By Joyce Eisele
BOONE, Iowa (July 23, 2023) – A veteran and a rookie both achieved milestones Saturday at Boone Speedway, when a season-best 179 cars were on hand for Fox Welding Stock Car King of the Katwalks night, presented by VanEaton Pork.
Damon Murty won his career 300th IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature while 17-year old Josalyn Elmquist became a first-time feature winner in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods.
Stock Cars were running for a $2,500 payday, as well as an impressive trophy. Murty not only walked away with those honors, but in doing so, got his 300th career win in the division.
Fifty-nine different drivers competed on the night, qualifying 24 cars through heats, and three ‘B’ mains. Two provisionals with the most points at the track who did not qualify, tagged the field.
Gage Neal started on the outside front row and led the opening circuits but it was Murty taking over at lap four. Murty continued to lead though lap 15 when the race was yellow flagged for debris on the track. By this time, son Dallon had gotten into the number two spot after getting past Troy Jerovetz and had erased dad’s comfortable lead for the restart.
Damon Murty however, continued his lead, taking to his preferred top line as the race concluded, and took the prestigious win. Dallon took second, 11th place starter Jake McBirnie made a late race rally and finished in third place. Defending race winner Kaden Reynolds hard charged his way through the field from starting 17th and finished fourth, and Jerovetz was fifth.
The Northern SportMod feature, presented by Elmquist Towing, was another one for the record books.
Josalyn Elmquist, who just turned 17, would lead the 18-lap feature the entire race and take her ride home to the flying checkers for the very first time in her racing career. Chasing her the entire event was Summer Anderson, finishing in second, making it a 1-2 finish for the ladies.
Jackson Harpole, who calls Farmington, N.M. home, but is spending the summer racing in Iowa, finished in third. Another lady racer, Taylor Kuehl, came from 11th starting to take fourth and Chris Burke completed the top five. The race went caution-free.
“When I pulled onto the podium and saw the trophy, I didn’t know what I’d say,” admitted Elmquist, who grew up at Boone watching her dad race and who had never rehearsed a victory lane speech. “When it did set in, it was awesome that I won and that three female drivers finished in the top four.”
“I’m really proud,” she added. “It’s a big achievement.”
Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites ran their 15-lap main event first.
Mike Kennedy led the field to green and kept the top spot through lap eight. That’s when Josh May took command of the ship and would then pull away from the pack and win going away.
Jason Toppenberg ran at the front of the field all race long and finished as the runner-up. Early leader Mike Kennedy took the third spot, fourth was Randy Bryan and Austin Graytook fifth. The race went flag to flag.
This was May’s fifth feature win of the season.
Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds ran a 20-lap feature.
Jake McBirnie took his ride to victory lane when he led all but the first four laps of the feature event. He pulled away from the field and checked out in the latter part of the race, winning for the second time this year.
Joel Bushore finished a distant second, third went to Green Bay, Wis., driver Tyler DeBouche, Paul Nagle started 16th and finished fourth, and Cory Sauerman rounded out the top five.
The 15-lap IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature put a nightcap on the racing.
Braden Gifford led the opening lap but veteran Andrew Burg was leading when lap two was scored. Burg never looked back from there on out, as he continued his run at the front the remainder of the race and took the win by a comfortable margin.
Second place finisher was Mike Smith, third went to Seth Butler, Zach Henningsen took fourth after starting 12th and John Watson made his way to fifth, coming from the 16th starting position.
Saturday, July 29 is Hunting with Heroes Salute to Veterans at the speedway. Pits open at 4:30 p.m., the grandstand opens at 5:30 p.m., hot laps are 6 p.m. with racing at 7 p.m.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.