independencemotorspeedway Archives

Opening night checkers at Indee are record tying third for Cordes

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (April 13, 2024) – Troy Cordes was quick to put a tough 2023 season in the rearview. Cordes won the opening night feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds for the record-tying third time Saturday at Independence Motor Speedway. The checkers were also his career 143rd in the class dating back to 1996. “Last year we struggled pretty hard and only won once, at Columbus Junction,” said the Dunkerton driver. “Hopefully we’ll be back on track this season.” Cordes already had opening night trophies from 2000 and 2020 on his mantle. In addition to matching Vern Jackson’s mark with his third opening night Modified win, he also put an end to the streak of 19 different opening night winners in the division at Indee. “It’s a good way to start the year. Independence is 20 minutes from home and it’s where I grew up,” said Cordes, who leads all Modified drivers at Independence with seven career track titles and 53 feature wins. “We’ve been coming here every Saturday night since I started racing.” Modifieds have run [Read More]

Four IMCA divisions headline five April Frostbuster dates

VINTON, Iowa (March 26, 2024) – It’s the spring version of Iowa Speedweek as four IMCA divisions travel to five different tracks for Wednesday-Sunday, April 3-7 Frostbuster specials. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds race for $1,000, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $750 and both Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $500 to win each night beginning at Independence Motor Speedway, with dates at Stuart Speedway, Marshalltown Speedway and Boone Speedway leading up to the finale at Benton County Speedway in Vinton. Frostbuster champions earn the biggest share of $1,000 point funds and will be eligible for race of champions events at the upcoming IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Modified and Stock Car feature winners become eligible to qualify for their respective All-Star Invitationals. Gates open at 5 p.m. with 6:30 p.m. hot laps and racing at 7 p.m. on April 3 at Independence and on April 4 at Stuart. Spectator admission is $20 for adults and $10 for students ages 11-17, with kids 10 and under free at [Read More]

Pollard prevails at Indee’s Osborn Memorial

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (July 5, 2023) – Eric Pollard went from terrible on Sunday to lights out on Wednesday. Pollard led every lap of the Denny Osborn Memorial main event for IMCA Sunoco Late Models at Independence Motor Speedway, earning $2,072 along with a $250 bonus from Sunoco Race Fuels. “To come here and win this race was awesome. We were terrible on Sunday (at Dubuque,)” Pollard said from victory lane. “Having a good run tonight was just what we needed.” Pollard started third in the 22-lapper and was chased every time around the track by Evan Miller. The last restart came with three laps left and Miller was unable to muster a challenge, finishing three car lengths off the pace. Sean Johnson, Jeff Aikey and hard charger Logan Duffy completed the top five. Another much accomplished local, Curt Martin, ended in sixth. The win was the second of the season for Pollard, who’d finished third in both of his previous starts this season at Indee. “This is a great event,” he said. “It’s cool that [Read More]

Another IMCA Late Model Sunoco bonus awarded at Indee during Osborn Memorial

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (June 29, 2023) – Another $250 Sunoco Race Fuels bonus will be awarded when IMCA Sunoco Late Models headline the Denny Osborn Memorial Wednesday, July 5 at Independence Motor Speedway. Division title sponsor Sunoco gives that bonus during the Buchanan County Fair event. Hot laps are at 6:45 p.m. with racing to follow. Late Models, Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods all race for $1,000 to win that evening, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $500 and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts for $250. The Modified winner becomes eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, the Stock Car winner for the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and state points will be awarded at the draw/redraw show. Modified, Stock Car, Hobby Stock, SportMod and Sport Compact drivers also earn track points that evening. Pit passes are $30 for adults, $15 for kids ages 6-13 and $5 for kids five and under. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, [Read More]

Sunoco bonuses awarded at Independence, Dubuque this weekend

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (June 1, 2023) – Sunoco Race Fuels bonuses will be awarded when IMCA Late Models hit the track for big events this weekend at Independence Motor Speedway and at Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway. The divisional title sponsor awards $250 bonuses to feature winners on Saturday, June 3 during the Hall of Fame Night show at Indee and Sunday, June 4 on Fan Appreciation Night at Dubuque. Drivers can get the bonus one time in a season; the $250 will be awarded to the top finishing non-winning driver any night the winner has previously received the bonus. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. with racing to follow Saturday at Independence, where pit passes are $30 for adults, $15 for kids ages 6-14 and free for five and under. Spectator admission is $15 for adults and $10 for students ages 13-17. Grandstand admission is free for Dubuque’s Fan Appreciation, with pit passes $30 for adults and $15 for kids ages 7-13. Kids can enjoy the bounce house that evening. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock [Read More]

IMCA Late Models chase season’s first Sunoco bonus at Independence

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (May 11, 2023) – The track that’s crowned the most IMCA Sunoco Late Model champions awards the first Sunoco Race Fuels Bonus of the season this Saturday night. The May 13 Late Model winner at Independence Motor Speedway earns a $250 bonus from their divisional title sponsor. The Saturday show is the first of the season for the Late Models at Indee, where an all-IMCA lineup also features Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 4:30 p.m. Hot laps are at 6 p.m. with racing to follow. Pit passes are $30. Saturday’s race program at Independence will be broadcast by IMCA.TV affiliate DONE RIGHT. TV. 2023 marks the 35th season Independence has sanctioned its Late Model division with IMCA.

Van Genderen, Benning break non-partnership vows to promote Independence Motor Speedway

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (Feb. 1, 2023) – Two guys who had promised themselves they’d never promote a race track with a partner will do just that this season at Independence Motor Speedway. Mike Van Genderen and Dana Benning make up the Greater Iowa Promotions team that takes charge at Indee, which adds a sixth IMCA division and four Monday Night Madness programs to its Speedway Motors Weekly Race slate in 2023. Van Genderen also owns and promotes IMCA venue Stuart Speedway while Benning returns for a third turn at the Independence helm, following 2000-2002 and 2015-2017 stints. “This partnership just makes sense. Dana is good at things and I am good at other things,” said Van Genderen, who met Benning 20-plus years ago when buying out his father Merlin’s Modified program. “We’ve known each other for years and became good friends when we were both working at Benton County Speedway.” “Independence has a great racing history,” he continued. “We want to continue that.” Van Genderen’s jobs in particular will be track prep and race night director. Benning will [Read More]

Olson stays hot on Iowa Donor Network Night at Indee

By Jeremy Fox INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (July 30, 2022) – Tony Olson made it six straight Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod wins at Independence Motor Speedway on Iowa Donor Network Racing to Save Lives Night. Brandon Tharp and Will Wolf led the field to the green flag but neither led the first lap as Olson grabbed the top spot early and stayed in charge following multiple restarts and earn $750. Tharp finished second and Wolf was third. Kaden Reynolds was able to sneak by Cole Mather for the lead seven laps into the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main. Already B & B Racing Chassis All-Star qualifying eligible, Reynolds caught lapped traffic but was not to be denied as he went on to take his third win, this one good for $750, of the season in Indee. Mather and Jarod Weepie were next to the checkers. Troy Cordes fended off challenges from Fryer, Milo Veloz and 12th place starter Drew Janssen to take his third local Friesen Performance IMCA Modified win of the season. Janssen came home second and Veloz was [Read More]

Aikey has a night to remember at Indee’s Greg Hunter Memorial

By Jeremy Fox INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (July 16, 2022) – Jeff Aikey had a night to remember on the night Independence Motor Speedway remembered Hall of Famer Greg Hunter. Aikey led start to finish of Saturday’s 25-lap IMCA Sunoco Late Model main event, earning $2,777 and promptly giving the trophy to Hunter’s sons Nick and Andy after the last of victory lane photos were taken. “I met Greg probably 42 years ago when I started. He was a pretty good friend,” Aikey said of fellow Late Model driver and Indee track champion Hunter, who passed away July 9 at the age of 64. “We raced together at a lot of Iowa tracks, here, Marshalltown, West Union, Vinton, Webster City, Dubuque. Greg was usually where I was. We did a lot of racing together.” “I won the first Denny Osborn Memorial and that was big. It was pretty special to win the inaugural Greg Hunter Memorial too,” he continued. “I’m not a spring chicken any more so every win means a lot, but this one was really special. It [Read More]

Great racing, memories fill Hall of Fame Night at Independence

by Jeremy Fox INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (June 18, 2022) – Saturday Night Independence Motor Speedway inducted the 2022 Hall of Fame class, including Rick Wendling, Darin Burco and Duane Van Deest for drivers. Special contributors inducted were Burco and Jerry Blue. Burco was the first to be inducted as a driver and contributor. Following a hall of fame meet-and-greet and autograph session, over 100 race teams signed in to tame the 3/8 mile dirt oval on the Buchanan County Fairgrounds. The first feature of the night was the 15 lap Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod event. Robert Patava grabbed the top spot early, however Kip Siems stole the lead away from Patava on an early restart, Siems led until he slipped up on lap nine allowing Cole Suckow to take over the race lead. Suckow led until lap 13 when Tony Olson took advantage of Suckow leaving the door open. Olson held off Suckow and Siems to take his 35th career win in Independence, his fourth straight win at Indee. Suckow finished second, Siems was third, Brandon Tharp [Read More]