Snyder snags Modifieds, and it's three-in-a-row for Wieben in the SportMods

We hit the trail west again on Saturday, making our way to the Boone Speedway.  It was finally a Saturday night that was free of rain around the state.  The racing action was it's usual fast and furious, the mothers entering the stands got a flower for Mother's Day, and a "Diva Dash" saw some drivers, officials and the announcer, don a pair of pink high heels and sprint down the track in front of the grandstand.

Feature racing kicked off after the farming session and after the above mentioned "Diva Dash" (more on that later) with the Mod Lite 15-lapper.  Pole sitter Joel Huggins got the drop on Terry Brown, taking the lead immediately.  Huggins enjoyed being the leader until lap nine when Brown made contact going into corner one, and they both came to a rest.  All this happened just as the yellow flew for a car sitting dead in the water at the opposite end of the track.  The rule, "if you are stopped under a yellow, you go to the tail" was implemented, and both front runners were relegated to the back for the restart.  Bryan Zehm, who had been running third, inherited the point as the race resumed with Jimmy May sitting in second and readying for the chase.  The two had shared victories the previous two weeks and you just knew each was wanting a repeat.  May seized his opportunity as the race went green, getting around Zehm as they went down the back chute.  May would then hold tight to the coveted spot and take the win.....repeating his April 25th victory.  A driver who has been having some good runs lately, the #17 of Cory Sauerman was able to get around Zehm in the final laps, and then pressured May, but fell short of more than second place.  Zehm finished third, Joel Keenan was fourth and Charlie Brown was fifth.

It was an exciting conclusion to the 18-lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature.  Early leader Brian Eppert lost that top spot after a restart at lap six, when Andy Tiernan flew to the lead, bringing the previous two week's winner, Dysart, Iowa driver Sam Wieben with him.  Tiernan stretched out his lead until a yellow flew at lap fifteen----and on the restart it was a fight to the finish between the two. Wieben managed to slip under Tiernen as lap seventeen was scored and would keep that lead to the checkers.  Tiernan had to be satisfied with the runner up spot, Jerry Hinton finished third, fourth went to eighteenth starter Doug Smith, and Jake McBirnie completed the top five.  Winner Wieben had started twelfth on the grid and made it to the winner's circle for the third week in a row.  

Andrew "the Burglar" Burg, went to victory lane with a comfortable win in the IMCA Hobby Stock feature.  Burg grabbed the lead by lap three and pulled away from the field in scoring his first win at Boone this season.  Solomon Bennett took the bridesmaid spot, while Aaron Rudolph was third and last week's winner Chad Legere was fourth.  John Watson started twelfth and took fifth place.  This race had a scary moment at lap two when the #00 of Kyle Dirks sent his machine into a wild nose flip against the front stretch wall, landing upside down just past the flagstand.  Everyone was thankful to see him emerge from the car, and okay.  

The IMCA Modified's 20-lap feature came next.  Jon Snyder quickly took to his usual top side racing style, swinging around Josh Truman and snatching the lead at lap two.  Snyder never relinquished that lead the remaining way to the win.  Last week's winner, Richie Gustin was reeling in Snyder in the final laps, but never threatened the leader, and had to settle for second place.   Joel Bushore was third, fourth was "Jammin" Jimmy Gustin who had started twelfth on the grid, and veteran racer John Logue was fifth.  Early leader Truman came home in sixth.  

The Class too Tough to Tame, the IMCA Stock Cars was the closing act in their 18-lap main event. Jay Schmidt got under early leader Robert Stofer at lap four, but had to give it another try just before lap six was scored, finally making the move pay off and taking command.  Schmidt would then keep hold of the top spot, stretching his lead and take the comfortable win.  Stofer just held off Trent Murphy in the waning moments, as they finished second and third.  Fourth through sixth went to a trio of Pruitt's.....Chris in fourth, Brandon in sixth and Terry in sixth.  

Now back to the laughable entertainment after the heats and B's were completed.  It's been an annual running of a "Diva Dash" for the last few years.  This is when several drivers....not sure if they volunteered or were volunteered/recruited, along with flagman Nick Breuklander, a subbing official for the night, Grant Oskvig, and announcer Jerry Vansickel, donned the pink stilettos.  They then "dashed" down the front stretch in front of the fans.  Most "threw" a shoe or two and there was some  pushing and shoving between Vansickel and Oskvig, who were left to finish last.  I couldn't tell you who the driver was that managed to take the "win", but we noted he was presented with a bouquet of flowers and then immediately sprinted across the infield....no high heels....and hurried to get ready for his feature race.

Next Saturday night is deemed "Armed Forces Night", when it will once again be racing in all five divisions.  Hot laps are 6:45 and racing at 7:30.

We have already been receiving text messages that tracks are canceling their racing for tonight...all due to the predicted storm forecast.  We know for sure that Mason City, Stuart...who I believe has yet to get their first race of the season in, and Vinton have all canceled.  Be safe everyone.