BOONE, Iowa – Every driver who will start the upcoming Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational brings a wealth of IMCA Modified accomplishments to the Sept. 8 event at Boone Speedway.
And every one of those drivers wants to add one more accomplishment to their resume by winning the 30-lap feature Friday night during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s.
Thirteen states are now represented in the 14th annual Invitational field. Joining two-time defending winner Jimmy Gustin on the grid are five other drivers with Fast Shafts crowns on their mantle: Jay Noteboom (2005 and 2008), Chris Abelson (2011), Jordan Grabouski (2012), Todd Shute (2013) and Kyle Strickler (2014).
Five drivers take the green flag in the first All-Star feature of their careers. They are Steven Bowers Jr. of Topeka, Kan., Matt Guillaume of Haslet, Texas, Clay Money of Penokee, Kan., Jeremy Payne of Buckeye, Ariz., and Johnny Scott of Cameron, Mo.
Two-time All-Stars are Kyle Brown of Madrid, Ethan Dotson of Bakersfield, Calif., Darin Duffy of Urbana, Mike Jergens of Plover and Will Ward of Cobleskill, N.Y.
Dean Abbey of Roanoke, Texas, Corey Dripps of Reinbeck, Hunter Marriott of Brookfield, Mo., Kelly Shryock of Fertile and national points leader Jason Wolla of Ray, N.D., each make their career third All-Star starts.
The four-time All-Stars are Ricky Alvarado of Delta, Colo., Richie Gustin of Gilman and Ionia, Mich.’s A.J. Ward.
Making fifth starts in the All-Star main event are William Gould of Calera, Okla., defending national champion Grabouski, of Beatrice, Neb., Shute of Des Moines, Strickler of Mooresville, N.C., and defending Super Nationals champion Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz.
Jimmy Gustin, of Marshalltown, and Jeff Taylor of Cave City, Ark., were both elected for the sixth time. Abelson, from Sioux City, and Tim Ward, from Harcourt, both start their career seventh All-Star main.
From Hinton, Noteboom brings to edge in All-Star experience along with him to Boone. He’ll start his career 10th Invitational.
Completing the starting grid of 30 for the $1,000 to win, minimum $200 to start feature will be All-Star candidates with the top national point total and the most 40-point feature wins as of Aug. 31 competing at Super Nationals.
The first 28 All-Stars were elected in two rounds of balloting conducted through the IMCA Facebook page. Three drivers were elected from each of the five Modified regions in the first round; 13 All-Stars were elected at-large in the second.
The initial field of 131 candidates included winners of events paying $1,000 or more, plus 2016 state and regional champions.
One hundred and twenty-three drivers from 25 states and two Canadian provinces have now been All-Stars.