We were back at the Boone Speedway on Saturday night, after two straight weeks of Mother Nature winning. One hundred sixty-three cars checked into the pits, and provided a full and action packed night of racing for the fans.
Jake McBirnie got his first win this year at Iowa's Action Track when he took the checkers in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified class. Troy Jerovetz won the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature event, and Braden Richards got his first win at the Speedway in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods. John Watson had a perfect night winning his heat, the feature, and King of the Hill challenge in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, and Randy Bryan took the checkers in the STARS Mod Lite A main. It was Don Mason and Jason Miller taking the 2 man cruiser event.
It took several tries before the STARS Mod Lites found their racing rhythm. Austin Gray was the early leader but Bryan Zehm came calling on the topside and took command by lap five. He soon had Randy Bryan on his tail, and just a lap later, Bryan had snatched the top spot away. The remaining laps of the contest was all the Bryan and Zehm show up front in a heated battle, but in the end, it was Bryan holding off Zehm as the checkers flew. Bryan chalked up his second feature win of the 2022 season, and Zehm had to be content with second place. Following a distance behind in third was Austin Gray, Joe Glick was fourth, and Jon Braathun completed the top five.
A late race caution flag at lap fourteen of the eighteen lap Northern SportMod feature was bad luck for Chris Burk. Burk had led from the drop of the green. He had pulled away to a substantial lead when the race was halted and erased that easy road. This put rookie Braden Richards to restart in second position when the race returned to green. Richards swung to the top of the track, and had the lead when lap fifteen was scored. He then held it to the flying checkers and the win. Chris Burk held on to second, third went to ninth place starter Izac Mallicoat, fourth was Camden Vincent, and Dusty Lynch came from eleventh, to finish fifth. This was Richards first win at the track, and only his second career win in the division, after getting that first win under his belt out in Arizona this past winter. Richards moved up this year after spending time in the Hobby Stock ranks previously.
Up next was the 20 lap feature event for the ground pounding IMCA Modifieds. There was lots of tight and intense racing in this one. Brandon Leeman led the first eleven laps of the event, with heavy action right behind as Jimmy Gustin, Jake McBirnie, Mike VanGenderen, and Paul Nagle were duking it out. McBirnie got the upper hand on lap twelve, and brought Jimmy Gustin along to tag into second. The final laps saw the top contenders space themselves out evenly behind, and McBirnie took the comfortable win. Jimmy Gustin took the runner up spot on one of his best runs of the year, Paul Nagle finished third, Cody Laney started fourteenth, and finished fourth, and Jeremy Mills was fifth after starting in tenth position. This was McBirnie's first win at the track this year. He became the sixth different feature winner of the year with no repeat winners. His consistency however sees him setting #1 in the track points race.
The IMCA Hobby Stocks went 15 laps for the main event, and it was John Watson dominating this one. Watson started sixth, and took command of the race at lap four, and never looked back. Young Mike Smith did make it a close finish though as he flew through field from starting eighteenth, and finished a close second. Seth Janssen took third over Josh VanCannon in fourth, and Eric Knutson came from twelfth, to finish fifth. Eric Knutson holds the points lead in the Hobby Stock ranks.
Earlier the IMCA Hobby Stocks ran a King of the Hill contest. The top 8 in track points were locked in, and 8 more raced in through their heats. John Watson made it a perfect night, winning his heat, the feature, and taking home the King of the Hill crown. He bested Mike Smith, Seth Butler, and Solomon Bennett in the final round to take the title.
The night cap of the evening was the 20 lap IMCA Stock Car feature. Troy Jerovetz started sixth and got the lead on lap six, never to relinquish it. Tyler Pickett chased Jerovetz most of the non-stop race, and in the closing moments made it a close one at the line, but had to settle for second. Trent Murphy took third, Josh Daniels moved from twelfth starting spot to finish fourth, and Donavon Smith came from fourteenth, to take fifth. This was the second win for Jerovetz at the speedway this year. Donavon Smith holds the point lead, 9 points up on brother Devin Smith.
It's always great to see a new driver pick up his first checkers ever...even in a heat race. Young Rowdee VanGenderen, 14 year old son of the Flying Dutchman, Mike VanGenderen won his Stock Car heat last night, and saw the checkers flying for him for the first time. No doubt, the first of many more he will see.
Next Saturday night, June 25 will be the Inaugural Fox Welding/Vermeer King of the Katwalks, presented by VanEaton Pork for the IMCA Stock Cars and $2,500 to win. It will also be a B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational Qualifier. It's a well paying night for the Stock Cars, with 2nd place taking $2,000 home, third $1,500, $1,000 for fourth, $750 for fifth, $500 for sixth, $450 for seventh, $400 for eighth, $350 for ninth, and $300 for tenth place. and a minimum of $250 to start with $75 tow money. It's a draw/redraw format and there is no entry fee. Look for a big field of cars in the Class too Tough to Tame!!
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