Independence races to save lives with Iowa Donor Network Night show

Kyle Olson celebrates following his first Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature win at Independence Motor Speedway this season on Saturday night. (Photo by Black Hat Photography)

By Jeremy Fox 

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (July 24) – Independence Motor Speedway raced to save lives on Saturday, hosting the Iowa Donor Network Night. Iowa Donor Network was on hand with info and for people to sign up as an organ donor. Drivers Prizes, Donation Honorees, Raffles, Prizes and Apparel for Sale plus the first 300 adults got a gift from Longhorn Steakhouse. A helmet and door signed by drivers auctioned off at Intermission along with a pass the helmet with all donations going to the Iowa Donor Network. 

The first feature of the night was the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods. Kyle Olson and Nebraska’s Cameron Meyer led the field to the green flag with Olson taking the top spot early. Olson held off Brandon Tharp and Shane Paris until lap seven.

Paris took the top spot away from Olson but Olson did not go away and took back the lead just before the caution on lap 10. Olson held off Paris and Brandon Tharp on the restart to go on take his first win of the season in Indee. Paris finished second.

Jacob Ellithorpe grabbed the early race lead of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Jay Schmidt and Cole Mather put pressure on Ellithorpe which allowed Schmidt to take the race lead on lap four.

Schmidt’s lead was short-lived, however, as Cole Mather took over the top spot. Mather pulled away to take his fifth win of the season. Schmidt settled for second.

Up next was the IMCA Modified feature. Milo Veloz led the opening lap before Jeff Larson took over the lead on lap two. Larson held of Veloz and Jordan Hicks until the caution came out on lap seven. Larson fended them off on the restart but the caution came out again on lap nine.

Larson now had to fend with a new challenger, Troy Cordes. Larson held off Cordes but the caution came out on laps 14 and 16. Larson held off Cordes to take the feature win. Jeff Aikey finished sixth, moving up 20 spots for the hard charger.

In the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature, Luke Bird wrestled the lead from Trenton Neuhaus on lap one. Bird got a little separation until the halfway point allowing Kyle Jared and Jim Ball Jr. to reel him back down.

Ball got by Jared on lap 10 and then set his sights on getting by Bird. Ball made the move and took over the race lead on lap 12. Ball went on to the victory ahead of Tyler Ollendieck.

The final feature of the night was the IMCA Sunoco Late Model 25-lapper. Andy Nezworski and Logan Duffy led the field to the green flag. Nezworski took the early race lead but the caution came out just after lap four scored.

Nezworski fended off Duffy and Curt Martin on the restart before pulling away. Nezworski was on cruise control until heavy lapped traffic allowed Duffy, Martin and Sean Johnson to reel him back in. Nezworski managed the lap traffic just enough to go on and take his second win in as many weeks at Indee. Duffy was second.