By Joyce Eisele
BOONE, Iowa (Aug. 15) – The IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s are in sight, and the drivers are already prepping for the 38th annual event at Boone Speedway as 228 cars packed the pits on Saturday night that included an IMCA Sport Compact shakedown along with all of the regular divisions.
Jake McBirnie grabbed the lead from Joel Bushore with a handful of laps in the books in the 20-lap main event for IMCA Modifieds. Just a lap later, it was 12th place starter Joel Rust who was challenging him for the lead. The two swapped the top spot back and forth for several laps until Rust suddenly pulled into the infield with mechanical issues.
McBirnie then pulled away from the field and took his career-first win in the division well ahead of second place Nick Meyer. Bushore took third.
The Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts were in town for their Shakedown prior to Super Nationals. Mitchell Bunch and Jake Benischek put on a good battle as they fought for the lead. Benischek finally claimed it as his own, and went home to the flying checkers in the 15-lap contest. Bunch trailed the leader across the line to finish second. Kaytee DeVries started 12th and took third.
Donavon Smith was the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car winner for the third week in a row and Mike Smith topped the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock main. Johnathon Logue returned to the winner’s circle following the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod main.