COMMUNITY: Auto racing season just around the corner

Editor's note: Ryan Clark is the track announcer at Independence Motor Speedway. From Vinton, Clark has worked at the track since 2000 and also handles the track's public relations and sponsorship sales and fulfills race director duties on race nights.

By Ryan Clark, community contributor

INDEPENDENCE - IMCA weekly racing, three late model touring series and the return of sprint car racing highlights the 2014 season at Independence Motor Speedway.

For the 31st consecutive year, weekly racing will be IMCA sanctioned on the 3/8-mile oval at the Buchanan County Fairgrounds. Late models, modifieds, stock cars, northern sportmods and hobby stocks return under the IMCA banner for the upcoming season.

Weekly racing begins April 26 and will run weekly through season championship night on Aug. 23.

Sport compacts, which competed in Independence from June 2012 through 2013, will not return in 2014.

For the second straight year, the season will kickoff with the Open Wheel Shootout on April 18. The event features the Sprint Invaders Series. Joining the 360 sprints will be unsanctioned modifieds and sportmods.

The Deery Brothers Summer Series for IMCA Late Models makes its annual stop on July 1. IMCA sanctioned Northern sportmods and hobby stocks will join the nation's longest-running late model tour.

For the fourth straight year, the World of Outlaws Late Model Series will make an appearance at the speedway. IMCA sanctioned modifieds also will compete for a $1,000 winner's share during the July 24 event.

Lucas Oil MLRA Late Models will be making their first appearance in Independence. The $3,000-to-win event will join the weekly program on May 10. All weekly divisions also will be competing that evening.

In addition to special events for the late model and Modified divisions, all other weekly divisions will have the opportunity to compete for increased prize money during Saturday Showcase events. One Saturday a month from May through August, one division will be selected to compete for increased purse money during the weekly program. Stock cars, northern sportmods and hobby stocks will be featured during those events.

The Saturday Showcase will feature stock cars on May 24 and August 9, sportmods on June 21 and hobby stocks on July 12. All will be weekly points races.

The eighth annual Dick Frye Memorial will be held during the Buchanan County Fair on July 19.

The annual Indee Drivers' Day car show and test and tune are tentatively scheduled for April 12, pending the approval of the city council.

l For the latest speedway news, visit www.independencemotorspeedway.com or contact Clark at (319) 361-3795 or indeeracing@gmail.com