The craziness had already begun when we arrived at the Boone Speedway on Saturday. The pits were filled, more kept arriving, and the camping area was filling up. Boone South, as it's called this time of year, was springing up.
This was the first year for "The Prelude to the Super Nationals". It's been a yearly thing for drivers to arrive by the Saturday prior to Super Nationals, that always begins on Labor Day. Usually, that Saturday is season championship night, and those drivers without having points during the season at Boone, could not run, but only hot lap. This year, season championships had wound up back on August 29, and the Prelude was flung wide open. The IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods and Hobby Stocks were all on tap. When all was said and done, it was Iowa drivers taking all the wins.
Sixty-four IMCA Hobby Stocks ran. Six heats and three B mains later and it was time to roll out the 20-lap feature. Ironically, the track champion Eric Stanton drew the outside front row to start and from there on, he would be the guy at the helm the entire distance, and took the win. Adam Armstrong out of Beatrice, Nebraska tailed Stanton all those 20-laps and finished second. Two more Boone regulars, John Watson and Tyson Overton were third and fourth. Jeremy Wegner from Graettinger was fifth. The race went flag-to-flag.
Seventy-five IMCA Northern SportMods vied for a spot to run their 20-lap A main. Ten heats and four B mains determined its starting line up. Sam Wieben led the early portion with Danny Dvorak giving him fits. Dvorak took over after a slip up by Wieben and Doug Smith then made his way up to make a charge on the leader. Smith got the job done with a few laps remaining and sailed home to the win. Wieben made a recovery to take a shot at Smith on the final lap, but had to be content with the runner up spot. Nick Meyer came home in third, fourth went to Minot, North Dakota driver Erik Laudenschlager and Sherill, Iowa's Tyler Soppe was fifth.
The 48 IMCA Stock Cars were weeded down to a 24 car starting field for their main event, through six heats and three B mains. This one turned into a three-car race for the most part. Jason Minnehan grabbed the immediate lead from his outside front row starting position and looked strong. By lap nine, eleventh place starter Trent Murphy was riding his bumper and the Chelsea Charger, Damon Murty had been picking off cars left and right, running high on the track. He had moved to third from starting deep in the field in eighteenth. The 25-lap race would end with Murphy pulling away to take the comfortable win. Minnehan finished second, Murty in third. Fourth went to Rod Richards and fifth to Brandon Pruitt.
Many IMCA Modified drivers chose to begin their Racin' Vacation by running the $1,000 to win 25-lap feature. Some also chose to just watch.Vinton's Scott Hogan was one we observed sitting in the grandstands. Ninety Modifieds ran, which took ten heats and seven B mains to ready the feature.
Scott Davis took command from his pole starting spot when the race went green. With a handful of laps in the books, Davis had Kyle Brown hot on his tail. Brown set his ride high on the track and kept digging and digging, finally make the pass at lap sixteen. The final few circuits, Brown had Todd Shute making every attempt to get around him, but Brown slammed the door. The double checkers went to Brown and Shute finished a close second. Mike VanGenderen had been an early contender for a top spot, but a spin in turn four set him back many positions. He made a remarkable recovery to finish third. Fourth was Scott Davis and Arizona driver, Tim Ward rounded out the top five.
Let the party begin! As I write, the pre tech is already going on at the Boone Speedway. Tomorrow is the start of the 7 day IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals....the 33rd annual. This is a must on our calendar every year, having made all 28 years it has been held at Boone. We tell people who have never experienced the Super Nationals, they should at least see it once. The cars, the drivers, the fans! Expect at least 800 cars from far and wide. Can't wait! Gotta go pack!
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