By Joyce Eisele
BOONE, Iowa (July 17) – You couldn’t have asked for better racing than the fans saw at the Boone Speedway on Saturday night. The 167 cars that checked into the track put on some of the best racing of the year with close finishes and exciting action throughout all classes.
Nick Meyer in the IMCA Modifieds was a first-time winner at Boone, as was Nate Albrant in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Dillon Raffurty in the IMCA STARS Mod Lites. Eric Stanton returned to victory lane in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Devin Smith picked up his fourth regular season victory in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car division.
It was also a night where drivers and fans paid their respects to longtime worker at the track, Tammy Stevens who recently lost her fight to cancer. She was the gal who got the command to “send them Tammy” as the cars pulled onto the track. There was an increased purse in all classes thanks to donations from drivers and sponsors, with many drivers choosing to donate their winnings back to help the family with expenses. Drivers also passed their helmets in the grandstand for donations.
The first feature to hit the track was the IMCA STARS Mod Lite 15 lapper. Kaden Cochrun led the opening lap but by lap two, it was Josh May in command. By lap five, 12th starter Raffurty was on May’s tail and challenging. Raffurty pestered the leader relentlessly until the final lap when he took over the lead and then sailed home to the flying checkers and the win. May had to be content with the runner-up spot. Mike Kennedy took third. This was a first time win at the track for Raffurty, who made the drive up from Kansas City, Mo.
The Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods ran their 18-lap feature non-stop, but with continuous action going on throughout the field as they battled for position. Cody Brill grabbed the immediate lead from his pole starting position and outside front row starter Albrant tucked in behind him.
The two continued to run in that order until the final lap when Albrant was able to make the last-lap pass and beat Brill to the checkers to seal the win. It was a shootout for much of the race behind the two leaders with jockeying between Kaylin Lopez, Chris Burke, and Jake Sachau going on constantly. At the finish line, Sachau crossed in third. This was Albrant’s first ever feature win at Boone Speedway.
Nate Albrant’s Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod feature win on Saturday night was his first ever at Boone Speedway. (Photo by Bruce Badgley, Motorsports Photography)
The racing had been fantastic so far, and it continued in the 20-lap event for IMCA Modifieds. Pole sitter Meyer led the opening lap only to have fourth place starter Doug Smith fly to the lead at lap two. Meyer grabbed the top spot back at lap six and by this time, Mike VanGenderen and Jake McBirnie had moved up to challenge the front runners as well.
Meanwhile, Meyer distanced himself a bit and was content to let the three behind him go at it. On lap 14, Smith was out of the race with mechanical issue, and when a yellow flew just two laps later, Meyer’s big lead vanished.
Sitting in second behind the leader for the restart were McBirnie, VanGenderen, Brandon Leeman and Tony Hofbauer, all anxious for the restart. Meyer was able to hold the thundering pack off in those final laps and scored his first-ever weekly feature win at the speedway. Tenth place starter McBirnie claimed the runner up position, just beating Mike VanGenderen in third.
The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars are known for putting on a good show and they outdid themselves in their 20-lap main event. From lap five it was Kyle Everts and Devin Smith swapping the lead nearly every lap until a yellow flew with just five laps remaining.
Smith was in command when the race restarted, Everts in second, and two more Smith’s, Donovan and David lurking in third and fourth. The final circuits found it to be the Smith Brothers show, as Devin kept hold of his lead to take the checkers, and brothers Donavon and David finishing second and third.
Earlier, the Stock Cars ran a King of the Hill contest and when all was said and done, it was David Smith wearing the crown.
The racing surface was still producing some fantastic racing by the time the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks took to the track for their 15 lap feature. Shaun Wirtz was looking strong as he led the troops from the drop of the green until Eric Stanton made a nice slide stick on lap 11 to take the lead. Stanton then kept hold of that top spot the rest of the way to the checkers, making it his fourth feature win of the year. Wirtz followed in second place and third went to Rusty Bates.
