It was another topnotch night of racing Saturday night at the Boone Speedway, on a typical hot and humid July night in Iowa. Jimmy Gustin got the crown in the King of the Hill for the IMCA Friesen Performance Modifieds, while Jake McBirnie returned to Victory Lane for another feature win in the division. Devin Smith took the high road in capturing the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature, his first of the season, and also a first of the year win went to Curtis Veber in the IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMod class. Yet another first time winner was Keith Burg when he took checkers in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, and Travis Stensland keeps racking up wins in the IMCA Stealth STARS Mod Lite class.
The night's racing was made extra special when we got to spend it with Dustin Jarrett, who was back here visiting in the area...and recently getting his 326th different track in when he stopped at CJ Speedway Friday night in Columbus Junction. Jarrett is from Ohio, but you never know where you will run into him as he travels doing announcing all over the country.
Feature racing kicked off with the 15 lap main event for the Mod Lites, presented by Carquest Auto, Truck, and Farm.
Travis Stensland wasted no time in getting to the front. He started sixth, had the lead at lap one, and never looked back in the race that went caution free. He had no issues with lap traffic, as he pulled away from his nearest competitor and took the easy win. Following a distance second place was tenth place starter Josh May, Bryan Zehm was third, fourth went to Scott Bailey, and Ben George rounded out the top five. Stensland continues his great run at the track this season, scoring his fifth victory of the year.
The Northern SportMods, presented by Elmquist Towing, ran an 18 lap feature next.
Jason Carney took the lead as the race went green. As the race wore on, he had big time company battling it out for position behind him as Curtis Veber, Nate Albrant, Hunter Longnecker, and Matt Avila went at it. Veber was able to get around Carney and take the top spot on lap twelve and at lap thirteen, the only caution of the race flew. It was no issue for Veber however, as he kept hold of the lead when the race resumed, but now it was Hunter Longnecker running in second and hot on his tail through the final laps. Veber fended off the advances and was able to take the checkers first, and secure his first win since August of 2023. Longnecker made it close at the line, but had to settle for second place. Matt Avila finished third, Taylor Kuehl was hard charger, coming from seventeenth starting spot to take fourth, and Randy Havlik completed the top five.
The Modified 20 lap feature, presented by D & E Outside Services, was decided in a dash to the finish line.
Kaylin Lopez, the Chowchilla, California transplant who now calls Marshalltown, Iowa home, led the troops through much of the race, still holding the lead with a handful of laps to go. He had several hard charging competitors behind him however as the race wore down and with four laps to go, Jake McBirnie took over, Lopez fell back, and soon exited the race, and Jeremy Mills, who started eleventh, was giving chase to McBirnie. Cory Saureman had also been in the hunt and was chasing the leaders too, but McBirnie wasn't about to relinquish that lead though it was a thrilling dash to the finish line making it one to have the fans on their feet. McBirnie took the checkers, making it his fourth of the year, with Jeremy Mills just beating Cory Sauerman as they went second and third respectively. Zane DeVilbiss, Farmington, New Mexico visitor started twelfth, and took fourth, and tenth place starter Jimmy Gustin got in the mix in the closing five laps and took fifth place.
The Stock Car 20 lap feature, presented by Moose Lodge of Boone had more than its share of yellow flags waving....seven in all, and six within the first seven laps.
"Hot Rod" Richards started on the pole and took the lead, weathered the first five cautions and maintained the lead. When the race restarted however, eighth place starter Devin Smith made his run at the top of the track work, and snatched the lead, with early leader Richards out of the race with mechanical issues. Another yellow flew at lap seven and on the restart, Smith kept his lead, running the topside in turns three and four, diving low in turns one and two. The final yellow flew on lap fourteen with Smith holding on to the number one spot the rest of the way to the checkers and his first win. Cody Gustoff and Tyler Pickett ran at the front of the pack the entire race, finishing second and third respectively, Donavon Smith came from tenth starting spot to finish in fourth place, and veteran Scott Davis was fifth. This was Smith's first win at the track since 2022, after taking a couple years hiatus from racing.
Things wrapped up with the final feature of the night, the Hobby Stock 15 lap event, presented by Pickett Salvage.
Keith Burg started on the outside front row, and grabbed the lead immediately. It would be a lead he would never give up, as he went home to the flying checkers and grabbed his first ever feature win at the track. He had three #22s battling it out behind him most of the race, with fourteenth place starter Mike Smith taking the runner up position in the closing lap, finishing ahead of Wayne Gifford in third, and his son Braden Gifford in fourth. Matt McDonald completed the top five.
There was plenty of action going on in the tech area last night too. There were lots of announcement going on for infractions for deck height, a jack bolt issue, frames too low, a carbon fiber drive shaft which is a no-no, rear shock issue, and some I may have missed.
Next Saturday night, July 20 will be another weekly series of racing along with the King of the Katwalks for the IMCA Stock Cars. The Stock Cars run for $5,000 to win, $250 to start at the 3rd annual event. Pits open at 4:30, grandstands at 5:30, hot laps at 6:00, and racing at 7:00.
Find a track to support, and help keep the sport we all love....dirt track racing....alive and well!
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