Season Championship night at the Boone Speedway

The craziness of Super Nationals was already evident when we arrived at the Boone Speedway Saturday night. The pits, camping areas and parking lots were already starting to resemble what announcer Jerry VanSickle calls "South Boone".  The population of Boone does grow substantially each and every year during Super Nationals and there was a good start on it showing already.

It was Season Championship night at the speedway---drawing to a close the regular season racing.  The top twenty cars on hand were locked into their features for each class, allowing only non-regular drivers that had raced there at least once during the season, to try and qualify through a consolation race.  Only two classes, the SportMods and the Stock Cars held B mains.

We always enjoy the on track driver introductions which allows fans to see the drivers in person, outside the car and sans their helmets.  Jerry V. provided a little entertaining banter one-on-one with some of those drivers, which also added to the entertainment.

The MADCRA Mod Lites ran first.  All classes ran extended features from the norm, the Mod Lites going 18 laps instead of their usual 15.  Josh May had things wrapped up for a track championship before the green flag even fell.  It was the guy in #95 car, Mike Kennedy that scooted off to the lead when that flag flew, and from there on, he never looked back.  He extended his lead in the caution free event, taking the checkers easily over second place May. Kennedy was racing with a heavy heart, as he had just lost his mother, winning one in her memory, no doubt.  Bryan Zehm was third, followed by Joel Keenan and Jeff Stensland to round out the top five.

The IMCA Hobby Stock track champion also had it all wrapped up before the race even began.  John Watson has had a remarkable second season in a row, with a dozen feature wins.  He also started his season off by taking the Frostbuster win.  Watson was only slowed a bit when a couple of early yellow flags flew, but had no trouble in maintaining his lead.  Aaron Rudolph chased Watson across the line to take second.
Third went to Curt Reed, fourth to Tyler Pickett and fifth was Dustin Lynch.

The Northern SportMod point leader also had little chance of loosing his lead, as Scott Davis held a 19 point lead going into the race.  The 20-lap race's first handful of laps had a good contest going between Davis, Nick Roberts and second in points, Eric Elliott.  Elliott's night ended when he exited the track a bit later.  The second half of the race continued with Davis leading and Roberts searching and searching for a way around him.  It wasn't to be for Roberts as he finished the race in the runner up spot behind winner and track champion, Scott Davis.  Third was Tim Love, Randy Roberts came from starting 17th on the grid to score a fourth place finish, and Cory Rose came from nearly that far back in the pack to take fifth.

Donavon Smith had his track championship in the bag before the start of the 20-lap IMCA Stock Car feature.  In the early going, you could throw a blanket over the top five or six cars; Smith leading, Trent Murphy in second and Wayne Gifford, Robert Stofer and Michael Murphy trying to better their positions.  Murphy was able to make the pass on Smith, taking over the helm.  Contact in turn four sent Smith having to gather it back under him, loosing several positions due to the incident, but able to continue on.  Murphy would then lengthen his lead, taking a comfortable win over second place, Robert Stofer.  As a note, earlier during an interview, we understood that Stofer has been racing for 25 years--a veteran racer for sure.  Michael Murphy, Trent's younger brother finished third, fourth went to Cory Bushnell and Eric Brown completed the top five.


The IMCA Modfieds were looking at 25-laps for their A main.  This one too had it's track champion already decided with Jammin' Jimmy Gustin taking the crown.  Gustin led the pack through the first seven laps, but it was the guy flying on the topside, Todd Shute taking over by lap eight.  Shute continued leading to the checkers, Gustin taking the runner up spot.  A points battle for second place was brewing between drivers Mike VanGenderen and Russ Dickerson who went into the night tied.  A second place finish in track points was going to be the deciding factor in which of the two would qualify for the Race of Champions next week at the Super Nationals.  Since Gustin had already been established as a track champion at Marshalltown Speedway, as well as qualifying as a former SNs winner, second place in points can get into the ROC contenders.  On this night, it was VanGenderen taking third over Dickerson in fourth and thus taking second place track points by ONE. Kelly Lyons finished in fifth.

Racing was done shortly after 10 p.m., but the track did not yet fall silent.  Drivers were allowed to hot lap and with some coming from far and wide, getting a chance to test the track.  Many of the drivers have far different surfaces where they race, so a chance to get on the black gumbo at Boone may have been a whole new experience for many.

We are anxious for the 30th annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals.  It is always an experience, and what we often tell people it is "a happening" that you cannot explain to them if they have not been there.  We plan to be there for the entire six-night run and look forward to not only the racing, but catching up with racing friends.  The first green flag is scheduled to drop for racing at 3 p.m. on Labor Day, and we can't wait.  Hope to catch up with some of you who take a peek at this blog now and then.  Stop us and say hello.  Happy racing!