On Monday night, I decided to make the 85-mile trip up to the Independence Motor Speedway for the Storm Shield Exteriors Shootout, part of the Monday Madness at Indee co-presented by Rydell Auto. The racing action was exciting all night long on the 3/8-mile banked oval, as one hundred-ten cars signed in, including 27 CASE Construction World of Outlaws Late Models. Thanks to the evening sponsors Storm Shield Exteriors and Rydell Auto.
Last year I went to one CASE Construction World of Outlaw Late Models show at Mason City Motor Speedway and was really impressed, so I made it my intention to attend one in 2024, so Independence Motor Speedway was for sure one. I had planned to attend the show in Webster City on Tuesday night as well, but it looks very unlikely I will be able to make it. I do wish Todd and Janet Staley a fantastic show at the Hamilton County Speedway after their announcement of reducing the remaining race nights left this season.
The first feature of the night was the Storm Shield Exteriors Shootout for the CASE Construction World of Outlaws Late Model Series, for a distance of 40 laps. After the field of 27 late models was reduced down to only twenty-four, Matt Ryan and Bobby Hansen broke in qualifying, and Max Hofer took a tumble in his heat race. Bobby Pierce redrew the Bilstein Pole for the feature, but he didn't take command of the top spot. Nick Hoffman took command using the high-side to get by Pierce after Chad Simpson fell out before the start with mechanical issues. The caution came out on lap 2 when Garrett Alberson slowed in turn two. Hoffman got a great restart and pulled away from Pierce. Pierce was followed by Brandon Sheppard. Sheppard used every line on the track to get by Pierce, but came up short. Hoffman then began to encounter lap traffic, and that allowed Pierce to reel him in. Pierce took back the top spot on lap 18, when Hoffman got caught up by a lap car on the high side going over the cushion.
Pierce continued to lead the way and looked to be heading on to the easy win until the final caution came out on lap 33 when Billy Moyer went off the top of turn two. Pierce held off Hoffman and Sheppard on the restart to go on and claim the victory, pocketing $10,000. Sheppard got by Hoffman on the final restart and finished second. Hoffman took third, Cade Dillard took fourth, and Brian Shirley took fifth. Sheppard took back the point lead by 14 points over Hoffman, 90 over Dillard, and 120 over Pierce. Bobby Pierce set the fastest time in Sea Foam Qualifying. Pierce, Sheppard, and Chad Simpson won the heat races.
Cole Mather grabbed the top spot early in the Christie Door Company IMCA Stock Cars 20-lap feature event, fending off Dakota Sellers and Vern Jackson. Just as Mather got some separation, the caution came out when Terry "Scooter" Dulin spun in turn three. Mather had a great restart, pulled away before being reeled back in just before the cautions log jammed the last half of the race. Lap 13 saw a pair of cautions, first for Jackson sliding off the top turn two and then when Sellers spun after contact from Dustin Vis on the restart exiting turn four. Mather was determined to not be fazed, but again, the caution came out on lap 14 for Kevin Rose and Riley Hanson in turn two. One final caution came out on lap 16 when Kaden Reynolds spun in turn two; Hannah Chesmore and Leah Wroten got caught up in the incident. Mather held off Damon Murty and Tanner Allen on the restart to take the feature win. Murty finished second, Tom Schmitt got by Allen for third, putting Allen in fourth, and twelfth-place starter Jarod Weepie was fifth.
Tom Berry Jr. and Jeff Aikey led the field to green in the Waterloo Auto Parts IMCA Modifieds 20-lap feature event. Berry quickly jumped out to the lead and pulled away from the rest of the field. Aikey and Ethan Braaksma battled out for second and third. Berry had no troubles with lap traffic, and the only thing slowing him down was the only race caution on lap 15. Berry got a great retart and again checked out, cruising on to claim the feature win. Braaksma out-dueled Aikey on the restart to take runner-up honors. Aikey finished third, tenth-place starter Tim Ward took fourth, and Milton, Florida's Owen Barnhill finished fifth.
The final feature of the night was the 16-lap Performance Bodies and Parts IMCA Hobby Stocks feature event. Bradly Graham out-wrestled Joren Fisher for the top spot early. Graham pulled away slightly, but Fisher refused to go away and went right back to the back bumper of Graham. The only caution came out on lap seven for Trenton Neuhaus going off the top of turn one. Graham and Fisher continued to battle for the race lead, with Graham remaining in position 1 until the final lap. Fisher forced Graham up the race track, giving Fisher just the opportunity to get by for the race lead. Fisher took the feature win ahead of Zach McNeese, Graham, Jim Ball Jr., and Solomon Bennett.
Next race at the Independence Motor Speedway is another Monday Night Madness on July 1st for People's Company Night featuring the Pro Late Model Victory Ford Tour Late Models. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Sport Mods, IMCA Hobby Stocks and IMCA Sport Compacts also compete. Gates Open at 4p, Hot Laps at 6:30p, Racing to Follow.
World of Outlaws CASE Construction Late Models head to the Karl Chevrolet Buick GMC Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City on Tuesday night and will be joined by USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Mods and USRA Hobby Stocks. Then they head to I-94 EMR Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minnesota on Thursday night, River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, North Dakota on Friday Night and Norman County Raceway in Ada, Minnesota on Saturday. Next week they are the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minnesota for the NAPA Auto Parts Gopher 50.
World of Outlaw CASE Construction Late Models head to the Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, North Dakota on Thursday (originally scheduled for Wednesday but mother nature forced it to be postponed to Thursday), River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, North Dakota on Friday and I-94 EMR Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.
They return to the Hawkeye State on Friday August 15th and Saturday August 16th at the Maquoketa Speedway in Maquoketa.
For more information about the Independence Motor Speedway like the Facebook page Race Indee - Independence Motor Speedway or contact promoters Mike Van Genderen at 641-521-0330 or Dana Benning at 319-404-7177.
For more information about the World of Outlaw CASE Construction Late Model Series check out worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels or like the Facebook page World of Outlaw Late Model Series. Can't make it World of Outlaw Late Model Series races then watch on DirtVision.
World of Outlaw Storm Shield Exteriors Shootout
Monday June 24th, 2024
WORLD OF OUTLAWS LATE MODEL SERIES
presented by CASE Construction
Heat 2 (8 Laps) : 1. Sheppard; 2. Gustin; 3. Diercks; 4. Moyer; 5. Larson; 6. Bronson; 7. Overton; 8. Hofer; DNS 07 Matt Ryan (Davenport).
Sea Foam Qualifying (2 Laps): 1. 32 Bobby Pierce [13.575]; 2. B5 Brandon Sheppard [13.631]; 3. 25 Chad Simpson [13.648]; 4. 3S Brian Shirley [13.723]; 5. 19R Ryan Gustin [13.748]; 6. 9 Nick Hoffman [13.756]; 7. 22* Max McLaughlin (Mooresville, N.C.) [13.763]; 8. 29 Spencer Diercks [13.766]; 9. 76 Blair Nothdurft [13.811]; 10. 16 Tyler Bruening [13.846]; 11. 21 Bill Moyer Sr [13.881]; 12. 97 Cade Dillard [13.895]; 13. 43 Derrick Stewart [13.901]; 14. 97JR Cody Overton [13.901]; 15. 20TC Tristan Chamberlain [13.906]; 16. 58 Garrett Alberson [13.990]; 17. 40B Kyle Bronson [14.005]; 18. 19 Dustin Sorensen [14,153]; 19. 28 Dennis Erb Jr. [14.343]; 20. B1 Brent Larson [14.351]; 21. 17 Tim Simpson [14.412]; 22. 11 Jon Kirby [14.781]; 23. 11H Lance Hofer [14.854]; 24. 14W Dustin Walker (Polk, Mo.) [14.920]; 25. 22 Charlie McKenna [15.128]; 26. 07 Matt Ryan [No Time]; 27. 9* Bobby Hansen [No Time}.
Lap Leaders : Hoffman 1-17; Pierce 18-40
Dirt Kings Simulator Hottest Hot Lap : 97 Cade Dillard
Simpson Quick Time Award : 32 Bobby Pierce
presented by Waterloo Auto Parts
presented by Performance Bodies & Parts
