Boone Speedway opened its season on Saturday night, with their annual IMCA Frostbuster, with the IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, and Hobby Stocks all in competition. The pits were chocked full with 190 cars and drivers hungry to get their racing season underway. And, although the sun was shining and there was a much calmer than usual southerly breeze, the race was still appropriately named!
Feature racing kicked off with the 25 lap main event for the IMCA Northern SportMods. The 56 entrants were whittled down to a 24 car starting field requiring three B mains.
Taylor Kuehl, the Arizona native lady racer, had just returned to the state of Iowa three days prior to the Frostbuster kickoff, and she wasted no time in putting her name into the record books. Kuehl would lead all 25 laps on her way to a popular victory with the crowd on hand. She had to fend off several challenges by Wisconsin driver, Tim Warner, but Kuehl kept her cool, and took the checkers, waving to the spectators. Werner had to settle for the runner up spot. Dylan VanWyk was hard charger of the event, coming from twenty-first starting spot, to take third place. Pole sitter Kenny Wyman, was fourth, and eighteenth place starter, Dusty Masolini was fifth.
Forty-three IMCA ground-pounding Modifieds were on hand and it was defending IMCA National Champion Jeff Larson from Freeport, Illinois leading the opening laps. However by lap eleven, another Arizona native, Tim Ward had grabbed the top spot. Ward would never relinquish his lead from there on as he motored home to the feature event honors. Clear Lake, Iowa racer, Jeremy Mills, chased Ward for much of the race, but had to be content with second place. Third went to Jeff Larson, Devin Fouquette, St. Cloud, Minnesota was fourth, and Johnathon Logue, in his Modified debut, rounded out the top five.
There were 48 IMCA Stock Cars on hand vying for a spot in their 25-lap A Main feature. Todd Reitzler led the first ten laps of the race but then had some heavy hitters challenging. A slight miscue by the leader allowed Troy Jerovetz to slip by and into the lead, and Dallon Murty, and dad Damon Murty followed suite, as Reitzler dropped to fourth. The final laps was a shoot out between son and father as the the Murtys led the troops around Iowa's Action Track. Dallon Murty would triumph on this night, with dad Damon taking second place. Third went to Troy Jerovetz, Todd Reitzler was fourth, and David Smith completed the top five. Dallon returned to the winner's podium for the 2022 season, after ending it there in 2021 as the IMCA Super Nationals Champion.
The 2022 Frostbuster special ended the night's action with the final 25 lap event with the IMCA Hobby Stocks. Another young racer returned to the winner's circle where he also left off in 2021. Mike Smith, the 2021 IMCA Hobby Stock Super National's winner was dominate in taking the victory. He led all but the opening laps on his way to the final checkers of the night. Solomon Bennett chased Smith for much of the race, to score the runner up position. Curt Reed took third place, fourth went to Eric Stanton, and Nathan Ballard was fifth.
We were surprised to see a bit of construction just finishing up as we arrived at the track. Seems the wooden deck used by IMCA tv to broadcast the races, had been blown off during a storm in December, ending up against the fence. The new structure is much more substantial, with stairs leading to the deck atop the front grandstands.
We finally got our first race of 2022 under our belts. The annual IMCA Frostbusters have not had a good track record, and this year, the first three shows that were scheduled for Vinton, Independence, and Marshalltown, were all weathered out. Boone was the first to get in, and it looks like the final go around at Stuart Speedway today, will also be a successful show.
The regular season opener at Boone Speedway is next Saturday night, April 16. Pits open at 3, grandstands at 4:30, hot laps are 5, and racing at 6. The IMCA Mod Lites will be on the program along with the Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, and Hobby Stocks.
Be sure and check the racing calendar at www.positivelyracing.com for a race you may want to catch! Let's hope Mother Nature will be kind now for us racing fans!
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