After a week's postponement, the Frostbuster at the Boone Speedway is finally in the books. Saturday, with an early starting time of 5 p.m. for racing, the show wrapped up by 8:20 p.m. The weather was still not a pleasant night to be sitting outside, but the crowd that was on hand saw some excellent racing. There were 121 cars checked in to vie for a Frostbuster win in the IMCA Modified, Stock Car, SportMod and Hobby Stock classes.
The SportMod had 32 cars competing. A B main had to be run to complete the final four starting spots. That win went to Randy Roberts, who had been the winner the previous night at the Marshalltown Speedway Frostbuster.
In the A feature, Doug Smith got by initial leader Robert Moore at lap three, to take the top spot and it appeared then that he would be a runaway winner. However, Jake McBirnie had other thoughts in his head. He slowly and methodically began reeling in the leader, weaving in and out of the lap traffic that they encountered. It was a game changer when a yellow flew with two laps remaining in the 20-lap feature, drawing McBirnie to the rear spoiler of Smith. Smith took the white flag with McBirnie on his tail. As often can be the case, that fateful last corner was the nemesis for Smith, as McBirnie made the inside pass, beating him to the checkers and taking the win. Smith had to settle for the runner up spot. Crete, Nebraska driver, Brandon Spanjer came from eighth starting spot to finish in third place, fourth went to early leader Robert Moore and Randy Roberts started twenty-first to make it to a top five finish.
Thirty IMCA Hobby Stocks were on hand which called for a B main in their class. Chad Legere won that consy race. Shannon Anderson got to the front of the 15-lap A feature early, from his fourth starting spot, passing John Watson for the lead. He never looked back from there on. A caution flag with a lap to go, set up a green-white-checkered finish and with Watson on his tail, an interesting finish was anticipated. Watson had nothing for him however, and Anderson took the victory...Watson going second. Ninth place starter, Solomon Bennett finished third, fourth was Vinton, Iowa's Justin Wacha, and Eric Stanton, who had destroyed his car at the Frostbuster in Oskaloosa back on March 30, had a different ride, and finished fifth.
Thirty-two IMCA Modifieds were hungry for a chance at the $1,000 to win, Fast Shafts Qualifier. They too had to run a B main to complete the 25-lap 24-car starting field in the A main. Joel Rust was the winner of that B. Blue Grass, Iowa's Mitch Morris was the lucky pill recipient for the pole of the feature, with Nick Roberts sitting along side. It was a "no go" situation when the race initially went green, as cars piled up just out of corner two. When the race did start, Nick Roberts grabbed the lead, only to have another caution come out with just one lap in the books. Another yellow would follow at lap two. Lap three found Jimmy Gustin at the helm, and when yet another yellow flew at lap five, the field of cars just could not seem to get their racing rhythm. When things picked back up, the car on the move had been the 20RT of Ricky Thornton, Jr. who had started eleventh. He challenged Gustin, looking high, then low, making it pay off by lap eleven, establishing the lead. Two more yellows would rear their ugly heads on laps 12 and 14, Thornton still holding fast to the top spot, and Gustin still trailing him. When action went green after the lap fourteen caution, it was Gustin and fifth place starter Mike VanGenderen dueling it out for the runner up spot. VanGenderen gained the upper hand at lap sixteen, and would then wage a thankless task of trying to reel in Thornton. Thornton went on to the checkers and the win, VanGenderen going second. Gustin held third place. Another interesting scenario had also been going on in the race as the familiar #69 that is usually piloted by John Logue, had the High Side Tickler, Kyle Strickler behind the wheel. He moved from the sixteenth starting spot, to finish in fourth place with an impressive run. Kyle Brown, who had won the Southern Iowa Speedway and the Marshalltown Speedway Frostbusters, finished in fifth, from his eighth place starting spot with an ill handling car due to a front right toe out.
Twenty-seven IMCA Stock Cars came to play on the chilly Saturday. Only 22 cars were able to start their 20-lap feature due to attrition in the heats. Trent Murphy led the field from the pole position, but he had company with Norm Chesmore challenging. Chesmore made the pass for the lead, and now it was ninth place starter Jay Schmidt already dueling Murphy for second. Laps six and seven found Schmidt in second place and putting the heat on leader Chesmore. An easy swing to the outside on lap seven put Schmidt into the lead by the time lap eight was scored. From there on, it was clear sailing for the defending track champion, who went on to the comfortable win. Murphy finished in second, while Chesmore fell back a bit to score a third place finish. Fourth went to eleventh place starter, Donavon Smith, and Carroll, Iowa's, Adam Klocke came home in fifth. Schmidt was a happy camper, pleased with his new chassis ride this year.
Sunday will be the fourth and final Frostbuster Series race scheduled at the Benton County Speedway in Vinton. As of 11 a.m., the races are still on as a text was just received saying it was dry there, no rain, and the track was ready to go. Hot laps are 5 p.m., with racing to follow. We shall see if Mother Nature let's this one get in, as we have rain right now.
The season opener is next week at the Boone Speedway. Please note that there are early starting times for the month of April. Hot laps are 5:45 and racing at 6:30.
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