It was yet another chilly night for fans sitting out at the Boone Speedway on Saturday night, but the action on the track was anything but. There was a repeat winner in the Modified and Mod Lite classes, while the Stock Car, SportMod and Hobby Stock saw drivers taking the checkers for the first time at the speedway. A race of another sorts entertained the crowd after the heat races were completed---crowning a "Racing Diva".
Before the night's features drew to the track, ten drivers were entered into "The Diva Dash"....a couple of drivers making it a "no show" on the start. The drivers were called to the front of the grandstands and presented with their "wheels" for the night----sparkly pink high heels! After a bit of testing out their new wheels, the drivers were sent to the track. As the green flag dropped, they made a mad dash on the frontstretch on their way to crossing the checkered flag. Cale Sponsler wiped out, and several drivers "threw a shoe", but in the end it was Hobby Stock driver Austin Luellen getting the accolades as being the first ever winner of the Diva Dash.
The first of the repeat winners on the year went to Mod Lite winner, Andy Hennigar. He had to catch and pass Mike Morrill who led most of the race. Hennigar took over the lead with just one lap to go, and took his second win at the track this season. Morrill finished in second, fending off third place finisher Josh May. Randy Bryan and Mike Kennedy followed in fourth and fifth. Hennigar is off to a great start as he has two wins at Boone as well as two wins at the Marshalltown Speedway.
The IMCA SportMod class saw the first new name in the books. Daniel Tasler led the entire 18-laps as he motored to the win. He was chased most of that distance by rookie to the class, Brandon Brinton, who finished a distance behind the winner. Third place went to Boone's Cory Rose, while fourth went to Tim Love after starting back in row seven. Rounding out the top five was Cody Hennings.
Drivers went at it fiercely in the 20-lap IMCA Modified main event. Kyle Brown would lead the first handful of laps until Jake Durbin put the move on and took over the helm. Former track champion Cale Sponsler was looking for more as he was soon in third. Durbin put some distance between himself and his competition as the laps wound down, but second was up for grabs between Brown and Sponsler. As the white flag flew, Sponsler slipped by Brown, taking over second, but it was a tight finish at the checkers as Brown fought back...falling just short, and having to be content with third. Fourth went to Jon Snyder and Matthew Meinecke hung around the front of the pack to score fifth.
The always entertaining IMCA Stock Cars were next on the agenda. Mike Goldsberry would lead the entire way in this one. Bryan Trogdon tormented the leader making attempt after attempt at the pass, but falling short each time. Craig Carlson started on the outside of the front row and hung tough in third, until twelfth place starter Donavon Smith passed him with three laps to go. As the white flew it was Goldsberry holding on but Trogdon and Smith were tight behind. Goldsberry hung tough and won the race and at the finish it was Smith getting the advantage over Trogdon as they went second and third. Fourth went to Carlson and Jerry Gifford rounded out the top five.
The finale for the evening was the 12-lap Hobby Stock feature. A driver who has been absent on the race scene for a couple of years, Paul Nagle from Nevada, would lead this one from start to finish. Nagle didn't let a couple of yellow flag situations bother him as he motored off on the restarts with Andrew Burg in tow. Burg pestered the leader but was never able to make the pass. When the final caution came out at lap eight, Brandon Pruitt moved up to take third place after the restart and began tracking down the leaders. Nagle never waivered in his final run to the checkers, taking his first win at Boone in several years. Second was a squeaker at the flag as Pruitt got the advantage and nosed out Burg as they went second and third. Curt Reed took fourth and Shannon Anderson came from the fifth row to take fifth.
Next Saturday, May 18 will be regular points racing in all five classes. It will also be a Halloween Costume contest on the grandstand side with prizes for best costume, fun games, and trick or treat stations set up for the kids. Hot laps are 6:45 and racing starts at 7:30. Happy racing!
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