Sunday, July 10, 2016

Bushore and Rudolph pick up first wins at Boone

Three new drivers found their way to victory lane at the Boone Speedway on Saturday night and two were repeat winners.  Joel Bushore captured his first win of the season in the IMCA Modified division, Aaron Rudolph made it win #1 in the IMCA Hobby Stocks, and Josh May went to the winner's circle for the first time in the Mod Lite class. Repeat winners were Jake McBirnie in the IMCA Modified's, and Tyler Pickett captured his second ever IMCA Stock Car victory at Boone.  

Mod Lite racer Josh May, who has not raced full time at Boone this season, got back to his winning ways from past years, and went to victory lane for the first time.  May started sixth and closed in quickly on leader Angelo Montgomery.  May made the pass for the lead at lap nine, and then pulled away to win the 15-lap feature by a comfortable margin.  Angelo Montgomery took the runner up spot, Travis Stensland held off Bryan Zehm as they finished third and fourth in that order, and Joel Keenan finished fifth.  The race went green to checkers.

Jake McBirnie scored his third regular season win in the 18-lap IMCA Northern SportMod main event.  He started ninth, and by lap two was already hounding leader Andy Tiernan.  The two battled closely until lap nine, when McBirnie made the pass on the outside, and took command.  He held the lead the remaining laps to the checkers and the win.  Jonathon Logue took second after starting eleventh, Randy Roberts hustled through the pack from tenth, to finish in third.  Fourth went to early leader Andy Tiernan, and Lynn Brockett rounded out the top five.  The race went caution free.

Up next was the 12-lap IMCA Hobby Stock A main. Unfortunately, that was when the night's caution free racing would end!  It took four tries before the first lap got in the books in this one.  A car slipped off the top of turns three and four, then a bumper was lying on the track, and still yet a third caution was called.  Finally, a lap got in, only to have yet another yellow fly on lap two for debris. When the Hobby Stocks eventually found their racing rhythm, Jordan Peters got around early leader David McQuiston.  He was soon having to hold back Aaron Rudolph.  Rudolph, who had started tenth, put the pressure on Peters from the halfway mark, and with just two laps remaining, was able to make the pass for the lead.  He kept that top spot to the finish line and the win.  Peters finished in second, third went to Solomon Bennett, Dustin Lynch came home in fourth and twelfth place starter Eric Stanton was fifth.  This was Rudolph's first win of the year.  According to my records, the last time Rudolph had found the victory lane was the 2015 Frostbuster.  Prior to that time, 2012 was his last wins at Boone.

The 20-lap IMCA Modified feature had more than it's share of cautions....six in all.  Joel Bushore got to the lead by lap two and took wing around the top of the track.  He never let any of the cautions bother him on his march to the checkers.  Jon Snyder took second place, Russ Dickerson was third, Mike VanGenderen, who had won the last two features, was fourth, and Tony Cox finished fifth.  Bushore won for the first time this year at the speedway. His last track win had come back in June of 2014.  

The night's racing concluded with the 18-lap IMCA Stock Car feature.  When the race went green, cars were scrambling all over the track, going three and four wide.  Cory Bushnell grabbed the early lead, but when things got a bit sorted out, it was eighth place starter Tyler Pickett tailing him at lap three.  Pickett continued his chase and was able to get inside of Bushnell as they came out of turn four, and was scored the leader at lap eleven.  From there on, Pickett eased away from the field, and scored the comfortable win.  Veteran racer Terry Pruitt took second, third went to eleventh place starter Donavon Smith, Bushnell dropped to fourth and Josh Daniels was fifth.  Pickett got his first ever Stock Car win at Boone back on June 25, and put #2 in the books Saturday night.

There was a nice crowd last evening, where it was Armed Forces night at the races.  The National Guard was on hand, bringing items along to display as well as provide entertainment for the youngsters.  Those serving now, as well as veterans, were admitted to the races free.  

There were 109 race cars checked into the pits---19 Mod Lites, 17 Northern SportMods, 21 Hobby Stocks, 24 Mods, and 28 Stock Cars.  We've noted that the Modified and Stock Car classes have been the biggest fields as of late.  Joining the Modified field last evening, was Abilene, Texas driver, Tommy Fain.  Fain had picked up his new ride in Wisconsin earlier in the week....an MB Customs built by Jimmy Mars in Menomonie, Wisconsin.  Fain's night did not end well when he drove off the top of turn four.  He is expected back for the 2016  Super Nationals.  

Looks like Mother Nature will be dictating if there will be racing in the area tonight.  Everyone be safe out there with our unpredictable Iowa weather.


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