Mother Nature tried to stop the 4th of July Eve of Destruction at the Boone Speedway, but she wasn't successful. Rain fell prior to the start of the night's festivities and before the pits were opened. We drove through some heavy, heavy downpours on our way to the track, and though it was sealed and water was running off and draining well, out came the jet dryer. After a few moments of attempting to get it started, it was rolled back into the pits. The John Deere's were then sent to the track, the farming began, and the track was whipped back into shape.
The IMCA Modifieds were racing for $1,000 to win as well as track, state, regional, and national points. Also on the docket were 2-person cruisers, a burnout contest, a rollover contest, outhouse races, and a leap of death, and capping it all off, a spectacular fireworks show.
The 25-lap IMCA Modified feature rolled to the track with twenty-two cars strong. Joel Bushore led the opening laps with his fellow front row starter Russ Dickerson tucked in behind. Dickerson grabbed the lead from Bushore at lap eleven, and soon Jimmy Gustin made his way into second, passing Bushore as well. Jimmy Gustin gave it his best shot a couple of times as he executed some sliders out of turn four, but came up short and had to be content with the runner up spot. Lap seventeen, saw two contenders out of the game, when Joel Bushore slid off of the track between turns one and two while running third, and fourth place Richie Gustin exited the track with mechanical issues. Third went to rookie to the class Josh May, fourth was veteran Kelly Shryock who started eighth, and David Brown completed the top five. This was Dickerson's first win at the speedway in 2018.
The 2-person Cruisers debuted on the track, and it was the team of Dennis Berghalin and Joseph Baker putting their names into the record book. Cody and Casey Yarington finished in second place, and third went to the team of Chris Kirby and Dave Piper. It's our understanding that the 2-person cruisers will be running at the track more this season. They are limited to four-cylinder cars, or pulling a plug from a six-cylinder.
Popup storms have been the norm this year in Iowa, and yesterday's was just another of those. We had no idea there was anything heading toward Boone as we left home yesterday, but the darkening skies drew us to take a glance at radar. Sure enough! It hit the track about 5 o'clock, delaying the pits opening scheduled for six. We waited out the drenching thunderstorm, along with Kelly Shryock's rig, in the nearby Walmart parking lot.
Racing continues at the Boone Speedway on Saturday, July 7 and hot laps will now be 6:45 and racing at 7:30. Hope to see some of you there for a night of racing action!
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