By Joyce Eisele
BOONE, Iowa (June 26) – David Smith was too tough to catch in The Class Too Tough To Tame Saturday night at Boone Speedway.
The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars rolled out for their 20-lap feature and polesitter Mike House was the early race leader, holding on until halfway when the 14th starting Smith took over.
A couple of late race cautions were no bother to Smith as he kept his lead to the checkers and sealed the win. Brother Donavon Smith started 10th and took second and Mathew West was third.
Bryan Zehm led all 15 laps of the IMCA STARS Mod Lite race. It was an epic battle behind him however, as Josh May, Randy Bryan, and Mike Kennedy duked it out. Following the leader across the line at the checkers, it was May in the runner-up spot and Kennedy took third.
Tom Lathrop grabbed the lead for the start of the 18-lap Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature and was looking strong, still leading at lap 13. However, by that time Johnathon Logue had moved through the pack from starting 12th and into second and was applying the pressure.
Just after lap 13 was in the books, Logue made his move coming out of turn two and flew into the lead. He held the top spot the remaining distance to the checkers for his fourth win in a row. Izac Mallicoat started ninth and took the runner-up position, getting around Tom Lathrop in the closing laps.
The IMCA Modifieds came to the track for their 20-lapper. Ron Hults was the early race leader as cars were duking it out behind him, going three- and four-wide. A yellow flew at lap seven and by this time Paul Nagle and Mike Van Genderen were right behind, and eager for the restart.
By the time lap eight was in the books, it was the Flying Dutchman Van Genderen at the helm, a lead he would keep to the checkers, and his first win of the year at the track. Cory Sauerman crossed the line in second with Nagle in third.
The IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock main event went flag to flag and was led all but the opening lap by young Mike Smith, who cruised along unhindered on the topside of the track and took the easy win. Following a good distance behind in second place was Shaun Wirtz. Matt McDonald finished third.
One of the most unique races in the country and perhaps the world was on tap at Boone Speedway with the running of the Hawkeye Challenge.
It pits four cars from each of six different classes, running at the same time. Each class is designated as to how many laps it needs to make, and the one completing that number of laps first, is the overall winner. The Sprint cars had to run 25 laps, Modifieds 23 laps, SportMods and Mod Lites 22 laps, Stock Cars 21 laps, and Hobby Stocks 20 laps.
When all was said and done, it was Mike Johnston in the Sprint Car class taking the overall win, and going home $1,000 richer. Other class winners going home with $500 were VanGenderen in the Modifieds, Mike Goldsberry in the Stock Cars, SportMod winner was Logue, Mike Smith was the winner in the Hobby Stocks and Josh May won the Mod Lites.
