BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 12) – Kyle Strickler wrote his name in the record book again Saturday night, at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s.
Strickler became just the third Modified driver to win back-to-back Super Nationals titles, dicing his way back to the front following a couple late restarts to take the checkers ahead of 2013 champion Dylan Smith and 19th starting Ricky Thornton Jr. at Boone Speedway.
“I looked at the scoreboard and saw who was behind me. I was pretty sure where they were going to go,” said Strickler, who earned $3,300. “My heart sunk when I got up on the cushion and I saw three cars go by me but I was going to drive as hard as I needed to get the lead back.”
Jordan Grabouski and Adam Larson completed the top five. Thirteen states and two Canadian provinces were represented in the Modified main event.
A record 876 drivers, from 25 states, Canada and Australia, competed at IMCA’s centennial season and 33rd annual Super Nationals. A purse of more than $275,000 plus another $60,000 in contingency awards went home with those drivers.
Also winning Saturday night championships were Dustin Larson in the Stock Cars, Clint Luellen in the Northern SportMods and Jason Wilkinson in the Hobby Stocks.
Larson led all 30 laps of the Stock Car feature, becoming the first Minnesota driver to rule that class at Super Nationals. Larson’s victory was good for $3,100. Mike Nichols was second and Chris Mills took third.
Luellen took the SportMod lead late, then held on against defending king Johnathon Logue for the $2,250 win. Logue had taken the lead on the second lap and settled for runner-up honors. Third was Nick Meyer.
Wilkinson earned his career second Hobby Stock title, and $600, leading the last eight circuits. Also the 2010 champ, he led Andrew Burg and Brandon Nielsen across the stripe.
Winners of Race of Champions events were Dustin Smith in the Harris Auto Racing Modified RoC, Kevin Opheim in the Sunoco Race Fuels Stock Car RoC, Myles Michehl in the Stephenville Starter Hobby Stock RoC, and Lucas Lamberies in the BSB Manufacturing SportMod RoC.
Smith’s win paid $2,200, Opheim’s $575, Michehl’s $800 and Lamberies’ $350.
Nate Coopman was the first champion crowned during the week after winning the Tuesday night Sport Compact main event. Jeff Aikey won his record-tying fifth Late Model title, and 65th Deery Brothers Summer Series feature on Thursday.
Aikey earned $3,510, Coopman $480.
Jimmy Gustin took the $1,750 checkers in Friday’s Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational.
Champions’ shares of the purse included Speedway Motors Weekly Racing bonuses based on their number of sanctioned starts during the point season. Lap money was paid in each race of champions event and the All-Star race.
Also on Saturday, IMCA and Casey’s General Store presented a check for $5,000 to Hope for the Warriors, the national non-profit organization that assists post-9/11 service members, their families and families of the fallen.
Accepting that check were veterans and honorary starters Travis Hansen, Nick Guernsey and Jay Soupene.
Saturday Feature Results
Modifieds – 1. Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.; 2. Dylan Smith, Osceola, Neb.; 3. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.; 4. Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.; 5. Adam Larson, Ankeny; 6. Jeff Taylor, Cave City, Ark.; 7. Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo.; 8. Ryan McDaniel, Olivehurst, Calif.; 9. Chris Abelson, Sioux City; 10. Brian Irvine, Oelwein; 11. Paul Stone, Winton, Calif.; 12. Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.; 13. Russ Dickerson, Boone; 14. Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa; 15. David Brown, Kellogg; 16. Todd Shute, Des Moines; 17. Johnny Scott, Arroyo Hondo, N.M.; 18. J.D. Auringer, Waterloo; 19. Jason Beaulieu, Campbell River, B.C.; 20. Nick Deal, Walnut; 21. Ryan Ruter, Kanawha; 22. Aaron Turnbull, Estevan, Sask.; 23. Corey Dripps, Reinbeck; 24. Mike Hagen, Williston, N.D.; 25. Josh Most, Red Oak; 26. Josh Gilman, Earlham; 27. William Gould, Calera, Okla.; 28. Kody Scholpp, Estevan, Sask.; 29. Dustin Smith, Lake City; 30. Wade Cross, Phillips, Neb.; 31. Jason Murray, Hartford; 32. Drew Christianson, Minot, N.D.; 33. Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
Stock Cars – 1. Dustin Larson, Worthington, Minn.; 2. Mike Nichols, Harlan; 3. Chris Mills, Sioux City; 4. Jeffrey Larson, Lakefield, Minn.; 5. Lynn Panos, Calmar; 6. Heath Tulp, Britt; 7. Brandon Czarapata, Pulaski, Wis.; 8. Dalton Flory, Williston, N.D.; 9. John Heinz, Green Bay, Wis.; 10. Gary Bass, Des Moines; 11. Randy Brands, Boyden; 12. Bob Daniels, Des Moines; 13. Shaun Bruns, Danube, Minn.; 14. Dan Mackenthun, Hamburg, Minn.; 15. Wayne Gifford, Boone; 16. Joe Flory, Williston, N.D.; 17. Marcus Fagan, Adair; 18. Kenneth Tietz, Belle Plaine, Minn.; 19. Kevin Opheim, Mason City; 20. Jason Minnehan, Churdan; 21. Devin Snellenberger, Pulaski, Wis.; 22. Josh Daniels, Carlisle; 23. Norman Chesmore, Rowley; 24. Chad Sterling, Stockton, Kan.; 25. Lance Deal, Fort Dodge; 26. Kyle Vanover, Beatrice, Neb.; 27. Casey Woken, Norton, Kan.; 28. Damon Murty, Chelsea; 29. Matt Guillaume, Haslet, Texas; 30. Donavon Smith, Lake City.
Hobby Stocks – 1. Jason Wilkinson, Neligh, Neb.; 2. Andrew Burg, Grimes; 3. Brandon Nielsen, Spencer; 4. John Watson, Des Moines; 5. Corey Madden, Avoca; 6. Jeremy Purdy, Bedford; 7. Michael Prutt, Redfield; 8. Sal Hernandez, Columbus, Neb.; 9. Jason Fusselman, Shelby; 10. Myles Michehl, Fort Dodge; 11. Andy Roller, Bellmead, Texas; 12. Luke Ramsey, Bedford; 13. Jason Kohl, Missouri Valley; 14. Brandon Beeter, Minot, N.D.; 15. Trevor Holm, Chandler, Minn.; 16. Steve Larson, Decorah; 17. Brock Beeter, Minot, N.D.; 18. Dana Brandt, Minot, N.D.; 19. Justin Nehring, Storm Lake; 20. Leah Wroten, Independence; 21. Benji Irvine, Oelwein; 22. Adam Armstrong, Beatrice, Neb.; 23. Eric Stanton, Carlisle; 24. Matthew McAtee, Minburn; 25. Craig Graham, Webster City; 26. Eric Cross, Salina, Kan.; 27. Bryant Johnson, Graettinger; 28. Jamie Songer, Ankeny; 29. Tim Barber, Story City; 30. Nathan Ballard, Marengo.
Northern SportMods – 1. Clint Luellen, Minburn; 2. Johnathon Logue, Boone; 3. Nick Meyer, Whittemore; 4. Lucas Lamberies, Clintonville, Wis.; 5. Daniel Gottschalk, Ellis, Kan.; 6. Jared VanDeest, Holland; 7. Kyle Prauner, Norfolk, Neb.; 8. Benji Legg, Beatrice, Neb.; 9. Jerry Hinton, Adel; 10. Gary Dutton, Bakersfield, Calif.; 11. Greg Metz, Washington, Kan.; 12. James Kleinheksel, Columbus, Neb.; 13. Jarett Franzen, Maquoketa; 14. Arie Schouten, Blair, Neb.; 15. George Nordman, Mason City; 16. Chad Shaw, Trimble, Mo.; 17. Randy Roberts, Boone; 18. Matthew Looft, Swea City; 19. Shane Swanson, Forest City; 20. Shawn Harker, Nebraska City, Neb.; 21. Nelson Vollbrecht, Stanton, Neb.; 22. Brayton Carter, Oskaloosa; 23. Jacob Krone, Beloit, Kan.; 24. Jeff Schmuhl, Fall River, Wis.; 25. Jake McBirnie, Boone; 26. Doug Smith, Lanesboro; 27. Tony Olson, Cedar Rapids; 28. Tory Mack, Surrey, N.D.; 29. Sam Wieben, Dysart; 30. Tyler Soppe, Sherrill.
Modified Race of Champions – 1. Dustin Smith, Lake City; 2. Ronn Lauritzen, Jesup; 3. Curt Lund, Redwood Falls, Minn.; 4. Kelly Shryock, Fertile; 5. Regan Tafoya, Farmington, N.M.; 6. Josh Gilman, Earlham; 7. Richie Gustin, Gilman; 8. Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn.; 9. Scott Hogan, Vinton; 10. John Gober, Poolville, Texas; 11. Ryan McDaniel, Olivehurst, Calif.; 12. Jesse Sobbing, Malvern.
Stock Car Race of Champions – 1. Kevin Opheim, Mason City; 2. Chad Sterling, Stockton, Kan.; 3. Kyle Vanover, Beatrice, Neb.; 4. Chad Palmer, Renwick; 5. David Smith, Lake City; 6. Dustin Larson, Worthington, Minn.; 7. Nick Tubbs, Colby, Kan.; 8. Jeff Tubbs, Colby, Kan.; 9. Joe Flory, Williston, N.D.; 10. Shaun Bruns, Danube, Minn.
Hobby Stock Race of Champions – 1. Myles Michehl, Fort Dodge; 2. Shannon Anderson, Des Moines; 3. Andy Roller, Bellmead, Texas; 4. Aaron Rudolph, Grand Junction; 5. Austin Brauner, St. Edward, Neb.; 6. Jamie Songer, Ankeny; 7. Brandon Nielsen, Spencer; 8. Leah Wroten, Independence; 9. John Watson, Des Moines; 10. Eric Stanton, Carlisle.
Northern SportMod Race of Champions – 1. Lucas Lamberies, Clintonville, Wis.; 2. Clint Luellen, Minburn; 3. Danny Dvorak, Vinton; 4. Brandon Toftee, Webster City; 5. Kyle Prauner, Norfolk, Neb.; 6. Brayton Carter, Oskaloosa; 7. Alex Zwanziger, Nashua; 8. Joshua Appel, Dodge City, Kan.; 9. Robby Rosselli, Minot, N.D.; 10. James Kleinheksel, Columbus, Neb.
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