It was Saints Avenue Cafe Saturday Night Series presented by Harris Auto Racing at the Boone Speedway with the Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks joining all regular classes. Veteran racer Brian Efkamp checked off a bucket list item in winning his first ever KI Race Gear IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature. Eric Elliott took the checkers in the Snap-On Tools IMCA Modified class, Devin Smith visited the winner's circle in the Arnold Motor Supply IMCA Stock Cars, and Jake McBirnie took the checkers in the Elmquist Towing IMCA Northern SportMod division. Eric Knutson took the honors in the Pickett Salvage IMCA Hobby Stocks, Mike Kennedy won the My Race Pass Mod Lites, and Bill Davis, Jr. piloted his ride to victory in the Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks. The night ended with Donny Mason and Junior Worley once again finishing first in the two-person Cruisers.
The RaceSaver Sprints ran their 20-lap feature first, switching it up from their usual later time slot. This one saw veteran racer Brian Efkamp lead the entire race from his pole starting position. After the initial start was called back, the race went caution free as Efkamp motored to his first ever win in a sprint car. Mike Houseman came from eighth place to finish a distant second. Tyler Thompson, Ryan Navratil, and Mike Moore complete the top five.
Efkamp told infield announcer Coty Mallicoat that this was a check off of his bucket list, as now he has won in four different IMCA division...Stock Car, SportMod, Modified, and now the RaceSaver sprints. He is also a former IMCA National Champion in the Stock Cars, taking that title in 1989, and a Super Nationals Champion in the Northern SportMods, winning it in 2017. He came out of retirement this year to try his hand in the sprint car. His intentions are to now put a new driver in the seat after getting that tick off of his list.
Mike Kennedy won his first of the year Mod Lite feature. Kennedy led the 15-lap feature from start to finish in a race that went flag to flag. He finished comfortably ahead of second place Mike Morrill. Terry Brown won the battle for third, just beating out Joe Glick in fourth, and Randy Bryan in fifth. Kennedy says he is having some back issues, but with help on the car, he is still getting behind the wheel to satisfy his racing fix.
It was Jake McBirnie taking the checkers in the IMCA Northern SportMod 18-lap contest. McBirnie came from twelfth starting spot, and fought his way to the win in a hard fought battle with second place Robert Moore. Chris Burke finished third over Dusty Masolini in fourth, and Dustin Lynch completed the top five. This was McBirnie's second win this year at the speedway and he holds down the point lead in the class.
Up next was the 20-lap IMCA Modified A main that saw Eric Elliott lead all laps on his way to the double checkers. Elliott started fourth, weathered five caution flags, and finished comfortably ahead of second place Jimmy Gustin who had started twelfth. Russ Dickerson was third, Randy Havlik took fourth, and Cave Creek, Arizona's Austin Kuehl had a top five finish. Elliott won for the first time this season. Jimmy Gustin is leading points, as he defends his challenge of putting up $2,000 of his money to the track title winner.
After his brothers David and Donavon Smith had won the two previous weeks, Devin Smith put his ride in Victory Lane at the end of the 18-lap IMCA Stock Car shoot out. Smith started eleventh and had to fight by brother Donavon Smith to take command of the race at lap thirteen. He would then hold that top spot the rest of the way to the finish line and the win. Hard charger of the race was Jay Schmidt who took the runner up position. Schmidt started twenty-second due to troubles in his heat race, cleaned off the top shelf of the track, and scored an impressive second place. Third went to Donavon Smith, fourth was Josh Daniels, and Scott Davis rounded out the top five. This was Devin Smith's second win at the track this season. One of the racing Smith brothers was MIA last night, as David Smith was not in the house.
The visiting Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks ran a 20-lap feature with Bill Davis, Jr. scoring the win. Davis led the race from start to finish. Two yellow flags flew, but they were no hindrance to Davis as he pulled away on the restarts. Myles Michehl took the runner up position, Lou Sipolt was third, fourth went to Bryan Spangler, and Justin Schroeder was fifth. Interestingly, Lou Sipolt owns both the winner's #23 ride, and his own #9, but chooses to take a seat in what appears to be the slower of the two machines. Various drivers have taken turns behind the wheel of the winning truck, Jeff Johnson being one of them.
In the IMCA Hobby Stock 15-lap feature, Miciah Hidlebaugh looked to be on his way to visiting the winner's circle for the very first time as he led all but the final charge to the checkers. A slight slip up in the closing moments gave the advantage to Eric Knutson, who snatched the win away from the rookie driver. Hidlebaugh had to be content with second on this night. John Watson charged through the field from starting thirteenth, to take third, fourth went to Solomon Bennett, and current point leader Aaron Rudolph was fifth. Hidlebaugh, who will be a sophomore this fall at Grandview University, continues to have his first career win elude him.
Next Saturday night, June 15, will be the return of the Hawkeye Challenge to the Boone Speedway that ran from 1989-1993. All six classes will be vying for the top prize of a Snap-On Tools grill and tool box combo, plus $1,000. This contest will pit four drivers from each class who qualify, run the Hawkeye Challenge race, starting at different points on the track. Point leaders of each class will be locked in, with three others from their respective classes qualifying through passing points from their heats. $500 will also go to the top finisher of each class. The regular show will also be on the agenda. Hot laps are 5:45 with racing at 6:30.
It was refreshing to finally get four races under our belts this past week. Maybe, just maybe, Mother Nature has calmed down for both the farmers and for racing. Find a race to attend....support the sport we all love.
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