Independence Motor Speedway

Elston earns Indee Open Series win at Highway 3 Raceway

Hanson earns first career modified victory

Tue, Jun 21, 2005 -- INDEE OPEN SERIES #3
Written by: Ryan Clark

ALLISON, Iowa - The Indee Open Series made its first-ever visit to Highway 3 Raceway as the track opened for stock car racing for the first time in three years.

In late model action, Tommy Elston scored his first career series victory as he topped the 24-car field in the 35-lapper. Curt Martin held the advantage at the drop of the green and quickly drove away from the field until mechanical problems forced him out of the event after just three laps.

When the race resumed, Kurt Kile, making his first-ever series appearance, inherited the lead. Kile led while Andy Eckrich worked into second on the sixth lap from his sixth row starting position.

Eckrich made a number of attempts to pass for the lead running the bottom groove, but Kile proved too strong on the top side. As the two battled, Darren Ackerman and Elston closed in on the leaders while they fought for third.

Elston settled into third and set his sights on the lead pair a handful of laps later. While Kile and Eckrich exchanged the lead, Elston mastered the low groove, making it a three-wide battle for the lead as the race passed the midway point.

Elston shot under the race leaders to secure the top spot on the 24th lap to drive to the victory. Kile finished second and, after starting 18th, Jeremiah Hurst made a strong charge to finish third.

In the 25-lap modified main event, pole-sitter Mark Massey enjoyed the early lead. Massey led until mechanical problems sidelined him on lap eight. Rick Gustin inherited the lead and stretched his advantage while Kevin Pittman worked through traffic.

Pittman made his way into second just two laps later and started to reel in Gustin. Pittman pulled alongside the leader on the 22nd lap, but contact between the two entering the first set of turns took both cars out of the remainder of the event.

Mike Burbridge settled in to the top spot on the restart, but he gave way to Todd Hanson when the waving green was displayed. Hanson maintained the edge over the final two laps to take the victory, his first-ever in the division. Burbridge and Bob Sutherland chased Hanson to the stripe.

Shane Barnett took the early lead in the hobby stock feature. Although the race was slowed several times for caution, Barnett led the 12-lapper in its entirety to score the win ahead of Mike Meyers and J.J. Wise.

RESULTS
LATE MODEL
First heat – 1. Andy Eckrich, Iowa City; 2. Tyler Bruening, Decorah; 3. Curt Martin, Independence; 4. Kevin Kile, West Liberty; 5. Josh McGowan, Vinton; 6. Jeff Lawless, Waterloo; 7. Joel Brasch, Dunkerton; 8. Mike Padden, Waterloo.
Second heat – 1. Greg Hunter, Independence; 2. Chris Adams, Stacyville; 3. Rick Dralle, Waterloo; 4. Dale Hackwell Jr., Washburn; 5. Kevin Armstrong, Springville; 6. Ed Sanger, Postville; 7. Leon Thomsen, Waverly; DNS Paul Watters, Parkersburg.
Third heat – 1. Darren Ackerman, Waterloo; 2. Kurt Kile, Nichols; 3. Dale Stolte, Springville; 4. LaVern Carey, Ionia; 5. Dean Wagner, Evansdale; 6. Bobby Hansen, Center Point; 7. Ace Ihm, Hazel Green, Wis.; 8. Josh Omans, Garner.
Fourth heat – 1. Tommy Elston, Keokuk; 2. Kurt Roose, Bristow; 3. Jamie Aikey, Cedar Falls; 4. Chris Simpson, Marion; 5. Jeremiah Hurst, Dubuque; 6. Lee Herman, Fairbank; 7. Randy Wheeler, Cedar Falls; 8. Nate Hartzell, Cedar Falls.
First B feature – 1. McGowan; 2. Armstrong; 3. Sanger; 4. Lawless; 5. Brasch; 6. Padden; 7. Thomsen; DNS Watters.
Second B feature – 1. Hurst; 2. Wagner; 3. Hansen; 4. Wheeler; 5. Hartzell; 6. Herman; DNS Omans; DNS Ihm.
A feature – 1. Elston; 2. Kurt Kile; 3. Hurst; 4. Ackerman; 5. Carey; 6. Aikey; 7. Stolte; 8. Eckrich; 9. Hunter; 10. Kevin Kile; 11. Bruening; 12. Dralle; 13. Hackwell; 14. Adams; 15. Armstrong; 16. Sanger; 17. Wheeler; 18. Hansen; 19. Lawless; 20. Wagner; 21. Roose; 22. McGowan; 23. Simpson; 24. Martin.

MODIFIED
First heat – 1. Kevin Pittman, Waterloo; 2. Rick Gustin, Marshalltown; 3. Jamie Aikey, Cedar Falls; 4. Richard Hinz, Waterloo; 5. Charlie McKenna, Clear Lake; 6. Brian Krall, Readlyn.
Second heat – 1. Mark Massey, Worthington; 2. Troy Cordes, Raymond; 3. Todd Hanson, Clear Lake; 4. Bob Sutherland, Blairsburg; 5. Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn.; 6. Jeff Mason, Sumner; DNS Shawn Ryan, Waterloo.
Third heat – 1. Brad Bakken, Garner; 2. Keith Pittman, Waterloo; 3. Mike Burbridge, Delhi; 4. Keith Schmitz, Swaledale; 5. Chuck Stanton, New Hampton; 6. Clayton Thomas, Waterloo; 7. Craig Haupt, Sumner; DNS Ed Thomas, Waterloo.
Feature – 1. Hanson; 2. Burbridge; 3. Sutherland; 4. Schmitz; 5. Stanton; 6. Ed Thomas; 7 Clayton Thomas; 8. Haupt; 9. Gustin; 10. Kevin Pittman; 11. McKenna; 12. Bakken; 13. Cordes; 14. Ryan; 15. Aikey; 16. Keith Pittman; 17. Hillson; 18. Mason; 19. Hinz; 20. Massey; 21. Krall.

HOBBY STOCK
First heat – 1. Jamey Ayers, Bristow; 2. Jason Niedert, Waterloo; 3. Brad Schipper, New Hartford; 4. Tim Marzen, Marble Rock; 5. Scott Chisholm, Greene; 6. Josh Steere, New Hartford; 7. Steve Lake, Manly; 8. David Eiklenberg, Aplington; 9. Jeremy Grantham, Allison.
Second heat – 1. Shane Barnett, Allison; 2. J.J. Wise, Manly; 3. Curt Hook, Ackley; 4. Stac Schroeder, Clear Lake; 5. Scott Germundson, Mason City; 6. Mike Jaeger, Charles City; 7. Ryan Bochmann, Greene; 8. Justin Servantez, Mason City; 9. Mike Meyers, Mason City; DNS Terry Jones, Mason City.
Feature – 1. Barnett; 2. Meyers; 3. Wise; 4. Schipper; 5. Niedert; 6. Marzen; 7. Bochmann; 8. Germundson; 9. Grantham; 10. Jaeger; 11. Servantez; 12. Ayers; 13. Eiklenberg; 14. Schroeder; 15. Chisholm; 16. Hook; DNS Steere; DNS Lake; DNS Jones.