By Ben Deatherage
BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 12, 2026) — Boone, Iowa’s Jake McBirnie made his move with six laps remaining and drove away to become just the third driver in Sunoco IMCA Stock Car history to win back-to-back championships during the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway, collecting $8,000 for the victory.
The 30-lap Big Dance began three-wide, with 2024 141 Speedway track champion Cole Czarneski and two-time defending Benton County Speedway Karl Kustoms IMCA Northern SportMod track champion Kyle Olson battling for the early advantage. Olson won the race to the line to lead the opening circuit before a caution came out.
Texan Cameron Starry bolted into the lead out of turn two on the restart. The 2026 IMCA TV Winter Nationals and 2024 Dakota Classic Modified Tour champion began to pull away with Czarneski in tow as the pair separated themselves from the rest of the field. A caution on lap 15 erased their advantage and gave the field another opportunity.
Defending National champion and 2024 Super Nationals winner Kelly Shryock, who started seventh, moved into second on the restart and began putting himself in position to challenge.
Another caution on lap 20 again tightened the field. Czarneski got a run on Starry on lap 22 as the battle for the lead intensified, but McBirnie was coming.
Driving the Mike Kennedy-owned No. 822, the defending Big Dance winner swept around both of them on lap 24 to take command.
Once out front, McBirnie pulled away and never looked back, becoming the first driver to win consecutive Stock Car Super Nationals championships since Dallon Murty in 2021 and 2022.
McBirnie joined Murty and Randy Brands as the only drivers in division history to accomplish the feat. Brands won consecutive championships in 2003 and 2004.
Shryock finished second, while two-time Super Nationals winner Devin Smith charged from 20th to third.
Colorado transplant Tripp Gaylord, winner of this year’s Harris Clash and Tanner Pelster Memorial, finished fourth aboard the Vanderbilt Race Cars house car No. VB1.
Two-time defending Marshalltown Speedway track champion Jimmy Gustin advanced from 13th to fifth. Two-time Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified National champion Chaz Baca Jr. was the hard charger, racing from 28th to sixth aboard the Bruce Bonneson-provided No. 96B.
The 2024 National Rookie of the Year Colby Fett finished seventh in the Mike Hauan/Lake Mills Motorsports-owned No. 00, followed by two-time Nebraska State champion Austin Brauner in eighth.
Two-time Benton County Speedway Karl Kustoms IMCA Modified track champion Joel Rust finished ninth in the Schmidt Racing No. 9, while 2022 Marshalltown Speedway track champion Michael Jaennette completed the top 10.
Earlier in the NAPA Fan Zone, drivers locked in from Friday’s qualifying tossed bags to determine their starting positions in the outside lane of Saturday’s Big Dance.
McBirnie defeated Rust to secure the outside of the front row, with Rust starting in the outside of row two. Kyle Vanover defeated Brauner for the outside of row three, putting Brauner in the outside of row four.
Tony Olson defeated Jeff Mueller for the outside of row five, with Mueller starting in the outside position of row six. Dan Mackenthun defeated Jeff Ware for the outside of row seven, putting Ware in the outside position of row eight.
Albertsen Holds Off Shryock for First Race of Champions Win
Mike “Wahoo” Albertsen grabbed the lead on the opening lap of the Sunoco Race Fuels Race of Champions and had Kyle Vanover stalking him during the early stages.
The defending Shelby County Speedway track champion eventually began to distance himself from Vanover, but Shryock was making his way forward.
Shryock worked his way into second and began challenging Albertsen during the closing laps. Albertsen refused to give up the top spot and held Shryock back at the line to capture his first career Race of Champions victory.
The Audubon, Iowa, driver was followed by Shryock in second and five-time defending Beatrice Speedway track champion Vanover in third.
Fourteen-time Minnesota State and Arlington Raceway track champion Mackenthun finished fourth, while Gustin completed the top five.
The event was broadcast live on IMCA 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.