It was Season Championship night at the Boone Speedway Saturday. Five drivers won features in their divisions and five drivers went home with a track championship title. The top ten in points were locked into the feature, and a dash determined their starting spot for their respective A mains. Last chance qualifiers in each division for those eleventh on back in season points, filled in the starting field for each class. One hundred thirty cars were on hand for the night's action. Prior to each feature, the field was pulled to the frontstretch and out of car driver introductions took place, allowing the fans to show their appreciation to the drivers.
The first class to hit the track for their feature event was the My Race Pass Mod Lites in a 20 lap contest. This was the tightest points battle of the evening with only two points separating Randy Bryan and Mike Kennedy for the track championship crown. Bryan Zehm sat eight points out.
Mike Kennedy earned the pole starting spot by winning the Mod Lite dash. When the green flag fell, Kennedy shot off to the lead and would then lead all laps on his way to the win. Kennedy wasn't hindered by the pesky caution flags that flew, and would drive off from his competition when the race returned to green. Joe Glick finished as the runner up, Bryan Zehm took third place, fourth went to Randy Bryan, and Tim Glick was fifth. This was Kennedy's second win of the season, and earned him a track championship as well....finishing one slim point ahead of Randy Bryan in the points chase.
The Elmquist Towing IMCA Northern SportMods ran 23 laps in their championship feature. Johnathon Logue had the track title all wrapped up before he even started the main event, but he would also go on to dominate the feature as well, leading the entire race and winning comfortably ahead of the rest of the field. Dusty Masolini chased Logue the entire distance, but finished a distant second. Robert Moore came from eleventh starting spot and finished in third, fourth went to Dustin Lynch, and Cory Pestotnik completed the top five. This was Logue's sixth win of the year at the track. Logue, who is the defending IMCA Super Nationals Champion, looks to be ready for the 38th annual event.
Up next was 25 laps of D & E Outside Service IMCA Modified fury. Jake McBirnie sat along side his new brother-in-law, Tim Ward for the start of the race. Ward had the track title wrapped up before the race even began. That didn't lessen the battle between the two for much of the race...McBirnie holding the upper hand. Ward's challenge for the lead disappeared when he slipped off the lip of the track, regained control, but losing several positions. As the race continued on, McBirnie would pull away and take the checkers well ahead of the competition. Paul Nagle finished as the runner up, third went to Cory Sauerman, Cody Laney was hard charger, coming from thirteenth to finish fourth, and Tim Ward rounded out the top five. This was McBirnie's second feature win of his rookie career in the Modified class.
The IMCA Arnold Motor Supply Stock Cars went twenty-five laps for the feature event. David Smith and brother Donavon Smith would finish one-two in this contest. For a while it was a Smith, Schmidt, Smith, Smith battle at the front of the pack.
David Smith passed pole sitter Jay Schmidt on lap two, and then Donavon and Devin Smith followed suit. The trio of Smith's ended when Devin Smith, the 2019 defending IMCA Super National's champ, had to exit the track with mechanical issues with just three laps remaining. David had no trouble in keeping his lead and went home to the win. Donavon Smith finished in second place, third went to Josh Daniels, Scott Davis was fourth, and Jay Schmidt was fifth. This was David Smith's first win at Boone this year. Donavon Smith is the 2020 track champion.
The night cap was twenty laps of IMCA Pickett Salvage Hobby Stock feature event racing, that saw several incidents causing the yellow to fly. Dylan Nelson and Eric Knutson waged a good battle for the lead, swapping the top spot a couple of times. The tight racing at one point resulted in contact between the two, with Nelson having to exit the track with a "bad dog, no biscuit" black flag, after he sent Knutson spinning in the incident. When the race restarted, Aaron Rudolph found himself inheriting the lead. He would hold that top spot the remaining distance to the checkers and the win. Shane Butler started eleventh and finished second, Mike Smith was third, fourth went to Erik Knutson, who kept his car moving after the earlier spin situation, and twelfth place starter William Klosterman was fifth. Rudolph, who started tenth, took his first trip to victory lane this season. The Hobby Stock track champion is Dylan Nelson, who is the also the defending Super National's champion.
It's already looking like there is a big event on the horizon at the track. Camping spots have begun to be marked off, and some campers already there. Yes, the 38th annual IMCA Super Nationals scheduled for September 7-12, is on. Will it be different this year? Time will tell on that what with the Covid 19 situation, but as of now, the spectacle is a go.
Next Saturday night, September 5, is Wild Rose Casino Prelude to the Super Nationals. Drivers will be wanting to test the waters for the upcoming 38th IMCA Super Nationals that begins on Labor Day, Monday, September 7. Look for a huge field of cars for the Prelude. Last year saw 323 cars in competition. Saturday night's Prelude has pits opening at 1 p.m., grandstand at 3, hot laps at 4, and racing at 5. More details for the big events at the Boone Speedway can be found at www.raceboone.com or on the Boone Speedway Facebook page.
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