Another scorching hot and humid day in central Iowa was in store Sunday, but that didn't prevent me from attending a race that I try to attend each year. It was time for the annual Hogan Memorial, an event that has taken place yearly since 1995. While the event was initially named the Dick Hogan Memorial, it was later changed when Janet passed away and honored both of them from that point on. Of course, their son Scott continues on the family name as he pilots the #33D IMCA modified and circles this important date on the calendar each season.
After qualifying events were finished, something I honestly can't recall seeing happened. The IMCA hobby stock were set for the first feature of the night, but when the green flag dropped the outside line got very little traction and the start was called back. Track officials then allowed the cars a few hot laps, but it was deemed the cars would exit the track and the IMCA sport compacts would now run their feature instead.
So the focus would turn towards the pits as the IMCA sport compacts ventured to the track. Brett Vanous would take control at the drop of the green flag while Nathan and Brad Chandler were working their way through traffic towards the front. Two cautions would come out in the early going with the second one involving Nathan Chandler getting into the back of a lapped car entering turn one. Chandler would slow down the back stretch and come to a stop to end his night early. Two more caution periods would plague the race, but the final lap saw Vanous dive to the inside of Brad Chandler to edge out the win at the line. Merv Chandler was third and Jacob McVay was fourth, but unfortunately with the excitement up front that was all I was able to get written down.
The IMCA hobby stocks returned to the track, now ready for their finale of the evening. Pole sitter Greg Sweerin would lead in the early going before a couple early yellow flags were displayed. His night would end prematurely, however, as he appeared to break a hose and exited the track. That handed the race lead over to Doug Laughridge with Justin Stander just behind in second. Points leader Scott Pippert found the high side to his liking as he moved into the fourth position after starting eleventh on the starting grid. Pippert would get by Kyle Parizek for third before passing both Stander and Laughridge for the lead just after the crossed flags were given signaling the race was half-over. Scott Pippert would maintain the lead as he picked up the win with Justin Stander finishing second, Brad Forbes was third, Doug Laughridge fourth, and Matt Brown completed the top five.
Pole sitter Aric Becker paced the field early on, but Curt Hillmer was on the prowl as he moved into the second position after passing David McCalla on the inside. An early caution slowed the pace down, and while under yellow Hillmer came to a stop upon the entrance to turn three. He was allowed to restart in third, which kinda baffled me and a few others sitting around me as I thought you had to go to the tail if you needed the assistance of a push truck. Nonetheless, McCalla used the restart to make the cushion work in his favor as he motored by Becker for the lead. Hillmer would use the low line to get by for second before making the pass on McCalla for the lead. After a couple more cautions, Racer Hulin found himself restarting on the rear bumper of Hillmer. Hillmer would protect the inside line, but that left the door open for Hulin to take flight on the top side and make the pass for the lead. Another caution flag would come out on lap eight in which the drivers were told they had surpassed the time limit, so either the next yellow flag or the checkered flag would finish the race. As it would be the race would end under green condition and Racer Hulin would pick up the win. Danny Dvorak would drive the low line to take second, Aric Becker rallied back to finish third, Kent Kozitsky was fourth, and Curt Hillmer rounded out the top five.
Fifteen IMCA stock cars would make their way to the track and John Schaefel used his outside front row start to seize command up front. Fourth row starters Justin Teymeyer and Damon Murty started running the cushion and running down cars ahead of them as they advanced into the third and fourth positions, respectively, after passing Mike Galli. The front four cars would run in rows of two for a short time before they attempted to go four-wide into turn three. Schaefel came out on the bad end of that as he got pushed over the banking and came to a stop. Scooter Dulin would inherit the lead, but it wasn't long before Teymeyer powered his way by for the top spot. As the laps were winding down Murty found himself in the fourth spot yet, but he used the high side to move back into the second position when the white flag was displayed. Teymeyer would pick up the win ahead of Murty, Dulin, Bob Ahrendson was fourth, and Andy Bryant rounded out the top five.
Anticipation began to build as the IMCA modifieds made their way to the track. Twenty cars made it through qualifying with two past champions and two track provisionals made up the twenty-four car starting field as driver introductions took place along with Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" was played during the parade laps. The drivers were ready for a forty-lap race that would be stopped at the halfway point for a five-minute pit stop.
Through the luck of the redraw format, Dan Chapman and Scott Hogan sat on the front row with Hogan rocketing to the lead, but the lap didn't count as the yellow flew for a tractor tire being hit and sitting on the racing surface. When the green was displayed again Hogan again got a great start and jumped out front with Chapman and JD Auringer following. Hogan had an intense moment a few laps into the race as he quickly caught lapped traffic and ran into the back of one entering turn one, sending his car into a sideways slide. He would gather it back up and his momentum on the top side enabled him to maintain the lead. Auringer would slip by Chapman for second as Hogan and Auringer distanced themselves from the pack. The midway point caution would fly at the same time that Richie Gustin found himself sitting crossed up outside of turn one.
Following the five minute break, the top five remained relatively unchanged until Auringer tried a slide job on Hogan entering turn one. Auringer's car would get sideways and spin, collecting Chapman as he drilled the left side of Auringer's car. Both competitors would see their great runs come to an early end. With eleven laps remaining, that put Jerry Luloff on Hogan's rear bumper on the restart. Luloff tried darting to the inside on each of the next few restarts and sliding up in front of Hogan, but Hogan's momentum off the top side carried him past Luloff and keep him out front. The final caution of the night came with just four laps remaining, and this time Luloff perhaps drove a bit harder entering the corner. Hogan opted to turn left and try to dart to the inside rather then stay on the outside, but that move would cost him the lead as Luloff took over the top spot. Hogan tried a few different moves in the final laps, but it wasn't enough as Jerry Luloff took home the win. Scott Hogan finished second, but pocketed more money then the winner after you add up all the lap money and contingency dollars. Brandon Banks came home third, Jeff Waterman was fourth, and Mike Burbridge completed the top five.
It was great sitting with fellow Positivelyracing buddies Dick and Joyce Eisele among other friends. Always fun to compare which drivers I know with those that Joyce does at the track. The racing action was action-packed all night including one extra curricular activity in the modified feature that involved a driver expressing his anger towards another on the front straight away by jumping on the nose of his car. With Brett Root from IMCA on hand and witnessing the incident, one can only imagine some kind of disciplinary action will be forthcoming.
I'd like to thank the Hogan family for putting on this great event again this year. I'm sure Dick and Janet were watching from above with smiles on their faces as it was a great night of racing.
My next race, weather permitting, will be Tuesday night at the I-35 Speedway as the road warriors of the USMTS tour gets back into the swing of things. It will be the first of five scheduled nights as a couple of the events, including this one, are makeup dates from earlier rain outs. If that doesn't interest you, perhaps a visit to the Independence Motor Speedway might as the World of Outlaws late models invade the Buchanan County fairgrounds for the first time ever. The IMCA modifieds will also be racing for $1,000 top prize.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
No comments:
Post a Comment