The Boone Speedway was the scene for the annual Memorial Day Deery Brothers Late Model race on Monday. Twenty-five of the "Boys of Summer" contenders were on hand. Also on hand were the IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Northern SportMods, IMCA Hobby Stocks, and the Mod Lites. All classes were a draw/redraw format. A total of 151 cars filled the pits for some holiday racing.
There was a short delay in the program when a shower passed over the track before feature time. The track was quickly reworked in usual Boone fashion.....and things were back in business in less than 15 minutes.
The 40-lap Deery Brothers feature was run first. By lucky redraw, the front row starters were Scott Fitzpatrick and Justin Kay, both from Wheatland, Iowa. Fitzpatrick got the drop on Kay as the race started, and was still in charge when a yellow flew at lap ten. Kay had stuck close to the leader, and when the race restarted, he was able to grab the lead from Fitzpatrick. By the halfway mark Kay continued to be in command, but now Richie Gustin had made his way from starting seventh, and into second place. Just a couple of laps later, and a rim-riding Jeff Aikey was up to third and pressuring Gustin. When a yellow flew at lap 37, Aikey had the drop on both Kay and Gustin, but the restart was called back.,,,giving the lead back to Kay, Gustin in second and Aikey realigned in third. The order remained the same when thing picked back up, but then another caution came out with just a lap remaining. This would set up a green-white-checkered dash to the finish line. Kay was able to keep hold of the top spot for the mad race to the checkers, and scored the victory. Aikey got around Gustin in the closing moments, to score second; Gustin going third. Fourth went to eleventh place starter Tyler Droste, and Ray Guss, Jr. was fifth.
The Mod Lites made their regular Memorial Day appearance and ran a 20-lap feature. This one was led start to finish by Mike Morrill. Finishing a distance behind in second was Josh May. Third went to Joel Keenan, fourth was Josh May and Charlie Brown rounded out the top five.
The IMCA Northern SportMods did what none of the other classes pulled off.....they ran the entire 20-laps of their feature without a caution. This one was mainly a two-car race between front row starters Doug Smith and Brandon Williams. Williams snatched the lead as the green flew and Smith tucked in on his tail. This continued for 19 of the 20 laps. Somehow, Smith was able to make the pass as the two raced down the backstretch on the final go around, and beat Williams to the checkers and the win. Williams had to be content with the runner up spot, third went to Tim Love, fourth to visiting racer Nate Whitehurst and Jonathan Logue rounded out the top five.
Chris Pruitt and Jay Schmidt were the lucky redraw recipients of the front row for the 20-lap IMCA Stock Car A main. Schmidt got the drop on Pruitt as the green flew. He would then lead the entire race "out in front and gone", taking the comfortable win. Donavon Smith battled past Brandon Pruitt in the latter portion of the race as they finished second and third respectively. Fourth went to Chris Pruitt and Wayne Gifford took fifth. Schmidt was fresh off his Saturday night victory at Boone.
The night ending feature was in the IMCA Hobby Stocks. They ran a 15-lap feature. Andrew Burg got to the lead at lap five, and never relinquished it on his way to the winner's circle. John Watson flew by cars from his sixteenth starting spot to finish as the runner up. Cody Gustoff finished third, fourth went to Tim Barber and Shaun Wirtz took fifth.
There was lightning all around as the races ended a bit before the 9 o'clock hour and as we left the track, we ran into wet roadways not far to the east. Regular Saturday night racing continues on May 30 when hot laps start at 6:45 and racing begins at 7:30.
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