Thornton takes Night #2 World Nationals title, Murty goes back to back

We were back at the Marshalltown Speedway Saturday for Night #2 of the World Nationals. There were 148 entries packing the pits to close out the racing for 2021.  The Sport Compacts joined the Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, and Hobby Stocks on a beautiful September night that saw the fans come out in good numbers as well.

The Sport Compacts brought sixteen competitors for the night's action. Their A main event went 12 laps and was led from start to finish by Colby Sabin out of Des Moines.  Second place finisher Max Heimbuch, Mason City, chased Sabin the entire race.  Third place went to Atkin, Iowa's Logan Clausen, who started fifteenth, Jay Crabill, Cedar Rapids, Iowa driver was fourth, and Stuart, Iowa's Tyler Fiebelkorn was fifth.

Thirty-eight Northern SportMods were whittled down to a 24 car starting field through two B Mains for their 20 lap feature event.

Veteran racer Brian Schrage was in charge as the race went green, and held it until Tony Olson came calling at lap seven, snatching the lead as the cars crossed the flagstand.  Olson was then the man at the helm and soon had Kaylin Lopez, Dylan VanWyk, and last night's winner Brayton Carter to reckon with.  As the race wore on, VanWyk was able to take over the top spot with just three laps remaining as Carter slipped in to second place and began applying pressure.  Carter's last ditch slide out of corner four as they approached the flagstand fell just short, and VanWyk took the checkers first.  Third place went to Kaylin Lopez, Colby Fett was fourth, and Tony Olson was fifth. 

Early in the SportMod race, a scary incident occurred when the cars of Tommy Hensley and Nic Runyan made hard contact. Runyan's car then went head on into the frontstretch sponsors boards without braking.  The race was red flagged while Runyan was evaluated by the track EMTs. Though Runyan was said to be alert and talking, the local ambulance was called and he was transported for further evaluation.  We send good thoughts and prayers to Nic Runyan that all is well.

There were 29 Hobby Stocks in the house, and they ran a 20 laps feature event.  John Watson, Des Moines, started on the pole, and jumped immediately to the lead.  Meanwhile battling it out for second place were Braden Richards and Chris Krug.  Watson was content to let the two duke it out as he continued to lead the troops. However, a late race yellow was not what Watson was wanting as it resulted in a green-white-checkered finish.  Watson was still leading as the cars came out of turn four, but Richards was able to execute a perfect slider, just beating Watson to the finish line and stealing the win.  Chris Krug, Emmetsburg, Iowa went home with a third place finish.  Minburn, Iowa's Solomon Bennett came from twelfth starting position, to finish fourth, and Jeremiah Andrews, Union,, Iowa started sixteenth, and rounded out the top five. VanWyk went home $1000 richer.  Oskaloosa, Iowa drivers went 1-2 in the championship race.  

The Stock Cars went 25 laps for their main event.  Dave Atcher was the one in charge for the first six laps of the race, but coming fast on the topside was the familiar 99X of Dallon Murty.  Murty started sixth, and had the lead by lap seven, never to look back. He matched his win from the previous night, and another $1000 pay day. Tom Berry, Jr. in the Jeff Wollam hotrod, finished as the runner up.  Third went to eighth place starter, dad Damon Murty.  Early leader Dave Atcher was fourth, and completing the top five was Independence, Iowa lady racer, Leah Wroten.  

The Modifieds had 45 cars vying for $2000 to win.  It took two B mains to set their 24 car starting field.  

Jacob Hobscheidt had looked exceptionally fast in his earlier heat race, and it was no surprise that he took off like a rocket from his pole starting spot when the 30 lap feature went green.  However Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, California visitor, came calling quickly, and was able to slide it out of turn four and around Hobscheidt, taking the lead on lap seven.  It was Thornton's race from there on out, as he was in command the rest of the way to the flying checkers.  Meanwhile, it was a shoot out for position behind him as Richie Gustin, Kollin Hibdon, and Tom Berry, Jr. battled it out.  At the finish, it was Gilman's Richie Gustin taking the runner up spot. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nevada started tenth and was a close third, as was fourth place finisher, Tom Berry, Jr., who started twelfth.  Early leader Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Nebraska was fifth.

The Marshalltown Speedway now falls silent until the 2022 race season.  Watch for a schedule to be released in the coming months.  

This race now wraps up our weekly racing scene.  We will be checking the calendar at Positively Racing however, for some specials in our area before we quite call it a year.  You do the same, and find a race to attend and keep supporting the sport we all love....dirt track racing!

  

Murty doubles up with wins in Stock Car and Modified at Night 1 of the World Nationals

It was night #1 of the 15th Annual World Nationals at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday evening. It was a windy and chilly night and by night's end, I was glad to have my winter coat! 

The IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, and Hobby Stocks were in competition with many traveling heavy hitters trying their hand on the High Banks. One hundred and forty-two cars checked in for the night's racing.

The IMCA Hobby Stocks ran their 20 lap main event first with polesitter Austen Mehmen grabbing the lead.  Mehmen continued to hold down the top spot well past the halfway mark of the race, fending off the advances of Jeremiah Andrews and then Eric Knutson as the laps wound down.  Right after lap eighteen was in the books, Knutson was able to power around Mehmen in corner two, and take over the lead.  Mehmen's attempt to come back had the door slammed by Knutson, and he went home to the checkers and the win.  Mehmen finished as the runner up, third went to Independence, Iowa driver Jim Ball, fourth was Jeremiah Andrews, and twelfth place starter Solomon Bennett finished fifth.  Knutson, who started thirteenth on the grid, went home with the $500 prize.  Twenty-seven IMCA Hobby Stocks were in the house.

The IMCA Northern SportMods had forty cars vying for a chance at the $1,000 in their division.  This required two B mains to whittle the starting field down to 24 cars. 

Fifteen year old Boone, Iowa hot shoe Izac Mallicoat grabbed the immediate lead from his outside front row starting spot, but by lap five, it was fourth place starter Logan Anderson who was now at the helm.  Anderson was extending his lead until a yellow at lap twelve erased all of that.  By this time, Jenae Gustin had moved into second place after getting around Mallicoat, and Oskaloosa's Brayton Carter had hard charged through the field from starting fifteenth, to run in third. When the race returned to green, Carter executed a perfect slide out of corner four to take over the top spot as lap thirteen went into the books.  From there on it was all Carter's race as he motored home to the flying checkers.  Jenae Gustin took the runner up spot, third was Anderson, Mallicoat took fourth, and fellow Oskaloosa driver, Dylan VanWyk was fifth.  

There were twenty-seven IMCA Stock Cars checked into the pits, and all were allowed to run their A.  They had a hard time getting their 25 lap feature started. Four cautions flew in the first two laps, leaving only fifteen cars running after the on track incidents eliminated so many cars. In my humble opinion, a little patience would have kept those cars still in competition.   

Todd Reitzler held down the top spot until lap five, when Wisconsin racer Derek Moede in the 99KK hot rod, took command.  By this time, Dallon Murty, in his 99X had moved into the runner up spot after starting tenth.  Murty, no stranger to the High Banks, established the number one spot on lap eleven, and that was all she wrote as he pulled away in the closing laps to secure yet another feature win.  Moede took second, Damon Murty in his 99D raced from eleventh starting spot to finish third, making it a 1-2-3 win for number 99's. Fourth went to Austin Kaplan, and Dave Atcher finished fifth after starting fourteenth.  Murty earned the win, and a $1,000 pay day.  

Murty now had to hop into his rent a ride for the IMCA Modified 30 lap feature. He was racing the 222 car out of California I believe.   He started on the outside of the front row, and immediately claimed the lead.  He would then go on to lead all laps on his way to his first ever Modified victory.  Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, California, caught Murty as the laps wound down, but never posed a real threat, and had to be content with second place.  Third went to Drew Janssen, the Pella, Iowa rookie Modified racer who ran up front all race long, and Cody Laney, Torrence, California, and Kyle Kudick, Mishcot, Wisconsin rounded out the top five.  This time, Murty earned $2,000 for his achievement which he just keeps racking up!  He is fresh off of his Super National's Stock Car win, among other prestigious wins this past year, including the Bristol on dirt win.  

It's back to Marshalltown tonight for Night #2 of the World Nationals.  That name by the way, comes from the sponsor, World racing products. There will be complete shows once again for the Modifieds, with $2,000 to win and $200 to start.  Both the Stock Cars and Northern SportMods will be after the $1,000 top prize, and the Hobby Stocks, $500.  The IMCA Sport Compacts join the show tonight, racing for $300.  Racing is scheduled for 7 p.m.  Hope to see you there for Marshalltown Speedway's last hoorah of the 2021 racing season. Come out and help support the sport we all love....dirt track racing!

39th annual IMCA Super Nationals is now history

 It was a record setting car count for the 39th IMCA Super Nationals held at the Boone Speedway.  A whopping 909 race cars checked in to race.  The pits were a sea of haulers and it was a good thing that the pit area was expanded this year.  It was also a sea of campers, and when fans arrived, it added even more numbers to the scene.  "South Boone" had a larger population than Boone itself!

Our "Racin' Vacation" started on Saturday and Sunday for Nights 1 and 2 of the Prelude, and then Monday, Labor Day dawned the first of 6 straight days/nights of Super Nationals racing.  

Monday, Day 1

There were 56 races and 564 laps scheduled for the kick off to the Super Nationals.  This was the day a champion was crowned in the IMCA Late Models.  It was also the night the lights went out at the track....twice! It was not only a track issue, as part of the town of Boone also went dark.  Alliant Energy was quick to get things back up and running. Thankfully, power was restored each time within a half hour, and racing proceeded.  

There were 36 entries in the IMCA Late Models, and those were narrowed down to a 24 starting field for their "Big Dance" 50 lap feature.  

Justin Kay, and Bobby Hansen started on the front row.  Kay immediately jumped to the lead, and would dominate the entire race on his way to victory....one that has eluded him several times. He's been so close on several occasions previously, so this was quite sweet for the Wheatland, Iowa racer.  Richie Gustin closed in on Kay at about the halfway mark of the race, as well as current National point leader in the division, Cory Dumpert from York, Nebraska.  Kay threw off those challengers, and as the laps wound down, pulled away to score the win by a comfortable margin.  Dumpert took the runner up spot, Gilman's Richie Gustin went third, fourth place was defending and three-time champion Jeff Aikey, and Blue Grass, Iowa's Andy Nezworski was fifth.  

The IMCA Northern SportMod also qualified 8 drivers for the inside row of their A feature on Saturday, and the IMCA Hobby Stocks took 8 from each of two qualifying mains, the first to the inside row, and the second 8 to the middle row for Saturday.  Those wins went to Springfield, Missouri's Ryan Gillmore, in the SportMod  and Adel's Dylan Nelson, and Nathan Ballard, Marengo, Iowa in the Hobby Stocks. 

Racing was completed at 12:01 a.m.

Tuesday, Day 2

There were 65 races today and 588 scheduled laps.  Another Super Nationals champion was crowned, this time in the IMCA Sport Compact division.  A full show for the compacts brought 70 competitors, those were cut down to 30 drivers qualifying for their Big Dance 25 lap event.

Mitch Bielenberg, Charlotte, Iowa began in the middle of the front row of the 3-wide start.  He grabbed the lead as the race went green, and from then on, never looked back on his way to the win. He had also won at the Prelude.  He finished well ahead of second place Chuck Fullencamp, West Point, Iowa driver, a close third was Keokuk's Josh Barnes, fourth went to Drake Bohlmeyer, Beatrice, Nebraska, and Blaine Ellis, Sebree, Kentucky, and the first ever from the state to qualify for a Super Nationals event, started eighteenth and finished fifth.

Qualifying continued in the Northern SportMod and Hobby Stock divisions on Tuesday as well.  Josh Most and Brayton Carter won the SportMod two qualifying A features to start at the front of the middle and outside rows respectively come Saturday night.  

The IMCA Hobby Stock winner of his A feature and qualifying for Saturday's big race was Jeff Ware.  He made a late race charge through the field, coming from fourteenth to win.

There was also Race of Champion qualifiers for both the SportMods and the Hobby Stocks.  

The final flag fell at 12:58 a.m. 

Wednesday, Day 3

Wednesday is the day the IMCA Stock Cars and Modifieds make their first appearance. There were 222 Modified entries and 221 in the Stock Cars, and a total of 78 races for 726 laps.

Two 25 lap Stock Car A qualifiers saw Devin Smith coming from eighth starting spot in the first feature to take that win.  The second saw a show put on by 16 year old Dallon Murty.  Murty started twelfth and took the checkers.

There were also two qualifying A's for the Modifieds.  Cody Laney, Torrance, California led all 25 laps to win the first one, and in the second 25 lap event, it was Boone's own Jake McBirnie with the win.  

The Hobby Stocks and SportMods completed their championship qualifying with wins by Austin Schrage, SportMods, and John Watson taking the win in Hobby Stock.

Seventy-eight races later, things were completed at 2:13 a.m.

Thursday, Day 4

There were 62 races and 614 laps scheduled on Thursday.  Qualifying continued in the Modifieds and the Stock Cars.  It was also the Inaugural Stock Car All-Star Invitational. The drivers qualified earlier in the week through quick times in time trials. Veteran Modified racer, Kelly Shryock, who has been having fun the last few years by doing double duty in the Stock Cars, added this trophy to his many accomplishments.  

Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, California took the win in the first A to put himself upfront in the middle row come Saturday night.  Tom Berry, Jr., driving the Jeff Wollam car, will start P1 or P2 in the middle row for Saturday's Big Dance.  Both drivers are doing double duty as they are better known for piloting a Modified.

The Modifieds also had two A qualifying features.  The first one was won by Jeff Aikey, and the second went to Tim Ward.  Aikey had qualified the previous night, being a top 4 in that night's qualifier, but turned it down, not wanting to start so far back.  The decision turned out to be the right one for Aikey, as this night with his win, he would be starting  P1 or P2 of the middle row on Saturday.  Sometimes, things work out!  

The final green flag fell at 1:33 a.m.

Friday, Day 5

How could it already be Friday?  Time had flown by, but yet here we were, with only two days left of the Super Nationals. Fifty-three races and 514 laps were scheduled.  

The Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational Championship race was held today.  Thirty cars qualified through fast times earlier in the week.  They started their 30 lap race 3-wide.  Early leader Dakota Sproul had a steering belt issue eliminate his run, handing the top spot over to Nick Roberts, with Kyle Brown hot on his heels.  Those two went at it lap after lap, and with one to go, Brown made the pass for the lead, and took it home to the checkers and the win.  

Two more Stock Car A qualifying features were run, taking four each to the outside row of Saturday's Big Dance.  The two winners were Zach Madrid, Phoenix, Arizona, and Derek Green, Granada, Minnesota who came from fifteenth starting position, to win his A.  

There were also two A qualifiers for the Modifieds.  Susanville, California's Riley Simmons took the first A, and Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, California won the other. 

This was our earliest night with the racing winding up at 10:58 p.m. 

Saturday, Day 6 and the Big Dance time!

There was final qualifying for the Stock Cars and the Modifieds.  Those qualifying drivers were able to tag the back of the championship features.  Twenty-eight races and 414 laps were on tap for the grand finale.

There were also Race of Champions run in the Modified, Stock Car, Northern SportMod, and Hobby Stocks. Zach Olmstead, Overton, Nebraska took the win in the Hobby Stocks.  Tony Olson, Cedar Rapids, Iowa won the SportMod title.  Veteran racer Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa won the Stock Car title for the second year straight.  Todd Shute, Norwalk, Iowa was pretty emotional in victory lane after he won the Modified ROC.  He now has a trifecta at Super Nationals through the years, a Super Nationals Modified Big Dance winner, an All-Star Invitational winner, and now a Race of Champions winner.  This must have been particularly sweet after Shute flipped off the track earlier in the week, and had to repair the car. He joins Ricky Thornton, Jr, Kyle Strickler, and Jimmy Gustin as the only other trifecta winners.

The Big Dance for the Hobby Stocks was first to run.  It was seventeen year old Mike Smith....of the famous Smith clan from the Lake City, Iowa area...taking the win. Finishing second through fifth respectively were Jeff Ware, last year's winner Nathan Ballard, former winner Dylan Nelson, and Malik Sampson. Smith is the son of Stock Car racer David Smith, who was quite emotional after his son won. Mike Smith, at 17 years old, became the youngest driver ever to win the Super National title in the Hobby Stock division. It was quite the sight to see the huge Smith clan running out to join the winner in victory lane! 

The Northern SportMod Dance came next.  There was sadness to this starting field, as the polesitter, Ryan Gillmore had received word that his father had passed away unexpectedly the night before, and he left to return home.  All of the drivers agreed that in his honor, they would leave the missing man pole position empty.

Austen Becerra, Carthage, Illinois racer led the 30 lap race from lap eleven on to take the title of Super Nationals Northern SportMod champion. Brayton Carter was second, third went to Dylan VanWyk, Alec Fett was fourth, and fifteen year old Izac Mallicoat was fifth.  In Becerra's post race interview, he said this was his last ever race in the SportMod, as next year he was moving to Modified.

Thirty laps of Stock Car dancing was a clinic of racing by sixteen year old Dallon Murty.  Murty took the lead at lap twelve, and then never looked back, taking the win comfortably ahead of second place Dylan Thornton, followed by Devin Smith, Derek Green, and Troy Jerovetz. Dallon's father Damon Murty was also in the race, but an incident sent him sliding into the infield at one point, and out of the race.  This allowed dad to be able to watch his son in his championship run.  This too was an emotional victory lane with family and fans flooding the infield.  Dallon is the youngest Stock Car winner in the Super Nationals.  Watch out Modified drivers, he's moving up next year!  

The long anticipated Modified Big Dance was the night cap to complete the 2021 Super Nationals.  Cody Laney got the lucky pole starting spot for the 33 car, 3-wide starting field.  It was all his race from the drop of the green, as he led all 40 laps.  He finished a good distance ahead of second place Tim Ward.  Completing the top five was third place Justin O'Brien, West Union, Iowa, Farmington, New Mexico's Zane DeVilbiss in fourth, and twenty year old Jerry Flippo, Bakersfield, California in fifth. The race was completed right on the bewitching hour of midnight.

Notes and observations from the 2021 Super Nationals:

How thankful everyone was for the wonderful weather this year.....no rain at all....after last year's nightmare. The young teenage drivers were in abundance in all classes.  They get younger and younger every year. Vehicles were being towed again with fans parking where it was a no no.  The "wave" by the grandstands and catwalks was a little weak this year, but got done.  There were lots of "bad dog, no biscuit" black flags. Wade Aunger, the Aussie announcer added a lot of fun to the show this year, and was well received by everyone. He used the "Boone Spoon" mention for the draw in victory lane, and those with the wins down there, shouted out "Boone Shakalaka" phrase coined by Wade. Jerry Vansickel, and Ryan Clark, our regular announcers, were on their game as always, entertaining everyone with their wit, facts, and wisdom.  There was a huge contingency of Western Region drivers, and they did very well, pleasing Western Region Director Paul Vetter to no end. Several are Midwest transplants or at least come back during the summer to race in our area.  We heard we had cars from 27 states and BC Canada.  Even had a Kentucky and Louisiana entries.  I also stuck around for the engine auction afterwards, and both the SportMod and Hobby Stock went for $7000 each, and the Modified and Stock Cars sold for $7500.  

We had a great time at the Super Nationals again.  Not only seeing the great racing, but meeting up with so many of the racing family.  We are catching our breath a bit, and will be back at it this coming weekend for the World Nationals at the Marshalltown Speedway on Friday and Saturday nights.  For complete results of the Super Nationals, check out www.raceboone.com, www.imca.com, or www.myracepass.com.  Take a look at all the drivers who participated from far and wide.  

Our area racing season is drawing to a close, but a few races remain.  Check the calendar at www.positivelyracing.com for a race that you can still attend.  Keep supporting the sport we all love....dirt track racing!

 

Raffurty takes Inaugural Mod Lite Super Nationals title

Boone Speedway held Night 2 of the Wild Rose Casino and Resort Prelude to Super Nationals, with 145 IMCA Northern SportMods, 91 IMCA Hobby Stocks, 50 IMCA Sport Compacts, and 44 IMCA STARS Mod Lites on hand. There were full shows for the SportMods, Hobby Stocks, and Sport Compacts.  After qualifying 20 cars the previous night, the Mod Lites qualified their final 10 cars to set their three-wide, 30 car Big Dance for the first ever Super Nationals title in the division.

The IMCA Sport Compacts ran a 20 lap feature.  It was a tight contest to start the race with Brandon Hartmann, Fairmont, Minnesota out pacing Mankato, Minnesota's Jerry Coopman.   Twelfth place starter Mitch Bielenberg, Charlotte, Iowa was quick to move into third place at lap five, and then two laps later, he had the lead.  From there on out, Bielenberg would lead the rest of the way, taking the comfortable win. Jerry Coopman finished as the runner up, Bobby Douglas, Bowen, Illinois  was third, fourth went to early leader Brandon Hartmann, and Mason City, Iowa's Ryan Bryant completed the top five.  The race went flag to flag.

The IMCA Northern SportMods ran 25 laps for their Prelude championship event.  Austin Becerra, the Carthage, Illinois racer, started third, and had the lead at lap four, never to look back.  Becerra weathered four cautions, to take the victory.  He held off the late race challenges of Tyler Soppe, who finished as the runner up. Two hard chargers were next across the line.  Beloit, Kansas racer Tyler Watts started fourteenth and finished third, and seventeenth place starter, Bo Partain, Casa Grande, Arizona was fourth.  Local young racer Izac Mallicoat rounded out the top five.

The IMCA STARS Mod Lites had their first ever Super Nationals run, going 25 laps in a three-wide, 30 car feature event.  Things did not go well as the race took the green.  The race was quickly red flagged when Justin Kinderknecht Salina, Kansas snap rolled violently into the infield on the backstretch just after the race went green.  Thankfully, he was okay.  Then at lap one, the race was red flagged again, when Texarkana, Texas racer Robert McCollett also rolled.  He too was okay.  When the race did get going, polesitter, and current national point leader Dillon Raffurty, Kansas City, Missouri was off like a shot, and pulled away from the pack.  He was never touched from there on out, and claimed the title of the Inaugural IMCA STARS Mod Lite Super Nationals champion.  Hometown racer Mike Kennedy would claim second place, after starting in tenth position.  Garrett Stonum, Lawson, Missouri finished a close third place after starting seventeenth.  Bryce Vowan made the trip from Memphis, Tennessee and took fourth place, and Bryan Zehm, Ames, Iowa finished in fifth.

The STARS Mod Lite's earlier ran their Race of Champions.  It was Dillon Raffurty going home with that first ever title as well.  Dustin Rude, Danbury, Texas finished as the runner up, Bakersfield, Californian Zac Forster was third, track champion Josh May came from tenth spot to finish in fourth, and Bryce Vowan, the Tennessee driver was fifth.

The IMCA Hobby Stocks completed the night's show with the running of their 25 lap feature.  Polesitter Andrew Burk from Milan, Illinois jumped to the lead, with Overton, Nebraska's Andrew Burk, and regular weekly racer Braden Richards in tow.  The three would run nose to tail lap after lap until Olmstead was able to make the pass for the lead on lap seven....never to relinquish it.  He finished a good distance ahead of second place Braden Richards, Burk claimed third place, fourth went to tenth place starter and track champion Eric Stanton, and Jason Ruby, Minot, North Dakota was fifth.

Racing began about 5:34 yesterday and the last checkers fell at 1:32 a.m.  We hope the last liquid sunshine we see falling from the sky was just the very few sprinkles that fell as the Hobby Stock feature pulled onto track....a surprise to everyone!  A check of radar, and the tiny, tiny speck was barely even visible....then disappeared.  

The 39th IMCA Super Nationals starts on Labor Day for their six day run.  There will be a complete show for the IMCA Late Models, and qualifying for the IMCA Northern SportMods, and the IMCA Hobby Stocks.  We are excited to get this show under way!  Let's go racing!  

Prelude to Super Nationals Night 1 in the books

There were persistent sprinkles and such low cloud cover, you felt as if you could almost touch them as we headed for the Boone Speedway on Saturday.  The grounds were bustling with activity in preparation of the first night of the Prelude as track workers hurried to be ready for the show that was about to start an eight day marathon of racing. By the time the cars hit the track for hot laps around 4 o'clock, the blue sky was cloudless and the sun was finally shining!

Night #1 of the Wild Rose Casino and Resort Prelude to the Super Nationals was held Saturday night at the Boone Speedway with 307 cars participating in the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, and for the first time, the IMCA STARS Mod Lites.   Forty-eight races, and 462 laps were run on Iowa's Action Track as the count down to the 39th annual Super Nationals begins.

The IMCA STARS Mod Lites ran six qualifying heats, and two A features that locked in ten cars from each of their 25 lap main events.

The first Mod Lite feature did not start off well, The race was red flagged on lap five when Clayton Hogie and Andrue Halpain,  rolled just out of turn four.  Thankfully, the drivers were okay.  When the race restarted, Dustin Rude continued his lead from the time the green flag dropped but was quickly overtaken by Blake Wilson.  Wilson then was enjoying his run at the front of the field as the laps wore down, but had big time company up to battle in the closing laps.  National point leader, Dillon Raffurty, Kansas City, Missouri began applying the pressure, and after a good battle between the two, it was Raffurty taking command on lap twenty-three, and then sailing to the win.  Wilson had to be content with the runner up position, track champion Josh May came from fourteenth starting spot to capture third, fourth went to twelfth place starter, Mike Kennedy,  and early leader Dustin Rude, was fifth.  Michael Raffurty, Kansas City, Missouri,  Jason Massengarb, Colona, Illinois, Zac Forster, Bakersfield, California, Brandon Freeburg, Metamora, Illinois, and Cory Sonner, Huxley, Iowa completed the top ten to start on the inside row of tomorrow's first ever Mod Lite Super Nationals Big Dance.

Mod Lite A feature #2 saw Ames, Iowa racer Bryan Zehm take the lead on lap four, passing Mabelvale, Arkansas racer Jeromy Wilson, and then pull away.  It was all Zehm's race from there on out as he sailed to victory.  Following a good distance behind in second place was early leader Wilson, third went to Bryce Vowan, Memphis, Tennessee, Ed Griggs, Pleasant Hill, Missouri was fourth, and fifth went to Cameron Wagner, Bismark, Arkansas.  Completing the top ten to start on the outside row for tomorrow Big Dance were Garrett Stonum, Lawson, Missouri, Ryuan Ayrs, Salina, Kansas, Darrick Knutsen, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Justin Raffurty, Kearney, Missouri, and Doug Byers, Grinnell, Iowa.

The IMCA Modifieds ran a complete show to determine their 2021 Prelude champion.  Their A feature went 30 laps and it was outside front row sitter, Joel Bushore jumping to the immediate lead.  Mike Mashl and Tim Ward, Torrence, California, were quick to tail leader Bushore, and began to apply pressure.  Ward made a slide out of corner four work for him on lap nine, and took over the top spot.  He then took off and was enjoying a comfortable lead, until a yellow on lap twenty-two vanished his 3.5 second lead.  By this time, Cody Laney had moved to second and was anxious for the restart.  However, Ward kept Laney at bay in the closing laps, and swept to the checkers and the win.  Following second place Laney was Mike Mashl, Depere, Wisconsin, in third, fourth went to Clear Lake, Iowa's Jeremy Mills, and Todd Shute, Norwalk, Iowa came from fourteenth, to finish fifth.

It was another complete show for the IMCA Stock Cars, and they too ran a 30 lap feature.  Michael Jaennette wasted no time in moving from starting fourth, and into the lead by the time lap three was in the books.  He then pulled away, enjoying a comfortable lead.  Polesitter, Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, California chased Jaennette and closing quickly was seventh place starter Dallon Murty.  Jaennette's sizeable lead vanished on lap twenty-four when a yellow flew, making it a possible game changer for the outcome.  That was exactly what it was, when Murty, known as "The Game Changer", made his move as the race returned to green, making the pass for the lead on the backstretch, and then leading the final handful of laps to seal the win.  Devin Smith did give Murty a challenge on the final lap, but all in vain and had to settle for second.  Jaennette took third place, followed by Dylan Thornton, in fourth, and Kelly Shryock started thirteenth, and finished fifth.

There were several drivers doing double duty in the Modified and Stock Car classes, most of those regulars in the Modified class that are jumping into a fendered ride.  Some of those are in their own cars, while others are in rent a rides.  We noted Jake McBirnie in the Jeff McCollum hot rod, Nick Roberts was in I believe in a Shawn Ritter car, Joel Rust was piloting the #28 of Rhett Ehmen, while Kyle Brown and Mike Albertsen had both of their own cars.  This is just to name a few.

The first green flag racing started right at 5:15 p.m. and everything wrapped up at 11:22 p.m.  

Tomorrow, Sunday September 5 will be Day #2 of the Wild Rose Casino and Resort's Prelude to the Super Nationals.  There will be complete shows for the IMCA Northern SportMods, Hobby Stocks, and Sport Compacts, and the first of the 2021 Super Nationals Champions will be crowned in the STARS Mod Lite division.  

On to seven more days/nights of dirt track racing!

 

Rain washes out Showdown at Motown....on to Boone

 Things can change quickly in Iowa, as I checked the Marshalltown Speedway Facebook page Friday morning to find Toby Kruse tooling around the track getting it in shape for the Showdown at Motown that night.  It wasn't much later when I checked, and it was cancelled! They had just had a heavy pop-up downpour!  That's Iowa for ya!  Not the first time it's happened, and far from the last.

Since there was no racing in Marshalltown, we opted to see if we could check in to our hotel in Ames early for our "Racin' Vacation" that kicks off with tomorrow's Prelude to the Super Nationals at the Boone Speedway, followed by Sunday's day #2 of the Prelude, and then starting Monday, the 39th IMCA Super Nationals for the next six days. The forecast is sounding good for the marathon of racing, but I don't want to say that too loud! It misted on us all the way here, and when we came out from dinner, it had rained, and now it's still misting!  This just needs to get it out of it's system!!  We've got racing to see!! As of Friday evening, there is a record 924 pre-entries, from 27 states and Canada ready to compete at the Super Nationals.  Wow!  

Hope to run into some of you during the upcoming eight straight days/nights of racing.  The season is quickly winding down and before we know it, we will be yearning for these days at the track.  Let's go racing!