Dan Engledow

Chanse Hollatz got a shot of confidence with his flag to flag run in the first of two Stock Car qualifying features Friday at Boone Speedway. (Photo by Tom Macht, www.photofinishphotos.com)

Confidence boosting qualifying wins go to Hollatz, Murty

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 6, 2024) – Chanse Hollatz and Dallon Murty will have big boosts of confidence on their side when the green flag flies for their Saturday IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Championship event. Hollatz impressed in a flag-to-flag run at the front of the field in Friday’s first Stock Car feature, holding off a bid by Matt Looft and then winning ahead of Looft, Tyler Pickett and 18th starting Casey Woken. Already a two-time Super Nationals champion, Murty high-tailed it all the way from 12th starting, taking the lead from Justin Addison on the 25th and final lap to top the nightcap. Travis Barker and Troy Swearingen rounded out that top four. Just a couple cautions on each side of midway delayed Hollatz in his drive to the checkers. Former Northern SportMod champion Looft caught picked for the runner-up spot and briefly pulled alongside the leader before Hollatz shut the door. “This feels amazing,” he said post-race. “The beginning felt a little chaotic and I was a little worried but I just stayed [Read More]

Troy Morris III celebrated his biggest win at Boone Speedway, topping the first of two Friday night Modified qualifying features. (Photo by Tom Macht, www.photofinishphotos.com)

Morris, Thornton score final Modified qualifying feature wins

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 6, 2024) – Troy Morris III and Dylan Thornton had IMCA Modified fans all the way from California on their feet Friday night. Morris, from Bakersfield, led a top four of Tanner Black, 23rd starting Brett Berry and Joel Rust to the outside row of Saturday’s IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Big Dance at Boone Speedway, in a slug fest of a first qualifying feature. And California native-turned-Iowan Thornton, already winner of Monday’s Late Model main event, stole the front spot late from long-time leader Dylan Sherfick in heavy traffic in the nightcap. Zane DeVilbiss and Cole Czarneski complete that top four, also bound for the outside row on the Saturday grid. Morris, who had some atoning to done after spinning out of the lead in the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational earlier in the program, chased Kyle Heckman and Black to midway, then drove by for the lead on lap 14. The front was the place to be, ahead of multi-car tangles in turn three on laps 16 and 17, [Read More]

As the check states, Tom Berry Jr.’s win in the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational Friday during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s was priceless. (Photo by Tom Macht, www.photofinishphotos.com)

Berry is the fastest in Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 6) – Tom Berry Jr. was good enough to get in the race. Then he proved he was good enough to win it. Berry started sixth and took over the front following an early restart, then led the last 29 of 30 laps in winning the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, during the IMCA Speedway Motors fueled by Casey’s Friday evening at Boone Speedway. The Modified checkers were good for $1,000, plus another $725 in lap money courtesy of Elmquist Towing. “This means a lot. At Super Nationals, the main goal is to win the ‘A’ feature but in the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, you’ve got to be good enough to win a race to be eligible, then qualify,” said Berry, who’d won 13 IMCA features paying $1,000 or more since last September, including the Modified Anniversary special in Boone in May. “You’ve got to be good enough to qualify for the race and that means that all 30 cars in it had to have some kind of speed.” Troy Morris III led [Read More]

After a regular race day diet of green olives, John Oliver Jr. has four track championships and 32 feature wins to show for his 2024 IMCA Stock Car and Northern SportMod campaigns. (IMCA Photo)

The secret to Oliver’s success ? 5 green olives on race day

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 6, 2024) – Looking to earn a starting spot in the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, Stock Car championship event, John Oliver Jr. continued a unique race day tradition in the pits Friday at Boone Speedway. He ate five green olives. “I started doing this a couple years ago. We stopped at a restaurant, I had five green olives and I went out and won,” said the West Burlington hotshoe, somewhat reluctant to share the secret of his success. “Then I had to go out and buy a jar of olives.” A whole lot of olives later, Oliver is a contender for the national IMCA Sunoco Stock Car crown with 22 feature wins and track titles at 34 Raceway, Benton County Speedway and CJ Speedway. “I started winning a Prelude feature on Saturday and that was really good luck for me,” said Oliver, also a 10-time winner and track champ in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods at CJ this season. “I can’t say I’ve had bad luck, I [Read More]

Kelly Shryock secured a career 24th IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s main event start, and his fourth straight Stock Car berth, with his Thursday night qualifying feature win at Boone Speedway. (Photo by Tom Macht, www.photofinishphotos.com)

Shryock, Luinenburg speed to Stock Car checkers

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 5, 2024) – The driver might get older but the winning never gets old. Veteran Kelly Shryock, the winner of more than 700 races over a career that spans four decades, drove from 11th starting to win the first Stock Car qualifying feature during Thursday’s IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s program at Boone Speedway. He’d be followed to the top of the podium by Justin Luinenburg, who led every lap of fast-paced nightcap. Top four finishers from both features move on to the middle row of Saturday’s Championship Night show. Donavon Smith and then Austen Brauner ran in first as Shryock made his way toward the front. He caught Riley Christensen for second with seven laps to go and Brauner for the point with four to go. Kaden Reynolds and Buck Schafroth each made late charges, relegating Brauner to fourth. “I love this more than ever. “You never know when a win is going to be your last,” said Shryock, also qualified for the Modified Dance. “I’m still having fun.” [Read More]

Zack VanderBeek said you have to make the most of your opportunities at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s and he did just that Thursday night, winning the second of two Modified qualifying features. (Photo by Tom Macht, www.photofinishphotos.com)

Murty, VanderBeek win ahead of great Modified qualifying battles

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 5, 2024) – You almost have to feel sorry for Dallon Murty and Zack VanderBeek because they missed watching any of the great battles for transfer spots behind them. Both Murty and VanderBeek led start to finish in fast and furious Modified qualifying features Thursday night at Boone Speedway. Middle row starting spots in Saturday’s IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Big Dance were at stake and top four finishing spots at a premium. The first qualifier ran green the last 10 circuits and Murty took the checkers ahead of Jake McBirnie, winner of the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational earlier in the program, Chris Abelson and Kollin Hibdon. VanderBeek was equally impressive in topping the nightcap, ahead of Jeremy Mills, 12th starting Ricky Alvarado and Johnny Whitman. “We hadn’t had the best of luck this week,” said two-time Super Nationals Stock Car champion Murty. “I had a good run here a couple weeks ago so I came in with a lot of confidence but the stars aligned to put something [Read More]

Jake McBirnie added another trophy to his collection from the 2024 IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, winning Thursday’s B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational. He’s pictured with Paul Burger of B & B and IMCA President Brett Root. (Photo by Tom Macht, www.photofinishphotos.com)

McBirnie’s week at Boone gets even better with B & B All-Star win

BOONE, Iowa (Sept 5, 2024) – Jake McBirnie’s week at Boone Speedway just keeps getting better and better. The two-car star led 26 of 30 laps, including the last 22 circuits, in winning Thursday night’s B & B Racing Chassis Stock Car All-Star Invitational “What a deal and what a field of cars,” said a smiling McBirnie, already the winner of a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature during the Saturday NAPA Auto Parts Double Down Prelude and of an IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Stock Car qualifying feature on Wednesday. “I had a good race there for a while with Shelby (Williams) there for a while,” continued McBirnie, who started the 30-car, 30-lap event from fourth. “He kind of showed me the top and I just figured I’d throw a slider there and try to hold onto it.” “Shelby is a great racer so I was kind of in defense mode there for a bit.” McBirnie earned $1,000 along with $650 in lap money courtesy of Elmquist Towing along with a powder [Read More]

First-time IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s driver Jonny Carter raced his way into the Stock Car Big Dance with a second-place finish in his Wednesday qualifying feature. (Photo by Jarrett Carter)

North Dakota rookie will go dancing in Super Nationals debut

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 4, 2024) – Jonny Carter needed a single night to accomplish everything he’d hoped to and a lot more Wednesday at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The rookie from Fairmount, N.D., won his heat from eighth starting, and turned in the fast time in B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying, then raced his way into Saturday’s Big Dance with a second place finish in his feature. “I told the guys when we left, hey, if we can somehow make a qualifier this week I would take that as a win,” said Carter, encouraged to make the trip to Boone Speedway by uncle Todd, cousin Jarrett and crewman Kyle Anderson. “Just to make a qualifying feature, there’s so much competition here and so many names I’ve seen over the years. It’s an honor just to be racing with these guys.” “This is the first time I ever laid eyes on the place. It kind of has some characteristics of a few places we raced back home more or [Read More]

A two-car star, Austen Becerra will make a second run at a 2024 IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s crown after winning the first Monday night qualifying feature. (Photo by Tom Macht, www.photofinishphotos.com)

Becerra, Gaylord are super in Modified qualifying wins

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 4, 2024) – Austen Becerra forgot about a mid-pack finish on Monday after an exciting one on Wednesday, while Tripp Gaylord almost ran out of adjectives following his own Modified qualifying feature win at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Becerra reeled in and regained the lead from Collen Winebarger late in the first 25-lap qualifier. Gaylord handled four restarts in winning the second feature at Boone Speedway. Top four finishers in each advance to the inside row for Saturday’s Big Dance. Becerra and Winebarger were followed across the line by 2022 champion Tom Berry Jr. and 17-time qualifier Kelly Shryock; Austin Kuehl, Trevor Fitz and 16th starting Drew Janssen completed the top four behind Gaylord. Becerra, the 2021 Super Nationals Northern SportMod champ, had impressed with his Labor Day start from the pole in the Late Model main event before ending that race in 17th. He started sixth, ahead of a multi-car melee on the initial start and led the first nine laps before Winebarger drove by. Racing with [Read More]

Qualifying feature winner Devin Smith will go dancing Saturday night, chasing a career third Stock Car crown at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. (Photo by Tom Macht, www.photofinishphotos.com)

Former Super Nationals champions McBirnie, Smith top Stock Car qualifiers

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 4, 2024) – Two drivers who have already stood on the top step of the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s podium took the next step to returning to that lofty position Wednesday night. Jake McBirnie worked his way to the front from 11th starting and weathered three attempts at a green, white, checkered finish to win the evening’s first Stock Car qualifying feature while Devin Smith stayed out front and ahead of the calamity behind him in topping the nightcap. Jonny Carter, Jeffrey Abbey and 23rd starting Brandon Schmitt chased McBirnie to the checkers, Jeff Mueller, Shelby Williams and Curt Lund ran 2-3-4 behind Smith. The top four finishers from each feature decide who starts where on the inside row come Saturday night by friendly games of cornhole on Thursday at the NAPA Fan Zone south of the main grandstand at Boone Speedway. A record 264 Stock Cars saw time on the track Wednesday as the all-time Super Nationals car count mark reached 1,032. Derrick Agee led through four restarts in [Read More]