Independence Motor Speedway

Eckrich scores Indee Open Series victory at Cresco Speedway

Ihde and Bidne also take Howard County Fair wins

Wed, Jun 22, 2005 -- INDEE OPEN SERIES #4
Written by: Ryan Clark

CRESCO, Iowa - For the second consecutive night, the Indee Open Series rolled into action, making its first-ever visit to Cresco Speedway. The night’s program, held in conjunction with the Mighty Howard County Fair, was the fourth of seven series events scheduled for 2005.

Andy Eckrich drove to the late model victory on the smooth and lightning fast 4/10-mile oval. Doing so, he became the 11th different winner in the series’ 19-race history.

Eckrich started the event inside the second row and chased pole-sitter Rick Dralle throughout the early stages of the 40-lapper. While the leaders paced the field, Dean Wagner worked through traffic from a fifth row start.

A handful of cautions slowed the first 10 laps of the event, allowing Wagner to close to within striking distance early. He settled into third on lap seven when the caution was displayed for Dale Hackwell, who rolled his car in turn four.

Upon the restart, Dralle continued his stay out front while Eckrich and Wagner resumed their assault on the leader. Following a lap 16 caution, Eckrich took advantage of the restart and shot to the inside of Dralle. Eckrich held the advantage exiting turn two and immediately began to extend his lead.

Wagner gradually began to reel in the leader when the caution waved once more on lap 26. Contact from another car sent LaVern Carey into the wall and onto its lid on the front straightaway.

Just one lap after the race restarted, Wagner made his way into the lead. He held the point until Eckrich resumed control of the race on lap 30. Eckrich led the remainder of the event to score the hard-fought win over Wagner, Dralle and a hard-charging Jeremiah Hurst.

In modified action, pole-sitter Chuck Stanton took the early advantage. He led the first six laps of the 30-lap event until Todd Ihde worked around him on the high side to take the lead. Meanwhile, Troy Cordes worked his way through the pack and into second just one lap later.

Cordes was narrowing the gap when the event’s first caution was displayed on lap 15. Cordes remained glued to Ihde’s rear bumper throughout the final 15 laps, but was unable to make the pass as Ihde scored his first-ever series win. Cordes crossed the line in second and Jason Snyder finished a strong third.

Tom Schmitt appeared as though he was a lock in the 25-lap stock car main event. Schmitt took the lead from Tory Reicks on lap four and quickly distanced himself from the field. While working through lapped traffic on the 15th circuit, Schmitt got out of shape in turn two, sending his car into a spin. He regained control of his machine, but not before slipping back into the fifth position.

Kevin Bidne was the benefactor of Schmitt’s miscue as he inherited the lead. Bidne pulled away from the field and led the remaining 10 laps to score the impressive win ahead of Scott Bauer and Justin Temeyer.

RESULTS
LATE MODEL
First heat – 1. Gary Webb, Blue Grass; 2. LaVern Carey, Ionia; 3. Ace Ihm, Hazel Green, Wis.; 4. Curt Martin, Independence; 5. Ben Schaefer, Raymond; 6. Kevin Armstrong, Springville; 7. Bob Bunne, Ostrander, Minn.; 8. Joe Ludemann, Grand Meadow, Minn.
Second heat – 1. Darren Ackerman, Waterloo; 2. Andy Eckrich, Iowa City; 3. Randy Wheeler, Cedar Falls; 4. Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 5. Bobby Hansen, Center Point; 6. Dale Hackwell Jr., Washburn; 7. Chris Adams, Stacyville.
Third heat – 1. Gary Crawford, Independence; 2. Rick Dralle, Waterloo; 3. Jeremiah Hurst, Dubuque; 4. Dean Wagner, Evansdale; 5. Ed Sanger, Postville; 6. Tommy Elston, Keokuk; 7. Dale Stolte, Springville.
Feature – 1. Eckrich; 2. Wagner; 3. Dralle; 4. Hurst; 5. Webb; 6. Adams; 7. Wheeler; 8. Armstrong; 9. Schaefer; 10. Ludemann; 11. Crawford; 12. Sanger; 13. Ihm; 14. Carey; 15. Hansen; 16. Ackerman; 17. Bruening; 18. Hackwell; 19. Martin; 20. Elston; 21. Stolte; 22. Bunne.

MODIFIED
First heat – 1. Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn.; 2. Troy Cordes, Raymond; 3. Paul Hamernik, Winona, Minn.; 4. Todd Hanson, Clear Lake; 5. Clayton Thomas, Waterloo; 6. Tim Heins, Elkader; 7. Ron Konkel, Caledonia, Minn.
Second heat – 1. Jason Snyder, Dunkerton; 2. Todd Ihde, Decorah; 3. Ed Thomas, Waterloo; 4. Matt Sweeney, Waukon; 5. Mark Massey, Worthington; 6. Keith Pittman, Waterloo; 7. Craig Haupt, Sumner; DQ Larry Schmidt, Hew Hampton.
Third heat – 1. Bruce Angst, Winona, Minn.; 2. Jeff Morris, Long Grove; 3. Chuck Stanton, New Hampton; 4. Darrin Walch, Postville; 5. Keith Schmitz, Swaledale; 6. J.D. Auringer, Evansdale; 7. Travis Chapman, Waverly; 8. John Meineke, Fairbank.
Feature – 1. Ihde; 2. Cordes; 3. Snyder; 4. Morris; 5. Hillson; 6. E. Thomas; 7. Massey; 8. Walch; 9. Sweeney; 10. Hanson; 11. Hamernik; 12. Pittman; 13. C. Thomas; 14. Auringer; 15. Konkel; 16. Schmitz; 17. Angst; 18. Chapman; 19. Heins; 20. Meineke; 21. Schmidt; 22. Stanton; 23. Haupt.

STOCK CAR
First heat – 1. Tom Schmitt, Independence; 2. Rick Stockman, Preston, Minn.; 3. Tory Reicks, Waucoma; 4. Jake Ludeking, Decorah; 5. Patty Fosaaen, Waukon; 6. Sam Wenthold, Waucoma; 7. Eric Weber, Jesup; 8. Joe Stevenson, Cresco; DQ Junior Boyer, Calmar.
Second heat – 1. Mike Krambeer, Postville; 2. Tom Hovey, Decorah; 3. Brian Gjere, Mabel, Minn.; 4. Mike Bergan, Ridgeway; 5. Shay Curtin, Waukon; 6. Lynn Panos, Protivin; 7. Don Rude, Decorah; 8. Jeff Roete, Oelwein; 9. Kenneth Even, Waterloo.
Third heat – 1. Shawn Peter, Mabel, Minn.; 2. Scott Bauer, Riceville; 3. Justin Temeyer, Independence; 4. Kevin Bidne, Decorah; 5. Steve Holthaus, Cresco; 6. Daryl Moss, West Union; 7. Jeff Krambeer, Postville; 8. Chad Halverson, Decorah; 9. Mark Jencks, Hawkeye.
Feature – 1. Bidne; 2. Bauer; 3. Temeyer; 4. Gjere; 5. Peter; 6. Schmitt; 7. Ludeking; 8. Panos; 9. J. Krambeer; 10. Stockman; 11. Weber; 12. Fosaaen; 13. Rude; 14. Moss; 15. Holthaus; 16. M. Krambeer; 17. Jencks; 18. Roete; 19. Hovey; 20. Boyer; 21. Reicks; 22. Wenthold; 23. Even; 24. Bergan; 25. Stevenson; 26. Curtin; 27. Halverson.