7/31/2021
Boone Speedway
McBirnie, Logue, and Anderson score Salute to Veterans wins
It was Hunting with Heroes Salute to Veterans Night at the Boone Speedway on Saturday, with 205 race cars packing the pits and running before a full grandstand. The event concluded in spectacular fashion, the three race series that started on Wednesday July 28 at the Clay County Speedway in Spencer, then went to the Kossuth County Speedway in Algona on Thursday, July 29 and ending in Boone on Saturday night.
Nine drivers, three from the Modified class, three from the Stock Cars, and three from the Northern SportMods had wrapped their cars to honor the Veterans and were on display prior to the races. Todd Shute, Kelly Shryock, and Nick Meyer represented the Modifieds. It was David Smith, Jeff Larson, and Loren "Snip" Pesicka, Jr. paying honor in the Stock Cars, and representing in the Northern SportMod division, it was Cam Reimers, Jared Boumeester, and Colby Fett.
Jake McBirnie repeated his win from last week in the IMCA Modified class, as did Mike Kennedy in the IMCA Stars Mod Lites. Logan Anderson in the IMCA Northern SportMod class and Dylan Nelson in the IMCA Hobby Stock division captured their first wins of the year, and Johnathon Logue saw his first career win in an IMCA Stock Car.
Kieron Ahrens led the opening lap of the My Race Pass IMCA STARS Mod Lite 15 lap feature, but lost the handle just after the first lap was scored, and was then out of the game. This put Mike Kennedy to the point for the restart, and he would go on to lead the rest of the way to the checkers. Trailing a distant runner up was Josh May, Travis Stensland made his first appearance of the year, and took home a third place finish, fourth went to fifteenth place starter Bryan Zehm, and Jon Braathun was fifth. This was win number four on the year for Kennedy.
The Elmquist Towing IMCA Northern SportMods ran a 20 lap feature that paid $1,000 to win. Logan Anderson led all 20 laps of the feature that saw only one caution fly at lap two for debris. Manning, Iowa's Jake Sachau took the runner up position, Dylan VanWyk was third, Kaylin Lopez ran at the front of the pack all race, and finished fourth, and Chad Ryerson rounded out the top five. Anderson, the Eddyville, Iowa racer, scored his first win at the track.
The D & E Outside Services IMCA Modifieds ran 25 laps for their main event. Richie Gustin started on the outside front row and shot off into the lead, seeking the $3,000 pay off. Jake McBirnie started fourth, and tucked in immediately to run in second place. Gustin took to the top of the track, while McBirnie challenged on the low side, lap after lap. A slight bobble by Gustin allowed McBirnie to slip by and into the lead on lap twelve, and that was all he needed to take his ride home the rest of the way to the flying checkers and the win. Gustin had to be content with the runner up spot. Ethan Dotson started fourteenth, and finished third, fourth went to Dylan Thornton, and Brandon Schmitt, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, was fifth. McBirnie matched his win from last week, and scored his fourth of the season. The win also put McBirnie on this year's Super Nationals All-Star ballot.
Johnathon Logue, who races in the Northern SportMod class regularly, has been periodically racing an IMCA Stock Car this year for the first time. Tonight, he took his first career win in the class. Logue got the lucky pole starting spot in the Arnold Motor Supply Stock Car 25 lap feature and led all 25 laps to take the win. It was a heated battle behind him however, with Orient, Iowa's Buck Schafroth taking second just ahead of David Smith in third. Fourth went to twelfth place starter, Tyler Pickett, and Donavon Smith took the hard charger award, coming from seventeenth, to complete the top five. The race paid $1,000 to win, and put Logue on the ballot for the Stock Car All-Star race at this year's Super Nationals.
The Pickett Salvage IMCA Hobby Stocks closed out the racing for the night, running a 20 lap feature. Dylan Nelson, the Adel, Iowa racer who is a former Super Nationals champion, led the field to green, and stayed at the front the entire race to take the checkers. It was a battle for position behind him as three cars duked it out. As the checkers flew, it was last week's winner, Eric Stanton winning out for the runner up spot. Solomon Bennet was a close third, with tenth place starter Mike Smith right behind in fourth. Luke Bird rounded out the top five.
Next Saturday night, August 7, will be another regular weekly series race with the IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, Hobby Stocks, and STARS Mod Lites all in competition. Hot laps are 6, with racing at 7.
Article Credit: Joyce Eisele
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