By Ben Deatherage
BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 9, 2026) — Izac Mallicoat withstood repeated challenges from Dylan Thornton, while Cody Laney charged from 13th and made a late move to win as Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified qualifying got underway at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s.
Two 25-lap qualifiers set the inside lane for Saturday’s Big Dance, with the top four finishers in each earning locked-in starting spots.
Kansas’ Ryan Richeimer led the opening circuit of the first qualifier before a caution came out on lap two.
Mallicoat took advantage when racing resumed, moving to the point on lap three and beginning to distance himself from the field.
Thornton moved into second on lap seven. The three-division Super Nationals winner and 2026 IMCA TV Winter Nationals champion began trying to erase Mallicoat’s advantage before a caution on lap 10.
Mallicoat was strong on the restart, and another caution came on lap 14. Thornton stayed with the leader when racing resumed but was not quite in position to make a move.
A lap 20 caution gave Thornton another opportunity, and he began working underneath Mallicoat over the ensuing circuits. Thornton briefly got ahead on the backstretch on lap 22, but Mallicoat answered and reclaimed the advantage.
Thornton then had to contend with Jake McBirnie in the closing laps as the two battled for second, allowing the 2025 Dirt Dual winner at Stuart Speedway, Mallicoat, to secure the qualifier victory.
The Boone, Iowa, driver started sixth and earned the pole position in the inside lane of Saturday’s Big Dance.
Thornton, originally from California and now residing in Iowa, held off McBirnie in a drag race to the line for second after starting 11th.
McBirnie, last year’s Sunoco IMCA Stock Car Super Nationals and two-time Modified track champion, made his way from 20th to finish third.
Wisconsin’s Dylon Waldvogel and California’s Tyler Bannister battled for fourth, with Waldvogel initially securing the final transfer position. Bannister, the 2021 Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod National Rookie of the Year, followed in fifth.
Thornton later elected to defer his locked-in position and will attempt to requalify Thursday. His decision moved Bannister into the field, giving him the fourth and final locked-in starting spot from the qualifier.
Wisconsin’s Cole Czarneski, the 2026 Clash at the Creek winner, was the hard charger, advancing from 26th to sixth.
Two-time defending Super Nationals champion Tim Ward put the Doug and Amy Eckrich-owned No. 151W out front on the opening lap of the second qualifier.
A caution on lap two erased Ward’s early advantage, but he quickly pulled away when racing resumed. Additional cautions on laps seven and 10 gave the field opportunities, but Ward continued to fire well on each restart.
Laney began reeling in Ward aboard the Janssen Fabrication-owned No. 5L. The 2021 Super Nationals champion stayed within striking distance but could not initially mount a challenge.
That changed as the leaders encountered traffic in the closing circuits. Laney maneuvered his way around Ward on lap 23 to take command.
A lapped car then spun in front of the leaders, bringing out the caution and setting up a green-white-checkered finish.
Chaz Baca Jr. tried to make a run for the lead on the restart, but Laney kept him behind and drove to the qualifier victory.
Laney, originally from Torrance, Calif., started 13th and earned the pole position in the inside lane of Saturday’s Big Dance.
Four-time defending Stuart Speedway track champion and 2007 Super Nationals winner Todd Shute finished second, while Ward, originally from Arizona and now residing in Iowa, was third.
2002 National Rookie of the Year G.W. Egbert IV from Texas made a last-lap charge to secure the fourth and final transfer position after starting 15th.
2024 STIMS Series title winner Chris Morris, also from Texas, was the hard charger, advancing from 29th to 13th.
The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV affiliate Advantage Racing TV. Catch every lap again with the IMCA TV Replay Subscription, available for just $25.99/month. And don’t miss Season 3 of the Boone Docuseries, now streaming exclusively on IMCA TV.
Cody Laney, originally from Torrance, Calif., celebrates in victory lane after winning a Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified qualifier during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway on Sept. 9. Laney charged from 13th and took the lead on lap 23 to earn a starting spot in the inside lane of Saturday’s Big Dance. (Photo by Byron Fichter Fotography)