By Ben Deatherage
BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 5, 2025) – Drew Janssen of Pella raced his way into the outside row of Saturday’s Big Dance with a win in Friday night’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified Qualifier 5 during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway.
Janssen, wheeling the Danny Meier-owned no. 127 machine, set the tone from the start of the 25-lapper. Cautions on laps seven and nine slowed the pace, but with 11 circuits to go he checked out while a three-car battle unfolded behind him. He reached lapped traffic on lap 21, giving Zachary Madrid an opportunity to close in, but the Arizona native-turned-Iowan ran out of laps and had to settle for second.
2023 Wisconsin State Modified champion Connor Wilinski crossed the line in third but was disqualified in post-race tech for a spec head infraction. That moved 2023 Midwest Madness Tour champion Jacob Hobscheidt of Nebraska into third in the Timmy and Marsha Current-owned no. 12TC, with 2025 Ernie Mincy Memorial Early Thaw Series champion Kollin Hibdon, a Nevada native now living in Iowa, was credited with fourth after starting 28th.
Tom Berry Jr., originally from Medford, Oregon, and now residing in Marshalltown, the 2022 Super Nationals champion and 2020 IMCA Modified National champion, led every lap of Qualifier 6. Just like in Qualifier 5, the top four finishers locked themselves into the outside row of Saturday’s Big Dance in the 25-lap contest.
Berry took charge at the drop of the green, built a massive lead, and was already in heavy traffic by lap nine. A caution on lap 12 wiped out his advantage, and another yellow flew on lap 13, but each time Berry powered away on the restart. He met traffic again with three to go yet never faltered on his way to victory.
Joining him on the outside row fo the Big Dance will be 2019 Wisconsin State Modified champion Josh Long in second, New Mexico’s two-time national champion Zane DeVilbiss – who rebounded from a disqualification the previous night – in third, and Shane DeMey in fourth. DeMey was a 2021 track champion at Crawford County Speedway, Shelby County Speedway, and Park Jefferson Speedway.
Hibdon Outduels Sproul in Thriller to Win Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational
Kollin Hibdon, originally from Pahrump, Nevada, and now calling Waterloo, Iowa home, made a dramatic late-race charge to win Friday’s Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational.
Thirty cars took the green in a three-wide start, with Dakota Sproul jumping to the early lead. California native Troy Morris III battled Sproul before taking over on lap three, only to have Sproul fight back and reclaim the position on lap eight. Hibdon joined the fray by lap 11, slipping past Sproul, but the Kansan regrouped and put Hibdon back behind him a few circuits later.
Sproul reached traffic on lap 18, where Hibdon again mounted a charge, only to be denied. A near slip off the top of turn four on lap 23 opened the door for Hibdon to go wheel-to-wheel with Sproul in an extended side-by-side battle. Hibdon briefly nosed ahead on lap 27 before Sproul countered, but the Nevada native ripped the top side and seized the lead coming to the white flag.
The race went the full distance without stoppage as Hibdon held off Sproul’s last-lap attempt to reclaim the spot. Sproul had to settle for a close second, Brandon Schmitt of Wisconsin put the Jack Jones-owned no. 20 in third, Morris ran fourth, and Colorado transplant now-Iowan Tripp Gaylord completed the top five.
The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV. Catch the replay with a monthly IMCA TV Replay Subscription for $24.99/month, and don’t miss Season 2 of the Boone Docuseries, streaming exclusively on IMCA TV.
2022 Super Nationals champion and 2020 IMCA Modified National champion, Tom Berry Jr., celebrated his win in Friday’s sixth Friesen Performance IMCA Modified qualifier at Boone Speedway on Sept. 5. (Photo by Byron Fichter Fotography)