Unofficial results:
Modified
1. 02 Andrew Schroeder - Track Champion
2. 7W Jerry Pilcher
3. 8J AJ Johnson
4. 9G Tyler Groenendyk
5. 22 Brandon Banks
6. 71C Troy Cordes
7. 40 Scott Dickey
8. 71W Jeff Waterman
9. 10C Cayden Carter
10. 4 Ryan Maitland
DNF: 64 Casey Greubel
Stock Car
1. 7 Todd Phillips
2. 23 Gary Harward
3. 52 Nathan Wood
4. 20dub Shane Weller
5. 94 Corey Stout
6. 62 Brad Pinkerton
7. 22R Todd Reitzler
8. 72 Jerry Pilcher
9. 10CC Cayden Carter - Track Champion
10. 1X Michael Petersen
11. 87 Les Blakely
12. 77T Trent Jeanes
13. 19 Donnie Pearson
DNF: 7K Kelsie Spilman
4M Mike McClure
27K Tim Kraber
31 Jason See
18 Kris Walker
85 Doug Sylvester
71 Louis Lynch
17 Brock Welch
SportMod
1. 1V Curtis VanDerWal
2. 34Z Cory VanZante
3. 8T Tony Johnson
4. 352 Charlie Weber
5. 29 Colton Livezey
6. 01 Brayton Carter
7. 72 Brett Lowry - Track Champion
8. 40 Dakota Simmons
9. 85 Jason McDaniel
10. 7 Carter VanDenBerg
11. 82 Jake McBirnie
12. 9A Logan Anderson
13. 53 Greg Strohman
14. 20 Danny Brau
DNF: 03 Mike Mundell
Hobby Stock
1. 69 Craig Brown
2. 11 Mike Hughes
3. 55 Brad Stephens
4. 12 Mike Kincaid
5. 10G Dustin Griffiths - Track Champion
6. 84 Danny Thrasher
7. 6S Shannon Sherwood
8. 66 Brandon Cox
9. 31 Adam Bonnett
10. 73 Aaron Martin
11. 32T Bobby Greene
12. 3s Steve Allen
13. 19D Daniel Dyer
14. 224 Gina Greubel
DNF: 3 Travis Bunnell
21 Nick Ulin
Sport Compact
1. 33 Matt Girdley
2. 00W Bill Whalen, Jr. - Track Champion
3. 77 John Whalen
4. 2M Matt Moore
5. 33X Nicholas VanHemert
6. 118 Trent Orwig
7. 22K Tyler Harring
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
2014 Super National notes and tidbits
We made it through another Super Nationals.....our 27th straight year and all at the Boone Speedway. The 32nd Speedway Motors Super Nationals had it all....from 865 plus cars, to torrential rains the night before, flooding parts of the pits, the infield of the track and areas of the camping area. Then the heat and humidity moved in and later in the week, it got down right chilly at night. It also had some of the earliest nights we can remember in recent times. The latest being 12:45 a.m. There were fans and drivers from far and wide, some drivers repeated their prestigious wins from previous years, and a rookie to his class claimed a Super Nationals title.
Monday, Labor Day, Day 1
The first day of the 2014 Super Nationals was really sounding iffy the night before and all through the night when we heard the rain coming down. When we arrived at the track, some areas of the pits, the camping areas and the drives were a mess! We heard that they began working the track at 8:30 a.m. and when we arrived shortly after noon, the infield that had been flooded, was now drained.....all on it's own without pumps, and the track was looking good. Racing was scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. (as it was each of the six days) but was about 45 minutes late. The track was even WATERED, before the racing began. What could have been a really ugly day of racing, turned into a night of good racing, and one that was completed at 10:41 p.m.
That first day of racing was a full show for the 41 IMCA Deery Brothers Late Models, plus qualifying for the 145 Hobby Stocks and 167 SportMods. The 50 lap Deery Brothers feature saw a familiar face back on the podium as Jeff Aikey led all 50 laps on his way to capturing his fourth Super Nationals Championship.
In the Hobby Stock division, it was Shannon Anderson capturing the first qualifying feature and securing his pole starting spot for Saturday's A feature. The second Hobby Stock feature was won by Nebraska racer Jesse VanLaningham, earning him a front row starting spot from the middle row on Saturday night.
The IMCA Northern SportMods also had a qualifying feature on the first night of racing. Ben Kates, the Tonganoxie, Kansas driver who has called Boone, Iowa home this racing season, won that A qualifier, putting him on the pole for the Saturday show.
Tuesday, Day 2
The Super Nationals, had the second Champion crowned, this time in the IMCA Sport Compact class. Adam Gates was a surprised winner of this Super National's Championship, as he was not aware he was leading at the checkers---thinking instead that Nate Coopman was a runaway. Coopman had his engine expire with a handful of laps remaining, but Gates did not notice him sitting in the infield.
In the Hobby Stock class on Day 2, Atlantic, Iowa driver, Dusty VanHorn won the A qualifier, putting himself on the front of the outside row come Saturday night.
Two more drivers earned front row starting spots in the SportMod division. Jerry Hoffman was awarded the front row of the middle row for Saturday night's big show. This was after finishing second to Bobby Anders, Jr. who had crossed the finish line in first.....but was later found to have an illegal shock. The second A qualifier, putting the winner on the outside front row, was a popular win. Hometown boy, Jake McBirnie put his bright metallic blue ride on that coveted position by winning that race.
Wednesday, Day 3
Wednesday was "Ground Pounder" day, the IMCA Modifieds making their first time racing and qualifying as did the Stock Cars. By my count, 277 Modifieds ran heats and there were 167 Stock Cars. Things were also beginning to get busier and the crowd was growing. The Hobby Stocks and SportMods qualified their final six cars to tag the end of their Big Dance, the Stock Cars qualified four cars for the inside row and four cars for the middle row as did the Modifieds.
Taking the win for the final shot in the Hobby Stocks was Andrew Burg, who had been a strong runner weekly at the Boone Speedway all year long. In the last gasp for the SportMods, it was Chad Ryerson from Wellsburg, happy with his win and a chance to race in the Saturday night feature.
Two Stock Car A qualifiers ran on Wednesday night, and the first one went to a familiar name around the oval. Jerry Gifford, from right there in Boone, won #1. The second one, went to Jay Schmidt, another weekly racer at the track who had a successful season at "Iowa's Action Track".
Two qualifiers were run in the Modifieds. Though Adam Larson took the checkers in the first feature, he was later disqualified for an infraction on the chassis. This gave the win to Californian, Paul Stone. Qualifier #2 went to "the Flying Banana", Mike Jergens. Jergens drove his #37X machine from row seven, to take the checkers.
Thursday, Day 4
Day #4 was a hot one and a humid one! Qualifying for the Stock Cars and Modifieds continued....each running two qualifying features with four drivers from each advancing. The first of the Stock Car events went to rookie to the class, Devin Smith. Smith, who moved up from Hobby Stocks this year, looked to be on a mission in taking his solid win. The second of the qualifiers saw Marcus Fagan make it to the checkers first. However, he was later disqualified for an infraction, giving the win to Belmond, Iowa driver, Heath Tulp.
The Modified's were qualifying for the middle row on Thursday. The first A feature went to Earlham, Iowa's Josh Gilman. It took a while to get through the second A qualifier with at least five yellows flying plus a red flag when a car took a flip. When it was finally scored complete, Chris Mills from Sioux City took the win.
Friday, Day 5
Mother Nature decided to throw a little curve into the Super Nationals again with rain, rain and more rain in the early morning hours on Friday. Despite all that "liquid sunshine", racing began just 16 minutes late, at 2:16 p.m. A few sprinkles returned just about starting time and tried to interrupt the festivities and right before heat #9, it halted the racing as the sprinkles became heavier. Wheels were kept on the track though, both the hard working "green" farming machines, and the race cars, and after about an hour delay, things picked back up where they had let off, and the roar of the engines resumed. That rain had also moved in a cold front, and the temperatures began to fall. The evening turned into a jacket night for sure!
Friday featured the Modified All Star Invitational Race----30 cars for 30 laps. Kyle Strickler, known as the "high side tickler" pretty much dominated this one after getting to the lead by lap seven and leading the rest of the race to the flying checkers.
There were also two more Stock Car qualifying A's as well as two for the Modifieds. In the first Stock Car A main, a brand new car and driver showed up and took all the marbles. Casey Werkmeister from North Platte, Nebraska won his heat as well as the qualifying A, putting his #24W on the outside row of the "Big Dance". An interesting fact about Werkmeister is that he is a Junior Varsity football coach back home and was not about to let his team down by being absent at their game the previous night! An Iowa driver won the second Stock Car qualifier. Justin Temeyer started in row five, and took over the lead before the halfway mark of the 25-lap race and held it to the finish.
Feature one of the Modifieds found De Pere, Wisconsin racer, Johnny Whitman snaring the win and the right to start in the outside row come Saturday night. Race #2 went to Kyle Strickler, taking the checkers for the second time of the night, after his earlier prestigious All Star Invitational win. That second qualifying feature had a scary incident on the backstretch, when Billy Davis, Jr. was slowing on the track, when the cars approaching him tried to take evasive action, and the situation did not end well. Davis took a real hit and rolled just before turn four, his car sitting demolished on the track in the outcome. It was a big relief to see him emerge from the car and okay.
Saturday, Day 6, - The Big Dance
Saturday was finally here. There were still some last chance races for the Modifieds and Stock Cars before their "Big Dance" was set as well as Race of Champions features for the Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods and the Hobby Stocks. Making it into the main event by winning the Stock Car qualifying A was Derek Green from Granada, Minnesota, and winning each of three final qualifiers for the the Modifieds, were Mike VanGenderen, Ryan Ruter and Joel Rust.
The Race of Champions winners were:
Hobby Stock - Austin Luellen, Iowa
SportMod - Clint Luellen, Iowa
Stock Car - Devin Smith, Iowa
Modified - Keith White, Texas
The Big Dance for the IMCA Hobby Stocks found pole sitter Shannon Anderson lead the entire 30-lap race from start to finish, on his way to his third Super Nationals Hobby Stock Championship. Anderson motored home to the victory by a comfortable distance. Second went to Mike Pruitt, who had to fend off third place finisher Jesse VanLaningham. Fourth was regular Saturday night racer at Boone, Eric Stanton, and Austin Luellen rounded out the top five.
Johnathon Logue made history by winning the IMCA Northern SportMod Big Dance. Logue, who's father is John Logue, five-time Super National winner in the Modified division, drove his #69jr hot rod from starting inside row four, to snare the coveted win. Logue passed second place finisher Randy Roberts by lap eighteen, and then held the lead to the finish. Third place went to Algona's Jake Simpson, fourth was Bakersfield, California racer Ethan Dotson, and Jared VanDeest from Holland, Iowa was fifth.
Devin Smith, rookie in the Stock Car class, was dominate most of the week. After his Race of Champions win earlier in the evening, he didn't let up when it came Big Dance time. Smith took the lead by lap eight and never looked back. Smith won comfortably over second place finisher Damon Murty. Murty started in the middle of row four to take the runner up spot. Third was Boone track champion Jerry Gifford, fourth went to Hortonville, Wisconsin's Travis VanStraten and Justin Temeyer from Independence, Iowa, completed the top five.
The grand finale of the six-day Super Nationals was the 30-lapper for the Modifieds. Starting across the 3-wide front row were Mike Jergens, Josh Gilman and Kyle Strickler. When the race went green, Strickler took immediate command of the lead, pulling away from all the remaining 32 cars. Strickler was still leading easily at lap seventeen, when a horrific crash on the frontstretch, right at the flagstand occurred. A car was limping toward the pit exit out of turn four, right up against the wall, when all of a sudden the cars approaching him that were racing for position, were swerving to avoid him, as they had committed to the top line of the track. It was mayhem as cars piled into each other. Todd Shute rolled and Mike VanGenderen took a late hit to the drivers door, Jimmy Gustin was in the middle of the mess, but quickly emerged from his destroyed car. Also involved were Adam Johnson, Nick Roberts and Chris Mills. VanGenderen commented that he was knocked out for a moment. From the looks of the resulting carnage, we'd say probably at least three race cars were destroyed. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt that we heard about.
When racing got back underway after a lengthy clean up procedure, Strickler took up where he left off, distancing himself from the field. Strickler took the win easily, putting his name in the record books as a Super Nationals winner. Richie Gustin made a late race pass to take the runner up spot. Gustin started on the inside of row five to finish in second. Third went to last year's winner Dylan Smith who started in the middle of row four. Fourth was Canada racer Aaron Turnbull from Estevan, Saskatchewan, and Mike Jergens finished in the top five after starting on the inside pole.
We mentioned earlier that racing was completed much earlier each night than in recent years. Monday was done at 10:41 p.m., Tuesday was 12:02 a.m., Wednesday it was 12:45 a.m, Thursday, 12:09 a.m., Friday, 12:32 a.m. and Saturday it was done by 10:21 p.m. We did stick around for the motor auctioning after the celebrating was done. Both the Hobby Stock and SportMod motors went for $2,400 and both the Modified and Stock Car, which was a Mopar, went for $6,000.
The 32nd IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals has come and gone. We are already looking forward to the 33rd! Where else can you see cars in six divisions from across the whole United States and Canada, come together for America's Racin' Vacation and run in such an efficient and orderly manner? We love it and by the size of the crowds and the car count, so do a lot of others!
I know this is late in getting completed. Thanks in part to an issue with the lap top that put it out of commission for a while. We are hoping to get just a couple more races in this year before we call it a season. We usually go racing into October, but my other half is soon to be getting a new knee and then down for some recuperation. We plan for the Southern Iowa Speedway's season championship tomorrow night, Wednesday, September 17 and we have our fingers crossed for the Marshalltown Speedway's World Nationals on Friday and Saturday. Please Mother Nature, don't rain on our last races of the year!
Monday, Labor Day, Day 1
The first day of the 2014 Super Nationals was really sounding iffy the night before and all through the night when we heard the rain coming down. When we arrived at the track, some areas of the pits, the camping areas and the drives were a mess! We heard that they began working the track at 8:30 a.m. and when we arrived shortly after noon, the infield that had been flooded, was now drained.....all on it's own without pumps, and the track was looking good. Racing was scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. (as it was each of the six days) but was about 45 minutes late. The track was even WATERED, before the racing began. What could have been a really ugly day of racing, turned into a night of good racing, and one that was completed at 10:41 p.m.
That first day of racing was a full show for the 41 IMCA Deery Brothers Late Models, plus qualifying for the 145 Hobby Stocks and 167 SportMods. The 50 lap Deery Brothers feature saw a familiar face back on the podium as Jeff Aikey led all 50 laps on his way to capturing his fourth Super Nationals Championship.
In the Hobby Stock division, it was Shannon Anderson capturing the first qualifying feature and securing his pole starting spot for Saturday's A feature. The second Hobby Stock feature was won by Nebraska racer Jesse VanLaningham, earning him a front row starting spot from the middle row on Saturday night.
The IMCA Northern SportMods also had a qualifying feature on the first night of racing. Ben Kates, the Tonganoxie, Kansas driver who has called Boone, Iowa home this racing season, won that A qualifier, putting him on the pole for the Saturday show.
Tuesday, Day 2
The Super Nationals, had the second Champion crowned, this time in the IMCA Sport Compact class. Adam Gates was a surprised winner of this Super National's Championship, as he was not aware he was leading at the checkers---thinking instead that Nate Coopman was a runaway. Coopman had his engine expire with a handful of laps remaining, but Gates did not notice him sitting in the infield.
In the Hobby Stock class on Day 2, Atlantic, Iowa driver, Dusty VanHorn won the A qualifier, putting himself on the front of the outside row come Saturday night.
Two more drivers earned front row starting spots in the SportMod division. Jerry Hoffman was awarded the front row of the middle row for Saturday night's big show. This was after finishing second to Bobby Anders, Jr. who had crossed the finish line in first.....but was later found to have an illegal shock. The second A qualifier, putting the winner on the outside front row, was a popular win. Hometown boy, Jake McBirnie put his bright metallic blue ride on that coveted position by winning that race.
Wednesday, Day 3
Wednesday was "Ground Pounder" day, the IMCA Modifieds making their first time racing and qualifying as did the Stock Cars. By my count, 277 Modifieds ran heats and there were 167 Stock Cars. Things were also beginning to get busier and the crowd was growing. The Hobby Stocks and SportMods qualified their final six cars to tag the end of their Big Dance, the Stock Cars qualified four cars for the inside row and four cars for the middle row as did the Modifieds.
Taking the win for the final shot in the Hobby Stocks was Andrew Burg, who had been a strong runner weekly at the Boone Speedway all year long. In the last gasp for the SportMods, it was Chad Ryerson from Wellsburg, happy with his win and a chance to race in the Saturday night feature.
Two Stock Car A qualifiers ran on Wednesday night, and the first one went to a familiar name around the oval. Jerry Gifford, from right there in Boone, won #1. The second one, went to Jay Schmidt, another weekly racer at the track who had a successful season at "Iowa's Action Track".
Two qualifiers were run in the Modifieds. Though Adam Larson took the checkers in the first feature, he was later disqualified for an infraction on the chassis. This gave the win to Californian, Paul Stone. Qualifier #2 went to "the Flying Banana", Mike Jergens. Jergens drove his #37X machine from row seven, to take the checkers.
Thursday, Day 4
Day #4 was a hot one and a humid one! Qualifying for the Stock Cars and Modifieds continued....each running two qualifying features with four drivers from each advancing. The first of the Stock Car events went to rookie to the class, Devin Smith. Smith, who moved up from Hobby Stocks this year, looked to be on a mission in taking his solid win. The second of the qualifiers saw Marcus Fagan make it to the checkers first. However, he was later disqualified for an infraction, giving the win to Belmond, Iowa driver, Heath Tulp.
The Modified's were qualifying for the middle row on Thursday. The first A feature went to Earlham, Iowa's Josh Gilman. It took a while to get through the second A qualifier with at least five yellows flying plus a red flag when a car took a flip. When it was finally scored complete, Chris Mills from Sioux City took the win.
Friday, Day 5
Mother Nature decided to throw a little curve into the Super Nationals again with rain, rain and more rain in the early morning hours on Friday. Despite all that "liquid sunshine", racing began just 16 minutes late, at 2:16 p.m. A few sprinkles returned just about starting time and tried to interrupt the festivities and right before heat #9, it halted the racing as the sprinkles became heavier. Wheels were kept on the track though, both the hard working "green" farming machines, and the race cars, and after about an hour delay, things picked back up where they had let off, and the roar of the engines resumed. That rain had also moved in a cold front, and the temperatures began to fall. The evening turned into a jacket night for sure!
Friday featured the Modified All Star Invitational Race----30 cars for 30 laps. Kyle Strickler, known as the "high side tickler" pretty much dominated this one after getting to the lead by lap seven and leading the rest of the race to the flying checkers.
There were also two more Stock Car qualifying A's as well as two for the Modifieds. In the first Stock Car A main, a brand new car and driver showed up and took all the marbles. Casey Werkmeister from North Platte, Nebraska won his heat as well as the qualifying A, putting his #24W on the outside row of the "Big Dance". An interesting fact about Werkmeister is that he is a Junior Varsity football coach back home and was not about to let his team down by being absent at their game the previous night! An Iowa driver won the second Stock Car qualifier. Justin Temeyer started in row five, and took over the lead before the halfway mark of the 25-lap race and held it to the finish.
Feature one of the Modifieds found De Pere, Wisconsin racer, Johnny Whitman snaring the win and the right to start in the outside row come Saturday night. Race #2 went to Kyle Strickler, taking the checkers for the second time of the night, after his earlier prestigious All Star Invitational win. That second qualifying feature had a scary incident on the backstretch, when Billy Davis, Jr. was slowing on the track, when the cars approaching him tried to take evasive action, and the situation did not end well. Davis took a real hit and rolled just before turn four, his car sitting demolished on the track in the outcome. It was a big relief to see him emerge from the car and okay.
Saturday, Day 6, - The Big Dance
Saturday was finally here. There were still some last chance races for the Modifieds and Stock Cars before their "Big Dance" was set as well as Race of Champions features for the Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods and the Hobby Stocks. Making it into the main event by winning the Stock Car qualifying A was Derek Green from Granada, Minnesota, and winning each of three final qualifiers for the the Modifieds, were Mike VanGenderen, Ryan Ruter and Joel Rust.
The Race of Champions winners were:
Hobby Stock - Austin Luellen, Iowa
SportMod - Clint Luellen, Iowa
Stock Car - Devin Smith, Iowa
Modified - Keith White, Texas
The Big Dance for the IMCA Hobby Stocks found pole sitter Shannon Anderson lead the entire 30-lap race from start to finish, on his way to his third Super Nationals Hobby Stock Championship. Anderson motored home to the victory by a comfortable distance. Second went to Mike Pruitt, who had to fend off third place finisher Jesse VanLaningham. Fourth was regular Saturday night racer at Boone, Eric Stanton, and Austin Luellen rounded out the top five.
Johnathon Logue made history by winning the IMCA Northern SportMod Big Dance. Logue, who's father is John Logue, five-time Super National winner in the Modified division, drove his #69jr hot rod from starting inside row four, to snare the coveted win. Logue passed second place finisher Randy Roberts by lap eighteen, and then held the lead to the finish. Third place went to Algona's Jake Simpson, fourth was Bakersfield, California racer Ethan Dotson, and Jared VanDeest from Holland, Iowa was fifth.
Devin Smith, rookie in the Stock Car class, was dominate most of the week. After his Race of Champions win earlier in the evening, he didn't let up when it came Big Dance time. Smith took the lead by lap eight and never looked back. Smith won comfortably over second place finisher Damon Murty. Murty started in the middle of row four to take the runner up spot. Third was Boone track champion Jerry Gifford, fourth went to Hortonville, Wisconsin's Travis VanStraten and Justin Temeyer from Independence, Iowa, completed the top five.
The grand finale of the six-day Super Nationals was the 30-lapper for the Modifieds. Starting across the 3-wide front row were Mike Jergens, Josh Gilman and Kyle Strickler. When the race went green, Strickler took immediate command of the lead, pulling away from all the remaining 32 cars. Strickler was still leading easily at lap seventeen, when a horrific crash on the frontstretch, right at the flagstand occurred. A car was limping toward the pit exit out of turn four, right up against the wall, when all of a sudden the cars approaching him that were racing for position, were swerving to avoid him, as they had committed to the top line of the track. It was mayhem as cars piled into each other. Todd Shute rolled and Mike VanGenderen took a late hit to the drivers door, Jimmy Gustin was in the middle of the mess, but quickly emerged from his destroyed car. Also involved were Adam Johnson, Nick Roberts and Chris Mills. VanGenderen commented that he was knocked out for a moment. From the looks of the resulting carnage, we'd say probably at least three race cars were destroyed. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt that we heard about.
When racing got back underway after a lengthy clean up procedure, Strickler took up where he left off, distancing himself from the field. Strickler took the win easily, putting his name in the record books as a Super Nationals winner. Richie Gustin made a late race pass to take the runner up spot. Gustin started on the inside of row five to finish in second. Third went to last year's winner Dylan Smith who started in the middle of row four. Fourth was Canada racer Aaron Turnbull from Estevan, Saskatchewan, and Mike Jergens finished in the top five after starting on the inside pole.
We mentioned earlier that racing was completed much earlier each night than in recent years. Monday was done at 10:41 p.m., Tuesday was 12:02 a.m., Wednesday it was 12:45 a.m, Thursday, 12:09 a.m., Friday, 12:32 a.m. and Saturday it was done by 10:21 p.m. We did stick around for the motor auctioning after the celebrating was done. Both the Hobby Stock and SportMod motors went for $2,400 and both the Modified and Stock Car, which was a Mopar, went for $6,000.
The 32nd IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals has come and gone. We are already looking forward to the 33rd! Where else can you see cars in six divisions from across the whole United States and Canada, come together for America's Racin' Vacation and run in such an efficient and orderly manner? We love it and by the size of the crowds and the car count, so do a lot of others!
I know this is late in getting completed. Thanks in part to an issue with the lap top that put it out of commission for a while. We are hoping to get just a couple more races in this year before we call it a season. We usually go racing into October, but my other half is soon to be getting a new knee and then down for some recuperation. We plan for the Southern Iowa Speedway's season championship tomorrow night, Wednesday, September 17 and we have our fingers crossed for the Marshalltown Speedway's World Nationals on Friday and Saturday. Please Mother Nature, don't rain on our last races of the year!
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Boone crowns track champions
It was season championship night at the Boone Speedway on Saturday. Five track champions were crowned, ending the regular season. But things were already beginning to sprout signs of the 32nd Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals that starts on Labor Day.
The top 20 in points were locked into the mains, with B mains run if needed, to fill in the starting field. Only drivers that had points previously were allowed to participate in the B's. The Stock Cars, SportMods and Hobby Stocks had the consolations, the Mod Lites and the Modifieds not needed. Extra laps were added to all of the A mains. All features were lined up according to points, brought to the frontstretch of the grandstand and drivers were introduced. This is always a nice way for the crowd getting to acknowledge the drivers for their year-long efforts.
The Mod Lites saw Bryan Zehm make it to corner one first, taking the lead from point leader James May. Behind them, a couple of brothers were duking it out---Charlie and Terry Brown. Zehm continued his ride at the front, looking pretty comfortable until smoke began to rise from a wheel with just a couple of laps remaining. The wheel then began to glow, and Zehm was shown the black flag for safety reasons, and he exited the race. This handed first place over to James May, who then went the distance to the checkers and the win. Charlie Brown and Terry Brown finished second and third in that order, Randy Bryan was fourth and Joel Keenan completed the top five. James May is also the 2014 track champion in the Mod Lite division.
The IMCA Northern SportMods ran a 20-lap feature. Ben Kates led the opening laps with Johnathon Logue in hot pursuit. Logue kept hounding Kates, peeking to the outside, and at lap five made it payoff with a pass into the lead. Logue continued his ride at the front the remaining way to the win. Kates held down the runner up spot, with Tara Longnecker a close third place. Tim Love and Doug Smith, who started eleventh on the field, rounded out the five top spots. Ben Kates is the 2014 track champion in the SportMod class.
The IMCA Hobby Stocks went 15-laps in their main event. Eric Stanton got the drop on John Watson as the race went green. From there on, Stanton never gave up that point position, and drove it home to the checkers. Watson held down second place, third went to Andrew Burg and Tyler Pickett was fourth. Finishing a distance behind in fifth place, was Ross Marshall. John Watson is the track champion for 2014. After he was awarded his trophy, he presented it to a young fan in the grandstand. A classy gesture.
The IMCA Modified 25-lap feature was the most exciting of the evening. Point leader Jimmy Gustin leaped to the lead as the race went green, Kyle Brown tagging in second. With just one lap in the books, Gustin experienced trouble with his machine, and exited into the pits. This handed the lead over to Kyle Brown in his new wrap, with Scott Davis hot on his heels. By lap six, Mike VanGenderen had pushed his new wrapped car from seventh, into the third spot, and wanting more. At about the halfway mark of the race, Brown appeared to jump the cushion as he entered turn one, thus allowing both Davis and VanGenderen to slip by him. The show was now between Davis and VanGenderen. The two ran closely, side-by-side, door handle to door handle for many laps while Brown lingered a distance in third. Davis and VanGenderen fought back and forth, with VanGenderen finally get an edge as lap 24 was scored. Just after that lap was scored, the yellow flew when Brown's machine came to a halt just out of turn four, the left side wheel protruding from a broken axle. The race was called over and yellow/checkered. VanGenderen took the win, Davis was second and Russ Dickerson finished third. Fourth went to Matthew Meinecke and Joel Bushore came from starting eleventh, to finish fifth. Even with his bad luck on the evening, Jimmy Gustin held on to the track championship.
Finishing the evening's racing was the 20-lap Stock Car main. Jerry Gifford led Donavon Smith to the first corner and the lead while Jay Schmidt and Wayne Gifford tagged into third and fourth. Gifford, Smith and Schmidt had quite the battle going for a while, until lap eleven when Smith made his run on the inside of the track work, taking the lead. From there on, Smith pulled away from the competition and won by half a straight away. Jerry Gifford held on to the runner up spot, Wayne Gifford got past Jay Schmidt in the closing laps as they went third and fourth respectively, and Mike Goldsberry rounded out the top five. Jerry Gifford is the Stock Car track champion.
Another season of racing at the Boone Speedway wound up. Amazingly, all 20 nights of racing were completed without a cancellation. Add to that, the Memorial Day Deery Brothers Late Model special. The only blip on the radar the entire year was the opening Frostbuster on April 12th when just one feature was completed. The remaining features were made up the following week on opening night.
Let the craziness begin! Now it's time for the IMCA Super Nationals at Boone. We plan to be there for all six days/nights of the amazing racing marathon that begins tomorrow, September 1. We look forward to meeting up with drivers, friends and fans who share this crazy love of dirt track racing. Hope to see you there!
The top 20 in points were locked into the mains, with B mains run if needed, to fill in the starting field. Only drivers that had points previously were allowed to participate in the B's. The Stock Cars, SportMods and Hobby Stocks had the consolations, the Mod Lites and the Modifieds not needed. Extra laps were added to all of the A mains. All features were lined up according to points, brought to the frontstretch of the grandstand and drivers were introduced. This is always a nice way for the crowd getting to acknowledge the drivers for their year-long efforts.
The Mod Lites saw Bryan Zehm make it to corner one first, taking the lead from point leader James May. Behind them, a couple of brothers were duking it out---Charlie and Terry Brown. Zehm continued his ride at the front, looking pretty comfortable until smoke began to rise from a wheel with just a couple of laps remaining. The wheel then began to glow, and Zehm was shown the black flag for safety reasons, and he exited the race. This handed first place over to James May, who then went the distance to the checkers and the win. Charlie Brown and Terry Brown finished second and third in that order, Randy Bryan was fourth and Joel Keenan completed the top five. James May is also the 2014 track champion in the Mod Lite division.
The IMCA Northern SportMods ran a 20-lap feature. Ben Kates led the opening laps with Johnathon Logue in hot pursuit. Logue kept hounding Kates, peeking to the outside, and at lap five made it payoff with a pass into the lead. Logue continued his ride at the front the remaining way to the win. Kates held down the runner up spot, with Tara Longnecker a close third place. Tim Love and Doug Smith, who started eleventh on the field, rounded out the five top spots. Ben Kates is the 2014 track champion in the SportMod class.
The IMCA Hobby Stocks went 15-laps in their main event. Eric Stanton got the drop on John Watson as the race went green. From there on, Stanton never gave up that point position, and drove it home to the checkers. Watson held down second place, third went to Andrew Burg and Tyler Pickett was fourth. Finishing a distance behind in fifth place, was Ross Marshall. John Watson is the track champion for 2014. After he was awarded his trophy, he presented it to a young fan in the grandstand. A classy gesture.
The IMCA Modified 25-lap feature was the most exciting of the evening. Point leader Jimmy Gustin leaped to the lead as the race went green, Kyle Brown tagging in second. With just one lap in the books, Gustin experienced trouble with his machine, and exited into the pits. This handed the lead over to Kyle Brown in his new wrap, with Scott Davis hot on his heels. By lap six, Mike VanGenderen had pushed his new wrapped car from seventh, into the third spot, and wanting more. At about the halfway mark of the race, Brown appeared to jump the cushion as he entered turn one, thus allowing both Davis and VanGenderen to slip by him. The show was now between Davis and VanGenderen. The two ran closely, side-by-side, door handle to door handle for many laps while Brown lingered a distance in third. Davis and VanGenderen fought back and forth, with VanGenderen finally get an edge as lap 24 was scored. Just after that lap was scored, the yellow flew when Brown's machine came to a halt just out of turn four, the left side wheel protruding from a broken axle. The race was called over and yellow/checkered. VanGenderen took the win, Davis was second and Russ Dickerson finished third. Fourth went to Matthew Meinecke and Joel Bushore came from starting eleventh, to finish fifth. Even with his bad luck on the evening, Jimmy Gustin held on to the track championship.
Finishing the evening's racing was the 20-lap Stock Car main. Jerry Gifford led Donavon Smith to the first corner and the lead while Jay Schmidt and Wayne Gifford tagged into third and fourth. Gifford, Smith and Schmidt had quite the battle going for a while, until lap eleven when Smith made his run on the inside of the track work, taking the lead. From there on, Smith pulled away from the competition and won by half a straight away. Jerry Gifford held on to the runner up spot, Wayne Gifford got past Jay Schmidt in the closing laps as they went third and fourth respectively, and Mike Goldsberry rounded out the top five. Jerry Gifford is the Stock Car track champion.
Another season of racing at the Boone Speedway wound up. Amazingly, all 20 nights of racing were completed without a cancellation. Add to that, the Memorial Day Deery Brothers Late Model special. The only blip on the radar the entire year was the opening Frostbuster on April 12th when just one feature was completed. The remaining features were made up the following week on opening night.
Let the craziness begin! Now it's time for the IMCA Super Nationals at Boone. We plan to be there for all six days/nights of the amazing racing marathon that begins tomorrow, September 1. We look forward to meeting up with drivers, friends and fans who share this crazy love of dirt track racing. Hope to see you there!
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Sanders continues his roll in USMTS - locals win USRA Stock Car and B Mods at Marshalltown
It's been a few years since the United States Modified Touring Series has been to the high-banks at Marshalltown. The race, originally scheduled back in June, was rained out and rescheduled for Wednesday night---but Mother Nature looked to throw a wrench into it. Thankfully, the rain that was forecast, didn't happen at the Marshalltown Speedway and the USMTS and the USRA Stock Cars and B Mods put on the show as scheduled.
The USRA B Mods raced their 20-lap feature caution free. The current USRA point leader in the Iron Man Challenge,DanWheeler from Savage, Minnesota, leaped to the lead immediately from his pole starting spot. He was soon to have two local drivers hot on his trail though---Jared VanDeest and Jenae Gustin. With a handful of laps in the books, those three drivers would make it three-wide racing for the lead. Things got sorted out by lap seven, and who should be in the lead, but the "Mighty Miss" Jenae Gustin. Gustin was letting no one stand in her way on this night, defending her home turf and showing the boys how it's done! Gustin made it look easy in winning her first USRA B Mod race, a $600 win, and thanked her many sponsors and fans in her post-race interview with announcer Lon Olke. USRA regular, Jacob Bleess from Chatfield, Minnesota, took the runner up position. Third went to Joey Schaefer, fourth was another Marshalltown regular, Jared VanDeest, and USRA regular Cory Crapser from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin completed the top five. Wheeler finished sixth, and after taking a look at the current points in the Iron Man Challenge series, it appears that he now sits second in points to Cory Crapser.
Another local driver defended the home turf in the USRA Stock Car 25-lap feature. Damon Murty, who had barely made his heat race due to having to change from his usual 2-barrel carburetor, to the USRA required 4-barrel, was the lucky recipient of the pole position, thanks to his son Dallon's draw. The early laps, Murty was challenged by another Marshalltown regular, Steve Meyer, as they both swung to the topside. In the final five laps, Murty stretched his lead, but now Meyer was having to contend with Decorah's Mitch Hovden. Hovden made the pass into second on the back stretch before lap 22 was scored, taking the highroad around Meyer who had now been running the lowside. Murty took the checkers, and the $750 payoff, Hovden finished as the runner up, and Steve Meyer held on to third. Fourth went to Tom Schmitt and Dillon Anderson was fifth.
It was a 40-lap feature for the USMTS A main. Young Cade Dillard out of Robeline, Louisiana got the jump on pole-sitter Joe Duvall from Claremore, Oklahoma as soon as the race went green. A caution flew at lap four when two local drivers, Derek Riemer and Zach Rawlins got together in turn one. Dillard was still holding down the point position, Duvall was second and Stormy Scott was sitting in third place. As the race restarted, things did not go so well for Duvall and Scott as Scott ended up in the outside frontstretch wall just before the flagstand when the two got together. The restart sent Duvall to the tail for the restart while Scott had to retire to the pits. An area regular who runs the USMTS circuit, Zack VanderBeek from New Sharon, was now sitting in second place and readying for a chance to challenge the leader when the race went green. Dillard however, was hanging tough and still leading when another yellow flew at lap twenty. VanderBeek was still lurking in second but it was the #20 of Rodney Sanders up to third place. Sanders has been hot lately, well on his way to defending his USMTS National title, after starting ninth. Another yellow flew just a few laps later when local driver Richie Gustin dropped his driveshaft, leaving him dead in the water. On the restart, Sanders got a tremendous jump and was about to take over the lead, only to have it called back for yet another yellow for the car #77 of Joe Beal from Milan, Illinois. Leader Dillard was not about to let Sanders get the jump on this restart, but he had made his way into second place around VanderBeek and was in hot pursuit of the leader. It was fight for the lead between Dillard and Sanders as they flew down the backstretch after lap 29 had been scored, and this time, Sanders got the upper hand, scored the leader at lap 30. From there on, Sanders was never really challenged but the race behind him was intense. Dillard, VanderBeek and area racer Brad Dierks were locked into a battle. Sanders took the checkers, marking his 24th feature win of the year in the USMTS, Dillard held the runner up spot, Dierks slipped by VanderBeek in the closing moments to score the third spot, VanderBeek going fourth, and multiple times USMTS champion, Kelly Shryock completed the top five.
It was fun watching the USMTS on the Marshalltown high-banks, an enjoyable mid-week round of racing. The series was suppose to have a five-night run, but already the second night scheduled for Webster City has been canceled due to the rain. The series is now scheduled for Lansing, Minnesota on Friday, Deer Creek Speedway in Minnesota on Saturday, and Cresco on Sunday---all at Mother Nature's mercy.
The USRA B Mods raced their 20-lap feature caution free. The current USRA point leader in the Iron Man Challenge,DanWheeler from Savage, Minnesota, leaped to the lead immediately from his pole starting spot. He was soon to have two local drivers hot on his trail though---Jared VanDeest and Jenae Gustin. With a handful of laps in the books, those three drivers would make it three-wide racing for the lead. Things got sorted out by lap seven, and who should be in the lead, but the "Mighty Miss" Jenae Gustin. Gustin was letting no one stand in her way on this night, defending her home turf and showing the boys how it's done! Gustin made it look easy in winning her first USRA B Mod race, a $600 win, and thanked her many sponsors and fans in her post-race interview with announcer Lon Olke. USRA regular, Jacob Bleess from Chatfield, Minnesota, took the runner up position. Third went to Joey Schaefer, fourth was another Marshalltown regular, Jared VanDeest, and USRA regular Cory Crapser from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin completed the top five. Wheeler finished sixth, and after taking a look at the current points in the Iron Man Challenge series, it appears that he now sits second in points to Cory Crapser.
Another local driver defended the home turf in the USRA Stock Car 25-lap feature. Damon Murty, who had barely made his heat race due to having to change from his usual 2-barrel carburetor, to the USRA required 4-barrel, was the lucky recipient of the pole position, thanks to his son Dallon's draw. The early laps, Murty was challenged by another Marshalltown regular, Steve Meyer, as they both swung to the topside. In the final five laps, Murty stretched his lead, but now Meyer was having to contend with Decorah's Mitch Hovden. Hovden made the pass into second on the back stretch before lap 22 was scored, taking the highroad around Meyer who had now been running the lowside. Murty took the checkers, and the $750 payoff, Hovden finished as the runner up, and Steve Meyer held on to third. Fourth went to Tom Schmitt and Dillon Anderson was fifth.
It was a 40-lap feature for the USMTS A main. Young Cade Dillard out of Robeline, Louisiana got the jump on pole-sitter Joe Duvall from Claremore, Oklahoma as soon as the race went green. A caution flew at lap four when two local drivers, Derek Riemer and Zach Rawlins got together in turn one. Dillard was still holding down the point position, Duvall was second and Stormy Scott was sitting in third place. As the race restarted, things did not go so well for Duvall and Scott as Scott ended up in the outside frontstretch wall just before the flagstand when the two got together. The restart sent Duvall to the tail for the restart while Scott had to retire to the pits. An area regular who runs the USMTS circuit, Zack VanderBeek from New Sharon, was now sitting in second place and readying for a chance to challenge the leader when the race went green. Dillard however, was hanging tough and still leading when another yellow flew at lap twenty. VanderBeek was still lurking in second but it was the #20 of Rodney Sanders up to third place. Sanders has been hot lately, well on his way to defending his USMTS National title, after starting ninth. Another yellow flew just a few laps later when local driver Richie Gustin dropped his driveshaft, leaving him dead in the water. On the restart, Sanders got a tremendous jump and was about to take over the lead, only to have it called back for yet another yellow for the car #77 of Joe Beal from Milan, Illinois. Leader Dillard was not about to let Sanders get the jump on this restart, but he had made his way into second place around VanderBeek and was in hot pursuit of the leader. It was fight for the lead between Dillard and Sanders as they flew down the backstretch after lap 29 had been scored, and this time, Sanders got the upper hand, scored the leader at lap 30. From there on, Sanders was never really challenged but the race behind him was intense. Dillard, VanderBeek and area racer Brad Dierks were locked into a battle. Sanders took the checkers, marking his 24th feature win of the year in the USMTS, Dillard held the runner up spot, Dierks slipped by VanderBeek in the closing moments to score the third spot, VanderBeek going fourth, and multiple times USMTS champion, Kelly Shryock completed the top five.
It was fun watching the USMTS on the Marshalltown high-banks, an enjoyable mid-week round of racing. The series was suppose to have a five-night run, but already the second night scheduled for Webster City has been canceled due to the rain. The series is now scheduled for Lansing, Minnesota on Friday, Deer Creek Speedway in Minnesota on Saturday, and Cresco on Sunday---all at Mother Nature's mercy.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
First Boone checkers for Murty, Lynch and Glick, Gustin and Kates return to victory lane
The rain didn't clear out at the Boone Speedway on Saturday until mid-day, and then the heat came. I think you could have wrung out the air when the racing began. It was Walmart night at the races, there was a bunch of bike giveaways to the kids, racing family helped out one of their own when drivers passed the helmets in the grandstands, and Boone Speedway employees took the ALS ice water challenge! A freak accident at the flagstand also sent the flagman to the hospital for some medical attention. The night was packed full of racing as well with 163 cars on hand.
The MADCRA Mod Lites hit the track first for their 15-lap A main. Joe Glick took the lead past early leader Jason Whitehead at lap two, and from there on held command to the checkers. Bryan Zehm got to the runner up spot and tried to challenge, but to no avail, settling for second. Third was point leader James May, last week's winner Travis Stensland finished fourth and Mike Kennedy was fifth. Glick won for the first time ever at the Boone Speedway.
There were 37 SportMods on hand, which meant whittling the starting A main to 24 cars through two B mains. Those wins went to Robert Moore and Austin Kaplan. The feature began with JD Robinson taking charge as the green fell, and Rocky Caudle tucked into second place. By lap three, it was Montezuma's Brett Lowry getting around Caudle and taking over the runner up spot. Lowry, who has been having a good season, looked to the low side and slid under Robinson, taking over the helm by lap five. He couldn't get comfortable though, as now all eyes were on the #23K of Ben Kates. Kates, a familiar face at the Boone Speedway this year, had started eleventh, and by lap six, had taken over the runner up spot......and the chase was on! Lowry held his ground, Kates taking a look to the outside for a way around. His persistence paid off just after lap thirteen was scored. As the cars went down the backstretch, Kates took the lead. There was a yellow at lap fourteen and on the restart, it was now Lowry bothering Kates, however it didn't work, and Kates took the victory, Lowry having to settle for a close second place finish. Third went to sixteenth place starter, Sam Wieben, fourth was Jake McBirnie, last week's winner, and Rocky Caudle hung to the front all race, and finished in fifth. Kates won for the seventh time during the regular season, plus also having a win in the pre-season Frostbuster.
There were a couple of early lead changes in the 12-lap Hobby Stock feature. Troy Phillips led the troops through the first four laps, then pushed up the track, allowing Dustin Graham to slip by and into the lead. Meanwhile, another "Dustin" was on the move, Dustin Lynch. Lynch got to second and was bothering the leader, when Graham suddenly suffered the fate of a tire going down. Lynch seized the moment and took over the lead. The last portion of the race, found Lynch holding tight to the lead, being chased by last week's winner, Cody Gustoff all the way to the checkers. Seth Janssen followed in third place, fourth was Andrew Burg, and Tyler Pickett completed the top five. This was Lynch's first win ever at the Boone track. This made the 13th different winner in the Hobby Stock class in their regular season.
The starting 20-lap feature for the Modifieds had to be completed with the running of two B mains to whittle the 38 cars to 24. Those winners were Russ Dickerson and Shay Woods. Two drivers who appeared for the first time at the track last week, the #11V of Alex Hanson from Kensett, and the #29 of Brandon Kern from Des Moines, sat on the front row of the A main. Lap one got completed, but then Hanson lost the handle as he went into turn two, collecting several cars who could not avoid him. When things were cleaned up, Tony Cox had inherited the lead, and Webster City's Greg Elliott was sitting in second, and Joel Bushore was in third. As things restarted, another car was making headway----point leader Jimmy Gustin had moved into fourth, and you just knew he wasn't done yet! Gustin tightened the screws on Cox and at the halfway mark had made the pass into second place. The reeling in of leader Bushore began and at lap fourteen when a yellow flew for veteran Denny Pittman at a standstill in turn four, Gustin was no doubt a happy camper in anticipation of the restart. The green flew for the restart and by lap fifteen, Gustin had taken the lead, as Bushore slipped up the track in turn four. Gustin kept command in the closing laps, and took the win. It was a yellow/checkered finish when Scott Davis was sitting on the track in turn four, after the field had taken the white flag. Bushore held on to second place and Tony Cox finished third. Mike VanGenderen was the last car to qualify for the A main. He finished second in the second B and tagged the field in 24th place. He maneuvered his way through the stout field, to finish in fourth place. Greg Elliott rounded out the top five positions. Gustin won for the third time this year and leads points going into the season championship next Saturday by a comfortable 23 points ahead of Kyle Brown.
The night ending 18-lap IMCA Stock Car feature had to have the final four cars in the starting line up determined by two B mains. Those wins went to Josh Daniels and Matt West. Most of this one had Damon Murty and Jeff Deal at the front of the pack and running "up top". Digging down low, was the #55 of Cory Bushnell, but things never changed from that running order----Murty taking the checkers over Deal in second, and Bushnell in third. Trent Murphy took fourth place and Donavon Smith moved from starting eleventh, to finish fifth. This race also ended under the yellow/checkered as the white flag had flown before a car sat idle on the track. This was Murty's first win at Boone this year, but his 24th over all for the season.
As mentioned earlier, there were many other scenarios going on during the night. Many kids went home happy with a new bike. There was a great display of "racing family" during the farming session, as drivers came across the track and into the grandstands, and passed their helmets. This was for longtime track worker Jerry Denning, who has been diagnosed with cancer and is needing to begin treatment. Around $2,000 was raised and the track matched it for a $4,000 night's total. Also during that farming session, several Boone track employees, including the Lawton's, made their way to the infield, as they had accepted the "ice water challenge" in support of ALS. They did it the Boone track way! The water was released on them from one of the John Deere bucket scoops.....to the delight of the onlookers! You can take a look at the video by going to www.raceboone.com and clicking on the video at the right.
Another incident happened that could have been so much worse. At lap ten of the Stock Car feature, the race was stopped when flagman Nick Breuklander had a solid mud plug come flying at him, hitting him in the side of the head. He was attended to immediately after staggering from the flagstand, and as he stood up to get on the gurney, head wrapped like a mummy, he smiled and waved to the crowd. One tough guy. Word later was he got ten staples, and a CAT scan was okay. This just shows what a dangerous job many track workers have. Another track worker, long time employee Rod Robbins, finished the flagging duties of the race.
Next Saturday, August 30, is season championship night. I believe the top 20 cars in points in attendance will be locked in and any cars that have run during the year with points, will be allowed to try and fill in the 24-car starting fields. I am sure there will be many, many cars from far and wide there as well, waiting in the wings for Monday's first day of the 32nd running of the IMCA Super Nationals....starting it's six-night run. Can't wait for this "Racin' Vacation" spectacle! It's something that you must experience! Hope to see many of you there as well as catch up with racing friends coming from afar.
The MADCRA Mod Lites hit the track first for their 15-lap A main. Joe Glick took the lead past early leader Jason Whitehead at lap two, and from there on held command to the checkers. Bryan Zehm got to the runner up spot and tried to challenge, but to no avail, settling for second. Third was point leader James May, last week's winner Travis Stensland finished fourth and Mike Kennedy was fifth. Glick won for the first time ever at the Boone Speedway.
There were 37 SportMods on hand, which meant whittling the starting A main to 24 cars through two B mains. Those wins went to Robert Moore and Austin Kaplan. The feature began with JD Robinson taking charge as the green fell, and Rocky Caudle tucked into second place. By lap three, it was Montezuma's Brett Lowry getting around Caudle and taking over the runner up spot. Lowry, who has been having a good season, looked to the low side and slid under Robinson, taking over the helm by lap five. He couldn't get comfortable though, as now all eyes were on the #23K of Ben Kates. Kates, a familiar face at the Boone Speedway this year, had started eleventh, and by lap six, had taken over the runner up spot......and the chase was on! Lowry held his ground, Kates taking a look to the outside for a way around. His persistence paid off just after lap thirteen was scored. As the cars went down the backstretch, Kates took the lead. There was a yellow at lap fourteen and on the restart, it was now Lowry bothering Kates, however it didn't work, and Kates took the victory, Lowry having to settle for a close second place finish. Third went to sixteenth place starter, Sam Wieben, fourth was Jake McBirnie, last week's winner, and Rocky Caudle hung to the front all race, and finished in fifth. Kates won for the seventh time during the regular season, plus also having a win in the pre-season Frostbuster.
There were a couple of early lead changes in the 12-lap Hobby Stock feature. Troy Phillips led the troops through the first four laps, then pushed up the track, allowing Dustin Graham to slip by and into the lead. Meanwhile, another "Dustin" was on the move, Dustin Lynch. Lynch got to second and was bothering the leader, when Graham suddenly suffered the fate of a tire going down. Lynch seized the moment and took over the lead. The last portion of the race, found Lynch holding tight to the lead, being chased by last week's winner, Cody Gustoff all the way to the checkers. Seth Janssen followed in third place, fourth was Andrew Burg, and Tyler Pickett completed the top five. This was Lynch's first win ever at the Boone track. This made the 13th different winner in the Hobby Stock class in their regular season.
The starting 20-lap feature for the Modifieds had to be completed with the running of two B mains to whittle the 38 cars to 24. Those winners were Russ Dickerson and Shay Woods. Two drivers who appeared for the first time at the track last week, the #11V of Alex Hanson from Kensett, and the #29 of Brandon Kern from Des Moines, sat on the front row of the A main. Lap one got completed, but then Hanson lost the handle as he went into turn two, collecting several cars who could not avoid him. When things were cleaned up, Tony Cox had inherited the lead, and Webster City's Greg Elliott was sitting in second, and Joel Bushore was in third. As things restarted, another car was making headway----point leader Jimmy Gustin had moved into fourth, and you just knew he wasn't done yet! Gustin tightened the screws on Cox and at the halfway mark had made the pass into second place. The reeling in of leader Bushore began and at lap fourteen when a yellow flew for veteran Denny Pittman at a standstill in turn four, Gustin was no doubt a happy camper in anticipation of the restart. The green flew for the restart and by lap fifteen, Gustin had taken the lead, as Bushore slipped up the track in turn four. Gustin kept command in the closing laps, and took the win. It was a yellow/checkered finish when Scott Davis was sitting on the track in turn four, after the field had taken the white flag. Bushore held on to second place and Tony Cox finished third. Mike VanGenderen was the last car to qualify for the A main. He finished second in the second B and tagged the field in 24th place. He maneuvered his way through the stout field, to finish in fourth place. Greg Elliott rounded out the top five positions. Gustin won for the third time this year and leads points going into the season championship next Saturday by a comfortable 23 points ahead of Kyle Brown.
The night ending 18-lap IMCA Stock Car feature had to have the final four cars in the starting line up determined by two B mains. Those wins went to Josh Daniels and Matt West. Most of this one had Damon Murty and Jeff Deal at the front of the pack and running "up top". Digging down low, was the #55 of Cory Bushnell, but things never changed from that running order----Murty taking the checkers over Deal in second, and Bushnell in third. Trent Murphy took fourth place and Donavon Smith moved from starting eleventh, to finish fifth. This race also ended under the yellow/checkered as the white flag had flown before a car sat idle on the track. This was Murty's first win at Boone this year, but his 24th over all for the season.
As mentioned earlier, there were many other scenarios going on during the night. Many kids went home happy with a new bike. There was a great display of "racing family" during the farming session, as drivers came across the track and into the grandstands, and passed their helmets. This was for longtime track worker Jerry Denning, who has been diagnosed with cancer and is needing to begin treatment. Around $2,000 was raised and the track matched it for a $4,000 night's total. Also during that farming session, several Boone track employees, including the Lawton's, made their way to the infield, as they had accepted the "ice water challenge" in support of ALS. They did it the Boone track way! The water was released on them from one of the John Deere bucket scoops.....to the delight of the onlookers! You can take a look at the video by going to www.raceboone.com and clicking on the video at the right.
Another incident happened that could have been so much worse. At lap ten of the Stock Car feature, the race was stopped when flagman Nick Breuklander had a solid mud plug come flying at him, hitting him in the side of the head. He was attended to immediately after staggering from the flagstand, and as he stood up to get on the gurney, head wrapped like a mummy, he smiled and waved to the crowd. One tough guy. Word later was he got ten staples, and a CAT scan was okay. This just shows what a dangerous job many track workers have. Another track worker, long time employee Rod Robbins, finished the flagging duties of the race.
Next Saturday, August 30, is season championship night. I believe the top 20 cars in points in attendance will be locked in and any cars that have run during the year with points, will be allowed to try and fill in the 24-car starting fields. I am sure there will be many, many cars from far and wide there as well, waiting in the wings for Monday's first day of the 32nd running of the IMCA Super Nationals....starting it's six-night run. Can't wait for this "Racin' Vacation" spectacle! It's something that you must experience! Hope to see many of you there as well as catch up with racing friends coming from afar.
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Gustin beats the rain at Marshalltown
What a hot and muggy night it was at Marshalltown Speedway on Friday night. Better that than the rain we had at home when we headed there! The threat was all around however, and everyone was hoping it would hold off. It did.....barely! There was a first time winner in the Hobby Stock division and the Mod Lites. It was old hat for the winners of the Modified, SportMod and Stock Cars.
Things did get hurried around for the features....no pictures and interviews again last night. What would we ever do without being able to watch the radar on our cell phones? The Mod Lites were quickly brought to the track for their 15-lap feature.
Bryan Zehm, the pole-sitter, who had only made a couple of previous appearances at the high banks this year, left no doubt as to what his goal was for the evening. He shot to the lead immediately, weathered a couple of yellow flag situations, and led all 15-lap on this way to his first victory at the track. Josh May and his father Jimmy May, chased the leader most of that distance, but had to settle for second and third respectively. Charlie Brown was fourth and Joe Glick rounded out the top five.
The Mod Lites were barely off the track when the Hobby Stocks were coming out of staging. Gary Pfantz set the pace in their 12-lap feature through the first six laps. That's when a yellow flew for a spinning Travis Merical between turns three and four. By that time, the #56 of Jamie Schirm...who had made his first trip to Marshalltown last week, was up to second. That caution was what Schirm had been wanting, as he took over as captain of the ship and leading as lap seven was scored. He led the remaining distance to the finish, chalking up his first win at Marshalltown. Garrett Eilander finished a distance behind in second place, Pfantz was a distant third, followed by John Watson in fourth and first timer, Travis Staley from Hampton, was fifth.
Up next, the IMCA Northern SportMods. You know how it goes when things are trying to be hurried along.....not so good. Their 18-lap feature was slowed five times by cautions. The early leader, Ryan Ashton was chased by Matt Lettow until lap seven. Lettow was able to take the outside lane around Ashton and took over the lead at that lap seven. A couple of yellows was not what Lettow was wanting, especially the one at lap twelve. By that time, he had Jonathon Logue, Jr. breathing down his tailpipes and Clint Luellen and Jenae Gustin were right there as well. Gustin, who was sporting a brand new ride with a beautiful wrap, was having a great run despite her left rear brake glowing brightly. As the race restarted, Luellen swung to the outside entering turn one, and by turn two, had gained the lead. Two more yellows would fly, but Luellen was not hindered and hung on to the top spot and the win. Lettow finished as the runner up, Jenae Gustin, put her "hot" ride.....left rear glowing/flaming brake into a third place finish, Logue, Jr. was fourth and Sam Wieben completed the top five. Luellen, who started eleventh, made it to the winner's circle for the second week in a row, and for the eighth time for the year.
The 18-lap Stock Car main had Don Vis leading the first two laps, but what a pack of cars there was fighting behind him! They were tightly locked into a battle that eventually found eleventh place starter, Donavon Smith spurting out into the lead by lap three. Two yellows didn't hinder Smith on the restarts, though the Chelsea Charger, Damon Murty had made it to the runner up spot, Smith maintained the top spot the rest of the way to the checkers. Murty chased him across the finish line for second. Steve Meyer beat out Robert Stofer as they finished third and fourth in that order, and Michael Jaennette fought his way through the pack, to finish fifth. This made nine wins for Smith at Marshalltown this season.
The final feature, the 20-lap Modified main, went flag to flag. And it's probably a good thing. Jake Strayer led from lap one through five when Gilman's Richie Gustin took over command at lap six. Gustin, who had started ninth, wasted no time in getting to the front, and after taking the lead, kept it to the checkers. Last week's winner, Racer Hulin, chased Gustin across the finish line to take the runner up spot. Third went to Jon Snyder, early leader Jake Strayer was fourth and point leader Ronn Lauritzen was fifth. Gustin scored for the fourth time at Marshalltown this year. The closing laps of the race, the raindrops started to fall and the race was just completed as they grew heavier and heavier.
Next Friday, August 29, is the season championship at Marshalltown Speedway, bringing the regular season to a close. This week, on Wednesday, August 27, the speedway will host the make up race for the USMTS that was weathered out earlier this year. They will also be racing USRA Stock Cars and USRA B Mods. Then on September 19-20, it will be the 9th Annual World Nationals. The Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods and Hobby Stocks will be in competition. The Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks will also race on September 20. The Modifieds can only run a built motor---no crates. There will be an open practice on September 18. Don't miss these final races of 2014.
Things did get hurried around for the features....no pictures and interviews again last night. What would we ever do without being able to watch the radar on our cell phones? The Mod Lites were quickly brought to the track for their 15-lap feature.
Bryan Zehm, the pole-sitter, who had only made a couple of previous appearances at the high banks this year, left no doubt as to what his goal was for the evening. He shot to the lead immediately, weathered a couple of yellow flag situations, and led all 15-lap on this way to his first victory at the track. Josh May and his father Jimmy May, chased the leader most of that distance, but had to settle for second and third respectively. Charlie Brown was fourth and Joe Glick rounded out the top five.
The Mod Lites were barely off the track when the Hobby Stocks were coming out of staging. Gary Pfantz set the pace in their 12-lap feature through the first six laps. That's when a yellow flew for a spinning Travis Merical between turns three and four. By that time, the #56 of Jamie Schirm...who had made his first trip to Marshalltown last week, was up to second. That caution was what Schirm had been wanting, as he took over as captain of the ship and leading as lap seven was scored. He led the remaining distance to the finish, chalking up his first win at Marshalltown. Garrett Eilander finished a distance behind in second place, Pfantz was a distant third, followed by John Watson in fourth and first timer, Travis Staley from Hampton, was fifth.
Up next, the IMCA Northern SportMods. You know how it goes when things are trying to be hurried along.....not so good. Their 18-lap feature was slowed five times by cautions. The early leader, Ryan Ashton was chased by Matt Lettow until lap seven. Lettow was able to take the outside lane around Ashton and took over the lead at that lap seven. A couple of yellows was not what Lettow was wanting, especially the one at lap twelve. By that time, he had Jonathon Logue, Jr. breathing down his tailpipes and Clint Luellen and Jenae Gustin were right there as well. Gustin, who was sporting a brand new ride with a beautiful wrap, was having a great run despite her left rear brake glowing brightly. As the race restarted, Luellen swung to the outside entering turn one, and by turn two, had gained the lead. Two more yellows would fly, but Luellen was not hindered and hung on to the top spot and the win. Lettow finished as the runner up, Jenae Gustin, put her "hot" ride.....left rear glowing/flaming brake into a third place finish, Logue, Jr. was fourth and Sam Wieben completed the top five. Luellen, who started eleventh, made it to the winner's circle for the second week in a row, and for the eighth time for the year.
The 18-lap Stock Car main had Don Vis leading the first two laps, but what a pack of cars there was fighting behind him! They were tightly locked into a battle that eventually found eleventh place starter, Donavon Smith spurting out into the lead by lap three. Two yellows didn't hinder Smith on the restarts, though the Chelsea Charger, Damon Murty had made it to the runner up spot, Smith maintained the top spot the rest of the way to the checkers. Murty chased him across the finish line for second. Steve Meyer beat out Robert Stofer as they finished third and fourth in that order, and Michael Jaennette fought his way through the pack, to finish fifth. This made nine wins for Smith at Marshalltown this season.
The final feature, the 20-lap Modified main, went flag to flag. And it's probably a good thing. Jake Strayer led from lap one through five when Gilman's Richie Gustin took over command at lap six. Gustin, who had started ninth, wasted no time in getting to the front, and after taking the lead, kept it to the checkers. Last week's winner, Racer Hulin, chased Gustin across the finish line to take the runner up spot. Third went to Jon Snyder, early leader Jake Strayer was fourth and point leader Ronn Lauritzen was fifth. Gustin scored for the fourth time at Marshalltown this year. The closing laps of the race, the raindrops started to fall and the race was just completed as they grew heavier and heavier.
Next Friday, August 29, is the season championship at Marshalltown Speedway, bringing the regular season to a close. This week, on Wednesday, August 27, the speedway will host the make up race for the USMTS that was weathered out earlier this year. They will also be racing USRA Stock Cars and USRA B Mods. Then on September 19-20, it will be the 9th Annual World Nationals. The Modifieds, Stock Cars, SportMods and Hobby Stocks will be in competition. The Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks will also race on September 20. The Modifieds can only run a built motor---no crates. There will be an open practice on September 18. Don't miss these final races of 2014.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Sobbing snares HDT win at Tipton, Deery to Kay, and Brandies bags IMCA Stock Car victory
The Cedar County Raceway in Tipton was the scene of the Xsan Hawkeye Dirt Tour for IMCA Modifieds, the Deery Brothers IMCA Late Models and the IMCA Stock Cars on Tuesday night. Justin Kay left little doubt as to why he is leading the Deery Brothers series AND the IMCA National points race, as he took the 40-lap caution free win by leading the entire race. Jesse Sobbing stayed over in the area after racing the HDT race at Vinton the previous night, and made his stay over a good one by snaring the win in that series. The IMCA Stock Cars, that we understand were not on the weekly show at the track, found area hot shoe David Brandies standing in victory lane.
The 15-lap IMCA Stock Car feature was led initially by Shane Paris---with a clump of cars fighting it out right behind him for position. By lap six, David Brandies, Atalissa racer, had put his #71 in command of the lead, Tim Current tucked into second and Elberon, Iowa's Scott Pippert, (I believe a letter had been left out of the listing for the announcer, as our group sitting in the stands had to chuckle each time the town was announced) ran in third, Damon Murty in fourth. There was still a lot of close fought battling going on the rest of the way to the finish, giving the local fans a taste of just what IMCA Stock Cars are all about. Brandies was able to hold off Current, who tried a peek to the outside in the closing laps for a way around but fell short, Brandies taking the checkers and Current settling for the runner up spot. Scott Pippert held third place, Murty was fourth and Jerry Miles rounded out the top five.
There was a nice field of 45 IMCA Modifieds on hand for the Hawkeye Dirt Tour. That was quite surprising, since the night before at the Vinton show, there were twenty-two. The local racers came out in full force for sure.
An interesting draw for the top 12 starting positions was held on the frontstretch. The Modified drivers were paired up with a Late Model driver and they had to agree on what to do with their original "unknown" number, keep it or pass it to another duo of drivers. Steve Stewart, who was paired with Justin Kay, ended up with the #1 for the pole start for each and Patrick Flannagan and Late Model driver Kyle Hinrichs got the outside pole.
Steve Stewart took advantage of his pole starting spot, jumping to the lead as the green flag flew. But by lap two, he had company in Glenwood, Iowa's Jesse Sobbing who was hot on his heels. Sobbing made his persistent pestering pay off at lap ten, flying to the lead. The race had it's first yellow at lap twenty-two for the 19G of Richie Gustin sitting off the bank of turn four. When thing restarted, Sobbing was still in command with eighth place starter Darin Duffy running in second, and ninth place starter Brad Diercks in third, who had gotten around Stewart. It was but one lap later at lap twnety-three that the final yellow flew for Durant's Dusty Kraklio. The final run to the checkers was no problem for Sobbing, holding his lead easily, and taking his first win in the Hawkeye Dirt Tour series. Brad Diercks held on to the runner up spot, the #6 of Brian Webb (we understand he is the son of veteran racer Gary Webb) had a great late race run after starting sixteenth, taking third when he passed fourth place finisher Darin Duffy in the closing lap of the race. Kyle Brown started tenth, and had a good run to complete the top five.
It's looking like point leader Mike VanGenderen has the series title locked up going into the final race during the annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic in mid September. Jesse Sobbing and Jeremy Mills tightened the screws in the late season, but it appears they fell just short.
There were 34 Deery Late Models in the house last night. As mentioned earlier, point leader Justin Kay got the lucky draw for the pole. Kyle Hinrichs sat along side. The two front row starters took off immediately---Kay getting the drop on Hinrichs who tucked in behind him. Fourth place starter Tyler Bruening established third spot. The race at the front would continue in that order the rest of the caution free 40-laps. Kay looked comfortable in his win, second place Hinrichs was pressured by Tyler Bruening in the waning laps, but had to be content with a third place finish. Brian Harris started fifth, and took fourth place, after getting by fifth place finisher, Brian Beaudry.
We will not be getting to our regular Wednesday night show at the Southern Iowa Speedway tonight as they have been washed out by today's heavy rain in that part of the state. We will cross our fingers and hope that rain is not going to be a pattern in the closing part of the racing season. We still need to be getting our racing fix before things come to a halt.
The 15-lap IMCA Stock Car feature was led initially by Shane Paris---with a clump of cars fighting it out right behind him for position. By lap six, David Brandies, Atalissa racer, had put his #71 in command of the lead, Tim Current tucked into second and Elberon, Iowa's Scott Pippert, (I believe a letter had been left out of the listing for the announcer, as our group sitting in the stands had to chuckle each time the town was announced) ran in third, Damon Murty in fourth. There was still a lot of close fought battling going on the rest of the way to the finish, giving the local fans a taste of just what IMCA Stock Cars are all about. Brandies was able to hold off Current, who tried a peek to the outside in the closing laps for a way around but fell short, Brandies taking the checkers and Current settling for the runner up spot. Scott Pippert held third place, Murty was fourth and Jerry Miles rounded out the top five.
There was a nice field of 45 IMCA Modifieds on hand for the Hawkeye Dirt Tour. That was quite surprising, since the night before at the Vinton show, there were twenty-two. The local racers came out in full force for sure.
An interesting draw for the top 12 starting positions was held on the frontstretch. The Modified drivers were paired up with a Late Model driver and they had to agree on what to do with their original "unknown" number, keep it or pass it to another duo of drivers. Steve Stewart, who was paired with Justin Kay, ended up with the #1 for the pole start for each and Patrick Flannagan and Late Model driver Kyle Hinrichs got the outside pole.
Steve Stewart took advantage of his pole starting spot, jumping to the lead as the green flag flew. But by lap two, he had company in Glenwood, Iowa's Jesse Sobbing who was hot on his heels. Sobbing made his persistent pestering pay off at lap ten, flying to the lead. The race had it's first yellow at lap twenty-two for the 19G of Richie Gustin sitting off the bank of turn four. When thing restarted, Sobbing was still in command with eighth place starter Darin Duffy running in second, and ninth place starter Brad Diercks in third, who had gotten around Stewart. It was but one lap later at lap twnety-three that the final yellow flew for Durant's Dusty Kraklio. The final run to the checkers was no problem for Sobbing, holding his lead easily, and taking his first win in the Hawkeye Dirt Tour series. Brad Diercks held on to the runner up spot, the #6 of Brian Webb (we understand he is the son of veteran racer Gary Webb) had a great late race run after starting sixteenth, taking third when he passed fourth place finisher Darin Duffy in the closing lap of the race. Kyle Brown started tenth, and had a good run to complete the top five.
It's looking like point leader Mike VanGenderen has the series title locked up going into the final race during the annual Yankee Dirt Track Classic in mid September. Jesse Sobbing and Jeremy Mills tightened the screws in the late season, but it appears they fell just short.
There were 34 Deery Late Models in the house last night. As mentioned earlier, point leader Justin Kay got the lucky draw for the pole. Kyle Hinrichs sat along side. The two front row starters took off immediately---Kay getting the drop on Hinrichs who tucked in behind him. Fourth place starter Tyler Bruening established third spot. The race at the front would continue in that order the rest of the caution free 40-laps. Kay looked comfortable in his win, second place Hinrichs was pressured by Tyler Bruening in the waning laps, but had to be content with a third place finish. Brian Harris started fifth, and took fourth place, after getting by fifth place finisher, Brian Beaudry.
We will not be getting to our regular Wednesday night show at the Southern Iowa Speedway tonight as they have been washed out by today's heavy rain in that part of the state. We will cross our fingers and hope that rain is not going to be a pattern in the closing part of the racing season. We still need to be getting our racing fix before things come to a halt.
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