Anyone that came to the Boone Speedway last night, got more than their money's worth of racing. The pits were packed with 156 race cars and the bonus of three make up features provided for a full night of some excellent racing. The Stock Car class saw a driver go home with two wins for the night, while three other drivers grabbed their first wins at the Speedway this season.
Things kicked off with the three make up features from last week. Mother Nature had intervened during the running of the Hobby Stock feature, six laps into their A main, and the Stock Car and Modified features were yet to be run as well.
Eric Stanton was the leader at the six lap mark in the Hobby Stock make up feature. He had no trouble in maintaining that lead the remaining six laps to the checkers. He was the first feature winner of the night, taking the comfortable win over Korbin Nourse in the runner up spot. Third was Kevin Derry, John Watson was fourth and Brandon Pitts was fifth. Stanton marked his third trip to the winner's circle this year.
Veteran racer Robert Avery snared his second win of the year, winning the make up feature for the IMCA Modifieds. Avery led all twenty laps in his win. He beat another veteran racer, Denny Pittman, "all the way from Jamaica (Iowa)", who was second. Third went to Eric Elliott, fourth to Russ Dickerson and Joel Bushore was fifth.
The final make up feature was the 18-lap IMCA Stock Car A main. Front row starters, Lonnie Hodges and Ben Wadling duked it out during the early portion of the race. Terry Pruitt quickly got to the third spot and was soon challenging for the lead. He moved to the runner up spot shortly, and kept dogging leader Hodges, peeking to the inside. His persistence paid off with three laps to go, taking command of the race---keeping it to the finish line and the win. Rookie IMCA National point leader in the Stock Car division, Tyler Pickett worked his way from eighth starting spot, to take the runner up position. Hodges held on to score third place, fourth went to tenth place starter, Trent Murphy, and track point leader Jay Schmidt finished fifth after starting eleventh on the grid. This was Pruitt's second win of the season at Boone.....but, he wasn't done yet!
The track was "farmed" after the make up features, prepping for the upcoming seventeen heats and seven B mains coming for the night's regular racing program.
The Mod Lites ran the first regular night's feature. They kicked things off by running their 15-lap feature, caution free. Randy Bryan put his #64 into Victory Lane for the very first time this season, leading all but the opening laps, pulling away from the competition, and taking the comfortable win. Following a good distance behind him in second, was point leader Josh May. Third went to early leader Cory Dennis, who had rolled his car last week on the front stretch, fourth was Joe Glick and Kevin Grisham was fifth.
Brandon Williams won the 18-lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature. He had to tussle with Cory Rose to get the job done however. Williams grabbed the lead at lap fourteen after the two ran side by side for numerous laps. Rose held on to finish second, Jonathan Logue started tenth and ran down the leaders, but had to be content with third place. Fourth went to Rookie Cory Pestotnik and Doug Smith came from starting eleventh, to finish fifth. This was Williams' second win this year.
In the 12-lap IMCA Hobby Stock main event, it was John Watson taking the win. He had to pass Brandon Pitts to take over the lead at lap ten, and would hold it the remaining two laps to the finish. Seth Janssen finished as the runner up, Aaron Rudolph finished third after starting tenth, fourth went to point leader Eric Stanton, and Matt McDonald rounded out the top five. Earlier leader Pitts got shuffled back when being pushed high in turn two after the restart for a caution at lap nine, and finished sixth. Surprisingly, this was John Watson's first win at the track this year.
Dustin Smith, the Lake City driver, one of the racing brothers from that area, made his first trip to Boone last week, returned and went home with a win under his belt in the IMCA 20-lap Modified A main. He battled with his front row starting partner, Nick Roberts until he was able to take command at lap thirteen. From there on, he kept hold of the coveted #1 spot, all the way to secure his first win at the track. Make up feature winner, Robert Avery had a good night, finishing second. Third was Roberts, Jon Snyder took fourth and Russ Dickerson came from starting tenth, to finish in fifth.
The final feature, the 18-lap IMCA Stock Car feature, was nearly a repeat performance from the make up feature. It was Lonnie Hodges and Ben Wadling duking it out in the first portion of the race, Wadling establishing the lead at lap ten. He had company close at hand however, as Terry Pruitt was now on his tail after passing Hodges. Pruitt looked under Wadling for a way around, finally making it pay off with two laps remaining. He held tight to the lead the rest of the way to the checkers, sealing his second win of the night....his third of the season. Wadling finished as the runner up, eleventh place starter, "Hot" Rod Richards made a late race surge to finish third, fourth went to sixteenth place starter, Trent Murphy, and point leader Jay Schmidt raced his machine all the way from starting twenty-second, to take a top five. He continues his point lead.
There were a lot of traveling drivers checked into the pits last evening. Some that had already had their season end at their home tracks and some that had started their "Racing Vacation" early, coming from as far away as California and Oregon and planning to stay for the upcoming 33rd Annual IMCA Super Nationals. I counted at least two dozen drivers making their first appearance at the track last night.
Next Saturday is another regular night at the Boone Speedway. Hot laps are 6:45 and racing at 7:30.
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