BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 6) – Cayden Carter and Mike Nichols will both look to add to already impressive lists of accomplishments on championship night at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s.
Both were winners of qualifying features Wednesday at Boone Speedway. Carter, from Oskaloosa, later ran fourth in his Modified qualifier and will start two main events on Saturday while a Super Nationals crown would be the final jewel in the crown for Nichols, from Harlan and a six-time national champion and the division leader with 450-plus career victories.
They’ll square off in a game of Rochambeau on Thursday to decide which starts on the pole.
“This is what we’ve worked for for the past two weeks,” said Carter, who will make his bid to start a third main event at the same Super Nationals when the Deery Brothers Summer Series for Late Models comes to town on Thursday. “We were pretty confident we could get both cars in. We just didn’t know if we could do it on the same night.”
“The only way we could top tonight is to win one on Saturday,” added Carter, who piloted Damon Murty’s back-up ride to the checkers. “It’s nice to be in both main events. Both cars were very well prepared.”
Top four finishers in each of two qualifiers advance to the big show. Carter led all 25 laps of the first feature, winning handily ahead of Travis Barker of Sioux City, Justin Temeyer of Independence and 2013 Super Nationals champion Brandon Czarapata from Pulaski, Wis.
2015 champion Dustin Larson of Rushmore, Minn., 2009 and 2012 king Donavon Smith of Lake City and the 23rd starting Murty, from Chelsea, completed the top four behind Nichols.
Nichols enjoyed a couple turns up front in the second qualifier. He passed Trent Murphy for the point on six, lost the lead to Larson on the 10th circuit, then got it back for good following a restart on lap 15.
Two more yellows interrupted the race but there was no catching Nichols before the checkers flew.
The eight qualifiers from Wednesday will have a combined 70 Stock Car main event appearances between them.
Nichols is in the big dance for the 13th time, Czarapata and Murty both for the 12th, Temeyer and Smith both for the 11th, Larson for his sixth, Barker for his third and Carter for his second.
Murty is a three-time runner-up while Nichols has been second each of the last two years. Temeyer is another multi-division qualifier, finishing third in both Stock Car and Northern SportMod main events in 2006.
1st qualifying feature – 1. Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa; 2. Travis Barker, Sioux City; 3. Justin Temeyer, Independence; 4. Brandon Czarapata, Pulaski, Wis.; 5. Shaun Bruns, Danube, Minn.; 6. John Oliver Jr., Danville; 7. Randy Brands, Boyden; 8. Kevin Bruck, Dunlap; 9. Marcus Fagan, Adair; 10. Derek Green, Granada, Minn.; 11. Jay Schmidt, Tama; 12. Bob Rebstock, Redwood Falls, Minn.; 13. Dustin Matlock, Oklahoma City, Okla.; 14. Jayden Bears, Smithville, Mo.; 15. Todd Reitzler, Grinnell; 16. Jeff McCollum, Mankato, Minn.; 17. Derek Moede, Casco, Wis.; 18. Mel Elsberry, Orange City; 19. Travis Van Straten, Hortonville, Wis.; 20. Devin Snellenberger, Pulaski, Wis.; 21. Jason VanSickel, Webster City; 22. Mark Smith, Hennessey, Okla.; 23. Justin Nehring, Storm Lake; 24. Greg Keuhn, Trenton, Mo.; 25. Michael Bilyeu, Indianola; 26. Jerry Schipper, Dike; 27. Jason Rogers, Selden, Kan.; 28. Todd Gereau, Sioux City; 29. Brad Whitney, Trenton, Mo.; 30. Chad Shaw, Trimble, Mo.
2nd qualifying feature – 1. Mike Nichols, Harlan; 2. Dustin Larson, Rushmore, Minn.; 3. Donavon Smith, Lake City; 4. Damon Murty, Chelsea; 5. Ned Kalis, Wells, Minn.; 6. Trent Murphy, Jefferson; 7. Devin Smith, Lake City; 8. Bryan Rigsby, Topeka, Kan.; 9. Sterling Sorensen, Portsmouth; 10. Jeff Tubbs, Colby, Kan.; 11. Jake Nelson, Williston, N.D.; 12. Dusty Springer, Colby, Kan.; 13. Tommy Fose, Delphos, Kan.; 14. Elijah Zevenbergen, Ocheyedan; 15. Jason Schoenberger, Russell, Kan.; 16. Westin Abbey, Comanche, Texas; 17. David Smith, Lake City; 18. Scott Reinhardt, Baileys Harbor, Wis.; 19. Michael Murphy, Jefferson; 20. Kevin Opheim, Mason City; 21. Wayne Gifford, Boone; 22. Todd Inman, Altoona; 23. Jared Dirks, Rowan; 24. Lavern Carey, Ionia; 25. Kyle Vanover, Beatrice, Neb.; 26. Kellie Schmit, Britt; 27. Kyle Everts, Holland; 28. Craig Graham, Webster City; 29. Brandon Pruitt, Stuart; 30. Shay Curtin, Cresco.