BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 6) – Fans of the 4-cylinder class will get their money’s worth and then some Tuesday night at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s.
A record 84 Mach-1 Sport Compacts race tonight with eight heats and four “B” features setting the field for the 25-lap main event at Boone Speedway.
Sport Compacts have been part of the Super Nationals program since 2011; the previous car count record of 64 was established two years ago.
Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wisconsin are represented.
*
Also on the night two Super Nationals program is qualifying for both the BSB Manufacturing Northern SportMod Race of Champions and Stephenville Starter Hobby Stock Race of Champions, a Hobby Stock qualifying feature and two Northern SportMod qualifiers.
*
Brendon Yamry brings a ton of momentum to his first Super Nationals, after sweeping Mighty Axe Nationals features at North Central Speedway.
He just won’t get to take advantage of that momentum until the eighth and final Sport Compact heat.
“The number of cars is pretty impressive,” said the Holdingford High School freshman, who made the five-hour tow from Rice, Minn. “Making the feature is my first goal but all I really want to do is win it.”
He’s got double-digit wins this season, the lion’s share of them at Brainerd.
*
The Texas tandem of Jeremy Oliver and Wesley Warren are 1-for-2 in their Hobby Stock qualifying efforts at Super Nationals.
Oliver, from Chilton, saw his Super Nationals luck do a 180 in his third trip to Boone while Warren, from Fairfield, finished mid-pack in his qualifier and will try again Tuesday to make the big show.
Mechanical issues put the damper on Oliver’s first two trips north. He’s wielding a 2016 Wild Child car that he’s put in victory lane in eight of 13 starts this season.
“That’s pretty awesome,” said Oliver, a regular at Heart O’ Texas who’s pared his racing schedule to spend more time with family. “Qualifying for Super Nationals is priceless because you can bring a fast car here and still not make it.”
He spent a good part of Tuesday prepping for Race of Champions qualifying.
Points leader in the Charger Chassis Southern Region, Warren also races at HO’T and makes the four-hour tow to run Saturdays at Abilene. He’s won seven times this season and is at Boone for the first time
“I’ve never seen anything like this. I’ve never seen this many cars,” he said. “I’ve never been in a race with that many cars.”
Warren won’t make any significant changes on his car in before his Tuesday qualifying heat.
“We’ll keep the same setup,” he said. “The car has been running good so we’re pretty close. I’ve just got to keep it straight.”
*
Matt Petrzelka’s ride was voted the best looking Northern SportMod.
Along with a trophy, he received a $200 cash award from Golden Empire Towing.
*
Top two drivers from each of five heats advance to Saturdays race of champions for the Northern SportMods. Erik Laudenschlager and Cory Rose – both in the law enforcement field – drew the front row starts during the fan zone program.
Completing the field from third to 10th starting will be Nick Meyer, Bryan Herrick, Clint Luellen, Danny Dvorak, Doug Smith, Benjamin Schultze, Jesse Skalicky and Jim Gillenwater.
Brandon Nielsen showed the high card and will start on the pole of the Hobby Stock RoC. Trevor Holm takes the green from outside the front row.
Third through 10th starting are Chanse Hollatz, Jason Wilkinson, Daniel Smith, Jeff Ware, Eric Stanton, Corey Madden, Justin Luinenburg and Benji Irvine.