When we left to head to the Boone Speedway yesterday afternoon, the skies looked ominous in that direction. A check of radar did not look good and we ran into rain on Highway 30 as we headed west. However, there appeared to be a gap in the storm cell system, right about Boone. Yup, the skies parted, not a drop of rain fell at the track, and Saturday night racing went on as usual. The racing was top notch too...one feature determined by just inches. The Hobby Stock and Mod Lite classes had first time winners for 2014, while the Modified, Stock Car and SportMod had returning winners to victory lane.
The Mod Lite feature didn't start off well. Lap three brought out a red flag when Mike Morrill flipped over in turn four, but thankfully unhurt. In fact, they flipped him back over, and he tagged the tail for the restart. Terry Brown led from the beginning with brother Charlie Brown tight on his rear. The two "spooky clown cars" (take a look at their graphics some time) were putting up quite a battle until Charlie Brown was suddenly off power going down the back stretch; unable to exit the track, and bringing out a yellow with just two laps remaining. Terry Brown was holding the point position, but he had company with Jimmy May, Andy Hennigar, Travis Stensland and Josh May all hungry for the restart. The green-white-checkered finish was a dandy, with a 4-wide battle on the final lap. Terry Brown won the war, and took the win, Jimmy May taking the runner up spot. Hennigar finished third, Josh May was fourth and Travis Stensland rounded out the top five. I believe this to be Terry Brown's first win ever at the Boone Speedway.
The SportMod feature somehow avoided a near disaster at lap two when a huge domino pile up occurred entering turn two. Surprisingly, all cars continued on except one, bringing out a yellow. On the restart, Lynn Brockett slipped by leader Josh Steele, the St. Joe, Missouri driver who has been running at the track weekly, and Randy Roberts and Ben Kates followed suit around Steele as well. Roberts put a little too much "umph" in it coming out of turn four, sliding sideways and another yellow flew. When the race restarted once again, Ben Kates put his foot in it and got around Brockett, taking over the lead. In the waning laps, Kates pulled away from the field and scored the easy victory. Brockett held down second over a hard charging Doug Smith in third. Brandon Williams came from fourteenth starting spot to capture fourth, and late arrival, Carter VanDenBerg (who pulled in just in time to tag the A feature) flew through the field to take fifth. This was Kates' second win for the regular season, also having won the Frostbuster special.
The 20-lap Modified feature was a jim-dandy at the finish. Joel Bushore took the initial lead over David Brown but his night ended at lap three when he exited the track. Brown was now in command, now being chased by none other than veteran racer John Logue. Jon Snyder was also on the move, as was the Flying Dutchman, Mike VanGenderen, as they chased Logue. Logue made the pass for the lead around Brown just before a final yellow flew at lap seventeen for Lloyd Henderson's machine dead in the water between turns one and two. This set up a shoot out for the final three circuits! Snyder got past Brown with a lap to go to take over second and the dash to the checkers found Jammin' Jimmy Gustin, who started eleventh on the starting grid, squirt past Brown to snatch third. Mike VanGenderen, who had been with the front runners most of the race, took fifth place behind Brown's fourth place finish. Logue snared his second win of the season at Boone.
The IMCA Stock Cars produced another exciting race, the winner being decided at the stripe by mere inches! The #02 of Mike Goldsberry jumped to the lead on the start, hiking his left front as he circled the track. Josh Daniels quickly made his way into second and when a yellow flew at lap seven, Jerry Gifford was running third after starting in twelfth place. A few laps later, Gifford made the pass for the lead. Another caution came out at lap twelve, Gifford at the point position, Daniels in second, followed by Goldsberry and Jay Schmidt was running fourth after starting fourteenth. Schmidt had been flying around the topside, going where others weren't venturing. In the closing laps, Schmidt snatched the runner up spot and the scenario was set for a dash to the finish to determine the winner! At the finish line, Gifford took the win...by inches, Schmidt having to settle for second. Daniels held on to score third over Goldsberry and Donavon Smith took fifth. Gifford won for the second time this year at the track.
Several yellows flew in the last feature of the night, the 12-lap IMCA Hobby Stock main event. Ross Marshall held down the lead as Michael Leffler gave chase through the halfway point. Leffler made the move into the lead at lap eight, when the fourth and final caution flew. Waiting in the wings on the restart running third, was John Watson and Eric Stanton in fourth. Watson picked off second spot from Marshall a lap later and over took Leffler on the final lap, scoring the win. Shannon Anderson took advantage of the late restart situation and moved up to take second after running sixth on the restart at lap eight. Leffler held on to score a third place finish, Stanton was fourth and Ross Marshall completed the top five.
At intermission and farming time, several drivers agreed to come to the front stretch, don pink high heeled shoes, and run a foot race....a "Diva Dash". Derek Hodges, the driver of the #77 Hobby Stock won the dash down the front stretch. His reward....a tiara, bouquet of flowers and a pink boa! It was an entertaining time for the Mother's Day crowd where all the mothers were handed a carnation as they entered through the grandstand gates.
As I write this on Sunday, there is much rain and rumbling outside, warnings on television of possible dangerous storms in the area, and we've received word that Vinton, Stuart and Mason City have all canceled their racing programs for tonight. We are crossing our fingers that things will clear up in the coming week as we have plans to head to the Benton County Speedway in Vinton on Tuesday night for the first Hawkeye Dirt Tour of the year and to the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa for their regular Wednesday night show.
Thanks for reading, and happy racing!
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