INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (July 6) – Chris Simpson and Dallon Murty kicked off the Buchanan County Fair with $1,000 IMCA feature wins Tuesday night.
Simpson, already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, made it look easy in the 25-lapper for IMCA Modifieds at Independence Motor Speedway.
From his pole position start, Simpson pulled away early and then survived a pair of cautions to score the win ahead of Mike Burbridge. Joel Rust came from a mid-pack start to finish third ahead of Troy Cordes and Derrick Stewart in the 26-car field.
Murty took top honors in the 20-lap thriller for the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars.
Johnny Spaw led that 23-car field to green and held the point throughout the first half of the event while closely pursued by Phil Holtz and Cole Mather.
Murty made his way into the mix and slid past both Mather and Holtz on the eighth lap to secure second.
He inched ahead of Spaw at the midway point to steal the lead, just prior to the lone caution of the event on lap 11.
When racing resumed, Murty was unable to break free from the field as his five nearest pursuers remained within striking distance.
Spaw was able to briefly regain the point on lap 14, however Murty powered back by to hold on over the final six laps to take the victory. Spaw, Mather, Holtz and Dustin Vis rounded out the top five behind Murty, already a B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifier.
Dallon Murty delivered another IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature win, this one good for $1,000, on opening night of the Buchanan County Fair. Murty is already qualified for the B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational. (Photo by Black Hat Photography)
Longtime Independence Motor Speedway racer and former IMCA national champion Denny Osborn lost his battle to cancer in May and fans packed the grandstand to support the Denny Osborn Memorial for Late Models to open the fair, won by Jeff Aikey.
