Elliott outlasts VanGenderen in a thriller at Boone

Weekly racing continued at the Boone Speedway on Saturday night with a nice field of 119 race cars checked into the pits.  One first time winner emerged from the Mod Lite class, while all other divisions saw repeat winners...two taking back to back wins. 

It was Randy Bryan earning his first win of the year in the 15-lap Mod Lite main event.  Bryan led all laps on his way to victory.  Bryan Zehm started eleventh, worked his way steadily through the field of cars and reeled in leader Bryan.  Zehm tried a last moment surge to get around Bryan at the finish line, but had to settle for the runner up spot.  Justin Rankin was third, Joel Keenan came from fifteenth starting spot to take fourth, and eleventh place starter, Larry Sorenson, completed the top five.  Zehm continues to lead Mod Lite points.  

Last week, Cory Pestotnik won the IMCA Northern SportMod feature, a career first victory.  Saturday night, Pestotnik, won his second!  He jumped to the immediate lead and again led all 18 laps on the way to the win.  The final circuits saw eleventh place starter, Johnathon Logue, reel in the leader, but laps ran out for him to garner more than a second place finish.  Shawn Albers took third place, pole sitter Chase Rudolf was fourth, and rookie to the class, John Watson, was fifth.  Logue leads the points battle by a slim two points over Chad Ryerson.

Two drivers put on a great show up front in the 20 lap IMCA Modified feature.  Eric Elliiott caught early leader Brandon Williams, getting around him for the lead at lap seven.  A few laps later, Elliott was being hunted down by point leader Mike VanGenderen, who was now running second.  From there on, it was a lap after lap exciting race as the two ran nearly side by side, never touching.  On this night, it was Eric Elliott being the victor, holding off VanGenderen in second.  Third was nineteenth place starter, and last week's winner, Joel Bushore, veteran racer Robert Avery was fourth, and Tony Hilgenberg was scored fifth.  This was Elliott's second feature win of the 2017 season at Boone.

Going into the night, the points battle in the Modified division was  close among three drivers, VanGenderen, Elliott, and Russ Dickerson.  Dickerson had mechanical issues earlier in the evening, and would have been a scratch for the feature until another racer stepped up.  Jimmy Gustin offered his car to Dickerson for the feature.  It's always great to see a driver helping out a fellow racer!  After last night's racing, VanGenderen leads by six points over Elliott, while Dickerson has fallen back by 25 points.

The IMCA Stock Cars came next with their 18 lap A feature.  Mark Hidlebaugh led the opening laps but eighth place starter, Robert Stofer, immediately went to the topside, and with his momentum upstairs, had the lead at lap four.  Tenth place starter, Donavon Smith, followed suite, finding success at the top of the track as well.  He tagged in behind Stofer to run in second.  Stofer and Smith ran nose to tail, lap after lap, Smith taking peeks beneath him, looking for that edge.  It finally paid off as Smith nosed past him at the flag stand on lap thirteen, to take the lead.  Smith put a little distance between himself and Stofer in the final laps, and took his second win of the year.  Wayne Gifford scored a third place finish, Kevin Opheim came from sixteenth starting spot, to take fourth, and pole sitter, Don Vis, was fifth.

The IMCA Stock Cars were the only class on the docket for the July 4th Eve of Destruction show, which saw Kevin Opheim beating out point leader Jay Schmidt.  Schmidt holds his point lead by six over Donavon Smith, Opheim fourteen points back, sitting in third.

Tyler Thompson, second generation racer, found himself in victory lane for the third consecutive week after winning the 20 lap IMCA RaceSaver feature.  Thompson took command at lap nine after getting around then leader Joel Thorpe, and from there on, never relinquished that top spot.  He pulled away to a healthy lead and took the checkers by a comfortable margin.  CJ Houseman finished as the runner up, third went to Newton, Iowa's Ben Woods, Michael Moore was fourth, and pole sitter, David Wignall, was fifth.  Thompson has won for the last three consecutive weeks, and also has an earlier win, making it four for the year.  Michael Moore continues his points lead over Michael Houseman.

Last night, for the second week in a row, a sprint car driver got out of his machine after an incident on the track.  Not something you want to see while the cars are still on the track and under power, even under caution.  Even more frustrating when the driver takes off his helmet to check his machine, and then decides that he can still race.  Then has to put on his helmet, get back in his race car, and buckle in, causing an even longer delay.  And for you sprint car lovers, I am not just chastising this class, this goes for ALL classes.  When on the track, drivers please don't get out of your race car...unless of course, you are in a dangerous situation, like a fire for example.  I believe this will be emphasized next week in the driver's meeting!  

The evening's finale was the 12 lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature.  Eric Stanton found himself inheriting the lead on lap three, when then leader Kevin Derry spun.  Stanton was not about to give up that gift, and held strong to the top spot all the way to the flying checkers and the win.  Chris Cox made his first appearance at the track this year, started fourteenth, and finished in second.  Third was Ryan Wells, Jack Phillips was fourth and Todd Bass, fifth.  Stanton now has four weekly wins, and also won the Frostbuster special.  Wells continues and stretched his point lead last night, with his third place finish.  

There's a lot of races coming up in the area, as unbelievably, our racing season begins to wind down.  Go enjoy a race somewhere in support of the sport we all love.