When the Stuart International Speedway reopened under the leadership of Mike VanGenderen, it immediately made a splash with the public, partly in part due to its innovative and bold schedule. Weeknight races on the most unlikely nights were a part of that plan, a plan that continues to work today with a varied and aggressive schedule of special events.
Now that MVG has joined with Dana Benning as co-promoter at the Independence Motor Speedway, the trend continues. While they work to restore the great racing that Indee featured at one point, MVG's fingers are all over the schedule, which shows races on various nights of the week with a healthy sprinkling of special events and even some national series shows coming to the Buchanan County Fairgrounds.
Monday night madness was a huge hit at Stuart and Monday nigh June 10th, the first Monday Night Madness show would be held at Indee. The regular six classes that race at the track would be in attendance but with extra money on the line for all three. The Late Models were running under the PRO Series rules with all five classes using the draw/redraw format that the drivers seem to favor but not so much most sanctioning bodies with each having different philosophies on that subject.
It was a beautiful night for racing and with over $25,000 on the line for the drivers, a good field of racers was in attendance. I'm sure that some were still adjusting to a Monday night race, particularly since most drivers and fans, for that matter, had just gotten done with a busy three nights of racing. However, those that want to race somehow always find a way to get to the track and fans, for that matter, also. I special event that appeals, such as this night, is often earmarked by both groups and special plans are made to not miss this kind of a show that brings just a bit of extra excitement to the proceedings.
If my Math is correct, ninety nine drivers signed in to race with the largest number on hand racing in the Modifieds. A nice field of Late Models was also on hand with some drivers that normally are not seen at Indee in the group assembled.
Action picked up at the last minute as not surprisingly, many of the racers arrived at the last minute with quite the scramble to get signed in and parked. However, in a tradition that we expect from MVG and his crews, the racing would begin exactly at 7 pm, just as we hoped for. Specifically, he advertises hot laps at 6:45 pm with racing to follow but a 7 pm start on a Monday is about as much as anyone could possibly expect.
Before the show, I had the pleasure to share a few moments with Jim Roper, the long time voice of the Independence Motor Speedway. Indee was one of the very first tracks in the state of Iowa that I first visited those many years ago when the trip seemed like an adventure to a foreign county but I remember Jim on the mic way back in those days, with Jerry Blue, I believe, promoting the show and I always remember his convertible pace car. Jim told me that he has been announcing since 1986 here, now edging up on forty years, and he and Bucky Doren make a good pair sharing the mic this year.
Once the first green flag drops, it is nonstop action and on this Monday night, the completed fifteen qualifying heat races in fifty seven minutes while waving the yellow flag only twice! That, in a perfect world, is the way it should be on every race night.
Let's mention some of the outstanding performances turned in by drivers on Monday night. Sean Johnson has been the driver to beat in the Late Models here at Indee this year and he continued that run with another strong showing on Monday night. "Dancing" Bobby Hansen started on the pole but with a big opening lap move, Logan Duffy came from the second row to pull past Hansen and lead the opening lap. But it took Johnson just one more lap before he was able to get past Duffy and take over the lead. Everyone chased Johnson the next twenty three laps but without success as he drove on to the victory.
Even a couple of late yellow flags didn't bother him as he pulled away to take the win, leading Duffy and Matt Ryan across the line for the win. Only one driver of the sixteen that took the green wasn't running at the finish.
The twenty car Modified field was dominated by Dallon Murty after he received an early race gift. Bret Ramsey had taken the initial lead with Murty close behind but when the yellow waved for a spinner, Ramsey developed a flat front tire and had to make a bee line to the pits for a replacement, turning the lead over to Murty.
That was more than a big enough gift to Murty, who then drove away from the field and was not challenged the rest of the way as he drove to the victory. This race was on the tedious side, with several of the back markers having their troubles which resulted in seven yellow, all for one car spins that really bogged this race down.
However, Murty was not about to be slickered by a competitor on a restart, as each time he pulled away and drove home for an unchallenged win. It was an adventurous race for Jeff Aikey but in the end he raced home second, topping Troy Cordes for that position. Following the race, both Murty and Cordes would head out down the highway, aiming for Wisconsin and a big two day show there for Toby Kruse.
MVG had to have been a proud parent after his son Rowdie drove a magnificent race to win the Stock Car feature. The first thee laps of this race saw the leaders go three wide, with each of them taking turns holding the top spot. It was Tom Schmitt who took lap one but on the second lap, Dusty Vis, driving an unfamiliar car to me, drove up beside Schmitt and grabbed the lead from Schmitt.
However, the move of the night was to come next as Rowdee, who started in the second row, made a bold move as while the leaders were still racing side by side for the top spot, VanGenderen got a burst of speed, drove to the extreme high side of the track in turn three and made it first three wide, and then drove past both to take over the lead in a move that had the crowd cheering.
From that point, the race was his to lose and he did nothing of that kind. In a feature that went green to checkers, he was constantly challenged by both Schmitt and Vis but he refused to yield or make a mistake and he crossed the finish line with those two in hot pursuit. RVG has come a long way as a driver in just a couple years.
Jaice Tuttle had the lead for the opening laps of the Sport Compact feature but then Lucas Ricks gained some momentum on the high side and was able to squeeze past Tuttle to take over the lead. The rest of the race would see the top three running up under the cushion and with no mistakes from them, it was tough to get enough speed to pass them on the low side of the track. Ricks raced on for the win over Tuttle and Robert Rundle.
I don't know how many feature races that Bradly Graham wins, but it seems like every time I see him race, he winds up in victory lane. He started on the pole for the Hobby Stock main and he then led from start to finish. Each time the yellow waved, he pulled away back under green and would have a convincing lead over Jim Ball Jr and Karter Miles at the finish.
It was an adventurous night for Cole Suchow in the Sport Mod division. He was tagged three times for jumping starts and restarts and was eventually docked six spots in his heat, essentially placing him last in his heat race finish.
However, despite this, and coming from thirteenth on the feature grid, he was able to use a late race yellow to overcome the lead of Matt Avila and drive on to victory in the feature race.
Avila had dominated the feature, leading from start to finish over a rather small field of cars and putting most of a straightaway over the pack. Meanwhile, Suckow was on the march, passing car after car and getting by Austin Stamm for second. However, I don't think he could have caught Avila for the lead, but the yellow for a spinning car with just two laps to go, proved to be his salvation.
Suckow took off strong on the green, throwing a slider on Avila and taking over the lead. Matt tried to respond but his slider was not as well executed. He clipped the front end of Avila's car, nearly sending his own car off the track. This gave Suckow more than enough advantage to drive on for the win over Avila and Stamm.
In victory lane, Suckow seemed to indicate that he got the short end of the heat race calls by the officials, a belief that most in the crowd would disagree with, but whatever the case, he was the one hoisting the checkers in the air in victory lane.
While the crowd was not spectacular, I would rate it equal with a weekly crowd at the track and this is something for MVG and Benning to build on. Their next special event here brings the World of Outlaws Late Model series to Buchanan County in what I assume will be a highly anticipated event.
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