8/19/2023
Boone Speedway
Season Championship and five track champions crowned
It was Elmquist Towing and Farley's Pre-Owned Season Championship Night at the Boone Speedway Saturday. Feature wins went to Jeremy Mills in the IMCA Friesen Performance class, and Donavon Smith captured the win in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Curtis Veber made it two wins in a row when he took the checkers in the IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMod feature, Mike Smith saw his way to Victory Lane in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, and it was Josh May winning the IMCA Stealth Racing STARS Mod Lite main event.
The top ten in points were locked into the A main in each division, while B mains filled in the rest of the field for their features. Extra laps were added to all divisions on Season Championship night. All classes had out of car introductions on the frontstretch, affording fans a chance to see the driver behind the car, and show their appreciation for entertaining them all season long.
First on the track for feature racing was the Mod Lites, presented by Carquest Auto, Truck & Farm.
Bryan Zehm started from the pole and led the opening laps. Josh May was quickly up to challenge and after peeking low for a way around to no avail, he switched it up, and took to the topside and had the lead by lap six. It was all May's race from there on out as he sailed to the win in a race that went caution free. Austin Gray finished in second place, Zehm was third, fourth went to Cory Sonner who started eleventh on the field, and Joe Glick was fifth. This was May's seventh feature win of the year, and he took the track title by just starting the race.
The Northern SportMods, presented by Elmquist Towing, were up next. This one had a close points battle going on with three drivers in the running. Ryan Leeman held a five point advantage over two drivers tied for second....Dusty Masolini and Cory Pestotnik.
Curtis Veber and Dusty Masolini led the field to green with Masolini getting the upper hand and taking the lead. Veber shadowed Masolini through the first ten laps, but was finally able to make the pass, and was scored as the leader when lap eleven went in the books. Veber was then able to hold that top spot the remaining laps to the checkers, and score his second win in a row at the track. Masolini finished in second place and that gave him the track title. Cory Pestotnik took third, Hunter Longnecker finished fourth, and Jake Sachau started thirteenth, and rounded out the top five.
The Class too Tough to Tame, the IMCA Stock Cars, presented by Boone Moose Lodge were up next for their 25 lap feature event.
Donavon Smith started on the pole and from there, he never looked back. He had the field covered the entire time, and would pull away in the latter part of the race to take the comfortable win....his first of the year. Kyle Everts finished a distant runner up. Third went to brother David Smith, Tyler Pickett started twelfth, and finished fourth, and Chris Pruitt came from thirteenth, to finish in fifth place. Point leader going into the night, Scott Davis fell out of the race with mechanical issues, but had the track title wound out when he took the green to start the race.
The IMCA Modifieds, presented by D & E Outside Services ran their 25 lap feature event next. Going into the race, Jimmy Gustin held a nine point lead over Jeremy Mills for the track title.
Young Izac Mallicoat looked to be on his way to seeing his first win at the speedway as he expertly ran the top of the track. By lap seven a caution flew with Jeremy Mills in second place and anxious for the restart. It wasn't to be however, as Mallicoat kept his composure and smoothly diced through traffic with only four laps left. That's when a caution came out and this time on the restart, it was not Mallicoat's friend. Mills got the advantage going down the backstretch and was scored the leader on lap twenty-two. He then kept it to the flying double checkers and the win. Jimmy Gustin had run at the front of the field all race long, and was able to slip by Mallicoat with a lap to go, as they finished second and third respectively. Jake McBirnie started eleventh and took fourth place, and Cory Sauerman was fifth. This was the third win of the season for Mills. Jimmy Gustin took the track title.
The night cap was the 20 lap feature event for the IMCA Hobby Stocks, presented by Pickett Salvage. There was a tight points battle brewing in this one too, with John Watson leading and Solomon Bennett setting just three points behind.
Mike Smith started fourth on the field, and wasted no time in getting to the front, taking command at lap one. A plethora of caution flags fell in the contest, but it was no issue for Smith, as he drove off from the field each time the race returned to green. Curt Reed crossed in second place but was docked two spots for jumping, scoring him in fourth place. This gave the runner up spot to John Watson, and Eric Stanton came from fifteenth, to be scored third. Seth Janssen started twelfth and finished in fifth place. This was Smith's sixth regular feature win of the season. John Watson was crowned the track champion.
Next Saturday night, August 26, is billed as the IMCA Super Nationals Tune-Up. The IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, Hobby Stocks, and Mod Lites will be running, along with John Logue's "First Time Feature" special event. Pits open at 4:30, grandstands at 5:30, Hot Laps at 6, and racing at 7.
Photo Credit: Motorsports Photography
Article Credit: Joyce Eisele
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