We headed back to the Boone Speedway Saturday for our usual weekly racing fix and we were happy to see cloudless skies the entire time. After last week's rain out and early rains for the 4th of July Eve of Destruction show, they were a welcome sight. There were 138 cars checked into the pits, for a full night of racing action. Randy Roberts claimed his first IMCA Modified feature at the track, as did Scott Davis in the IMCA Stock Car class. Jake McBirnie made it three in a row in the IMCA Northern SportMod division, John Watson matched the three in a row title by winning the IMCA Hobby Stock feature again, and Mike Moore in the IMCA RaceSaver Sprints, and Joe Glick in the Mod Lite class, both made return visits to victory lane.
Things kicked off with the running of the 15-lap Mod Lite feature. The action was marred by two red flag situations that found Chelsea May and Justin Rankin both upside down on the backstretch before a lap was scored when cars got crossed up. Then later, Lisa Birt went for a tumble on the front stretch. Both were okay.
Charlie Brown led when the race did get underway, only to have it quickly snatched away by Bryan Zehm at lap three. A yellow flew at lap six when Charlie Brown went spinning, and on the restart, it was Joe Glick getting the upper hand, shooting to the lead. From there on, Glick held the lead to the checkers, taking the win by a comfortable length over second place Travis Stensland. Zehm held on for third place, fourth went to Tanner Gannon, and Mike Kennedy was fifth. Glick has three wins at Boone this year. Stensland is the point leader by one over Joe Glick after last night's races with Zehm sitting ten points out in third place.
Jake McBirnie survived caution after caution in the IMCA Northern SportMod 18 lap main event that was threatened by the time limit, to score another win. McBirnie took the lead when then leader Austin Luellen drifted high on a restart situation at lap ten, then weathered another yellow at lap fourteen to score the victory. Luellen held the second position, Dustin Lynch was third, fourth went to Johnathon Logue, and Ryan Leeman was fifth. McBirnie stepped into the winner's circle for the fourth time this season. Austin Luellen now leads Johnathon Logue by 20 points in the track title race.
Mike Moore was victorious in the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint 20 lap feature. Moore started eighth and grabbed the top spot from Roseville, Minnesota's Val Urman with a handful of laps in the books. Moore, who was already in second place, took advantage of a yellow flag restart at lap three, and flew to the lead. Moore then stretched his lead as the race continued caution free to the checkers. Urman held on to second place, Matt Richards, the previous race winner was third, Joel Thorpe was fourth and Devin Wignall completed the top five. This was also Moore's fourth win at Boone this racing season. It's another tight battle for the track title as Moore leads Tyler Thompson by just one point after last night's race.
Veteran racer Scott Davis started fourth and had the lead by lap one in the 18 lap IMCA Stock Car A main, and kept the hounds at bay, leading all laps on his way to victory lane for the first time. There was a battle behind him for position with close racing action the entire time. Donavon Smith started ninth, and won the battle for the runner up spot, just beating out third place Rod Richards, and twenty-sixth place starter Josh Daniels in fourth. All three crossed the line in a near photo finish. A close fifth place went to Tyler Pickett. Davis, who was a very successful Stock Car driver in years gone by, tried his hand at SportMod racing as well as in the Modifieds, winning in both divisions, but this is his first Stock Car victory at Boone in many years. Donavon Smith took over the point's race with last night's win, leading Jay Schmidt by one point. Schmidt, who had trouble in the heat race, started near the back of the A main, had misfortune to slip off the track in the early portion of the main event, rallied back to finish sixth. The third driver that was in the heated point's chase was Cedar Rapid's Johnny Spaw. Spaw had to exit the feature when he suffered right front wheel issues, and now sits fifteen points down to leader Smith.
Another driver taking his first trip to the winner's circle in 2018 was Randy Roberts. Roberts, who previously raced in the SportMod division, started pole position in the 20 lap IMCA Modified feature, and led all laps on his way to the flying checkers. Second place finisher Tony Hofbauer started along side Roberts on the front row, and tormented him much of the race. He was not able to mount much of a threat, and had to settle for the runner up spot. Chad Louk started third and finished third, fourth went to tenth place starter Mike VanGenderen, and Eric Elliott rounded out the top five. Point leader Randy Havlik finished sixth, and holds a 29 point lead over second place Elliott who had to miss a week recently due to a damaged race car.
John Watson scored his third win in a row in the 12 lap IMCA Hobby Stock class. Watson came from eighth starting spot to take the lead on lap five, and held off the pack to score another win. Twelfth place starter Andrew Burg worked his way through the field to score the runner up position, Rusty Gyles was third, Todd Bass took fourth, and Solomon Bennett was fifth. Burg is your point leader in the chase for the track title, sitting 29 points up on Bennett despite missing a night.
The 2-person Cruisers were also on the docket for the evening's entertainment, running only a 12-lap feature event. House cars are available at the track to sign up to run, or drivers may bring their own ride. If a car is 6 cylinders, a plug wire must be pulled. The duo of Sheldon Richardson and Brandon Strait in their own hot rod, took the checked flag and the win. Lucas Boring and Ty Matuera finished in second, third went to Jordan Leeper and Jonathon Wallar, and fourth to Dean Taylor and Jessiah Taylor. The 2-person Cruisers will be running weekly through August 11.
It was finally a beautiful night to be sitting at a race track, though by evening's end, everyone was putting on a layer to ward off the chill....IF they had one. Racing continues at Boone with hot laps now going to the later start times of hot laps at 6:45 and racing at 7:30.
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