Sanger, 43
4. Greg Kastli, 38
5. Rick Wendling, 33
6. Jim Burbridge, 32
7. Red Dralle, 21
8. Greg Hunter, 20
9. Chub Liebe, 16
10. Denny Osborn, 15
T11. Bill Zwanziger, 14
T11. Darin Burco, 14
T11. Darren Ackerman, 14
T14. Glen Martin, 13
T14. Kevin Pittman, 13
T16. Al "Doc" Mayner, 10
T16. Darin Duffy, 10
T16. Red Droste, 10
19. Bill Barthelmes, 9
20. Joe Schaefer, 8
21. Curt Hansen, 7
T22. Arthur Nesteby, 6
T22. Dale Stolte, 6
T22. Jeff Aikey, 6
T25. Les Verly, 5
T25. Terry Neal, 5
T25. Tyler Bruening, 5
T28. Bill Beckman, 4
T28. Cal Swanson, 4
T28. Dean Wagner, 4
T28. Dennis Dugan, 4
T28. Karl Sanger, 4
T28. Rick Dralle, 4
T34. Chad Lerch, 3
T34. Dale Hackwell Jr., 3
T34. Dave Bentley, 3
T34. Dave Gerner, 3
T34. Dave Thorsten, 3
T34. Gary Henderson, 3
T34. LaVern Carey, 3
T34. Tom Fitzpatrick, 3
T34. Tysus Pattee, 3
T34. Wes Merritt, 3
T44. Bob Hesse, 2
T44. Bob Hilmer, 2
T44. Dan Forsyth, 2
T44. Dan Nesteby, 2
T44. Dick Schiltz, 2
T44. Gary Tigges, 2
T44. Jack Mitchell, 2
T44. John Connolly, 2
T44. Larry Schmidt, 2
T44. Layne Meyer, 2
T44. Levi Benn, 2
T44. Luke Goedert, 2
T44. Lynn Idler, 2
T44. Paul Fitzpatrick, 2
T44. Randy Wheeler, 2
T44. Ty Burger, 2
T60. Bernard Reinking, 1
T60. Blaine Blessing, 1
T60. Brad Osborn, 1
T60. Bryan Klein, 1
T60. Darrell Sells, 1
T60. Dave Bedard, 1
T60. Dave Merfeld, 1
T60. Dave Noble, 1
T60. Dave Plum, 1
T60. Dave Stricker, 1
T60. Dave Trower, 1
T60. Dennis Schwake, 1
T60. Dick Heiden, 1
T60. Drew Johnson, 1
T60. Em Fretheim, 1
T60. Greg Bruening, 1
T60. Jim Burger, 1
T60. Jim Decker, 1
T60. Jim Gallery, 1
T60. John Weers, 1
T60. Josh McGowan, 1
T60. Ken Kennedy, 1
T60. Klaus Stricker, 1
T60. Larry Wasserfort, 1
T60. Luke Pestka, 1
T60. Randy Frush, 1
T60. Rich Picha, 1
T60. Rob Toland, 1
T60. Roger Bruggeman, 1
T60. Roger Klingfus, 1
T60. Scott Welsh, 1
T60. Steve Auringer, 1
T60. Tom Hughes, 1
T60. Vern Jackson, 1
Most consecutive seasons with at least one feature win
18 - Curt Martin (1990-2007)
9 - Gary Crawford (1974-1982)
8 - Glen Martin (1973-1980)
8 - Greg Kastli (1996-2003)
7 - Ed Sanger (1968-1974)
7 - Jim Burbridge (1986-1992)
6 - Chub Liebe (1967-1972)
6 - Darin Burco (1996-2001)
6 - Darren Ackerman (2004-2009, currently active)
5 - Curt Hansen (1969-1973
5 - Red Dralle (1974-1980)
5 - Red Dralle (1982-1986)
4 - Greg Hunter (1997-2001)
4 - Red Droste (1967-1970)
4 - Al "Doc" Mayner (1970-1973)
4 - Jim Burbridge (1980-1983)
4 - Gary Crawford (1984-1987)
4 - Greg Hunter (1984-1987)
4 - Rick Wendling (1987-1990)
3 - Bill Zwanziger (1968-1970)
3 - Arthur Nesteby (1974-1976)
3 - Bill Barthelmes (1974-1976)
3 - Ed Sanger (1980-1982)
3 - Greg Kastli (1981-1983)
3 - Rick Wendling (1982-1984)
3 - Ed Sanger (1984-1986)
3 - Greg Hunter (1993-1995)
3 - Denny Osborn (1996-1998)
3 - Kevin Pittman (1996-1998)
3 - Darin Duffy (2003-2005)
3 - Jeff Aikey (2005-2007)
3 - Tyler Bruening (2006-2008)
3 - Rick Dralle (2007-2009, currently active)
Total features - 630
Total feature winners - 93
First-time winners per month
25 - June
23 - August
22 - July
21 - May
1 - April
1 - September
Longest win streak (within one season)
Note: No driver has ever won more than three straight features within the same season.
3 straight wins, 4 times - Gary Crawford (1977, 1979, 1985, 1993)
3 straight wins, 3 times - Ed Sanger (1972 and twice in 1973)
3 straight wins, 3 times - Curt Martin (1992, 1999, 2004)
3 straight wins, 2 times - Rick Wendling (twice in 1996)
Longest win streak (over two seasons)
4 straight wins - Ed Sanger (end of 1973-start of 1974)
Most two-race win streaks (victories for each streak came within same season)
14 - Curt Martin
4 - Ed Sanger
4 - Jim Burbridge
3 - Bill Zwanziger
3 - Rick Wendling
2 - Chub Liebe
2 - Darin Duffy
2 - Gary Crawford
2 - Greg Kastli
1 - Arthur Nesteby
1 - Bill Barthelmes
1 - Darin Burco
1 - Darren Ackerman
1 - Glen Martin
1 - Greg Hunter
1 - Kevin Pittman
1 - Red Dralle
1 - Red Droste
1 - Rick Dralle
Seasons with no back-to-back feature winners - 1980, 1989, 1994, 1997, 2001, 2007
Most feature wins in a single season
8 - Ed Sanger (1973)
8 - Curt Martin (2002)
Most number of different feature winners in a season
12 - 1975
11 - 1970
10 - 1976, 1977, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1994, 1999, 2007
Most consecutive different feature winners (same season) - 9 (1975)
Most consecutive different feature winners (over two seasons) - 9 (1975-1976, 1979-1980)
Most consecutive different feature winners to start a season - 8 (1970, 1985)
Most consecutive different feature winners to end a season - 9 (1975)
Most opening night feature wins (19 different drivers)
13 - Curt Martin (1984, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007
4 - Ed Sanger (1971, 1974, 1978, 1981)
3 - Glen Martin (1967, 1973, 1975)
3 - Bill Barthelmes (1969, 1970, 1976)
3 - Rick Wendling (1982, 1995, 1996)
2 - Gary Crawford (1987, 2003)
2 - Greg Hunter (1993, 1997)
2 - Greg Kastli (2001, 2005)
1 - Red Droste (1968)
1 - Chub Liebe (1972)
1 - Dave Trower (1977)
1 - Tom Fitzpatrick (1979)
1 - Al "Doc" Mayner (1980)
1 - Gary Henderson (1983)
1 - Jeff Aikey (1988)
1 - Red Dralle (1989)
1 - Dean Wagner (2004)
1 - Darren Ackerman (2008)
1 - Rob Toland (2009)
Most season championship feature wins (22 different drivers)
8 - Curt Martin (1984, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2005)
5 - Ed Sanger (1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1981)
4 - Rick Wendling (1982, 1987, 1995, 1996)
3 - Gary Crawford (1977, 1978, 1993)
2 - Red Droste (1967, 1969)
2 - Joe Schaefer (1974, 1975)
2 - Darren Ackerman (2007, 2009)
1 - Paul Fitzpatrick (1968)
1 - Bill Beckman (1976)
1 - Glen Martin (1979)
1 - Jim Burbridge (1980)
1 - Bill Zwanziger (1983)
1 - Red Dralle (1985)
1 - Greg Hunter (1988)
1 - Denny Osborn (1989)
1 - Dennis Dugan (1992)
1 - Kevin Pittman (1994)
1 - Greg Kastli (1999)
1 - Darin Burco (2000)
1 - Darin Duffy (2004)
1 - Dale Hackwell Jr. (2006)
1 - Tyler Bruening (2008)
Bookend wins (won opening night and season championship features in same season)
6 - Curt Martin (1984, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1998, 2002)
3 - Rick Wendling (1982, 1995, 1996)
2 - Ed Sanger (1971, 1981)
Most days between first and most recent/last feature wins
1. 11,732 - Red Dralle (32 years, 1 month, 14 days)
2. 10,647 - Rick Wendling (29 years, 1 month, 25 days)
3. 10,584 - Gary Crawford (28 years, 11 months, 2 days)
4. 9,912 - Denny Osborn (27 years, 1 month, 20 days)
5. 9,905 - Greg Kastli (27 years, 1 month, 12 days)
6. 8,386 - Curt Martin (22 years, 11 months, 16 days)
7. 8,330 - Ed Sanger (22 years, 9 months, 21 days)
8. 7,728 - Jim Burbridge (21 years, 1 month, 26 days)
9. 6,986 - Jeff Aikey (19 years, 1 month, 16 days)
10. 6,587 - Bill Zwanziger (18 years, 13 days)
11. 6,202 - Dave Thorsten (16 years, 11 months, 22 days)
12. 5,572 - Greg Hunter (15 years, 3 months, 1 day)
13. 5,439 - Darin Burco (14 years, 10 months, 22 days)
14. 5,383 - Dean Wagner (14 years, 8 months, 26 days)
15. 4,781 - Glen Martin (13 years, 1 month, 1 day)
16. 4,711 - Karl Sanger (12 years, 11 months, 24 days)
17. 4,389 - Al "Doc" Mayner (12 years, 6 days)
18. 3,318 - Bob Hilmer (9 years, 1 month)
19. 3,003 - Darren Ackerman (8 years, 2 months, 20 days)
20. 2,933 - Dale Hackwell Jr. (8 years, 11 days)
Average number of race nights per year - 14.65
Average number of feature winners per year - 8.05
1st feature winner in division history - Glen Martin (5/6/67)
50th feature winner in division history - Cal Swanson (6/20/70)
100th feature winner in division history - Dan Nesteby (8/4/73)
150th feature winner in division history - Gary Crawford (6/4/77)
200th feature winner in division history - Rick Wendling (6/28/80)
250th feature winner in division history - Curt Martin (5/5/84)
300th feature winner in division history - Jim Burbridge (6/6/87)
350th feature winner in division history - Rick Wendling (8/18/90)
400th feature winner in division history - Red Dralle (7/2/94)
450th feature winner in division history - Curt Martin (7/26/97)
500th feature winner in division history - Curt Martin (7/29/00)
550th feature winner in division history - Darren Ackerman (5/15/04)
600th feature winner in division history - Darren Ackerman (6/30/07)
The Late Models completes my look back at the history at Independence. I hope you enjoyed reading through it as much as I did. I'll throw in some new stuff as drivers add to the history of the speedway this season.
If you have any photos you want me to include, I'd be happy to post them, as well. A few people have already expressed interest in sending photos to include with these trips down memory lane. I may go back and include them in the blogs I've already posted or put them in a new one, depending on the interest.
Until next time...
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Indee Ultimate Stats Blitz - I.M.C.A. Modifieds
The I.M.C.A. Modified division was added as a regular weekly division at Independence in 1983. It's 27-year history is included below. As always, a statistical breakdown of the division's history will follow.
1983
Jack Mitchell holds the distinction of being the division's first feature winner on May 21, 1983, after rain postponed the scheduled season opener. Mitchell collected six wins that season, including separate stretches where he won back-to-back features, as well as three straight on another occasion. Mitchell was also victorious on season championship night to lock up the first division title at the speedway. Other winners that first year included Tom Fitzpatrick and Mike Krall, who earned two wins each, and one-timers Todd Jensen, John Light and Dick Feckers during the 13-week season.
1984
Mitchell continued his dominance into 1984 as he collected 10 feature wins in the 14 events. His 10 victories remain a record today. Mike Krall again scored two wins that season. The only other drivers to see victory lane in 1984 were "Swervy" Merv Chandler and Ron Little. After Krall won the season opener, Mitchell won in week two. Later in the season, he strung together three straight wins before winning the final six features of the season. He remains the only driver in division history at Independence to string together six straight victories. Mitchell repeated as the track champion.
1985
Things changed in 1985 when eight different drivers were victorious during the 17-week season, including five straight different winners to open the season. Fitzpatrick scored the first win of the season followed by wins by Kenny Hoeppner, Dennis Fink, Mike Schulte and Light. Timm Jensen and Ron Becker also scored wins that season, but it was Duane Van Deest who got hot just prior to mid-season. Van Deest earned five victories over the final nine nights, including winning the last three features of the season, on the way to his first division crown. Fink, Schulte and Light all nabbed second victories that year.
1986
Not only did Greg Kastli spend 1986 in a Modified, he spent a majority of it in Modified victory lane. Kastli collected eight wins in 17 nights on his way to the track championship. Kastli jumped out of the gate to win six times in the first eight nights, including separate streaks of two and three wins. He earned two additional victories in the second half of the season to wrap up the title. Kevin Pittman was the only other multi-race winner that season; he earned two wins. Light, Tom Bartholomew, Todd McCombs, Mitchell and Van Deest rounded out the list of winners. Van Deest took his win on championship night.
1987
Todd Jensen opened 1987 with the first of his two feature wins that season before Mark Noble won three straight on May 9, 16 and 23. Noble proceeded to take four more wins that season to drive to the track title. Noble earned mid-season and season championship feature wins. Other winners that year included Light, who scored two wins, Bartholomew and Ron Barker. Kevin Pittman scored back-to-back wins in June.
1988
Craig Haupt opened the season with back-to-back wins in 1988. He scored three more wins that year, including championship night, to drive to the points title. Seven other drivers also found the winner's circle that season, including multi-race winners Bartholomew, Van Deest, Barker Todd Jensen and Larry Schmidt, each of whom scored two trips to victory lane. Mitchell also picked up a victory and Ed Thomas scored the first win of his career on August 20.
1989
Pittman, Larry Engen and Doug Hillson scored wins to open 1989 before Barker went back-to-back in weeks four and five. After Barker's victory, Tom Bartholomew scored the first of his four wins that season to drive to the division title. Mike Sampson scored his first Mod win at Indee during mid-season championships on June 24 while Deon Turner made his first-ever trip to victory lane the following Saturday. Other race winners included Denny Ansel, Haupt and Merlin Benning. Barker won on championship night. Bartholomew won the title by 68 points ahead of Barker. Timm Jensen, Sampson and Van Deest completed the top five. Thomas, Turner, Pittman, Haupt and Schmidt completed the top 10.
1990
Bartholomew continued his winning ways in 1990 as he picked up his second straight division title. He earned five wins that year to lead all drivers, including season championship night, to take the crown in the rain-shortened 12-week season. John Irwin scored the opening night win to lead off the season with five straight different feature winners. Bartholomew, Pittman and Turner were victorious during the first four weeks before Arlo Becker scored his only division win in Independence on June 30. Van Deest was the only other winner that season. Pittman scored three wins that season to stay close; he finished around 10 points out of the lead in the final standings. Van Deest, Turner, Todd Jensen, Dave Bentley, Ron Hurst, Tom Fitzpatrick, Timm Jensen, Larry Schmidt, Ron Kruger and Thomas were among the top 12 in 1990.
1991
Bartholomew became the first driver to win three straight titles as he scored five wins en route to the 1991 division crown. Sampson won three features that season, all in a span of four weeks, while two-time winner Schmidt was the only other multi-race winner. Van Deest, Timm Jensen, Turner, Todd Jensen, Benning and Hurst completed the list of winners. Bartholomew took a two point lead into championship night and secured the title with a feature win.
1992
The season was the first of three straight that saw double-digits in number of feature winners. In all, 10 different drivers earned victories in 1992 led by Turner's opening night triumph. Bentley scored a pair of victories in the month of May. Bartholomew led all drivers with three wins that season on the way to his fourth straight division title. Timm Jensen, Turner, Thomas, Dan Bohr and Bentley were among the two-time winners while Van Deest, Light and Schmidt were one-time winners. Owen Grube scored his first Independence win in 1992 on August 22 during the make-up feature from the rain-shortened July 25 show. Bartholomew, the championship night feature winner, scored a narrow victory over Turner in the final standings. Todd Jensen, Grube and Benning completed the top five.
1993
In one of the most memorable feature events in my lifetime, Tim Donlinger scored the opening night feature win in 1993 after coming from the back of the pack in the waning laps to nip Steve Droste. In a rain-shortened, 11 week season, an astonishing 10 different drivers found victory lane. Jamie Aikey, with wins on May 29 and August 2, was the only two-time winner. It was also the first time in the division's 11 year history that there were no back-to-back winners. Other victors that season included Kevin Schroeder, Van Deest, Buck Swanson, Garry Stuber, Droste (during mid-season), Jim Abben and Grube (on championship night). On June 5 of that year, Darin Duffy drove to his first career victory in the Modified division (more on him later). While the winners list was varied, the points championship was determined before championship night as Owen Grube walked away with the title. He beat both Stuber and Droste by a 56 point margin in the final standings. Todd Jensen ran fourth while Turner, Benning and Tim Heins all tied for fifth. Van Deest, Schmidt and Duffy completed the top 10 in the points race.
1994
The 1994 season produced the most feature winners in the history of the division at Independence, as 11 different drivers carried the checkers (back when they did that). It was also the second straight season that no driver produced back-to-back wins. The record of 11 winners still stands today. No driver earned more than two wins during the 15-week season, however four drivers walked away with a pair of wins. At the top of the list was points champion Steve Droste, who scored wins on July 16 and during season championships. Joining Droste in the two-win crowd were Timm Jensen, Bohr and Jeff Barkdoll. One-time winners included Van Deest, Grube, Sampson, Turner and Bartholomew. Scott Hogan earned his first win at the track on August 13 of that season while Jack Mitchell re-emerged from "racing reitrement" to wow the crowd with a win on July 23. Chasing Droste in the final standings were Van Deest (40 points out), Timm Jensen, Jerry Luloff and Bohr. Barkdoll, Todd Jensen, Turner, Grube and Hogan completed the top 10.
1995
While his two wins produced a 40-point victory margin in 1994, Droste took a different route to the 1995 championship. That year, Droste led all drivers with four victories, but edged two-time winner Barkdoll by just 18 points in the final standings. Corey Dripps scored his first Independence wins in 1995, taking the checkers on May 20 and June 10. Along with Barkdoll's back-to-back wins on June 17 and 24, Duffy and Droste each won consecutive features during the season. Barkdoll's two straight wins broke a streak of 32 consecutive races that no driver won back-to-back events. Duffy's 1995 mini-streak included a mid-season championship win while Droste's came over the final two weeks, including championship night. Hogan, Timm Jensen and Abben also scored wins. Duffy, Luloff and Turner completed the top five in the final standings while Hogan, Todd Jensen, Keith Pittman, Timm Jensen and Schmidt finished sixth through 10th.
1996
Droste won his third and final track title in 1996, holding off Luloff by nine points in the final standings, scoring a career-high six wins in the process. Droste won his six features during the first 10 weeks of the 15-week season to drive to the title. Dripps took two wins that year and Troy Cordes earned his first Modified win at Indee on June 29. He followed that up with another trip to victory lane on August 17. One-time winners that season included Thomas, Keith Pittman and Hogan. Luloff also won his first Modified feature that season on August 10. Dean Mahlstedt scored his lone Mod win on Indee soil on May 11. Behind Droste and Luloff in the final standings were Hogan, Duffy and Keith Pittman. Jerry King, Timm Jensen, Sampson, Dripps and Bartholomew completed the top 10.
1997
Hogan broke through in 1997 to score his first track championship at Independence. Hogan scored a pair of wins on his way to the title in the 19-week season, the only complete season without a rainout in Independence history. Former Street Stock and Pro Stock champion Vern Jackson entered the Modified ranks in a big way by leading the Modifieds (along with Keith Pittman) with four feature wins that season. Jackson's first win in a Modified came on May 24 as he was one of six consecutive different drivers to open the year in victory lane. Other winners during that stretch included Travis Heyer (opening night winner), Hogan, Dripps, Sampson and Keith Pittman. Pittman ended the string of different winners in a big way as he won his four features that year in a five week span. Heyer ended the season with three wins overall while Dripps had two. One-time winners included Sampson, Luloff, Duffy and Tim McBride, who made his first trip to victory lane on August 2. Duffy was the championship night winner. Hogan beat Jensen by 43 points in the final standings. Duffy, Sampson and King rounded out the top five while Dave Stricker, Jackson, Cordes, Thomas and Keith Pittman completed the top 10.
1998
Hogan used consistency to earn his second straight track title in 1998. He did so without a feature win and holding off championship night winner Duffy by 10 points in the final standings. Duffy stayed close to Hogan throughout the season by virtue of his division-leading five feature wins. Duffy became the first driver since Mark Noble in 1987 to win three consecutive features (July 4, 11 and 18). Among the other nine winners that season were McBride, who scored four feature wins, and Jackson, who won twice. The list of single-race winners was comprised of Cordes, Luloff, Timm Jensen, Garry Stuber, Jerry King and Kevin Peverill. Chasing Hogan and Duffy closely in the final standings was Luloff, who finished 18 points behind Hogan. Jackson ran fourth, just nine points behind Luloff. Sampson ran fifth with Cordes, Timm Jensen, Tim McBride, Thomas and Heyer completing the top 10.
1999
Despite eight feature wins by Duffy, Luloff drove to his first track championship in 1999. Luloff scored a career high three wins that season, including season championship night, to take the title. During Duffy's eight-win season, he strung together two separate back-to-back win streaks and another three-in-a-row streak late in the season. The six other drivers who notched wins that year included Thomas, Sampson, Stuber, Peverill, Randy Trefz and Ken Irvine, who had a limited stay in the Modified division. In the final standings, Luloff topped Duffy by 20 points with Sampson, Jensen and Thomas completing the top five. Doug Firgard, Peverill, Brett McGill, Trefz and McBride rounded out the top 10.
2000
Jerry Luloff drove to his second consecutive track title in 2000 after posting one feature win on May 20. Duffy and Cordes won a majority of the 14 features that season as each posted four wins. Luloff's consistency, however, paid off as he finished in the top 10 all 14 nights with an average finish of 3.57 throughout the course of the season. For the second consecutive year, Duffy was the only driver to score consecutive wins as he strung three straight wins together late in the year. Two of the wins earned by Cordes came on mid-season and season championship nights. Stuber, with two wins, was the only other driver to earn multiple victories. Along with Luloff, other single-race winners were Jackson, Thomas and McBride. Luloff beat Duffy by 21 in the final standings with Jackson 27 points behind in third. Cordes and Sampson completed the top five. Timm Jensen, King, McBride, Firgard and Terry Johnson ran sixth through 10th.
2001
This season was the only time in history at Independence that the division produced co-champions after Duffy and Luloff tied with 456 points at season's end. Coincidentally, it was also the first time in track history that season championship night was rained out. The reschedule date was also rained out. At the time, I.M.C.A. did not break ties at the track level so the drivers shared title honors. Duffy led all drivers with three wins that year. His back-to-back wins on May 12 and May 19 made him the only driver in over three seasons to score consecutive wins in the division at the speedway. Luloff, Jackson, Joey Schaefer and Trefz pocketed two wins apiece that year, while McBride and Richard Von Krog each took home a win. The season ended with seven consecutive different winners. Following Duffy and Luloff in the points were King, Jackson, Cordes, Timm Jensen, Schaefer, Stricker, Thomas and Trefz.
2002
Nine different drivers earned wins during the 15-week 2002 season with Jackson leading the way with four victories. Cordes used three feature wins to drive to his first division title, by a margin of 10 points ahead of Luloff. Duffy was the only other multiple winner as he scored two victories in his final season in a Modified before moving to the Late Models for a few seasons. Luloff, Hogan, Schaefer and King each scored wins, as well, while Max Corporon and Ben Metcalf earned their first Modified wins at Indee that season. Cordes scored the win on mid-season championship night, the second of two straight wins, breaking Duffy's three year streak of being the only driver with back-to-back wins. Luloff earned his victory on championship night. Following Cordes and Luloff in the final points were Jackson, Schaefer and Ed Thomas. Timm Jensen, Clayton Thomas, Mike Gill, Dave Stricker and Hogan completed the top 10.
2003
The 2003 season marked the last time a double-digit number of winners scored wins. In all, 10 drivers earned trips to victory lane that season. In fact, Jackson was the only driver to earn more than one win throughout the first nine weeks of the season. Along with Jackson, winners during that span included three races in four weeks that resulted in first wins for a trio of drivers. Don Erger (May 24), Dennis Betzer (June 14) and Tom Hanson (mid-season championships on June 21) earned their first Indee Mod wins. A few weeks later, on July 19, J.D. Auringer added his name to the list of first-time winners. Overall, Jackson and Cordes earned three wins apiece while Luloff and Hogan won two each. Timm Jensen and Turner were also victorious that year. For Jensen and Turner, the wins served as their final victories to date. Hogan, five years removed from his last title, took home his third track championship that season, 14 points ahead of Luloff. Cordes, Jackson and Erger ran third through fifth. Gill, Todd Jensen, Ed Thomas, Stricker and Clayton Thomas rounded out the top 10.
2004
Jackson scored a career high six feature wins to drive to his first division championship in 2004. He held off Hogan by 15 points in the final standings to take the crown. Following Hogan's opening night win, the two drivers alternated wins throughout the first five weeks of the season before Shawn Fisher earned his first career win during mid-season championships on June 19. Hogan finished the year with three wins while Luloff and Schaefer earned two each. Along with Fisher, Troy Cordes scored one win on the season. The six winners in 2004 were the fewest since 1990 when the number of winners was six, as well. It remains the fewest number of winners in a season in the last 20 years. While Jackson won the title and Hogan finished second, Luloff finished a close third, just one point behind Hogan. Cordes ran fourth. Those four drivers dominated the season - in 13 separate weeks, at least three of them finished in the top five of the week's feature. Stricker, Brian Krall, Jason Snyder, Fisher, Heyer and Trefz completed the top 10.
2005
Luloff used 10 top-3 finishes in 1995 to drive to his fourth track title. The winner of two features that season, Luloff held off Cordes to win the championship by four points. Cordes was the winner of three features that season while Jackson drove to five wins, including championship night honors. Schaefer completed the list of multi-race winners with three trips to victory lane. Stuber also picked up a win that season while Jason Snyder earned the first victory of his career on July 16. Jackson ran third in the final standings ahead of Snyder and Ed Thomas. Krall, Erger, Clayton Thomas, Schaefer and Adam Johnson rounded out the top 10.
2006
Despite no wins in 2006, Luloff's consistency paid off once more as his division-leading 10 top-5 finishes during the 14-week season launched him to an unprecedented fifth division title. Cordes scored six wins that season, however failing to qualify for two feature events killed his title hopes. Auringer, who scored one win, ran second in the final standings, just five points behind Luloff. Jackson earned two wins that season, along with Snyder who won on opening night and during mid-season championships. Other winners included Ed Thomas, Erger and Adam Bolin. Patrick Flannagan claimed (yes, that was intentional) fourth place in the final standings and Jackson ran fifth. His two wins broke the tie with Hogan, who ended the season sixth. Snyder, Betzer, Gill and Timm Jensen completed the top 10.
2007
Luloff and Auringer engaged in another tight points battle in 2007, however this time it was Auringer who came away with the title by a single point over veteran Luloff. Auringer scored the opening night win, was victorious during mid-season championships, then added back-to-back wins late in the season to keep himself in the hunt. Luloff won a pair of features early in the season and let his consistency again keep in him contention as he reeled off 13 consecutive top-10 finishes to start the season. All but two were top-5s and those two were sixth place finishes. The leaders entered championship night tied at the top with Auringer finishing third and Luloff fourth in the finale to lift Auringer to the title. Jackson, Cordes and Adam Johnson each scored two wins while Corporon, Bolin and Brett Ladehoff also posted victories. Jackson ran third in the final standings ahead of Cordes and Corporon. Johnson, Flannagan, Johnathan Thimmesch, Hogan and Trefz rounded out the top 10.
2008
The storm-shortened, nine week season still resulted in seven different winners in 2008. Following his championship night victory the season before, Jackson opened 2008 in victory lane, as well. Six straight different drivers opened the abbreviated season in victory lane. Flannagan, Thimmesch, Johnson and Tony Olson also posted wins before Corporon won consecutive features on August 2 and 9. Luloff scored his lone win the following week before Thimmesch earned the championship night victory. When the dust settled, Cordes earned division championship honors, his second title. It is the only season in the last eight years Cordes hasn't won a feature. Jackson finished second in the final standings, just three points out. Thimmesch ran third, 13 points behind Cordes. Luloff and Flannagan ran fourth and fifth. Johnson, Haupt, Betzer, Olson and Jeff Kriz completed the top 10.
2009
Duffy returned to I.M.C.A. Modified racing in a big way in 2009 and earned his first outright division title in one of the most dominant Modified performances in years. His seven wins in the 14-week season were the most by any Modified driver since 1999 when Duffy posted eight victories. Along with two separate two-race win streaks during the season, Duffy won on championship night to take the title by 50 points over Cordes. The 2009 season championship feature was a milestone event for a couple of reasons. Not only was it the 400th Modified feature at Independence, but Duffy's win moved him past Jackson and into sole possession of first place on the career Modified wins list at Independence. Duffy was the only driver to win multiple features in 2009 as Cordes, Luloff, Corporon, Snyder and Erger posted single wins. Cory Bauer (June 6) and Ronn Lauritzen (August 22) scored their first career Modified wins that season. Lauritzen became the 75th different driver to score a Modified win at the track. Luloff ran third in the final standings while Justin O'Brien and Corporon ran fourth and fifth, respectively. Thimmesch, Lauritzen, Ray Lundry, Snyder and Olson completed the top 10.
I.M.C.A. MODIFIEDS (1983-2009/current)
Career Wins
1. Darin Duffy, 33
2. Vern Jackson, 32
3. Troy Cordes, 26
4. Tom Bartholomew, 22
5. Jerry Luloff, 20
6. Jack Mitchell, 19
T7. Duane Van Deest, 13
T7. Steve Droste, 13
9. Scott Hogan, 11
10. Timm Jensen, 9
T11. Greg Kastli, 8
T11. Joey Schaefer, 8
T11. Kevin Pittman, 8
T14. Deon Turner, 7
T14. Ed Thomas, 7
T14. John Light, 7
T14. Mark Noble, 7
T14. Mike Sampson, 7
T14. Ron Barker, 7
T14. Tim McBride, 7
T21. Corey Dripps, 6
T21. Craig Haupt, 6
T21. Garry Stuber, 6
T21. J.D. Auringer, 6
T21. Todd Jensen, 6
T26. Keith Pittman, 5
T26. Larry Schmidt, 5
T26. Max Corporon, 5
T26. Tom Fitzpatrick, 5
T30. Dan Bohr, 4
T30. Don Erger, 4
T30. Jason Snyder, 4
T30. Jeff Barkdoll, 4
T30. Mike Krall, 4
T35. Adam Johnson, 3
T35. Owen Grube, 3
T35. Randy Trefz, 3
T35. Travis Heyer, 3
T39. Adam Bolin, 2
T39. Dave Bentley, 2
T39. Dennis Fink, 2
T39. Jamie Aikey, 2
T39. Jerry King, 2
T39. Jim Abben, 2
T39. Johnathan Thimmesch, 2
T39. Kevin Peverill, 2
T39. Merlin Benning, 2
T39. Mike Schulte, 2
T49. Arlo Becker, 1
T49. Ben Metcalf, 1
T49. Brett Ladehoff, 1
T49. Buck Swanson, 1
T49. Cory Bauer, 1
T49. Dean Mahlstedt, 1
T49. Dennis Betzer, 1
T49. Denny Ansel, 1
T49. Dick Feckers, 1
T49. Doug Hillson, 1
T49. John Irwin, 1
T49. Ken Irvine, 1
T49. Kenny Hoeppner, 1
T49. Kevin Schroeder, 1
T49. Larry Engen, 1
T49. Merv Chandler, 1
T49. Patrick Flannagan, 1
T49. Richard Von Krog, 1
T49. Ron Becker, 1
T49. Ron Hurst, 1
T49. Ron Little, 1
T49. Ronn Lauritzen, 1
T49. Shawn Fisher, 1
T49. Tim Donlinger, 1
T49. Todd McCombs, 1
T49. Tom Hanson, 1
T49. Tony Olson, 1
Career Track Championships
5 - Jerry Luloff (1999, 2000, co-2001, 2005, 2006)
4 - Tom Bartholomew (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992)
3 - Steve Droste (1994, 1995, 1996)
3 - Scott Hogan (1997, 1998, 2003)
2 - Jack Mitchell (1983, 1984)
2 - Darin Duffy (co-2001, 2009)
2 - Troy Cordes (2002, 2008)
1 - Duane Van Deest (1985)
1 - Greg Kastli (1986)
1 - Mark Noble (1987)
1 - Craig Haupt (1988)
1 - Owen Grube (1993)
1 - Vern Jackson (2004)
1 - J.D. Auringer (2007)
Most consecutive seasons with at least one feature win (all-time)
10 - Jerry Luloff (1996-2005)
9 - Vern Jackson (2000-2008)
7 - Tom Bartholomew (1986-1992)
6 - Darin Duffy (1997-2002)
6 - Troy Cordes (2002-2007)
5 - Duane Van Deest (1990-1994)
4 - Deon Turner (1989-1992)
4 - Steve Droste (1993-1996)
4 - Scott Hogan (1994-1997)
Most consecutive seasons with at least one feature win (current)
3 - Jerry Luloff, Max Corporon
Longest win streak (same season) - 6, Jack Mitchell (1984)
Longest win streak (over two seasons) - 4, Steve Droste (1995-1996)
Most wins in a single season - 10, Jack Mitchell (1984)
First-time winners per month - 23 (May), 17 (August), 16 (June), 14 (July), 5 (April)
Most number of different feature winners in a season - 11, 1994 (15 week season)
Most consecutive different feature winners in a season - 8 (1992, 1993)
Most consecutive different winners (over two seasons) - 9 (1992-1993, 1993-1994)
Most consecutive different feature winners to start a season - 8 (1993)
Most consecutive different feature winners to end a season - 8 (1993)
Most opening night feature wins
(Note: it took 14 years before a driver won his second opening night feature - Steve Droste in 1995 and 1996. Prior to 1996, there were 13 straight different opening night winners.)
3 - Vern Jackson (2001, 2003, 2008)
2 - Steve Droste (1995, 1996)
1 - Jack Mitchell (1983)
1 - Mike Krall (1984)
1 - Tom Fitzpatrick (1985)
1 - Greg Kastli (1986)
1 - Todd Jensen (1987)
1 - Craig Haupt (1988)
1 - Kevin Pittman (1989)
1 - John Irwin (1990)
1 - Larry Schmidt (1991)
1 - Deon Turner (1992)
1 - Tim Donlinger (1993)
1 - Duane Van Deest (1994)
1 - Travis Heyer (1997)
1 - Jerry Luloff (1998)
1 - Gary Stuber (1999)
1 - Troy Cordes (2000)
1 - Jerry King (2002)
1 - Scott Hogan (2004)
1 - Joey Schaefer (2005)
1 - Jason Snyder (2006)
1 - J.D. Auringer (2007)
1 - Max Corporon (2009)
Most season championship feature wins
(Note: season championships were rained out in 2001 and 2003)
3 - Tom Bartholomew (1990, 1991, 1992)
3 - Jerry Luloff (1999, 2002, 2004)
3 - Darin Duffy (1997, 1998, 2009)
2 - Jack Mitchell (1983, 1984)
2 - Duane Van Deest (1985, 1986)
2 - Steve Droste (1994, 1995)
2 - Troy Cordes (2000, 2006)
2 - Vern Jackson (2005, 2007)
1 - Mark Noble (1987)
1 - Craig Haupt (1988)
1 - Ron Barker (1989)
1 - Owen Grube (1993)
1 - Scott Hogan (1996)
1 - Johnathan Thimmesch (2008)
Track champions with fewest feature wins
0 - Scott Hogan (1998)
0 - Jerry Luloff (2006)
0 - Troy Cordes (2008)
Most 2-race feature win streaks (within same season) - 6 (Darin Duffy)
Most 3-race feature win streaks (within same season) - 3 (Darin Duffy)
Most 4-race feature win streaks (within same season) - 1 (Greg Kastli)
Most 5-race feature win streaks (within same season) - None
Most 6-race feature win streaks (within same season) - 1 (Jack Mitchell)
Season championship feature winner/Track champion (same season)
3 - Tom Bartholomew (1990, 1991, 1992)
2 - Jack Mitchell (1983, 1984)
2 - Steve Droste (1994, 1995)
1 - Duane Van Deest (1985)
1 - Mark Noble (1987)
1 - Craig Haupt (1988)
1 - Owen Grube (1993)
1 - Jerry Luloff (1999)
1 - Darin Duffy (2009)
Seasons with no back-to-back feature winners - 1993, 1994, 2003
Bookend wins (won season opening and season championship features in same season)
1 - *Jack Mitchell (1983)
1 - *Craig Haupt (1988)
1 - *Steve Droste (1995)
1 - Troy Cordes (2000)
* also track champion
Most days between first and last/most recent feature wins
6608 - Timm Jensen (18 years, 1 month, 4 days)
6552 - Ed Thomas (17 years, 11 months, 9 days)
5929 - Darin Duffy (16 years, 2 months, 24 days)
5054 - Deon Turner (13 years, 10 months, 2 days)
4774 - Troy Cordes (13 years, 26 days)
4753 - Jerry Luloff (13 years, 5 days)
4326 - Garry Stuber (11 years, 10 months, 4 days)
4081 - Jack Mitchell (11 years, 2 months, 2 days)
4046 - Vern Jackson (11 years, 28 days)
3633 - Mike Sampson (9 years, 11 months, 12 days)
Average number of race nights per year - 14.8
Average number of different feature winners per year - 7.9
1st feature winner in division history - Jack Mitchell (5/21/83)
50th feature winner in division history - John Light (6/28/86)
100th feature winner in division history - Deon Turner (7/1/89)
150th feature winner in division history - Timm Jensen (8/15/92)
200th feature winner in division history - Steve Droste (7/6/96)
250th feature winner in division history - Darin Duffy (7/19/99)
300th feature winner in division history - Ben Metcalf (8/17/02)
350th feature winner in division history - J.D. Auringer (5/6/06)
400th feature winner in division history - Darin Duffy (8/29/09)
That completes the history of the Modifieds at Independence. Only the Late Models remain, however I don't plan to have that information posted until sometime next week. While I have the winners for all of the races, I haven't had a chance to enter any statistics outside of the career wins list. I can share with you what everyone already knows in regard to that - Curt Martin is, by far, the leader in that category. Look for complete Late Model recaps and stats by (hopefully) sometime next week.
1983
Jack Mitchell holds the distinction of being the division's first feature winner on May 21, 1983, after rain postponed the scheduled season opener. Mitchell collected six wins that season, including separate stretches where he won back-to-back features, as well as three straight on another occasion. Mitchell was also victorious on season championship night to lock up the first division title at the speedway. Other winners that first year included Tom Fitzpatrick and Mike Krall, who earned two wins each, and one-timers Todd Jensen, John Light and Dick Feckers during the 13-week season.
1984
Mitchell continued his dominance into 1984 as he collected 10 feature wins in the 14 events. His 10 victories remain a record today. Mike Krall again scored two wins that season. The only other drivers to see victory lane in 1984 were "Swervy" Merv Chandler and Ron Little. After Krall won the season opener, Mitchell won in week two. Later in the season, he strung together three straight wins before winning the final six features of the season. He remains the only driver in division history at Independence to string together six straight victories. Mitchell repeated as the track champion.
1985
Things changed in 1985 when eight different drivers were victorious during the 17-week season, including five straight different winners to open the season. Fitzpatrick scored the first win of the season followed by wins by Kenny Hoeppner, Dennis Fink, Mike Schulte and Light. Timm Jensen and Ron Becker also scored wins that season, but it was Duane Van Deest who got hot just prior to mid-season. Van Deest earned five victories over the final nine nights, including winning the last three features of the season, on the way to his first division crown. Fink, Schulte and Light all nabbed second victories that year.
1986
Not only did Greg Kastli spend 1986 in a Modified, he spent a majority of it in Modified victory lane. Kastli collected eight wins in 17 nights on his way to the track championship. Kastli jumped out of the gate to win six times in the first eight nights, including separate streaks of two and three wins. He earned two additional victories in the second half of the season to wrap up the title. Kevin Pittman was the only other multi-race winner that season; he earned two wins. Light, Tom Bartholomew, Todd McCombs, Mitchell and Van Deest rounded out the list of winners. Van Deest took his win on championship night.
1987
Todd Jensen opened 1987 with the first of his two feature wins that season before Mark Noble won three straight on May 9, 16 and 23. Noble proceeded to take four more wins that season to drive to the track title. Noble earned mid-season and season championship feature wins. Other winners that year included Light, who scored two wins, Bartholomew and Ron Barker. Kevin Pittman scored back-to-back wins in June.
1988
Craig Haupt opened the season with back-to-back wins in 1988. He scored three more wins that year, including championship night, to drive to the points title. Seven other drivers also found the winner's circle that season, including multi-race winners Bartholomew, Van Deest, Barker Todd Jensen and Larry Schmidt, each of whom scored two trips to victory lane. Mitchell also picked up a victory and Ed Thomas scored the first win of his career on August 20.
1989
Pittman, Larry Engen and Doug Hillson scored wins to open 1989 before Barker went back-to-back in weeks four and five. After Barker's victory, Tom Bartholomew scored the first of his four wins that season to drive to the division title. Mike Sampson scored his first Mod win at Indee during mid-season championships on June 24 while Deon Turner made his first-ever trip to victory lane the following Saturday. Other race winners included Denny Ansel, Haupt and Merlin Benning. Barker won on championship night. Bartholomew won the title by 68 points ahead of Barker. Timm Jensen, Sampson and Van Deest completed the top five. Thomas, Turner, Pittman, Haupt and Schmidt completed the top 10.
1990
Bartholomew continued his winning ways in 1990 as he picked up his second straight division title. He earned five wins that year to lead all drivers, including season championship night, to take the crown in the rain-shortened 12-week season. John Irwin scored the opening night win to lead off the season with five straight different feature winners. Bartholomew, Pittman and Turner were victorious during the first four weeks before Arlo Becker scored his only division win in Independence on June 30. Van Deest was the only other winner that season. Pittman scored three wins that season to stay close; he finished around 10 points out of the lead in the final standings. Van Deest, Turner, Todd Jensen, Dave Bentley, Ron Hurst, Tom Fitzpatrick, Timm Jensen, Larry Schmidt, Ron Kruger and Thomas were among the top 12 in 1990.
1991
Bartholomew became the first driver to win three straight titles as he scored five wins en route to the 1991 division crown. Sampson won three features that season, all in a span of four weeks, while two-time winner Schmidt was the only other multi-race winner. Van Deest, Timm Jensen, Turner, Todd Jensen, Benning and Hurst completed the list of winners. Bartholomew took a two point lead into championship night and secured the title with a feature win.
1992
The season was the first of three straight that saw double-digits in number of feature winners. In all, 10 different drivers earned victories in 1992 led by Turner's opening night triumph. Bentley scored a pair of victories in the month of May. Bartholomew led all drivers with three wins that season on the way to his fourth straight division title. Timm Jensen, Turner, Thomas, Dan Bohr and Bentley were among the two-time winners while Van Deest, Light and Schmidt were one-time winners. Owen Grube scored his first Independence win in 1992 on August 22 during the make-up feature from the rain-shortened July 25 show. Bartholomew, the championship night feature winner, scored a narrow victory over Turner in the final standings. Todd Jensen, Grube and Benning completed the top five.
1993
In one of the most memorable feature events in my lifetime, Tim Donlinger scored the opening night feature win in 1993 after coming from the back of the pack in the waning laps to nip Steve Droste. In a rain-shortened, 11 week season, an astonishing 10 different drivers found victory lane. Jamie Aikey, with wins on May 29 and August 2, was the only two-time winner. It was also the first time in the division's 11 year history that there were no back-to-back winners. Other victors that season included Kevin Schroeder, Van Deest, Buck Swanson, Garry Stuber, Droste (during mid-season), Jim Abben and Grube (on championship night). On June 5 of that year, Darin Duffy drove to his first career victory in the Modified division (more on him later). While the winners list was varied, the points championship was determined before championship night as Owen Grube walked away with the title. He beat both Stuber and Droste by a 56 point margin in the final standings. Todd Jensen ran fourth while Turner, Benning and Tim Heins all tied for fifth. Van Deest, Schmidt and Duffy completed the top 10 in the points race.
1994
The 1994 season produced the most feature winners in the history of the division at Independence, as 11 different drivers carried the checkers (back when they did that). It was also the second straight season that no driver produced back-to-back wins. The record of 11 winners still stands today. No driver earned more than two wins during the 15-week season, however four drivers walked away with a pair of wins. At the top of the list was points champion Steve Droste, who scored wins on July 16 and during season championships. Joining Droste in the two-win crowd were Timm Jensen, Bohr and Jeff Barkdoll. One-time winners included Van Deest, Grube, Sampson, Turner and Bartholomew. Scott Hogan earned his first win at the track on August 13 of that season while Jack Mitchell re-emerged from "racing reitrement" to wow the crowd with a win on July 23. Chasing Droste in the final standings were Van Deest (40 points out), Timm Jensen, Jerry Luloff and Bohr. Barkdoll, Todd Jensen, Turner, Grube and Hogan completed the top 10.
1995
While his two wins produced a 40-point victory margin in 1994, Droste took a different route to the 1995 championship. That year, Droste led all drivers with four victories, but edged two-time winner Barkdoll by just 18 points in the final standings. Corey Dripps scored his first Independence wins in 1995, taking the checkers on May 20 and June 10. Along with Barkdoll's back-to-back wins on June 17 and 24, Duffy and Droste each won consecutive features during the season. Barkdoll's two straight wins broke a streak of 32 consecutive races that no driver won back-to-back events. Duffy's 1995 mini-streak included a mid-season championship win while Droste's came over the final two weeks, including championship night. Hogan, Timm Jensen and Abben also scored wins. Duffy, Luloff and Turner completed the top five in the final standings while Hogan, Todd Jensen, Keith Pittman, Timm Jensen and Schmidt finished sixth through 10th.
1996
Droste won his third and final track title in 1996, holding off Luloff by nine points in the final standings, scoring a career-high six wins in the process. Droste won his six features during the first 10 weeks of the 15-week season to drive to the title. Dripps took two wins that year and Troy Cordes earned his first Modified win at Indee on June 29. He followed that up with another trip to victory lane on August 17. One-time winners that season included Thomas, Keith Pittman and Hogan. Luloff also won his first Modified feature that season on August 10. Dean Mahlstedt scored his lone Mod win on Indee soil on May 11. Behind Droste and Luloff in the final standings were Hogan, Duffy and Keith Pittman. Jerry King, Timm Jensen, Sampson, Dripps and Bartholomew completed the top 10.
1997
Hogan broke through in 1997 to score his first track championship at Independence. Hogan scored a pair of wins on his way to the title in the 19-week season, the only complete season without a rainout in Independence history. Former Street Stock and Pro Stock champion Vern Jackson entered the Modified ranks in a big way by leading the Modifieds (along with Keith Pittman) with four feature wins that season. Jackson's first win in a Modified came on May 24 as he was one of six consecutive different drivers to open the year in victory lane. Other winners during that stretch included Travis Heyer (opening night winner), Hogan, Dripps, Sampson and Keith Pittman. Pittman ended the string of different winners in a big way as he won his four features that year in a five week span. Heyer ended the season with three wins overall while Dripps had two. One-time winners included Sampson, Luloff, Duffy and Tim McBride, who made his first trip to victory lane on August 2. Duffy was the championship night winner. Hogan beat Jensen by 43 points in the final standings. Duffy, Sampson and King rounded out the top five while Dave Stricker, Jackson, Cordes, Thomas and Keith Pittman completed the top 10.
1998
Hogan used consistency to earn his second straight track title in 1998. He did so without a feature win and holding off championship night winner Duffy by 10 points in the final standings. Duffy stayed close to Hogan throughout the season by virtue of his division-leading five feature wins. Duffy became the first driver since Mark Noble in 1987 to win three consecutive features (July 4, 11 and 18). Among the other nine winners that season were McBride, who scored four feature wins, and Jackson, who won twice. The list of single-race winners was comprised of Cordes, Luloff, Timm Jensen, Garry Stuber, Jerry King and Kevin Peverill. Chasing Hogan and Duffy closely in the final standings was Luloff, who finished 18 points behind Hogan. Jackson ran fourth, just nine points behind Luloff. Sampson ran fifth with Cordes, Timm Jensen, Tim McBride, Thomas and Heyer completing the top 10.
1999
Despite eight feature wins by Duffy, Luloff drove to his first track championship in 1999. Luloff scored a career high three wins that season, including season championship night, to take the title. During Duffy's eight-win season, he strung together two separate back-to-back win streaks and another three-in-a-row streak late in the season. The six other drivers who notched wins that year included Thomas, Sampson, Stuber, Peverill, Randy Trefz and Ken Irvine, who had a limited stay in the Modified division. In the final standings, Luloff topped Duffy by 20 points with Sampson, Jensen and Thomas completing the top five. Doug Firgard, Peverill, Brett McGill, Trefz and McBride rounded out the top 10.
2000
Jerry Luloff drove to his second consecutive track title in 2000 after posting one feature win on May 20. Duffy and Cordes won a majority of the 14 features that season as each posted four wins. Luloff's consistency, however, paid off as he finished in the top 10 all 14 nights with an average finish of 3.57 throughout the course of the season. For the second consecutive year, Duffy was the only driver to score consecutive wins as he strung three straight wins together late in the year. Two of the wins earned by Cordes came on mid-season and season championship nights. Stuber, with two wins, was the only other driver to earn multiple victories. Along with Luloff, other single-race winners were Jackson, Thomas and McBride. Luloff beat Duffy by 21 in the final standings with Jackson 27 points behind in third. Cordes and Sampson completed the top five. Timm Jensen, King, McBride, Firgard and Terry Johnson ran sixth through 10th.
2001
This season was the only time in history at Independence that the division produced co-champions after Duffy and Luloff tied with 456 points at season's end. Coincidentally, it was also the first time in track history that season championship night was rained out. The reschedule date was also rained out. At the time, I.M.C.A. did not break ties at the track level so the drivers shared title honors. Duffy led all drivers with three wins that year. His back-to-back wins on May 12 and May 19 made him the only driver in over three seasons to score consecutive wins in the division at the speedway. Luloff, Jackson, Joey Schaefer and Trefz pocketed two wins apiece that year, while McBride and Richard Von Krog each took home a win. The season ended with seven consecutive different winners. Following Duffy and Luloff in the points were King, Jackson, Cordes, Timm Jensen, Schaefer, Stricker, Thomas and Trefz.
2002
Nine different drivers earned wins during the 15-week 2002 season with Jackson leading the way with four victories. Cordes used three feature wins to drive to his first division title, by a margin of 10 points ahead of Luloff. Duffy was the only other multiple winner as he scored two victories in his final season in a Modified before moving to the Late Models for a few seasons. Luloff, Hogan, Schaefer and King each scored wins, as well, while Max Corporon and Ben Metcalf earned their first Modified wins at Indee that season. Cordes scored the win on mid-season championship night, the second of two straight wins, breaking Duffy's three year streak of being the only driver with back-to-back wins. Luloff earned his victory on championship night. Following Cordes and Luloff in the final points were Jackson, Schaefer and Ed Thomas. Timm Jensen, Clayton Thomas, Mike Gill, Dave Stricker and Hogan completed the top 10.
2003
The 2003 season marked the last time a double-digit number of winners scored wins. In all, 10 drivers earned trips to victory lane that season. In fact, Jackson was the only driver to earn more than one win throughout the first nine weeks of the season. Along with Jackson, winners during that span included three races in four weeks that resulted in first wins for a trio of drivers. Don Erger (May 24), Dennis Betzer (June 14) and Tom Hanson (mid-season championships on June 21) earned their first Indee Mod wins. A few weeks later, on July 19, J.D. Auringer added his name to the list of first-time winners. Overall, Jackson and Cordes earned three wins apiece while Luloff and Hogan won two each. Timm Jensen and Turner were also victorious that year. For Jensen and Turner, the wins served as their final victories to date. Hogan, five years removed from his last title, took home his third track championship that season, 14 points ahead of Luloff. Cordes, Jackson and Erger ran third through fifth. Gill, Todd Jensen, Ed Thomas, Stricker and Clayton Thomas rounded out the top 10.
2004
Jackson scored a career high six feature wins to drive to his first division championship in 2004. He held off Hogan by 15 points in the final standings to take the crown. Following Hogan's opening night win, the two drivers alternated wins throughout the first five weeks of the season before Shawn Fisher earned his first career win during mid-season championships on June 19. Hogan finished the year with three wins while Luloff and Schaefer earned two each. Along with Fisher, Troy Cordes scored one win on the season. The six winners in 2004 were the fewest since 1990 when the number of winners was six, as well. It remains the fewest number of winners in a season in the last 20 years. While Jackson won the title and Hogan finished second, Luloff finished a close third, just one point behind Hogan. Cordes ran fourth. Those four drivers dominated the season - in 13 separate weeks, at least three of them finished in the top five of the week's feature. Stricker, Brian Krall, Jason Snyder, Fisher, Heyer and Trefz completed the top 10.
2005
Luloff used 10 top-3 finishes in 1995 to drive to his fourth track title. The winner of two features that season, Luloff held off Cordes to win the championship by four points. Cordes was the winner of three features that season while Jackson drove to five wins, including championship night honors. Schaefer completed the list of multi-race winners with three trips to victory lane. Stuber also picked up a win that season while Jason Snyder earned the first victory of his career on July 16. Jackson ran third in the final standings ahead of Snyder and Ed Thomas. Krall, Erger, Clayton Thomas, Schaefer and Adam Johnson rounded out the top 10.
2006
Despite no wins in 2006, Luloff's consistency paid off once more as his division-leading 10 top-5 finishes during the 14-week season launched him to an unprecedented fifth division title. Cordes scored six wins that season, however failing to qualify for two feature events killed his title hopes. Auringer, who scored one win, ran second in the final standings, just five points behind Luloff. Jackson earned two wins that season, along with Snyder who won on opening night and during mid-season championships. Other winners included Ed Thomas, Erger and Adam Bolin. Patrick Flannagan claimed (yes, that was intentional) fourth place in the final standings and Jackson ran fifth. His two wins broke the tie with Hogan, who ended the season sixth. Snyder, Betzer, Gill and Timm Jensen completed the top 10.
2007
Luloff and Auringer engaged in another tight points battle in 2007, however this time it was Auringer who came away with the title by a single point over veteran Luloff. Auringer scored the opening night win, was victorious during mid-season championships, then added back-to-back wins late in the season to keep himself in the hunt. Luloff won a pair of features early in the season and let his consistency again keep in him contention as he reeled off 13 consecutive top-10 finishes to start the season. All but two were top-5s and those two were sixth place finishes. The leaders entered championship night tied at the top with Auringer finishing third and Luloff fourth in the finale to lift Auringer to the title. Jackson, Cordes and Adam Johnson each scored two wins while Corporon, Bolin and Brett Ladehoff also posted victories. Jackson ran third in the final standings ahead of Cordes and Corporon. Johnson, Flannagan, Johnathan Thimmesch, Hogan and Trefz rounded out the top 10.
2008
The storm-shortened, nine week season still resulted in seven different winners in 2008. Following his championship night victory the season before, Jackson opened 2008 in victory lane, as well. Six straight different drivers opened the abbreviated season in victory lane. Flannagan, Thimmesch, Johnson and Tony Olson also posted wins before Corporon won consecutive features on August 2 and 9. Luloff scored his lone win the following week before Thimmesch earned the championship night victory. When the dust settled, Cordes earned division championship honors, his second title. It is the only season in the last eight years Cordes hasn't won a feature. Jackson finished second in the final standings, just three points out. Thimmesch ran third, 13 points behind Cordes. Luloff and Flannagan ran fourth and fifth. Johnson, Haupt, Betzer, Olson and Jeff Kriz completed the top 10.
2009
Duffy returned to I.M.C.A. Modified racing in a big way in 2009 and earned his first outright division title in one of the most dominant Modified performances in years. His seven wins in the 14-week season were the most by any Modified driver since 1999 when Duffy posted eight victories. Along with two separate two-race win streaks during the season, Duffy won on championship night to take the title by 50 points over Cordes. The 2009 season championship feature was a milestone event for a couple of reasons. Not only was it the 400th Modified feature at Independence, but Duffy's win moved him past Jackson and into sole possession of first place on the career Modified wins list at Independence. Duffy was the only driver to win multiple features in 2009 as Cordes, Luloff, Corporon, Snyder and Erger posted single wins. Cory Bauer (June 6) and Ronn Lauritzen (August 22) scored their first career Modified wins that season. Lauritzen became the 75th different driver to score a Modified win at the track. Luloff ran third in the final standings while Justin O'Brien and Corporon ran fourth and fifth, respectively. Thimmesch, Lauritzen, Ray Lundry, Snyder and Olson completed the top 10.
I.M.C.A. MODIFIEDS (1983-2009/current)
Career Wins
1. Darin Duffy, 33
2. Vern Jackson, 32
3. Troy Cordes, 26
4. Tom Bartholomew, 22
5. Jerry Luloff, 20
6. Jack Mitchell, 19
T7. Duane Van Deest, 13
T7. Steve Droste, 13
9. Scott Hogan, 11
10. Timm Jensen, 9
T11. Greg Kastli, 8
T11. Joey Schaefer, 8
T11. Kevin Pittman, 8
T14. Deon Turner, 7
T14. Ed Thomas, 7
T14. John Light, 7
T14. Mark Noble, 7
T14. Mike Sampson, 7
T14. Ron Barker, 7
T14. Tim McBride, 7
T21. Corey Dripps, 6
T21. Craig Haupt, 6
T21. Garry Stuber, 6
T21. J.D. Auringer, 6
T21. Todd Jensen, 6
T26. Keith Pittman, 5
T26. Larry Schmidt, 5
T26. Max Corporon, 5
T26. Tom Fitzpatrick, 5
T30. Dan Bohr, 4
T30. Don Erger, 4
T30. Jason Snyder, 4
T30. Jeff Barkdoll, 4
T30. Mike Krall, 4
T35. Adam Johnson, 3
T35. Owen Grube, 3
T35. Randy Trefz, 3
T35. Travis Heyer, 3
T39. Adam Bolin, 2
T39. Dave Bentley, 2
T39. Dennis Fink, 2
T39. Jamie Aikey, 2
T39. Jerry King, 2
T39. Jim Abben, 2
T39. Johnathan Thimmesch, 2
T39. Kevin Peverill, 2
T39. Merlin Benning, 2
T39. Mike Schulte, 2
T49. Arlo Becker, 1
T49. Ben Metcalf, 1
T49. Brett Ladehoff, 1
T49. Buck Swanson, 1
T49. Cory Bauer, 1
T49. Dean Mahlstedt, 1
T49. Dennis Betzer, 1
T49. Denny Ansel, 1
T49. Dick Feckers, 1
T49. Doug Hillson, 1
T49. John Irwin, 1
T49. Ken Irvine, 1
T49. Kenny Hoeppner, 1
T49. Kevin Schroeder, 1
T49. Larry Engen, 1
T49. Merv Chandler, 1
T49. Patrick Flannagan, 1
T49. Richard Von Krog, 1
T49. Ron Becker, 1
T49. Ron Hurst, 1
T49. Ron Little, 1
T49. Ronn Lauritzen, 1
T49. Shawn Fisher, 1
T49. Tim Donlinger, 1
T49. Todd McCombs, 1
T49. Tom Hanson, 1
T49. Tony Olson, 1
Career Track Championships
5 - Jerry Luloff (1999, 2000, co-2001, 2005, 2006)
4 - Tom Bartholomew (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992)
3 - Steve Droste (1994, 1995, 1996)
3 - Scott Hogan (1997, 1998, 2003)
2 - Jack Mitchell (1983, 1984)
2 - Darin Duffy (co-2001, 2009)
2 - Troy Cordes (2002, 2008)
1 - Duane Van Deest (1985)
1 - Greg Kastli (1986)
1 - Mark Noble (1987)
1 - Craig Haupt (1988)
1 - Owen Grube (1993)
1 - Vern Jackson (2004)
1 - J.D. Auringer (2007)
Most consecutive seasons with at least one feature win (all-time)
10 - Jerry Luloff (1996-2005)
9 - Vern Jackson (2000-2008)
7 - Tom Bartholomew (1986-1992)
6 - Darin Duffy (1997-2002)
6 - Troy Cordes (2002-2007)
5 - Duane Van Deest (1990-1994)
4 - Deon Turner (1989-1992)
4 - Steve Droste (1993-1996)
4 - Scott Hogan (1994-1997)
Most consecutive seasons with at least one feature win (current)
3 - Jerry Luloff, Max Corporon
Longest win streak (same season) - 6, Jack Mitchell (1984)
Longest win streak (over two seasons) - 4, Steve Droste (1995-1996)
Most wins in a single season - 10, Jack Mitchell (1984)
First-time winners per month - 23 (May), 17 (August), 16 (June), 14 (July), 5 (April)
Most number of different feature winners in a season - 11, 1994 (15 week season)
Most consecutive different feature winners in a season - 8 (1992, 1993)
Most consecutive different winners (over two seasons) - 9 (1992-1993, 1993-1994)
Most consecutive different feature winners to start a season - 8 (1993)
Most consecutive different feature winners to end a season - 8 (1993)
Most opening night feature wins
(Note: it took 14 years before a driver won his second opening night feature - Steve Droste in 1995 and 1996. Prior to 1996, there were 13 straight different opening night winners.)
3 - Vern Jackson (2001, 2003, 2008)
2 - Steve Droste (1995, 1996)
1 - Jack Mitchell (1983)
1 - Mike Krall (1984)
1 - Tom Fitzpatrick (1985)
1 - Greg Kastli (1986)
1 - Todd Jensen (1987)
1 - Craig Haupt (1988)
1 - Kevin Pittman (1989)
1 - John Irwin (1990)
1 - Larry Schmidt (1991)
1 - Deon Turner (1992)
1 - Tim Donlinger (1993)
1 - Duane Van Deest (1994)
1 - Travis Heyer (1997)
1 - Jerry Luloff (1998)
1 - Gary Stuber (1999)
1 - Troy Cordes (2000)
1 - Jerry King (2002)
1 - Scott Hogan (2004)
1 - Joey Schaefer (2005)
1 - Jason Snyder (2006)
1 - J.D. Auringer (2007)
1 - Max Corporon (2009)
Most season championship feature wins
(Note: season championships were rained out in 2001 and 2003)
3 - Tom Bartholomew (1990, 1991, 1992)
3 - Jerry Luloff (1999, 2002, 2004)
3 - Darin Duffy (1997, 1998, 2009)
2 - Jack Mitchell (1983, 1984)
2 - Duane Van Deest (1985, 1986)
2 - Steve Droste (1994, 1995)
2 - Troy Cordes (2000, 2006)
2 - Vern Jackson (2005, 2007)
1 - Mark Noble (1987)
1 - Craig Haupt (1988)
1 - Ron Barker (1989)
1 - Owen Grube (1993)
1 - Scott Hogan (1996)
1 - Johnathan Thimmesch (2008)
Track champions with fewest feature wins
0 - Scott Hogan (1998)
0 - Jerry Luloff (2006)
0 - Troy Cordes (2008)
Most 2-race feature win streaks (within same season) - 6 (Darin Duffy)
Most 3-race feature win streaks (within same season) - 3 (Darin Duffy)
Most 4-race feature win streaks (within same season) - 1 (Greg Kastli)
Most 5-race feature win streaks (within same season) - None
Most 6-race feature win streaks (within same season) - 1 (Jack Mitchell)
Season championship feature winner/Track champion (same season)
3 - Tom Bartholomew (1990, 1991, 1992)
2 - Jack Mitchell (1983, 1984)
2 - Steve Droste (1994, 1995)
1 - Duane Van Deest (1985)
1 - Mark Noble (1987)
1 - Craig Haupt (1988)
1 - Owen Grube (1993)
1 - Jerry Luloff (1999)
1 - Darin Duffy (2009)
Seasons with no back-to-back feature winners - 1993, 1994, 2003
Bookend wins (won season opening and season championship features in same season)
1 - *Jack Mitchell (1983)
1 - *Craig Haupt (1988)
1 - *Steve Droste (1995)
1 - Troy Cordes (2000)
* also track champion
Most days between first and last/most recent feature wins
6608 - Timm Jensen (18 years, 1 month, 4 days)
6552 - Ed Thomas (17 years, 11 months, 9 days)
5929 - Darin Duffy (16 years, 2 months, 24 days)
5054 - Deon Turner (13 years, 10 months, 2 days)
4774 - Troy Cordes (13 years, 26 days)
4753 - Jerry Luloff (13 years, 5 days)
4326 - Garry Stuber (11 years, 10 months, 4 days)
4081 - Jack Mitchell (11 years, 2 months, 2 days)
4046 - Vern Jackson (11 years, 28 days)
3633 - Mike Sampson (9 years, 11 months, 12 days)
Average number of race nights per year - 14.8
Average number of different feature winners per year - 7.9
1st feature winner in division history - Jack Mitchell (5/21/83)
50th feature winner in division history - John Light (6/28/86)
100th feature winner in division history - Deon Turner (7/1/89)
150th feature winner in division history - Timm Jensen (8/15/92)
200th feature winner in division history - Steve Droste (7/6/96)
250th feature winner in division history - Darin Duffy (7/19/99)
300th feature winner in division history - Ben Metcalf (8/17/02)
350th feature winner in division history - J.D. Auringer (5/6/06)
400th feature winner in division history - Darin Duffy (8/29/09)
That completes the history of the Modifieds at Independence. Only the Late Models remain, however I don't plan to have that information posted until sometime next week. While I have the winners for all of the races, I haven't had a chance to enter any statistics outside of the career wins list. I can share with you what everyone already knows in regard to that - Curt Martin is, by far, the leader in that category. Look for complete Late Model recaps and stats by (hopefully) sometime next week.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Indee Ultimate Stats Blitz - Hobby Stocks
The Hobby Stocks joined the weekly racing program at Independence at the start of the 1989 season. They ran unsanctioned that first year before being sanctioned for one year with I.M.C.A. in 1990. The division ran unsanctioned again from 1991-1993. The division returned to being I.M.C.A. sanctioned for a single season in 1994, then ran without a sanction from 1995-2001. Since 2002, the Hobby Stocks have been I.M.C.A.-sanctioned at the speedway. Below is a yearly recap of the Hobby Stocks since their first season at Independence. Along with complete Hobby Stock stats at the end of the blog, I've included additional Stock Car numbers that weren't a part of that blog a couple weeks ago.
1989
Ken Irvine scored the first win in division history on April 29, 1989. It was the first of a division leading seven wins for Irvine that season, including victories during mid-season championships and on championship night. Steve Holthaus wasn't far behind in the win column as he collected six victories in 1989 en route to the division's first track championship. A trio of one-time winners rounded out the list of victors during the 16-week season, including Quinton Reinking, Lon Gadow and Rick Johnson. Irvine ran second in the final standings, followed by Johnson, Warren Middlestaedt and Gary Peiffer. Reinking, Rick Suckow, Jerry Luloff, Don Bushaw and Craig Coventry rounded out the top 10 in the division's inaugural season.
1990
A total of nine winners broke through to score wins in 1990 when the division was first I.M.C.A.-sanctioned. It would hold up to be the largest number of different winners in a single season throughout the first 10 seasons the Hobby Stocks competed at Indee. On top of that, it was the second shortest season in that span as only 12 race nights dodged the rain. Irvine and Gadow were the only multi-race winners that year as Irvine scored three wins and Gadow raced to victory lane twice. Gadow's wins came in the first two weeks of the season. Other winners that year included Forrest Frost, Todd Temeyer, Luloff, Suckow, Reinking, Milo Matthias and Coventry. Gadow took a 42 point margin into championship night, already clinching the title prior to Suckow's win in the finale. The season closed with seven consecutive different faces in victory lane.
1991
Gadow scored his lone win of 1991 on opening night. Reinking, Frost and Johnson followed up with victories as four different drivers were victorious to start the season before Johnson went back-to-back on May 25 and June 1. Luloff then won four events over the span of eight weeks on his way to the track title. Gadow, Suckow, Matthias and Reinking all scored single wins that year while Johnson and Frost were each victorious three times. Derek Reisner earned back-to-back wins in the final two weeks of the season to round out the list of winners. Frost ran second to Luloff in the final standings, followed by Gadow, Dave Sweerin and Temeyer.
1992
In 1992, Frost became the first driver in the division to win the "grand slam" by earning feature wins on opening night, mid-season championships and season championship night, plus winning the track title. In all, Frost won five features during the 17-week season to take title honors by a 40-point margin ahead of Johnson. Other winners that year included Suckow and Bret Dage, who won three times each, and Johnson, who nabbed a pair of victories. One-time winners included David Rice, Gadow, Matthias and Duane Duffy. Suckow, Dage and Steve Farr completed the top five in the final standings.
1993
Poor weather led 1993 to be the second shortest season in division history as only 11 shows were run. Despite that low number, eight different drivers found victory lane, including seven straight different winners to open the season. Johnson was the only driver to earn multiple victories. He ended the season with four trips to the winner's circle, including wins on opening night, mid-season championships and season championships. Other winners included Kevin Hoehne, Vince Buchholz, Farr, Dage, Dale Hackwell Jr., Temeyer and Chris Wessner. Despite his dominance, Johnson came up two points short of Dage in the final standings as Dage became the division's fifth different track champion in as many years. Farr, Jeff Franck and Terry Johnson rounded out the top five in the final standings. Rounding out the top 10 were Temeyer, Hoehne, Roger Ciesielski, Mike Ihde and Hackwell. The season marked the first time in division history that no driver earned back-to-back victories during the year.
1994
Hoehne strung together a three-race winning streak, the longest at the time, to open the 1994 season. Those victories, combined with a win during mid-season championships, propelled Hoehne to the division title in a return to I.M.C.A. racing. Rice joined Hoehne as the only four-time winner that season, while Wessner rounded out the multi-race winners with three victories. Single race winners included Ihde, Ciesielski and Ron Hufford. Current Modified driver Troy Cordes earned his only Hobby Stock victory in Independence that season. In the final standings, Jason Rohde ran second to Hoehne, 58 points out of the lead. Ciesielski, Franck and Wessner completed the top five. Cordes, Dave Swarts, Jeff Roete, Jerry King and Temeyer completed the top 10.
1995
A record was established in 1995 that remains in tact today as Chris Wessner dominated the weekly wars to post nine Hobby Stock wins. Wessner, who won the championship race to close 1994, opened 1995 with back-to-back wins. Along with a win two weeks later, Wessner strung together five wins in a row during the middle of the season, a mark that has been matched only once, but never topped. Wessner closed out his track championship run with a win on the final night to earn the championship by an astounding 88 points ahead of nearest challenger Todd Temeyer. Jeff Roete won one feature that season and finished third in the final standings. Butch Reid and Jeff Wedemeier completed the top five. Dage scored one win to finish sixth in the points ahead of Tim Meeker and Kurt Kastli. One-time winner Buchholz finished ninth and Cliff Gray ran 10th. Tim Bartholomew also visited victory lane in 1995.
1996
Despite Wessner's dominance once again in 1996, his seven feature wins were not enough to garner back-to-back points titles. Instead, veteran Temeyer scored three wins on the way to his first track championship. Wessner once again opened the season in dominant fashion, winning four of the first five features. Temeyer prevented Wessner from making it five weeks of perfection in week three. Temeyer visited victory lane twice more, Butch Reid scored a pair of wins and Dage, Dwan Waddell and Cliff Tharp scored wins before Wessner closed the season with three straight victories. In the final standings, Temeyer edged Wessner by just two points with Dage, Zac Boehmer and Kastli completing the top five. Roete, Gray, Tharp, Bartholomew and Nick Wroten rounded out the top 10.
1997
In his first full season in the division, Adam Johnson became another first time champion in the division. His title in 1997 made it nine different titlists in a row in the Hobby Stock division. Johnson was one of eight different drivers to see victory lane in the track's longest season in history - 19 events without a rainout, the only such season in track history. Following Rohde's opening night win, Roete, Wroten, Boehmer and Reisner made it five different winners to open the season before Roete won his second on week six. Although his first win didn't come until mid-season championship night, Bartholomew led all drivers with five trips to victory lane as he won half of the season's final 10 events, including championship night. Johnson, Roete, and Wroten earned three wins apiece while Meeker collected two victories. Johnson's margin of triumph in the final standings was 11 points ahead of Doug Otto. Boehmer, Roete and Bartholomew completed the top five. Wroten, Jerome Wilson, Meeker, Ryan DeGroot and Gerry Shaver ran sixth through 10th.
1998
Nick Wroten dominated the 1998 season. Not only was he the only driver to score back-to-back wins, he put together a five-race winning streak late in the season to match Wessner's 1995 feat to drive to the track championship. Danny Dvorak (3 wins) and Tim Meeker and Jarod Weepie (2 wins each) completed the list of multi-race winners. Boehmer also scored a win while Patrick Stansbery and Justin Temeyer earned their first career Hobby Stock wins to round out the list of 1998 winners. Wroten won the title by 79 points ahead of Roete, while Weepie ran third in his rookie campaign. Waddell and Boehmer completed the top five. Reid, Wilson, Stansbery, Meeker and Bartholomew rounded out the top 10.
1999
Doug Otto led a list of 10 feature winners in 1999 as he scored five victories during his track championship run. Otto scored bookend victories with season opening and season championship wins on his way to the title. Justin Temeyer, the only driver to score consecutive victories that season, ended the year with three wins, while Weepie rounded out the list of multi-race winners with two victories. Along with wins by Waddell, Boehmer and Stansbery, a number of drivers earned their first Hobby Stock wins in 1999. That list included Randy Wheeler, Jim Aschenbrenner, Chad Clubine and Chris Schares. Otto bested Weepie by 16 points in the final standings. Stansbery and Roete tied for third while Scooter Dulin finished fifth. Wilson, Justin Temeyer, Wedemeier, Schares and Brad Forbes completed the top 10.
2000
Veteran Jeff Roete piloted his Ford to a division-leading five feature wins to drive to his first track title. Roete notched opening night and mid-season wins along the way to his championship run. Stansbery tallied three victories, including championship night, while Clubine won twice. Single event winners included Justin Temeyer, Dulin, Schares and Aschenbrenner. Stansbery ran second to Roete in the final standings ahead of Forbes, Dulin and Justin Temeyer. Wedemeier, Mike Hiller, Rod Abbas, Wheeler and Jim Ball completed the top 10.
2001
Stansbery started of the 2001 season with one of his three victories that year, which included a win during mid-season championships. Scooter Dulin, also the winner of three features, collected top honors in week two on his way to the track championship. Chris Schares earned the win in week three. He eventually topped all drivers with four wins that season, but it took a late season surge to get there. Schares won three of the last four features of the season, including championship night. John Meyer, Brasch and Forbes also scored victories. Dulin's margin of victory was 40 points in the final standings ahead of Stansbery. Wedemeier, Hiller, Schares, Abbas, John Roete, Ball, Alvin Larsen and Brasch completed the top 10.
2002
The 2002 season was the third and final return of the Hobby Stocks to I.M.C.A. The division has been sanctioned at the track since the first race of that season. Meyer opened that season in victory lane, the first of six different drivers in a row to score wins. After Stansbery, Brasch, Shane Ebaugh, Guy Stacy and Jeff Wedemeier kept the cycle going, Stansbery was the first to double-up in week seven as he scored his second and final victory of the season. John Roete was victorious the following week before J.R. Kahler scored three wins in a row during the month of July. Along with Kahler's July 20 triumph, Lloyd Bacon, John Roete, Jason Goedken and Jeff Wedemieier, the championship night winner, made it five different winners to close the season. Stansbery's two wins were good enough to clinch title honors. He edged Wedemeier by 18 in the final standings. John Roete, Brasch and Meyer completed the top five. Ebaugh, Chris Luloff, Goedken, Joe Sprague and Jason Niedert ran sixth through 10th.
2003
Kahler opened the season with a victory before Vince Buchholz strung three straight wins together in the following weeks. May 31 started off the Brian Irvine era at the speedway as he visited victory lane for the first time in his career that evening. The win was his first of eight victories in 2003. Irvine had two separate two-race winning streaks, along with a three race streak to end the season. Goedken scored a pair of wins that season and Stansbery reached the winner's circle once. Kyle Scheel also scored the first, and only, victory of his career on June 14. Despite Irvine's dominance, he had nearly as many finishes outside the top 10 as he did wins, allowing Buchholz to steal title honors, his first championship.
2004
Irvine opened the season with four straight wins, stretching his streak to seven straight victories over the course of the two seasons. Just as he did in 2003, Irvine collected eight wins in 2004. This time, Irvine took advantage of his successes as he scored his first career track championship. Aside from Irvine, Chris Luloff also found his share of success as the second-year driver earned five wins. Rod Grother and Shane Ebaugh also earned wins in 2004 as an all-time low of four drivers earned victories that season. Irvine won the title by 57 points ahead of Stansbery. John Roete, Luloff and Niedert rounded out the top five. Grother, Wilson, Buchholz, Brian Happel and Sprague completed the top 10.
2005
It took 17 seasons, but 2005 resulted in the first repeat champion in the Hobby Stocks. An unthinkable 16 consecutive different drivers earned championship honers before Stansbery broke through for his second title to add to his 2002 crown. Stansbery accomplished his second title despite not winning a single feature event throughout the 16-week season. Ten other drivers shared the wealth that season with victories. Multi-race winners included Rod Grother, who led the division with three wins, including season championship night, and two-time winners Luloff, Buchholz, Josh Steere and Paul Shepherd. One-time winners included first-time wins for a quintet of drivers - Bill Meyer, Happel, Sprague, Perry Thomsen and Travis Michels. Stansbery earned the title by 65 points over Grother. Buchholz, Tim Swope and Luloff ran third through fifth. Completing the top 10 were Bill Meyer, Ball, Mark Butler, Jeremiah Wilson and Ebaugh.
2006
This season marked the first time the points at the top of the Hobby Stocks ended in a tie. Coincidentally, it was also the first year I.M.C.A. broke ties at the track level. Prior to 2006, ties at the track level resulted in co-championships (ask Jerry Luloff, Darin Duffy, Curt Martin and Darren Ackerman). Jamie Whitaker was hoping that rule wouldn't take effect until the following year as he lost a tie-breaker to Shepherd by virtue of Shepherd's two feature wins to Whitaker's none in 2006. Shepherd's two wins came back-to-back, including one during mid-season championships. Throughout the 14-week season, a record 11 drivers posted wins. That's a record that still stands today and is one of those that may never be broken. The only other multi-race winner was Luloff, who scored three victories, his last of which came on championship night. Buchholz, Grother and Bill Meyer also collected wins that season while Ryan Bochmann, Kevin Robinson, Ball, Don Arnold and Matt Brown earned their first wins in the division. In the final standings, Grother, Buchholz and Stansbery completed the top five while Ball, Jeremiah Wilson, Josh Irvine, Bill Meyer and Wes Stanek Jr. ran sixth through 10th.
2007
Micheal (yes, that's how he spells it) Smith opened the season with a win in 2007 as six different drivers were victorious over the first seven weeks of the season. John Meyer, Josh Irvine, Luloff, Brandon Davis and Greg Sweerin also earned wins with Irvine the only one to double-up in the span. Irvine added three more wins that year, including mid-season and season championship nights to drive to his first division crown. Justin Lichty earned the first two victories of his career in back-to-back weeks just after mid-season. Quinton Miller did the exact same thing in the following two weeks. Jeremiah Wilson also scored his first career win at Independence the week before championship night. Irvine won the title by 48 points ahead of Grother with Buchholz, Bill Meyer and Adam Gebel rounding out the top five. Miller, Jeremiah Wilson, Brown, Ball and Sprague completed the top 10.
2008
The spring wind storm made for a shortened season, but it wasn't short on excitement as six drivers earned wins in the nine-week season. Luloff led the way with four wins, including opening night and season championship night, to drive to his first career division title. Miller, Brown, Whitaker, Lichty and Josh Irvine completed the list of winners. In the end, Luloff squeezed past Irvine by eight points in the final standings with Jeremiah Wilson, Buchholz and Whitaker completing the top five. Curt Hilmer, Al Sweerin, Miller, Stanek and Nate Sweerin ran sixth through 10th.
2009
Josh Irvine became just the second Hobby Stock driver to repeat as champion in the division's 21 seasons in Independence. Irvine scored seven wins in the 14 night season to win his second title in three years. Along with opening night and season championship wins, Irvine had a four-race win streak in the middle of the season to drive to the championship. Stanek had back-to-back wins early in the year, while Brown, August Bach, Lichty, Miller and Mark Butler were also victorious. Irvine's championship margin was by 21 points over Miller. Stanek, Lichty and Brown completed the top five. Justin Hanson, Jeremiah Wilson, Sprague, Buchholz and Arnold rounded out the top 10.
HOBBY STOCKS (1989-2009/current)
Career wins
1. Chris Wessner, 20
2. Brian Irvine, 16
3. Chris Luloff, 15
4. Josh Irvine, 13
5. Patrick Stansbery, 11
T6. Ken Irvine, 10
T6. Nick Wroten, 10
T6. Rick Johnson, 10
T9. Forrest Frost, 9
T9. Jeff Roete, 9
Most consecutive seasons with at least one win (all-time) - 6 (Patrick Stansbery, 1998-2003)
Most consecutive seasons with at least one win (current) - 3 (Josh Irvine, Justin Lichty, Quinton Miller)
First-time winners per month - 23 (July), 19 (June), 18 (August), 17 (May), 4 (April)
Total features - 309
Total different feature winners - 81
Longest win streak (within same season) - 5, (Chris Wessner in 1995, Nick Wroten in 1998)
Longest win streak (over two seasons) - 7, Brian Irvine (2003-2004)
Most wins in a single season - 9, Chris Wessner (1995)
Most number of different feature winners in a season - 11 (2006)
Career track championships
2 - Patrick Stansbery (2002, 2005)
2 - Josh Irvine (2007, 2009)
1 - Steve Holthaus (1989)
1 - Lon Gadow (1990)
1 - Jerry Luloff (1991)
1 - Forrest Frost (1992)
1 - Bret Dage (1993)
1 - Kevin Hoehne (1994)
1 - Chris Wessner (1995)
1 - Todd Temeyer (1996)
1 - Adam Johnson (1997)
1 - Nick Wroten (1998)
1 - Doug Otto (1999)
1 - Jeff Roete (2000)
1 - Scooter Dulin (2001)
1 - Vince Buchholz (2003)
1 - Brian Irvine (2004)
1 - Paul Shepherd (2006)
1 - Chris Luloff (2008)
Most consecutive different feature winners (within same season) - 8 (2005)
Most consecutive different feature winners (over two seasons) - 7 (1990-1991, 2001-2002)
Most consecutive different feature winners to start season - 6 (2002)
Most consecutive different feature winners to end season - 8 (2005)
Most opening night feature wins - 2 (Lon Gadow, Chris Wessner), 1 (Ken Irvine, Forrest Frost, Rick Jahnson, Kevin Hoehne, Jason Rohde, Danny Dvorak, Doug Otto, Jeff Roete, Patrick Stansbery, John Meyer, J.R. Kahler, Brian Irvine, Josh Steere, Rod Grother, Micheal Smith, Chris Luloff, Josh Irvine)
Most season championship feature wins - 3 (Chris Wessner), 2 (Brian Irvine, Chris Luloff, Josh Irvine), 1 (Ken Irvine, Rick Suckow, Derek Reisner, Forrest Frost, Rick Johnson, Tim Bartholomew, Nick Wroten, Doug Otto, Patrick Stansbery, Jeff Wedemeier, Rod Grother)
Track champion with fewest feature wins - 0, Patrick Stansbery (2005)
Most 2-race win streaks (within same season) - 4 (Chris Wessner)
Most 3-race win streaks (within same season) - 1 (Chris Wessner, Brian Irvine, Chris Luloff, Vince Buchholz, Kevin Hoehne, J.R. Kahler)
Most 4-race win streaks (within same season) - 1 (Brian Irvine, Josh Irvine)
Most 5-race win streaks (within same season) - 1 (Chris Wessner, Nick Wroten)
Season championship feature winner/Track champion (same season) - Josh Irvine (2007, 2009), Forrest Frost (1992), Chris Wessner (1995), Nick Wroten (1998), Doug Otto (1999), Brian Irvine (2004), Chris Luloff (2008)
Seasons with no back-to-back feature winners - 1993, 2005, 2008
Bookend wins (won season opening and season championship features in same season) - Chris Wessner (1995, 1996), Ken Irvine (1989), Forrest Frost (1992), Rick Johnson (1993), Doug Otto (1999), Brian Irvine (2004), Chris Luloff (2008), Josh Irvine (2009)
Most days between first and most recent feature wins - 4725, Vince Buchholz (12 years, 11 months, 8 days)
Average number of race nights per season - 14.7
Average number of different feature winners per season - 7.5
1st feature winner in division history - Ken Irvine (4/29/89)
50th feature winner in division history - Rick Suckow (6/6/92)
100th feature winner in division history - Chris Wessner (8/26/95)
150th feature winner in division history - Jarod Weepie (8/22/98)
200th feature winner in division history - Guy Stacy (6/8/02)
250th feature winner in division history - Bill Meyer (7/9/05)
300th feature winner in division history - Josh Irvine (6/20/09)
STOCK CARS (1993-2009/current)
My original blog detailing the Stock Car history at Independence was dated January 13. Following that post, I decided to add a few different stats for the other divisions that were not included in that recap for the Stock Cars. Here they are:
First-time winners per month - 10 (May), 9 (June, July), 8 (August), 2 (April)
Total features - 248
Total different feature winners - 38
Most opening night feature wins - 5 (Dan Trimble), 3 (Brian Irvine), 2 (Larry Portis, Tom Schmitt), 1 (Lon Gadow, Ken Irvine, Jarod Weepie, Fabian Seitz, Norman Chesmore)
Track champion with fewest feature wins - 0 (Jerry Schipper in 1997, Jarod Weepie in 2008)
Most 2-race win streaks (within same season) - 8 (Dan Trimble)
Most 3-race win streaks (within same season) - 3 (Dan Trimble)
Most 4-race win streaks (within same season) - 2 (Brian Irvine)
Most 5-race win streaks (within same season) - 1 (Chris Wessner)
Most 6-race win streaks (within same season) - 1 (Larry Portis, Dan Trimble)
Season championship feature winner/Track champion (same season) - Dan Trimble (1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002), Lon Gadow (1993), Larry Portis (1995), Brian Irvine (2009)
Seasons with no back-to-back feature winners - 2006
Bookend wins (won season opening and season championship features in same season) - Dan Trimble (1994, 1998, 1999, 2000), Brian Irvine (2007, 2009), Lon Gadow (1993), Larry Portis (1995), Tom Schmitt (2004)
Most days between first and most recent feature wins - Amazingly, two drivers are tied for this record at 5,488 days each. Both Dan Trimble and Norman Chesmore have gone exactly 15 years and nine days between their first and most recent feature wins.
Average number of race nights per season - 14.6
Average number of different winners per season - 5.8
1st feature winner in division history - Lon Gadow (7/24/93)
50th feature winner in division history - Larry Portis (7/20/96)
100th feature winner in division history - Tom Schmitt (7/10/99)
150th feature winner in division history - Tom Schmitt (4/26/03)
200th feature winner in division history - Jarod Weepie (5/27/06)
250th feature in division history - will be second Stock Car feature of 2010
That completes the Hobby Stocks and Stock Cars. All that remains are the Modifieds and Late Models. I hope to have the Modifieds done sometime later this week and the Late Models next week.
1989
Ken Irvine scored the first win in division history on April 29, 1989. It was the first of a division leading seven wins for Irvine that season, including victories during mid-season championships and on championship night. Steve Holthaus wasn't far behind in the win column as he collected six victories in 1989 en route to the division's first track championship. A trio of one-time winners rounded out the list of victors during the 16-week season, including Quinton Reinking, Lon Gadow and Rick Johnson. Irvine ran second in the final standings, followed by Johnson, Warren Middlestaedt and Gary Peiffer. Reinking, Rick Suckow, Jerry Luloff, Don Bushaw and Craig Coventry rounded out the top 10 in the division's inaugural season.
1990
A total of nine winners broke through to score wins in 1990 when the division was first I.M.C.A.-sanctioned. It would hold up to be the largest number of different winners in a single season throughout the first 10 seasons the Hobby Stocks competed at Indee. On top of that, it was the second shortest season in that span as only 12 race nights dodged the rain. Irvine and Gadow were the only multi-race winners that year as Irvine scored three wins and Gadow raced to victory lane twice. Gadow's wins came in the first two weeks of the season. Other winners that year included Forrest Frost, Todd Temeyer, Luloff, Suckow, Reinking, Milo Matthias and Coventry. Gadow took a 42 point margin into championship night, already clinching the title prior to Suckow's win in the finale. The season closed with seven consecutive different faces in victory lane.
1991
Gadow scored his lone win of 1991 on opening night. Reinking, Frost and Johnson followed up with victories as four different drivers were victorious to start the season before Johnson went back-to-back on May 25 and June 1. Luloff then won four events over the span of eight weeks on his way to the track title. Gadow, Suckow, Matthias and Reinking all scored single wins that year while Johnson and Frost were each victorious three times. Derek Reisner earned back-to-back wins in the final two weeks of the season to round out the list of winners. Frost ran second to Luloff in the final standings, followed by Gadow, Dave Sweerin and Temeyer.
1992
In 1992, Frost became the first driver in the division to win the "grand slam" by earning feature wins on opening night, mid-season championships and season championship night, plus winning the track title. In all, Frost won five features during the 17-week season to take title honors by a 40-point margin ahead of Johnson. Other winners that year included Suckow and Bret Dage, who won three times each, and Johnson, who nabbed a pair of victories. One-time winners included David Rice, Gadow, Matthias and Duane Duffy. Suckow, Dage and Steve Farr completed the top five in the final standings.
1993
Poor weather led 1993 to be the second shortest season in division history as only 11 shows were run. Despite that low number, eight different drivers found victory lane, including seven straight different winners to open the season. Johnson was the only driver to earn multiple victories. He ended the season with four trips to the winner's circle, including wins on opening night, mid-season championships and season championships. Other winners included Kevin Hoehne, Vince Buchholz, Farr, Dage, Dale Hackwell Jr., Temeyer and Chris Wessner. Despite his dominance, Johnson came up two points short of Dage in the final standings as Dage became the division's fifth different track champion in as many years. Farr, Jeff Franck and Terry Johnson rounded out the top five in the final standings. Rounding out the top 10 were Temeyer, Hoehne, Roger Ciesielski, Mike Ihde and Hackwell. The season marked the first time in division history that no driver earned back-to-back victories during the year.
1994
Hoehne strung together a three-race winning streak, the longest at the time, to open the 1994 season. Those victories, combined with a win during mid-season championships, propelled Hoehne to the division title in a return to I.M.C.A. racing. Rice joined Hoehne as the only four-time winner that season, while Wessner rounded out the multi-race winners with three victories. Single race winners included Ihde, Ciesielski and Ron Hufford. Current Modified driver Troy Cordes earned his only Hobby Stock victory in Independence that season. In the final standings, Jason Rohde ran second to Hoehne, 58 points out of the lead. Ciesielski, Franck and Wessner completed the top five. Cordes, Dave Swarts, Jeff Roete, Jerry King and Temeyer completed the top 10.
1995
A record was established in 1995 that remains in tact today as Chris Wessner dominated the weekly wars to post nine Hobby Stock wins. Wessner, who won the championship race to close 1994, opened 1995 with back-to-back wins. Along with a win two weeks later, Wessner strung together five wins in a row during the middle of the season, a mark that has been matched only once, but never topped. Wessner closed out his track championship run with a win on the final night to earn the championship by an astounding 88 points ahead of nearest challenger Todd Temeyer. Jeff Roete won one feature that season and finished third in the final standings. Butch Reid and Jeff Wedemeier completed the top five. Dage scored one win to finish sixth in the points ahead of Tim Meeker and Kurt Kastli. One-time winner Buchholz finished ninth and Cliff Gray ran 10th. Tim Bartholomew also visited victory lane in 1995.
1996
Despite Wessner's dominance once again in 1996, his seven feature wins were not enough to garner back-to-back points titles. Instead, veteran Temeyer scored three wins on the way to his first track championship. Wessner once again opened the season in dominant fashion, winning four of the first five features. Temeyer prevented Wessner from making it five weeks of perfection in week three. Temeyer visited victory lane twice more, Butch Reid scored a pair of wins and Dage, Dwan Waddell and Cliff Tharp scored wins before Wessner closed the season with three straight victories. In the final standings, Temeyer edged Wessner by just two points with Dage, Zac Boehmer and Kastli completing the top five. Roete, Gray, Tharp, Bartholomew and Nick Wroten rounded out the top 10.
1997
In his first full season in the division, Adam Johnson became another first time champion in the division. His title in 1997 made it nine different titlists in a row in the Hobby Stock division. Johnson was one of eight different drivers to see victory lane in the track's longest season in history - 19 events without a rainout, the only such season in track history. Following Rohde's opening night win, Roete, Wroten, Boehmer and Reisner made it five different winners to open the season before Roete won his second on week six. Although his first win didn't come until mid-season championship night, Bartholomew led all drivers with five trips to victory lane as he won half of the season's final 10 events, including championship night. Johnson, Roete, and Wroten earned three wins apiece while Meeker collected two victories. Johnson's margin of triumph in the final standings was 11 points ahead of Doug Otto. Boehmer, Roete and Bartholomew completed the top five. Wroten, Jerome Wilson, Meeker, Ryan DeGroot and Gerry Shaver ran sixth through 10th.
1998
Nick Wroten dominated the 1998 season. Not only was he the only driver to score back-to-back wins, he put together a five-race winning streak late in the season to match Wessner's 1995 feat to drive to the track championship. Danny Dvorak (3 wins) and Tim Meeker and Jarod Weepie (2 wins each) completed the list of multi-race winners. Boehmer also scored a win while Patrick Stansbery and Justin Temeyer earned their first career Hobby Stock wins to round out the list of 1998 winners. Wroten won the title by 79 points ahead of Roete, while Weepie ran third in his rookie campaign. Waddell and Boehmer completed the top five. Reid, Wilson, Stansbery, Meeker and Bartholomew rounded out the top 10.
1999
Doug Otto led a list of 10 feature winners in 1999 as he scored five victories during his track championship run. Otto scored bookend victories with season opening and season championship wins on his way to the title. Justin Temeyer, the only driver to score consecutive victories that season, ended the year with three wins, while Weepie rounded out the list of multi-race winners with two victories. Along with wins by Waddell, Boehmer and Stansbery, a number of drivers earned their first Hobby Stock wins in 1999. That list included Randy Wheeler, Jim Aschenbrenner, Chad Clubine and Chris Schares. Otto bested Weepie by 16 points in the final standings. Stansbery and Roete tied for third while Scooter Dulin finished fifth. Wilson, Justin Temeyer, Wedemeier, Schares and Brad Forbes completed the top 10.
2000
Veteran Jeff Roete piloted his Ford to a division-leading five feature wins to drive to his first track title. Roete notched opening night and mid-season wins along the way to his championship run. Stansbery tallied three victories, including championship night, while Clubine won twice. Single event winners included Justin Temeyer, Dulin, Schares and Aschenbrenner. Stansbery ran second to Roete in the final standings ahead of Forbes, Dulin and Justin Temeyer. Wedemeier, Mike Hiller, Rod Abbas, Wheeler and Jim Ball completed the top 10.
2001
Stansbery started of the 2001 season with one of his three victories that year, which included a win during mid-season championships. Scooter Dulin, also the winner of three features, collected top honors in week two on his way to the track championship. Chris Schares earned the win in week three. He eventually topped all drivers with four wins that season, but it took a late season surge to get there. Schares won three of the last four features of the season, including championship night. John Meyer, Brasch and Forbes also scored victories. Dulin's margin of victory was 40 points in the final standings ahead of Stansbery. Wedemeier, Hiller, Schares, Abbas, John Roete, Ball, Alvin Larsen and Brasch completed the top 10.
2002
The 2002 season was the third and final return of the Hobby Stocks to I.M.C.A. The division has been sanctioned at the track since the first race of that season. Meyer opened that season in victory lane, the first of six different drivers in a row to score wins. After Stansbery, Brasch, Shane Ebaugh, Guy Stacy and Jeff Wedemeier kept the cycle going, Stansbery was the first to double-up in week seven as he scored his second and final victory of the season. John Roete was victorious the following week before J.R. Kahler scored three wins in a row during the month of July. Along with Kahler's July 20 triumph, Lloyd Bacon, John Roete, Jason Goedken and Jeff Wedemieier, the championship night winner, made it five different winners to close the season. Stansbery's two wins were good enough to clinch title honors. He edged Wedemeier by 18 in the final standings. John Roete, Brasch and Meyer completed the top five. Ebaugh, Chris Luloff, Goedken, Joe Sprague and Jason Niedert ran sixth through 10th.
2003
Kahler opened the season with a victory before Vince Buchholz strung three straight wins together in the following weeks. May 31 started off the Brian Irvine era at the speedway as he visited victory lane for the first time in his career that evening. The win was his first of eight victories in 2003. Irvine had two separate two-race winning streaks, along with a three race streak to end the season. Goedken scored a pair of wins that season and Stansbery reached the winner's circle once. Kyle Scheel also scored the first, and only, victory of his career on June 14. Despite Irvine's dominance, he had nearly as many finishes outside the top 10 as he did wins, allowing Buchholz to steal title honors, his first championship.
2004
Irvine opened the season with four straight wins, stretching his streak to seven straight victories over the course of the two seasons. Just as he did in 2003, Irvine collected eight wins in 2004. This time, Irvine took advantage of his successes as he scored his first career track championship. Aside from Irvine, Chris Luloff also found his share of success as the second-year driver earned five wins. Rod Grother and Shane Ebaugh also earned wins in 2004 as an all-time low of four drivers earned victories that season. Irvine won the title by 57 points ahead of Stansbery. John Roete, Luloff and Niedert rounded out the top five. Grother, Wilson, Buchholz, Brian Happel and Sprague completed the top 10.
2005
It took 17 seasons, but 2005 resulted in the first repeat champion in the Hobby Stocks. An unthinkable 16 consecutive different drivers earned championship honers before Stansbery broke through for his second title to add to his 2002 crown. Stansbery accomplished his second title despite not winning a single feature event throughout the 16-week season. Ten other drivers shared the wealth that season with victories. Multi-race winners included Rod Grother, who led the division with three wins, including season championship night, and two-time winners Luloff, Buchholz, Josh Steere and Paul Shepherd. One-time winners included first-time wins for a quintet of drivers - Bill Meyer, Happel, Sprague, Perry Thomsen and Travis Michels. Stansbery earned the title by 65 points over Grother. Buchholz, Tim Swope and Luloff ran third through fifth. Completing the top 10 were Bill Meyer, Ball, Mark Butler, Jeremiah Wilson and Ebaugh.
2006
This season marked the first time the points at the top of the Hobby Stocks ended in a tie. Coincidentally, it was also the first year I.M.C.A. broke ties at the track level. Prior to 2006, ties at the track level resulted in co-championships (ask Jerry Luloff, Darin Duffy, Curt Martin and Darren Ackerman). Jamie Whitaker was hoping that rule wouldn't take effect until the following year as he lost a tie-breaker to Shepherd by virtue of Shepherd's two feature wins to Whitaker's none in 2006. Shepherd's two wins came back-to-back, including one during mid-season championships. Throughout the 14-week season, a record 11 drivers posted wins. That's a record that still stands today and is one of those that may never be broken. The only other multi-race winner was Luloff, who scored three victories, his last of which came on championship night. Buchholz, Grother and Bill Meyer also collected wins that season while Ryan Bochmann, Kevin Robinson, Ball, Don Arnold and Matt Brown earned their first wins in the division. In the final standings, Grother, Buchholz and Stansbery completed the top five while Ball, Jeremiah Wilson, Josh Irvine, Bill Meyer and Wes Stanek Jr. ran sixth through 10th.
2007
Micheal (yes, that's how he spells it) Smith opened the season with a win in 2007 as six different drivers were victorious over the first seven weeks of the season. John Meyer, Josh Irvine, Luloff, Brandon Davis and Greg Sweerin also earned wins with Irvine the only one to double-up in the span. Irvine added three more wins that year, including mid-season and season championship nights to drive to his first division crown. Justin Lichty earned the first two victories of his career in back-to-back weeks just after mid-season. Quinton Miller did the exact same thing in the following two weeks. Jeremiah Wilson also scored his first career win at Independence the week before championship night. Irvine won the title by 48 points ahead of Grother with Buchholz, Bill Meyer and Adam Gebel rounding out the top five. Miller, Jeremiah Wilson, Brown, Ball and Sprague completed the top 10.
2008
The spring wind storm made for a shortened season, but it wasn't short on excitement as six drivers earned wins in the nine-week season. Luloff led the way with four wins, including opening night and season championship night, to drive to his first career division title. Miller, Brown, Whitaker, Lichty and Josh Irvine completed the list of winners. In the end, Luloff squeezed past Irvine by eight points in the final standings with Jeremiah Wilson, Buchholz and Whitaker completing the top five. Curt Hilmer, Al Sweerin, Miller, Stanek and Nate Sweerin ran sixth through 10th.
2009
Josh Irvine became just the second Hobby Stock driver to repeat as champion in the division's 21 seasons in Independence. Irvine scored seven wins in the 14 night season to win his second title in three years. Along with opening night and season championship wins, Irvine had a four-race win streak in the middle of the season to drive to the championship. Stanek had back-to-back wins early in the year, while Brown, August Bach, Lichty, Miller and Mark Butler were also victorious. Irvine's championship margin was by 21 points over Miller. Stanek, Lichty and Brown completed the top five. Justin Hanson, Jeremiah Wilson, Sprague, Buchholz and Arnold rounded out the top 10.
HOBBY STOCKS (1989-2009/current)
Career wins
1. Chris Wessner, 20
2. Brian Irvine, 16
3. Chris Luloff, 15
4. Josh Irvine, 13
5. Patrick Stansbery, 11
T6. Ken Irvine, 10
T6. Nick Wroten, 10
T6. Rick Johnson, 10
T9. Forrest Frost, 9
T9. Jeff Roete, 9
Most consecutive seasons with at least one win (all-time) - 6 (Patrick Stansbery, 1998-2003)
Most consecutive seasons with at least one win (current) - 3 (Josh Irvine, Justin Lichty, Quinton Miller)
First-time winners per month - 23 (July), 19 (June), 18 (August), 17 (May), 4 (April)
Total features - 309
Total different feature winners - 81
Longest win streak (within same season) - 5, (Chris Wessner in 1995, Nick Wroten in 1998)
Longest win streak (over two seasons) - 7, Brian Irvine (2003-2004)
Most wins in a single season - 9, Chris Wessner (1995)
Most number of different feature winners in a season - 11 (2006)
Career track championships
2 - Patrick Stansbery (2002, 2005)
2 - Josh Irvine (2007, 2009)
1 - Steve Holthaus (1989)
1 - Lon Gadow (1990)
1 - Jerry Luloff (1991)
1 - Forrest Frost (1992)
1 - Bret Dage (1993)
1 - Kevin Hoehne (1994)
1 - Chris Wessner (1995)
1 - Todd Temeyer (1996)
1 - Adam Johnson (1997)
1 - Nick Wroten (1998)
1 - Doug Otto (1999)
1 - Jeff Roete (2000)
1 - Scooter Dulin (2001)
1 - Vince Buchholz (2003)
1 - Brian Irvine (2004)
1 - Paul Shepherd (2006)
1 - Chris Luloff (2008)
Most consecutive different feature winners (within same season) - 8 (2005)
Most consecutive different feature winners (over two seasons) - 7 (1990-1991, 2001-2002)
Most consecutive different feature winners to start season - 6 (2002)
Most consecutive different feature winners to end season - 8 (2005)
Most opening night feature wins - 2 (Lon Gadow, Chris Wessner), 1 (Ken Irvine, Forrest Frost, Rick Jahnson, Kevin Hoehne, Jason Rohde, Danny Dvorak, Doug Otto, Jeff Roete, Patrick Stansbery, John Meyer, J.R. Kahler, Brian Irvine, Josh Steere, Rod Grother, Micheal Smith, Chris Luloff, Josh Irvine)
Most season championship feature wins - 3 (Chris Wessner), 2 (Brian Irvine, Chris Luloff, Josh Irvine), 1 (Ken Irvine, Rick Suckow, Derek Reisner, Forrest Frost, Rick Johnson, Tim Bartholomew, Nick Wroten, Doug Otto, Patrick Stansbery, Jeff Wedemeier, Rod Grother)
Track champion with fewest feature wins - 0, Patrick Stansbery (2005)
Most 2-race win streaks (within same season) - 4 (Chris Wessner)
Most 3-race win streaks (within same season) - 1 (Chris Wessner, Brian Irvine, Chris Luloff, Vince Buchholz, Kevin Hoehne, J.R. Kahler)
Most 4-race win streaks (within same season) - 1 (Brian Irvine, Josh Irvine)
Most 5-race win streaks (within same season) - 1 (Chris Wessner, Nick Wroten)
Season championship feature winner/Track champion (same season) - Josh Irvine (2007, 2009), Forrest Frost (1992), Chris Wessner (1995), Nick Wroten (1998), Doug Otto (1999), Brian Irvine (2004), Chris Luloff (2008)
Seasons with no back-to-back feature winners - 1993, 2005, 2008
Bookend wins (won season opening and season championship features in same season) - Chris Wessner (1995, 1996), Ken Irvine (1989), Forrest Frost (1992), Rick Johnson (1993), Doug Otto (1999), Brian Irvine (2004), Chris Luloff (2008), Josh Irvine (2009)
Most days between first and most recent feature wins - 4725, Vince Buchholz (12 years, 11 months, 8 days)
Average number of race nights per season - 14.7
Average number of different feature winners per season - 7.5
1st feature winner in division history - Ken Irvine (4/29/89)
50th feature winner in division history - Rick Suckow (6/6/92)
100th feature winner in division history - Chris Wessner (8/26/95)
150th feature winner in division history - Jarod Weepie (8/22/98)
200th feature winner in division history - Guy Stacy (6/8/02)
250th feature winner in division history - Bill Meyer (7/9/05)
300th feature winner in division history - Josh Irvine (6/20/09)
STOCK CARS (1993-2009/current)
My original blog detailing the Stock Car history at Independence was dated January 13. Following that post, I decided to add a few different stats for the other divisions that were not included in that recap for the Stock Cars. Here they are:
First-time winners per month - 10 (May), 9 (June, July), 8 (August), 2 (April)
Total features - 248
Total different feature winners - 38
Most opening night feature wins - 5 (Dan Trimble), 3 (Brian Irvine), 2 (Larry Portis, Tom Schmitt), 1 (Lon Gadow, Ken Irvine, Jarod Weepie, Fabian Seitz, Norman Chesmore)
Track champion with fewest feature wins - 0 (Jerry Schipper in 1997, Jarod Weepie in 2008)
Most 2-race win streaks (within same season) - 8 (Dan Trimble)
Most 3-race win streaks (within same season) - 3 (Dan Trimble)
Most 4-race win streaks (within same season) - 2 (Brian Irvine)
Most 5-race win streaks (within same season) - 1 (Chris Wessner)
Most 6-race win streaks (within same season) - 1 (Larry Portis, Dan Trimble)
Season championship feature winner/Track champion (same season) - Dan Trimble (1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002), Lon Gadow (1993), Larry Portis (1995), Brian Irvine (2009)
Seasons with no back-to-back feature winners - 2006
Bookend wins (won season opening and season championship features in same season) - Dan Trimble (1994, 1998, 1999, 2000), Brian Irvine (2007, 2009), Lon Gadow (1993), Larry Portis (1995), Tom Schmitt (2004)
Most days between first and most recent feature wins - Amazingly, two drivers are tied for this record at 5,488 days each. Both Dan Trimble and Norman Chesmore have gone exactly 15 years and nine days between their first and most recent feature wins.
Average number of race nights per season - 14.6
Average number of different winners per season - 5.8
1st feature winner in division history - Lon Gadow (7/24/93)
50th feature winner in division history - Larry Portis (7/20/96)
100th feature winner in division history - Tom Schmitt (7/10/99)
150th feature winner in division history - Tom Schmitt (4/26/03)
200th feature winner in division history - Jarod Weepie (5/27/06)
250th feature in division history - will be second Stock Car feature of 2010
That completes the Hobby Stocks and Stock Cars. All that remains are the Modifieds and Late Models. I hope to have the Modifieds done sometime later this week and the Late Models next week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)