Our Monday night destination was a second visit in 2024 to Independence, Iowa Motor Speedway. This would be my first look at the Indee Monday Madness series, a seemingly successful experiment by co promoters Mike VanGenderen and Dana Benning. On this cool and sunny evening a solid field of one hundred and one cars signed in for the six division program in front of what seemed to me a decent sized crowd for a Monday program.The second year Pro Late Model series would top the bill along with five IMCA classes, Modifieds, Stock Cars, Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks, and Sport Compacts.
As expected for a show at this venue, everything was ready to go at the advertised time, with hot laps kicking off at 6:45, and remarkably heat races just fifteen minutes later. And true to form, the fifteen qualifying races clicked off in just under an hour.
MVG and his crew then did pretty much a full rework of the three eighths mile semi banked surface, and it was about 8:30 when the first feature green flag waved for the Sport Compacts. Fifteen laps would be the distance with all thirteen cars making the call. Jaice Tuttle would shoot from the pole to lead the opening laps, battling with his row one mate Lucas Rick. Rick would lead lap three and was still out front when a single caution period came with seven laps scored. Back under green Rick gradually stretched his advantage, cruising to the win. Tuttle came home second chased by Robert Rundle, ninth starting Jake Anderson, and Tyler Mannion.
The Pro Late Models would be up next with twenty five laps the distance for the sixteen competitors. Second generation hot shoe Bobby Hansen and National Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer Jeff Aikey filled out the front row. But it would be third starting Logan Duffy, the winner in my previous visit here in April who would lead lap one, even as Aikey went off the top of turn four and found himself at the back of the pack as he climbed back to the racing surface. Sean Johnson had lined up alongside Duffy, and he then moved to the lead as those two began to distance themselves from the pack. Running the preferred high line around the oval, the leaders began to encounter the back of the pack near the halfway mark ahead of the first yellow flag. With fourteen laps in the books, Nick Marolf gave up his top five run when he slowed on the speedway to bring out the caution flag. Back to racing, Matt Ryan and ninth starting Greg Kastli were on the move, advancing to third and fourth positions. Two laps later a final caution came, but this would be only a minor setback for Johnson. When racing resumed he drove away to a convincing win while Duffy also put distance between himself and the rest of the field. Ryan and Kastli held their spots, while Andy Nezworski came forward late to score a top five. J.D. Auringer gained seven positions to finish in sixth ahead of Zach Less, a rebound from Marolf, Dakota Simonsen, and Hansen. Johnson would collect a cool grand for the win on his hometown track.
Eighteen cars answered the bell for the twenty lap Stock Car money race. Tom Schmitt and Dustin Vis sat on row one, and they raced side by side for the opening circuits, joined by row two starter Rowdee VanGenderen on lap three. Using the top line around the speedway, Rowdee powered past both cars to grab the lead on lap four. With the very top of the track seemingly the fast way around, the top three ran that line NASCAR style, nose to tail and pulled away from the action back further on the track. As the laps wound down and no yellow flag in sight a few drivers decided to try their luck dropping to the middle groove. This proved a wise move for ninth starting Damon Murty, who was able to pick off several cars. With the race staying green all the way to the checkers, VanGenderen, the soon to be high school senior, picked up the win and the $1,000 payday. Schmitt finished on his bumper with Vis in third. Murty was closing fast in fourth while Jarod Weepie debuted a new car and nosed out John Oliver Jr. for fifth.
Things were moving along nicely, with a total of three yellow flags in the first three features, then the IMCA Modifieds took their turn and things turned quickly. Not counting the waved off start when a brake check stacked cars up entering turn three, a total of seven yellow flags plagued the twenty lapper. Bret Ramsey paced lap one from the outside pole before heading to the hot pit with a flat tire during a caution period two laps in. By now fifth starting Dallon Murty had charged to the runner up spot, and as racing resumed he took over the reigns. Time and again the second generation phenom would drive off from the pack only to have another stoppage return him to the field. Meanwhile there was lots of action behind the leader with the twenty car field slicing, dicing, and slide jobbing for positions as much as the frequent stops would allow. Troy Cordes lined up in row six and by the time seven laps were scored he was in the second spot for a restart. Behind him double duty Jeff Aikey was headed to the front, sliding past Patrick Flannagan for third then using a high side move to clear Cordes for the runner up position. Just as the white flag waved, a car sliding off the front stretch brought the seventh caution, setting up a green, white checkers finish. It was of little consequence to Murty, who may have burned up much of his $1,000 check in fuel costs with all the extra laps! Aikey held onto second over Cordes while Adam Shelman cleared Flannagan late for fourth.
The clock was now ticking close to 10:00 P.M., so we regretfully decided to head to the car with two events left. A check on the drive home showed Bradly Graham a Hobby Stock winner, while Cole Suckow advanced ten positions to top the Sport Mods.
Thanks as always to MVG and Dana for their hospitality and for a well run show, and to Jeff for allowing us to tag along.
Next on the schedule is our first visit of 2024 to C.J. Speedway in Columbus Junction on Friday, as the SLMR Late Models join the four weekly IMCA classes. For those who may not be aware, Highway 92 from Highway 27 at Ainsworth Jct. into Columbus Junction is temporarily closed, so plan accordingly, and if you see me at the track, be sure and say "Hi!."
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