There were a lot of things going on at the Boone Speedway on Saturday night besides the regular racing. That alone was plenty enough as 152 cars filled the pits. The Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks made their first ever appearance at the track, there was a chassis challenge race, some fun things for the youngsters to partake in, prizes for the fans, plus STEAK SANDWICHES. It was billed as a "Pre-Super Nationals Blowout". The nice crowd on hand got to witness two first time winners at the track this year, and all while enjoying a beautiful night at the track.
Before any heat races were begun, the Victory Chassis versus Harris Auto Special Modified challenge was held. There were five Victory and five Harris cars pitted against one another. The chosen participating drivers were called to the frontstretch and a "pick your starting spot frisbee" determined their starting position in the 10-lap shoot out. There was $1,000 waiting for the winner of the race with each lap leader getting the money raised for that lap in addition. Randy Havlik got the jump from outside the front row at the drop of the green and from there on, started counting the money. Jimmy Gustin gave it a good shot trying to overtake Havlik but fell short. Havlik, according to my calculations and jotting down the amount announced for each lap, should have earned Havlik a total of $1,360. Not bad for a quick 10-lap run.
They ran the Hobby Stock feature first as they have done for the last few weeks. It went the distance caution free. Michael Powell from Norwalk was the driver in charge for the first eight laps. He was holding back Andy Coffman, his front row starting partner. It wasn't long until Shannon Anderson came into the picture...moving quickly up from his sixth row starting spot. Anderson got to second and pressured the leader, and then soon took over the helm at lap nine. Anderson then motored off, putting a good distance between himself and second place. Anderson scored the easy win, his seventh of the year. Last week's winner, Matt Sorenson made a late race rally, coming from sixteenth to score the runner up spot. Powell held on to take third place, Andy Coffman was fourth and Eric Stanton was fifth. It appears that Anderson and Stanton are now tied for the point lead, if my unofficial calculations are correct.
The MADCRA Mod Lites looked to be having a new winner as Joel Keenan led the troops after getting around Travis Stensland at lap seven. Don't count out Josh May though. May raced through the field from starting twelfth to take over the runner up spot with just three laps to go. May peeked to the outside those last three laps, and as the cars approached the checkers, he made it stick---snatching the win at the flagstand by mere inches. Third place finisher was Bryan Zehm, who had started along side the winner back in row six, Stensland held on to score fourth and Randy Bryan took the fifth spot. May added to his comfortable point lead.
Eleven of the Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks ran a 15-lap feature. This was the first time ever for the Trucks being on the Boone Speedway. They are scheduled for another appearance on August 24. Bret Moyer got the drop on Pat Fagen as the green flew, taking the lead. Fagen fought back and secured the top spot at lap three, but then a slip allowed Moyer to get back around for the lead, Brad Moyer and Rick Clark doing the same. Moyer had little trouble in going the rest of the distance for the checkers. His brother Brad Moyer was scored in second, third was Clark, Pat Fagen held on for fourth and Tony Moro was fifth. The rest of the field was Carl Knight, Carl Moyer, Ed Nelson, Lou Sipolt, Bryan Nevins, Jr., and Allen Govig.
Michael Murphy held the lead for much of the 18-laps of the IMCA Northern SportMod feature. He withstood a couple of yellow flag restarts that found Randy Roberts knocking at the door in second. Roberts peeked inside for a way around the leader but it was with just two laps remaining that things got all changed up. The leaders came upon a lap car that lost control of his ride, and in doing so, collected both Murphy and Roberts in the process. On the restart, it was Tyler Musselman that had inherited the lead. Musselman held tight to that lead and scored the win...his first at Boone this season, and what may have been his first ever win at the track. Cody Hennings, who just two weeks ago was involved in a scary roll over that totaled his car, was back at the wheel in his old car, and took the runner up spot. Johnathon Logue put his 69jr car in the third spot, fourth was Eric Elliott, who had started eleventh, and rounding out the top five was Paul Nagle. Elliott holds a comfortable lead in the point standings.
The Modifieds got right after it in their 20-lapper. Three cars thrilled the crowd in the first half of the race as they fought for the lead. Kelly Lyons, Russ Dickerson, and Jake Durbin circled the track in a tight bunch. Lyons was the leader except for a brief moment when Durbin took the helm, only to have Lyons regain it again. Meanwhile, Dickerson had chosen the high road, and was intent on making up ground with his momentum "upstairs". Things were changing quickly as Durbin got the lead back at lap thirteen, only to have Dickerson make that topside work and snatch it from him a bit later. Meanwhile, the #87 of Joel Bushore was up to challenge, and took over second after starting dead last in twentieth spot, Durbin settled in to third and Kelly Lyons dropped to the infield and out of the race. Dickerson liked riding the rim and sailed home to the checkers first, Bushore could do no better than second on this night, and Durbin held on to score third. Jimmy Gustin, after having a flat and going to the pits for a tire change, came charging back through the field in his usual form and beat out Kyle Brown at the checkers as they went fourth and fifth. This was Dickerson's first win at the track in 2013. Gustin still maintains a comfortable point lead over Dickerson.
The night concluded with the 18-lap IMCA Stock Car feature. This one had several yellows flying throughout the race. Early leader Andy Bryant was off the pace at lap two, handing the front spot over to Gary Bass. He was holding back Butch Bass (not sure of the relationship but would guess brothers. Anyone?) and Mike Goldsberry. A final yellow at lap fourteen for debris would be the ticket for Goldsberry as he grabbed the lead on the restart. Goldsberry stretched his lead and went home to the checkers flying first. Things got changed up behind him a bit as Josh Daniel gunned it by Bass in the final couple of laps to score a runner up finish, and Trent Murphy did the same to take third after starting fourteenth. Gary Bass held on to score fourth and Jay Schmidt's "Black Betty" had to settle for fifth tonight after starting back in twelfth. This was Goldsberry's second win at Boone this year. A check of the points shows that Trent Murphy continues to hold a nice lead over Donavon Smith in the points chase.
I'm more than a little blurry eyed this morning after a late night. Races were completed at five minutes before the bewitching hour and with our drive home and doing a recap, I hit the bed just before 3:30 this morning! Can't complain though as we enjoyed another night of racing and the weather was great,----as were the steak sandwiches! We are taking tonight off and then head to the Independence Motor Speedway on Monday for the World of Outlaws Late Models as they join the Hawkeye Dirt Tour for IMCA Modifieds. Fingers are crossed that Mother Nature doesn't throw a fit and spoil the fun. Find a race somewhere to enjoy to support our shared interest in the great sport of dirt track racing. Happy racing!
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