Sports : Dick Frye Memorial featured at Indee Speedway

For the sixth consecutive year at Independence Motor Speedway, the weekly racing program during the Buchanan County Fair was held in honor of longtime fairboard president Dick Frye. Frye, who passed away in 2007, was president of the Buchanan County Fair Association for over 40 years and dedicated much of his time to the community through his role on the fairboard. Four drivers made repeat trips to the winner’s circle during the special night, while two others earned their first-ever wins in Independence. Greg Hunter paced the 25-lap IMCA Late Model feature to green. From his front row starting spot, Hunter led the pack through two caution periods in the first seven laps. By the time the yellow flag waved the second time, Curt Martin made his way into second place from a sixth row start. When racing resumed following the lap seven stoppage, Martin chased the leader for a pair of laps before rocketing past Hunter on lap nine. Meanwhile, Travis Smock, who started in row three, patiently made a run to the front and settled into second on the 11th circuit. By the time Smock slipped past Hunter, Martin built a half-straightaway advantage. Smock slowly chipped away at Martin’s lead, then sped past the leader on the low side of the fast, multi-groove surface just prior to a lap 20 caution. Smock survived one last caution two laps later to drive to the impressive win, his second of the season. Also the Dick Frye Memorial winner in 2011, Smock became the first Late Model driver to win the event in consecutive years. Just like Smock in the Late Models, Sean Johnson became the first IMCA Stock Car driver to take Memorial honors in back-to-back seasons. Johnson, who started in the fifth row, powered through traffic and settled into second in just three laps. While Johnson led, Brian Irvine was methodically making his move to the front in his first appearance of the season. Irvine, who started alongside Johnson, motored into third spot after seven laps, then chased Mike Padden before making his bid for second on lap 11 of the 18-lapper. Action was slowed one lap later for the race’s first caution. On the restart, Irvine chased the leader before making his way around Johnson with three laps to go. Johnson remained close as the second and final yellow waved one lap later. When racing resumed, Johnson powered to the low side of Irvine as the duo battled for the top spot. Johnson surged ahead exiting turn four on the final lap, then drifted to the high side to close the door and seal the deal for his fifth win of the season. Adam Johnson earned his third win of the season and his second career Dick Frye Memorial trophy in the 20-lap IMCA Modified feature. Johnathan Thimmesch paced the field during the early stages while Johnson quickly settled into second. Johnson worked past the leader just prior to a lap six caution. He survived one more stoppage to win the event going away ahead of Vern Jackson. Travis Peterson was the first of a pair of new drivers to visit the speedway’s winner’s circle. Peterson, who started the 15-lap IMCA SportMod feature from the pole, led the entire distance to take the milestone win in the caution-free event. Benji Irvine took top honors in the 15-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature - an event that also ran green to checkers. Irvine, who started in the fifth row, worked his way into the top three just past the midway point, then engaged in a terrific multi-car battle for the lead with a handful of drivers. He snuck past leader Nathan Christie on lap 10 to drive to his first win ahead of points leader Justin Stander. In its six year history, Irvine became the third Hobby Stock driver to earn his first career win during the Dick Frye Memorial. He shares that honor with Quinton Miller (2007) and Russell Damme Jr. (2010). Following a lap two caution, Steve Miedke rocketed into the lead in the 12-lap IMCA Sport Compact main. On the restart, Miedke raced past leader Nathan Chandler to win the event by a huge margin ahead of Chandler. DICK FRYE MEMORIAL ALL-TIME WINNERS Late Model – Darren Ackerman (2007, 2009); Tyler Bruening (2008, 2010); Travis Smock (2011, 2012). Modified – Troy Cordes (2007); Adam Johnson (2008, 2012); Darin Duffy (2009); Jerry Luloff (2010); Ronn Lauritzen (2011). Stock Car – Brian Irvine (2007); Dan Trimble (2008); Justin Temeyer (2009); Dave Stricker (2010); Sean Johnson (2011, 2012). Hobby Stock – Quinton Miller (2007); Josh Irvine (2008, 2009); Russell Damme Jr. (2010); Chris Luloff (2011); Benji Irvine (2012). SportMod – Danny Dvorak (2008, 2011); Lucas Lundry (2009); Josh Sherbon (2010); Travis Peterson (2012). B Mod – Josh Steere (2007). RESULTS IMCA LATE MODEL Feature – 1. 98 Travis Smock (Independence); 2. 45 Curt Martin (Independence); 3. 16 Tyler Bruening (Decorah); 4. 60 Dean Wagner (Evansdale); 5. 4D Rick Dralle (Waterloo); 6. 145 Dale Hackwell Jr. (Washburn); 7. 21M Luke Merfeld (Peosta); 8. 7 Greg Hunter (Independence); 9. 73 Greg Kastli (Waterloo); 10. 98X Jason Rauen (Farley); 11. 3X Chad Lerch (North Liberty); 12. 21B Joel Brasch (Dunkerton); 13. 88 Drew Johnson (Belle Plaine); 14. 0 Rory Metcalf (West Union); 15. 83 Russell Hesse (Waterloo); 16. 61 Scott Reichers (Belmont, Wis.); 17. 5W Scott Welsh (Cedar Rapids); 18. 4 Leon Thomsen (Waverly); 19. 14 Tracey Rigel (Waterloo); 20. 25P Kenny Pint (Independence). First heat – 1. Hunter; 2. Bruening; 3. Kastli; 4. Johnson; 5. Pint; 6. Lerch; 7. Reichers. Second heat – 1. Metcalf; 2. Wagner; 3. Smock; 4. Martin; 5. Brasch; 6. Thomsen; 7. Rigel. Third heat – 1. Dralle; 2. Hesse; 3. Hackwell; 4. Hamilton; 5. Merfeld; 6. Rauen; 7. Welsh. IMCA MODIFIED
Feature – 1. 24R Adam Johnson (Independence); 2. 64 Vern Jackson (Waterloo); 3. 19D Darin Duffy (Hazleton); 4. 10K Ronn Lauritzen (Jesup); 5. 27M Mark Schulte (Delhi); 6. 75 Josh Sherbon (Cedar Falls); 7. 71 Troy Cordes (Raymond); 8. 01 Ed Thomas (Waterloo); 9. 26 Luke Miller (Epworth); 10. 1J Jeff Streeter (Vinton); 11. X4 Jason Purvis (Boone); 12. 57B Dennis Betzer (Central City); 13. 85 Johnathan Thimmesch (Independence); 14. 93K Jeff Kriz (Waterloo); 15. 98 Jason Snyder (Dunkerton); 16. F7 Patrick Flannagan (Cedar Rapids); 17. 11 Timm Jensen (Dunkerton); 18. 11B Mike Burbridge (Delhi). First heat – 1. Cordes; 2. Snyder; 3. Kriz; 4. Schulte; 5. Flannagan; 6. Jensen; 7. Purvis; 8. Streeter; 9. Burbridge. Second heat – 1. Thimmesch; 2. Duffy; 3. Jackson; 4. Lauritzen; 5. Johnson; 6. Thomas; 7. Betzer; 8. Miller; 9. Sherbon. IMCA STOCK CAR Feature – 1. 8R Sean Johnson (Independence); 2. 26 Brian Irvine (Oelwein); 3. G1 Mike Padden (Waterloo); 4. 3 Jarod Weepie (Dunkerton); 5. 22K Kevin Rose (Waterloo); 6. 87 John Emerson (Waterloo); 7. 9E Austin Evens (Independence); 8. 11J Jerome Jacoby (Waterloo); 9. 09X Cole Mather (Lamont); 10. 4JR Russell Damme Jr. (Waterloo); 11. 15 Norman Chesmore (Rowley); 12. JR 3 Jason Hocken (Independence); 13. 15T Tim Helle (Garnavillo); 14. 85 Bryce Carey (Nashua). First heat – 1. Irvine; 2. Johnson; 3. Emerson; 4. Helle; 5. Evens; 6. Weepie; 7. Jacoby. Second heat – 1. Padden; 2. Hocken; 3. Chesmore; 4. Damme; 5. Rose; 6. Mather; 7. Carey. IMCA SPORTMOD
Feature – 1. 25T Travis Peterson (Gladbrook); 2. 96 Lucas Lundry (Maynard); 3. 198 Sam Wieben (Dysart); 4. 14 Shane Ebaugh (Evansdale); 5. 3R Danny Dvorak (Vinton); 6. 00 Jim Buhlman (Cedar Falls); 7. 21 Brennen Chipp (Waterloo); 8. 32Z Alex Zwanziger (Nashua); 9. J2 Dave Schulze (Keystone); 10. 63 Matt McCahen (Waterloo); 11. 29 Sean Vogt (Watkins); 12. 28P Rick Paulson (Tripoli); 13. 93 Josh Burrell (Dysart); 14. 49 Brandon Smith (Rowley); 15. 9 Synjun Bauer (Prairie du Chien, Wis.): 16. 23W Robert Whalen (Nashua); 17. 39 Brian Hilbert (Independence); 18. 50H Steve Wimer (Toddville); 19. 11 Bob Ebaugh (Raymond); 20. S16 Kip Siems (Cedar Falls). First heat – 1. S. Ebaugh; 2. Chipp; 3. Schulze; 4. Buhlman; 5. Peterson; 6. Paulson; 7. Vogt; 8. Burrell; 9. Wimer; 10. B. Ebaugh. Second heat – 1. Wieben; 2. McCahen; 3. Siems; 4. Lundry; 5. Dvorak; 6. Zwanziger; 7. Smith; 8. Hilbert; 9. Bauer; 10. Whalen. IMCA HOBBY STOCK Feature – 1. 79 Benji Irvine (Cedar Falls); 2. 67 Justin Stander (Vinton); 3. 26 Nathan Christie (Waterloo); 4. 64JR Jeremiah Wilson (Waterloo); 5. 45 Justin Wacha (Vinton); 6. 77 Rod Grother (Cedar Rapids); 7. 23 Justin Hanson (West Union); 8. 95 Matt Lundry (Oelwein); 9. 14G Curt Graham (Tiffin); 10. 5 Marcus Wayne (Independence); 11. 7B Jim Ball (Independence); 12. 55 Vince Buchholz (Cedar Falls); 13. 99 Erick Knutsen (Center Point); 14. 166 Justin Lichty (Waterloo); 15. 10MW Mike Wilson (Jesup); 16. 58B Randy Byerly (Tipton); 17. 73 Quinton Miller (Independence); 18. 14J Jacob Floyd (Cedar Rapids); 19. 20JN Justin Ginther (Independence); 20. 20B Matt Burmeister (Dunkerton); 21. 35B Shawn Kuennen (Hazleton); 22. 20W Bruce Fraser (Mancehster); 23. 12J Jeremy Floyd (Cedar Rapids); 24. 8 Dave Wheeler (Fairbank); DQ/DNS 64 Jerome Wilson (Waterloo). First heat – 1. Stander; 2. Christie; 3. Knutsen; 4. Byerly; 5. Fraser; 6. Ginther; 7. Ball; 8. Miller; 9. Wheeler. Second heat – 1. Kuennen; 2. Grother; 3. Hanson; 4. Wayne; 5. Buchholz; 6. Lichty; 7. Jeremy Floyd; DQ Jerome Wilson. Third heat – 1. Irvine; 2. Wacha; 3. Jeremiah Wilson; 4. Lundry; 5. Burmeister; 6. Graham; 7. Jacob Floyd; 8. Wilson. IMCA SPORT COMPACT
Feature – 1. 11 Steve Miedke (Shellsburg); 2. 22 Nathan Chandler (Norway); 3. 2 Merv Chandler (Vinton); 4. 57 Duayne Herb (Cedar Rapids); 5. 83 Travis Ross (Waterloo); 6. 03 Neil Nabholz (Waterloo); 7. 111 A.J. Witten (Cedar Rapids); 8. 7 Dave Fangman (Marion). Heat – 1. N. Chandler; 2. Miedke; 3. M. Chandler; 4. Nabholz; 5. Ross; 6. Herb; 7. Fangman; 8. Witten.