BOONE, Iowa – Sixteen drivers with Modified championships on their impressive resumes will be on the track, in the grandstand and walking through the pit area shaking hands with friends, fans and fellow drivers during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s.
All drivers who have won Super Nationals Modified crowns receive invitations to attend as special guests of IMCA and Boone Speedway and be recognized during pre-race ceremonies Saturday, Sept. 11 and on IMCA.TV.
Champions who will be competing at the upcoming Super Nationals now include Jeff Aikey (2018), Ethan Dotson (2019), Jimmy Gustin (2010), Richie Gustin (2011 and 2017), Randy Havlik (2009), Todd Shute (2007) and Jeff Taylor (2012).
And champions RSVPing to attend as special guests are Tom Bartholomew (1991), Wayne Graybeal (1992), Wayne Larson (1987 and 1990), Rich Lewerke (2006), John Logue (1995, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2003), Mark Noble (1988, 1994 and 1997), Ron Pope (1993), Mike Schulte (1983) and Kevin Stoa (2000 and 2008).
“Winning a Super Nationals championship is one of the greatest accomplishments in IMCA,” said IMCA President Brett Root. “It is a privilege for us to invite these drivers to Boone Speedway and acknowledge them again on championship night during our premier event.”
Aikey is the all-time leader in Super Nationals championships, with another six titles in a Late Model to his credit. Dotson became the youngest Modified champion at 20 and is the first California driver to win a Super Nationals crown in any division.
Jimmy Gustin has qualified for the Big Dance 14 times since 2004 while Richie Gustin was the 2014 runner-up and finished fourth at Super Nationals in 2005.
Havlik has started 13 Super Nationals main events, eight in a Modified, three in a Late Model and two in a Stock Car, finishing second in 1989 and third in 1991. Shute has a dozen Saturday Night Modified starts to his credit, running third in 2010 and 2017 while Taylor is a five-time qualifier.
Schulte won the first-ever Super Nationals championship, a 100-lapper at what was then the Vinton Speedway. Bartholomew and Graybeal are both five-time main event qualifiers, with Graybeal the first and still only Super Nationals champion from Missouri.
Larson’s nine main event starts also included runner-up finishes in 1988 and 1991 while seven-time qualifier Lewerke ran second in the 1998 show. Pope made four Saturday night starts.
Fifteen-time qualifier Noble became the first non-Iowan to win a Super Nationals championship in 1988 and did it the first year the event was held at Boone. He is also a four-time runner-up. Stoa is a 10-time main event qualifier, with distinctions of having qualified while a resident of three different states and champion from two of them, Minnesota and North Carolina.
Logue is the division leader in championships with five, consecutive main event appearances with 14 and career main event appearances with 18.
Larson, Pope and Schulte have also won IMCA national championships; Larson, Logue, Noble and Jimmy Gustin have each won more than 100 IMCA Modified features during their careers as well.
