By Coty Mallicoat
BOONE, Iowa (May 24, 2025) — The 46th Anniversary $2,000-to-win Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event at ‘Iowa’s Action Track’ Boone Speedway doubled as a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifier, and Cody Laney wasted no time putting on a clinic. The Torrance, Calif., driver powered past Jeremy Mills at the drop of the green and once again attacked the cushion with precision to keep his No. 5 machine in command.
The Friday winner at Marshalltown, Laney made it back-to-back wins in the Razor Chassis North Central Region and added his name to the eligibility list to try and qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational at the 2025 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Mills followed in second while Jake McBirnie rallied from 10th to grab third.
Smith Scores Career Win No. 199 in Stock Car Thriller
Veteran racer Kevin Opheim set the tone early in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature, ripping the lip to establish a commanding lead. But it didn’t stay that way for long. Lake City’s David Smith steadily worked the bottom, slowly reeling in Opheim until the two seasoned racers were swapping the lead back and forth, lap after lap. While Opheim remained committed to the high side, Smith hugged the tires and took full advantage when Opheim slipped up in turn two on the final lap.
That was all Smith needed to pull ahead by three car lengths and claim the win — his 199th IMCA career victory. It also marked his first of the season in both the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region and at Boone. Opheim was a strong second, with Josh Daniels rounding out the top three.
David Smith, of Lake City, earned his 199th IMCA career victory with a thrilling last-lap pass in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car main event at Boone Speedway. The win marked his first of the season at Boone and in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region. (Photos by Bruce Badgley-Motorsports Photography)
Avila Outduels Smith in Wild SportMod Anniversary Race
The Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods celebrated their 20th Anniversary special with an action-filled feature that saw Dusty Masolini grab the early lead. Former Super Nationals Hobby Stock champion turned SportMod rookie Mike Smith took over at the front and held strong as the laps clicked down.
But the story shifted fast when Matt Avila, who started 12th, worked his way to Smith’s bumper and contact between the two in turns three and four brought out a quick caution. Because Smith never stopped, he was given the lead back for the restart. That set the stage for a tense final showdown as Avila, Smith, and Cam Reimers battled for the top spot. Avila finally got around Smith with two to go and captured his second win of the 2025 season. Smith held on for second while Reimers wrapped up the podium.
Matt Avila rallied from 12th to win the 20th Anniversary Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMod special at Boone Speedway, his second win of the season. (Photos by Bruce Badgley-Motorsports Photography)
Padilla Wins Second Round of 2025 Cornbelt Clash
A strong field of Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites launched the night’s A-Feature program for the second night of the three-race Cornbelt Clash, with Jon Padilla and Ben George trading blows at the front. George got the early jump from the outside front row, but Padilla eventually cleared him to take control of the race. Austin Gray, starting sixth, made it a three-way contest as the leaders diced through lapped traffic.
Gray took one last shot in the closing laps but couldn’t get by, allowing Padilla to secure the checkers and his third win of the season. Charlie Brown was one of the fastest cars on the track and completed the top three with a hard-fought third-place run.
Jon Padilla, from Silvis, Ill., scored his third win of the season by topping the Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite feature at Boone Speedway during the second leg of the 2025 Cornbelt Clash. (Photos by Bruce Badgley-Motorsports Photography)
Doran Digs to First Win in Hobby Stock Nightcap
The final race of the evening featured the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks, and it looked early on like Brandon Bombardo had the field covered. But “Topless” Joe Doran had other plans. Doran picked off cars methodically and muscled his way to the front with six laps to go, stretching out his lead as the laps dwindled.
He kept his composure and avoided trouble to grab his first win of the year in B&B Racing Chassis Northern Region action. Bombardo settled for second, and Will Smith rallied from 10th to finish third.
Joe Doran celebrates his first win of the season in the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks after charging to victory in the feature at Boone Speedway. (Photos by Bruce Badgley-Motorsports Photography)
The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV. Catch every lap again with the IMCA TV Replay Subscription, available for just $24.99/month. And don’t miss Season 2 of the Boone Docuseries, now streaming exclusively on IMCA TV.
