Logue scores at Boone

Saturday night's racing program at the Boone Speedway beat Mother Nature, its program finishing just before the rain.  John Logue, who has seen many victories over the years, once again took the checkers in the IMCA Modified division. Wayne Gifford got his second win of the season in the IMCA Stock Car class, as did Randy Roberts in the IMCA Northern SportMods.  John Watson got the win in the IMCA Hobby Stock class and it was Bryan Zehm getting win number three in the Mod Lite's.

The 15-lap Mod Lite feature kicked off the feature racing.  Early leader was Angelo Montgomery, but his good luck ended at lap twelve.  He found himself in a tangle with another car, and ended up rolling over in corner two.  He was okay, but his night ended.  When things resumed, Bryan Zehm was the recipient of the top spot, which he kept the rest of the way to the checkers.  Joe Glick took the runner up position over visiting Missouri racer Ed Griggs in third.  Fourth went to Cory Dennis and Joel Keenan was fifth.  Zehm, who started eighth, captured his third feature of the year.

John Watson came away with his first feature of the season in the IMCA Hobby Stocks.  Watson came from ninth starting spot, to take the checkers first.  Second place was awarded to Tyson Overton, who started sixth,  and third place went to Brandon Pitts.  Pitts, who had led the entire race until the final corner, was sent backwards due to contact with another car, and that driver was penalized for that contact.....scored last.   Fourth went to Seth Janssen, and thirteenth place starter, Dustin Graham, rounded out the top five. Thank goodness for transponders, when a race ends like that at the finish line.  

It took a couple of restarts in the 18-lap IMCA Northern SportMod feature, before the race got under way.  When it did, Randy Roberts wasted no time in getting to the front from his eleventh starting position.  He took command of the ship at lap three and never looked back on his way to the win.  Johnathan Logue made it all the way to second from starting twenty-third.  Last week's winner Brandon Williams, took third after starting thirteenth.  Fourth went to eleventh place starter Jake McBirnie, and Adam Shelman completed the top five.  Roberts won for the second time in 2016.

The IMCA Modified 20-lap feature came next.  John Logue jumped immediately to the lead from his outside front row starting spot.  He took his ride to the topside and kept his momentum there, leading all laps to the finish and the win.  Twelfth place starter, and current point leader, Mike VanGenderen, finished a close second.  Right behind was Jimmy Gustin, who came from eleventh, to finish third.  Fourth went to twentieth place starter, Ricky Thornton, Chandler, Arizona driver who calls Iowa his summer home, and Joel Bushore finished fifth.  As a note, it sounds like this will be John Logue's final season competing behind the wheel.  

The night's racing action ended with the 18-lap IMCA Stock Car feature, and they gave the fans their usual exciting finish.  Wayne Gifford claimed the lead at lap four and was pulling away until pesky yellows reared their ugly heads.  This bunched the field for the restarts and soon gave Gifford some hot competition.  Tyler Pickett drew close to the rear of Gifford, and was eager for the restart when the final caution came out with just two laps remaining.  Lurking in third was Jay Schimidt, who had a bumper cover flying in the wind, and also close at hand was last week's winner, Donavon Smith.  Gifford managed to hang on the final two laps for the win, just beating out Jay Schmidt in second.  Tyler Picket took third over Matthew West in fourth and fourteenth place starter, Trent Murphy, finished in fifth.  

Gifford put it in victory lane for the second time this year.

The sky was dark most of the evening, but the clouds grew much darker just as the features began.  It was just a few sprinkles when the final feature, the Stock Cars took to the track.   But by the time the race was completed and we headed to the car, it became much heavier, and it would have halted the racing action.  Ironically, just a few miles from the track, the pavement was dry.  

Next up at the Speedway is the annual Memorial Day IMCA Deery Brothers Late Model show on Monday, May 30.  Grandstands will open at 3pm, hot laps are 4pm and racing is 5pm.  Also on the docket are the IMCA Stock Cars, IMCA Northern SportMods, and IMCA Hobby Stocks, running for all applicable points.

Regular Saturday night racing then returns on June 2, with hot laps at 6:45 and racing at 7:30.

Enjoy the rest of your Memorial Day weekend.  Be safe and remember the reason for the holiday.