Boone Speedway held the first of it's Super Saturday shows with the IMCA Modifieds vying for the $1,000 prize, and the IMCA Hobby Stocks the chosen class with $500 on the line. The IMCA Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, RaceSaver Sprint Cars, and the Mod Lites were also in competition. One hundred and fifty-nine cars checked into the pits for another action packed night of racing.
Ricky Thornton, Jr. took the top prize in the Modified main event, while it was Jeff Mueller taking the checkers in the Stock Car class. Tyler Inman got his first ever win in the SportMod division, Dylan Nelson was the winner in the Hobby Stock feature, while Mike Houseman won the Sprint Car contest, and Joe Glick won the Mod Lite A main.
Joe Glick nabbed the lead from Tanner Gannon at lap six and never relinquished it on his way to the checkers. He held back Joel Huggins who finished as the runner up, eleventh place starter Travis Stensland finished in third, Justin Rankin came from twelfth starting spot to finish fourth, and Randy Bryan rounded out the top five. Eighteen Mod Lites came to play Saturday night.
Tyler Inman started on the pole of the IMCA Northern SportMod A feature, and led all laps on his way to victory. He had to fend off the advances of Doug Smith and Chad Ryerson during much of the race, but never faltered on his way to win number one. Chad Ryerson got around Doug Smith in the closing laps as they went second and third in that order. Cory Rose came from twelfth starting spot to capture fourth place, and Johnathon Logue took fifth. This was Inman's first ever win at the Boone Speedway. I believe he is the son of veteran driver Todd Inman, who now pilots a ride in the Stock Car division.
Mike Houseman finished well ahead of second place finisher Devin Wignall to capture his first win of the year in the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car class....as he led all 20-laps. He was chased in the early portion of the race by Mike Johnston until Wignall caught the leaders, and made the pass around Johnston to give chase to Houseman. C. J. Houseman took third place, Mike Johnston was fourth, and last week's winner, Mike Moore, was fifth. This was week #2 for the RaceSaver Sprint Cars at Boone.
The IMCA Stock Cars were going three and four wide around the track in their thrilling 18-lap A feature. But leading those packs of cars was Jeff Mueller. The action was behind Mueller most of the race as the cars jostled for position constantly. Mueller relinquished his lead only briefly to Trent Murphy with just a lap remaining. Then Murphy nearly found himself in a tip over situation in corner two, and gave the lead back to Mueller. Mueller then motored home to the victory. Veteran racer Robert Stofer finished in the runner up spot, Murphy recovered to finish in third place, Kevin Opheim was fourth and Michael Murphy came from seventeenth starting spot, to complete the top five. Mueller had a good weekend as he also won the feature at the Marshalltown Speedway the previous night.
The IMCA Modifieds had the first of their Super Saturday shows which was draw/redraw with two qualifying mains, each paying $500 to the winner. All drivers ran heats, then redrew for their starting spot in the qualifiers. The top finishing cars from the heat drew from one bucket, the back markers, from another bucket. Then the top twelve cars from each qualifier, went to the A Main of the night. The payoff for the win was $1,000 and a provisional start in the A Main at the Prelude to the 2018 Super Nationals. A twist thrown in was the driver pulling the #5 starting spot out of the draw...on Cinco De Mayo night, had a chance at an extra $500 if they won the race. Thus, there was a possible $2,000 pay day for the Mod winner if they could win one of the qualifying features, as well as start fifth. And that man was Richie "G Money" Gustin.
When the 25-lap A main for the Modifieds went green, pole sitter Tim Ward shot to the lead, but fast company was right behind in Jimmy Gustin, Kelly Shryock, and Richie Gustin. Ward held the top spot until Richie Gustin made his way around and into the lead at lap five. Gustin, who drew the lucky #5 starting spot, was now positioning himself for the win and the added bonus money. However, others had different ideas as to the outcome of the race. The man on a mission was eleventh place starter Ricky Thornton, Jr. Thornton began reeling in leader Gustin and when a yellow flew at lap seventeen, it was just what he was looking for. Gustin was able to maintain his lead as the race resumed, but Thornton kept tight on his tail and at lap twenty-one, made his move around and into the lead. Thornton kept the top spot from there to the double checkers. Richie Gustin had to be satisfied with second. Kelly Shryock was third, Tim Ward fourth, and defending track champion Mike VanGenderen was fifth. Thornton repeated his win from last Saturday. Thirty-nine IMCA Modifieds checked into the pits for the Super Saturday special.
The night's racing ended with the IMCA Hobby Stock 15-lap feature with the $500 pay off. Justin Wacha claimed the lead when the green flag flew and held it until lap eight when Aaron Rudolph took command. Rudolph had his hands full holding off Adam Ayers, Wacha and Solomon Bennett, and then Dylan Nelson entered into the picture. Dylan Nelson was flying on the outside lane, and was soon able to maneuver around Rudolph and into the lead with just two laps remaining. Nelson held on to that top spot and took the win. Rudolph held on to second, third was Wacha, Keith Burg came from twentieth to finish fourth, and Adam Ayers was fifth. Dylan Nelson made it his first victory at the track after starting twenty-second. He too went back to back this weekend as he also won Friday's Marshalltown Speedway feature.
Just about the time the first Modified heat came to the track last evening, the wind really came up, and a few raindrops fell....from a line of clouds moving in from the west. Thankfully, it was no more than that, though radar looked a bit more ominous, and racing stayed green the rest of the night. Racing was completed at 11:03 p.m.
Racing continues next Saturday night, May 12 at the Speedway, with racing in all six regular divisions. Early start times continue through the month of May with hot laps at 5:45 and racing at 6:30.
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