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!
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