It was a rather "iffy" looking sky most of Monday, and we had heard that Independence had a good soaking that morning...2 inches plus. We were hoping that nothing more would fall as it was the big and anticipated World of Outlaws Late Model race along with the Hawkeye Dirt Tour for IMCA Modifieds coming to town at the Independence Motor Speedway. Thanks to some great track work, what was a muddy mess of a track when we arrived and an infield that was pure mud, the night proceeded with no more than just a teasing sprinkle out of a passing cloud. No doubt, two guys that were more than happy that it happened last night were Darrell Lanigan and Darin Duffy. The two "D's" enjoyed their second victories in their respective series by the end of the night.
The World of Outlaws ran quick...and I mean quick, time trials. Sending out three cars at a time, makes for a quick and efficient time trial session. The series lines their heats up by putting the fastest cars to the front, unlike most racing we see, where the fast cars have to earn their way to the front. All four heat race winners began on the pole and finished there. Shane Clanton (#25) from Fayetteville, Georgia, Jason Feger (#25) from Bloomington, Illinois, Chad Simpson (#25) local favorite from Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and Gregg Saterlee (#22) from Rochester Mills, PA. Those three #25's had me trying to figure out who was who all night long...not being familiar with their cars. Thanks to input from our bleacher partners, I finally got it figured out!
After a redraw of their starting positions, the top finishing drivers in their heats, were established in the line up for the 50-lap feature. Chad Simpson was a popular recipient of pill #1, Don O'Neal got #2. Chad Simpson took advantage of that pole starting spot, leaping to the lead at the drop of the green. O'Neal was hanging in second when shortly, he had a flat and had to retire to the pits for a tire change, tagging the field for the restart. Now it was two #25's up front....Chad Simpson holding tight to the lead, but Shane Clanton planted on his tail and last year's winner, Darrel Lanigan now putting in his two cents worth as he dogged Clanton. A restart after a yellow at lap fourteen, was to Clanton's liking, as he made the move into the lead, shortly followed by Lanigan who also got around Simpson. Those three cars were the show at the front of the pack as they ran comfortably ahead of the field. Lanigan wasn't done however, as he seized an opportunity that had been eluding him for lap after lap, finally getting under Clanton and taking the top position away. Lanigan would persevere the remainder of the way to the checkers...taking the race for the second year in a row at Independence. Clanton remained in second, and Simpson was third. Fourth went to Satterlee, who had hung toward the front all night, and making a great comeback from suffering an early flat tire and tagging the field, was veteran Don O'Neal in fifth.
A nice field of 31 Hawkeye Dirt Tour Modifieds were in attendance. They ran four heats with those wins going to Darin Duffy, Tyler Droste, Jason O'Brien and Jeff Waterman. They ran 30-laps for their main event, and Jason O'Brien and Troy Cordes were the lucky redraw drivers getting the front row. O'Brien held the point on lap one but Cordes took over the following lap. Cordes kept command as a yellow flew at lap seven, which now found "The Flying Dutchman", Mike VanGenderen holding down second. Two yellows flew with but a couple of laps getting in, the restart situation then being to Darin Duffy's liking as he got by VanGenderen. Ronn Lauritzen in his Angry Bird car was pressuring VanGenderen as he ran in fourth. By lap twenty-one, Cordes and Duffy passed the flagstand side-by-side, as did VanGenderen and Lauritzen. It was getting good! Duffy managed to find his way around Cordes and take the lead on the following lap as the three cars behind were dueling it out now. When the white flew, Duffy seemed well in command and he would sail home to the win...his second in the HDT series this year. Cordes outlasted VanGenderen at the checkers as they went second and third and Ronn Lauritzen was right there in fourth. Young Tyler Droste finished fifth after he started in row six just behind Lauritzen and winner Duffy who had started in row five. Lauritzen continues to hold the point lead, eight points ahead of VanGenderen.
A few notes on the night. There were 32 WoO Late Models and they came from far and wide. We noticed drivers from West Virginia, Georgia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, Indiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Florida, joined by some of our local Iowa racers. Even with the great job the track crew did in getting the surface ready to race, there was some pretty rough going, especially in turns one and two that we noticed. There was a HUGE crowd on hand...the weather didn't scare many away! There were some that we noticed leaving immediately after the Late Model feature, but it was nice to see many staying to support and watch our local Modified drivers. We enjoyed a great night of racing and it was the best as we shared it with racing family, friends and fellow Positively Racing cronie Jeff Broeg. Be sure and check his take of the night in more depth at www.backstretch32.blogspot.com and HDT announcer for the night, Ryan Clark should have another view at www.instaging.blogspot.com. Thank you Mother Nature for allowing this event to happen, making a whole lot of people happy. Happy racing!
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