Sunday, June 10, 2018

Havlik, Gustoff, and Kennedy make first trips to Victory Lane

All six regular divisions were in competition on Saturday night at the Boone Speedway along with the added attraction of the Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks.  First time trips to Victory Lane came from the IMCA Modified class, the IMCA Stock Cars, and the MADCRA Mod Lites, while repeat winners were from the IMCA Northern SportMods, the IMCA Hobby Stocks, and the IMCA RaceSaver Sprints. There were 133 race cars checked into the pits for Saturday night competition. 

It was Mike Kennedy taking the win in the Mod Lite 15-lap feature event.  Kennedy caught Charlie Brown and was giving chase when a lap car entered into the game.  Kennedy and Brown split the lap car, Kennedy taking the outside line, and made it work to his advantage.  He took command and from there on kept it to the checkers and the win, celebrating with his roof top flapping as he crossed under the checkers. Bryan Zehm took the runner up spot after starting in sixth position, Randy Bryan came from tenth to take third place, Joe Glick, last week's winner was fourth, and early leader Charlie Brown was fifth.  This was Kennedy's first time to visit the winner's circle this year. The school bus driver, known as "busman", was a happy camper in his post race interview with Coty Mallicoat.  Travis Stensland continues his slim lead in the points battle in the Mod Lite division,  over Bryan Zehm and Joe Glick. 

Dustin Lynch took the early lead in the 18-lap IMCA Northern SportMod A main, but soon had the company of Johnathon Logue breathing down his neck.  Lynch held off Logue until lap eleven when a lap car entered the scene, and Logue made his move to the front.  Logue never relinquished his hold on the top spot and sailed home to the victory.  Cory Rose came from ninth starting spot and just beat out Lynch at the finish line as they went second and third in that order.  Jake McBirnie and Cory Pestotnik rounded out the top five.  Logue claimed his second win at Boone this season in the caution free contest.  Austin Luellen leads the point chase in the Northern SportMod class.

Outside front row starter Val Urman from Roseville, Minnesota leaped to the lead in the 20-lap IMCA RaceSaver Sprint feature.  By lap six Mike Houseman was on his tail and wanting more.  A lap later, Houseman did just that, taking over the top spot, then pulling away to take his fourth trip to Victory Lane this year.  Urman held on to the runner up spot, while it was Lincoln, Nebraska racer Matt Richards finishing a close third.  A distance behind in fourth was Mike Moore, and Ben Woods was fifth. This race also went flag to flag. Tyler Thompson is the point leader in the RaceSaver Sprints.

The Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks made their first appearance of the year at the Speedway, running a 20-lap A main feature.  Myles Michehl started fourth and immediately claimed the top spot, with sixth place starter Pat Graham following him into second.  These two would battle each other the entire race, with Graham getting the upper hand at lap eight,  and then Michehl sneaked back by with just four laps remaining.  He then held it the rest of the way to claim a first time win at the Boone Speedway.  Graham held the runner up spot, Bill Davis, Jr. finished third, fourth was Bryan Spangler and Jeff Frevert completed the top five.

Cody Gustoff scored his first win of the season in the IMCA Stock Car 18-lapper.  Gustoff overtook early leader Craig Carlson at lap four and never looked back on his way to victory.  Donavon Smith took the runner up spot from starting ninth, veteran racer Robert Stofer ran at the front of the field all race long and finished third, fourth went to Johnny Spaw who came from twelfth starting position, and early leader, Scott Davis was fifth. Spaw is the point leader in the division, with Jay Schmidt and Donavon Smith close behind.

Randy Havlik weathered a plethora of cautions in the IMCA 20-lap Modified feature and came home the victor.  Havlik took the lead from Tony Hofbauer at lap fourteen and then never let go of the coveted spot the rest of the way to the flying checkers.  Eric Elliott came from tenth starting spot to take the runner up position, and Kyle Brown got the hard charger award, finishing third from starting twenty-first.  Hofbauer was fourth, and Tyler Prochaska was fifth.  This was Havlik's first time in the winner's circle this season.  Havlik took over the point lead after last night's victory.

The IMCA 12-lap Hobby Stock feature was the finale for the evening, and Andrew Burg was deemed the winner.  However, it was Dylan Nelson who crossed the finish line first.  A post race inspection found Nelson's transponder to be mounted in the wrong spot, and he was disqualified, handing the win over to Burg.  Pole starter Mike Goldsberry was second, third went to Todd Bass, Justin Wacha came from thirteenth to finish fourth, and Solomon Bennett started eleventh, and took fifth.  Burg, who started twelfth, now has a three win streak going, and four wins total for the year. Burg padded his points lead with his win.

We were privy of a spectacular light show on the way home last night.  The closer we came to home, the more intense it became and then we finally hit rain not far out of town. We were thankful the big blob on radar kept its distance from the race track last evening, as several eastern Iowa tracks were washed out.

Be sure and check the racing calendar at Positively Racing as this is the time of year many specials are on the agenda.  Find a race to attend and support the sport we all love....dirt track racing!















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