By Joyce Eisele
BOONE, Iowa (May 4, 2024) – Boone Speedway rocketed back into action Saturday after Mother Nature had other ideas last week. It was May Fourth and Car Wars Night with the drivers all wanting to take home those unique trophies by Logue Fabrication for each class.
One hundred and seventy-six cars checked in which included 36 Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. The top car count went to the 47 IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods brought 31, the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks drew 40 and the Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites were 22 strong.
Travis Stensland swept the 15-lap Mod Lite feature. Stensland led all laps on his way to victory, stretching out his lead after a lap eight restart and taking the checkers by a lengthy margin. Cory Sonner ran second for most of the race to go home as the runner-up. Third place went to 11th place starter Austin Gray.
It was 18 laps of Northern SportMod feature racing next and after an initial “no go” was called on the start, the race went caution-free. Bryan Morris led the opening lap with Dusty Lynch taking over the following circuit.
By lap three, it was Matt Avila taking command, a position he never gave up to the flying checkers. Following a distant second was Hunter Longnecker and Ryan Leeman was third.
Matt Avila made it two wins in two nights, topping Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod features Friday at Marshalltown Speedway and Saturday at Boone Speedway. (Photo by Bruce Badgley, Motorsports Photography)
Another unique Car Wars trophy was on the line for the 20 lap Modified feature. This one had the fans on their feet nearly from the drop of the green as Kaden Cochrun and Jimmy Gustin went at it. Cochrun held the upper hand through lap 15 when the high-riding Gustin made the pass for the lead.
Gustin then kept that top spot the remainder of the race and took the win, his first of the season and career 113th in the class. Jake McBirnie started eighth and took second. Third went to Johnathon Logue.
Up next, The Class Too Tough To Tame, the Stock Cars for their 20-lap main event. They put on their usual exciting race as well.
Logue started on the outside front row and immediately jumped to the lead. There was a tight pack that soon joined in behind him, however, which was turning into a real battle. Coming out of the pack to take second place was Jeff Mueller who had worked his way into the runner-up spot after starting 10th and Gustin and Austin Bouzek were still much in the hunt.
When the caution flew at lap 14, Logue still held the lead, with Gustin, Mueller, Bouzek and now 20th place starter Michael Jaennette had made his presence known as he was in fifth spot.
When the race restarted, Logue maintained his lead but Mueller was now having to deny Jaennette to hold second. Jaennette was able to get around Mueller with two laps to go and had his sights on the leader.
It wasn’t to be, however, as Logue kept hold of the lead and grabbed the victory. Jaennette, who qualified through one of two B’s, had a great run to finish as the runner-up. Mueller was third.
The finale of the evening was the 15-lapper for the Hobby Stocks. John Watson found his way to victory lane in this contest. He started sixth, took the lead on lap three, and never gave it up on his way to the win.
There was a tight battle brewing behind him however, for much of the race. At the checkers, it was Eric Knutson holding off 10 place starter Mike Smith as they went second and third, respectively.
Saturday, May 11 will be another IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing show with the five sanctioned classes joined by the Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks. Pits open at 3:30 p.m. and the grandstand at 4:30 p.m., with hot laps at 5 p.m. and racing at 6 p.m.
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