Boone Speedway was back in action on Saturday night with their Prelude Preview show in an all draw/redraw format for all classes. There were many new faces among the familiar ones in the 180 cars that came to race as things get geared up for the 41st IMCA Super Nationals.
Dallon Murty held his ground and took the win in a spectacular finish in the IMCA Friesen Performance Modifieds. Jake McBirnie won in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, and it was Dylan Van Wyk taking the honors in the IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMod division. Seth Butler saw victory in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock class, his first ever at Boone, and Josh May continued his winning ways in the IMCA Stealth Racing STARS Mod Lites. A First Time Winner Race in the Stock Cars was also held and that went to Jeremy Mills.
Prior to the races, a new flagstand was dedicated in honor of the first track's flagman, Floyd Michel. It was nice to see the more sturdy flagstand to help keep the flagman safe. We were told it was bullet proof glass now protecting the man who waves the flags.
The Mod Lites, presented by Carquest ran their 15 lap A main first, and the race went flag to flag.
Joe Glick was the leader for the first seven laps but he had his hands full fending off the advances of Josh May. May, the track champion who started sixth was quickly up to challenge the leader and after several laps of side by side racing, May made the pass on the inside and was scored the leader at lap eight. It was all May's race there on out, as he pulled away and took the checkers going away. Glick finished as the runner up, Joel Huggins, who has run a limited schedule this year, finished in third place, fourth went to Austin Gray, and tenth place starter, Randy Bryan, was fifth.
The SportMods, presented by Elmquist Towing came to the track next for their 18 lap main event and it also went caution free.
Dylan Van Wyk, Oskaloosa, Iowa racer, started on the outside front row, grabbed the lead immediately and never looked back. He had a sizable lead with just a handful of laps in the books, and from there on out, stretched it our even further, and won going away. Curtis Veber, the pole sitter finished as the runner up, third went to ninth place starter Jake Sachau, Ben Chapman, Clarence, Iowa visiting driver finished in fourth place, and Josh Appel, Garner, Iowa was fifth.
The IMCA Stock Cars, presented by Boone Moose Lodge, ran 20 laps for their A Main.
Early leader was Jeff Mueller but he soon had sixth place starter Jake McBirnie breathing down his neck. After a couple of peeks under Mueller, he was able to pull off the pass into the lead, and was scored the leader on lap six. McBirnie then weathered three cautions and subsequent restarts easily, and went home comfortably to the flying checkers and the win. Jake Sachau took second, a distant third was Jeff Mueller, fourth went to tenth place starter Bob Daniels, and Austin Meiners came from twelfth, to finish fifth.
The IMCA Modifieds, presented by D & E Outside Services, ran a 20 lap feature, and what a show they put on for the fans.
Dallon Murty started on the pole and jumped to the immediate lead, but sixth place starter, Tom Berry, Jr. was on his tail when lap one was scored. Those two would be the show up front for the rest of the race. Murty and Berry toured the top of the track closely and when a caution flew at lap 17, it could have been a game changer. It wasn't to be however, as THE "Game Changer", Dallon Murty fended off some spectacular sliders from Berry, but they were no avail, and Murty skillfully earned his victory at the checkers. Berry had to be content with second place on this night. Tim Ward took third place after starting in twelfth position, Riley Simmons was fourth, and Cory Sauerman rounded out the top five.
The IMCA Hobby Stocks, presented by Pickett Salvage had a 15 lap feature. The winner of this one was a happy camper as he saw checkers for the first time at Boone after being a regular at the track for several years. He had won at another track, but his comment in Victory Lane was, "but it wasn't Boone"!
Seth Butler grabbed the lead from the outside front row position, weathered a yellow caution and restart, and led all 15 laps on his way to his first win at the track. Butler, who has been close before, finally captured that elusive first win. It was an emotional interview in Victory Lane as he thanked his supporters, sponsors, and fans. John Watson, the 2023 track champion, finished as the runner up. Audubon, Iowa racer, Riley Christensen took third place, fourth was Zach Hemmingsen, and Wayne Gifford was fifth.
The night ended with the running of the 2nd Annual John Logue First Time Winner Race for the IMCA Stock Cars. This race was for drivers who had never won a feature in a Stock Car previously.
Veteran racer Calvin "Buck" Swanson led the field for the first two laps until Scott Olson took over on lap three. Just a few laps later, it was Jeremy Mills, challenging the leader. Olson was able to fend off the advances until just five laps remained, when Mills grabbed the lead. Mills, who has won in the Hobby Stock and Modified classes, then held on to the top spot the rest of the way home and claimed his first ever IMCA Stock Car feature win. Second place went to Drew Janssen who started sixteenth, third was nineteenth place starter Braden Richards, Dillon Solum started thirteenth and finished fourth, and young Rowdee Van Genderen started twenty-first, and finished in fifth. Mills also is now qualified for the IMCA Stock Car All Star Invitational at the upcoming Super Nationals.
Next Saturday night, September 2 will be Night #1 of the Wild Rose Casino Double Down Prelude to the Super Nationals, presented by NAPA. IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Sport Compacts, and Mod Lites will be on the docket. Pits open at 11, grandstands at 1, hot laps at 2, and racing at 3. Night #2 of the Prelude will be Sunday, September 3, when the Northern SportMods, and Hobby Stocks will be racing, and the Mod Lites will have their 2023 Super Nationals feature which will crown the first of this year's winners of the 41st running of the IMCA Super Nationals. The ninth annual Prelude is now billed as the Double Down Prelude, with double features in any class with more than 100 cars.
Then, on Labor Day Monday, September 4, it will be the first of five straight days/nights of racing at the Boone Speedway for the 41st IMCA Super Nationals, and America's Racin' Vacation. God willing, we plan to see it once again for our 35th year straight.
Keep on supporting the sport we all love....dirt track racing!
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