Saturday, September 9, 2017 Archives

Richie Gustin reigns again at Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 9) – After finishing second in his qualifying feature on Friday night, Richie Gustin figured he had a pretty good chance to win Saturday’s IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Modified main event. He was right. The 2011 Super Nationals champion, Gustin passed 2007 winner Todd Shute to get to the front of the 40-lap headliner, then outran defending champion Ricky Thornton Jr. in taking the Boone Speedway checkers. “I felt like we had a pretty good race car when we qualified last night,” said Gustin, who had passed 24 cars to finish second behind Thornton on Friday. “People say there’s a lot of luck that plays into this deal but when you get your second championship, it’s not luck. This is unbelievable.” Shute ended in third and Ricky Stephan was fourth. Three other former champions were in the show, with Gustin’s brother Jimmy finishing fifth, Randy Havlik seventh and Kyle Strickler 18th. Mike Nichols became a first-time Stock Car champion, beating Devin Smith across the stripe by not much [Read More]

Super Nationals Feature Results

Modifieds – 1. Richie Gustin, Gilman; 2. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.; 3. Todd Shute, Des Moines; 4. Ricky Stephan, South Sioux City, Neb.; 5. Jimmy Gustin, Marshalltown; 6. J.D. Auringer, Evansdale; 7. Randy Havlik, Ankeny; 8. Jeremy Mills, Garner; 9. Ricky Alvarado, Delta, Colo.; 10. Nick Roberts, Des Moines; 11. Jeremy Payne, Buckeye, Ariz.; 12. Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa; 13. Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.; 14. Josh Most, Red Oak; 15. Jonathan Snyder, Ames; 16. Kelly Shryock, Fertile; 17. Drew Christianson, Minot, N.D.; 18. Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.; 19. Justin O’Brien, West Union; 20. Cody Laney, Torrance, Calif.; 21. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton; 22. Nick Meyer, Whittemore; 23. Jesse Richter, Great Bend, Kan.; 24. Eric Elliott, Boone; 25. Jason Wolla, Ray, N.D.; 26. Paul Stone, Winton, Calif.; 27. Corey Dripps, Reinbeck; 28. Ryan Ruter, Clear Lake; 29. Chris Abelson, Sioux City; 30. Chris Mills, Sioux City; 31. Jay Noteboom, Hinton; 32. Randy McDaniel, Olivehurst, Calif.; 33. Darin Duffy, Urbana. Stock Cars – 1. Mike Nichols, Harlan; 2. Devin Smith, Lake City; 3. Dustin Larson, Rushmore, Minn.; 4. [Read More]

Saturday Roundup

Kyle Strickler starts his bid to complete the Super Nationals triple crown from inside row one. Already a Super Nationals champion and winner of the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, Strickler drew the ace to earn the pole start in Saturday’s Harris Auto Racing Race of Champions. Mike Jergens is on the outside of the front row and two-time race winner Dustin Smith lines up third. Starting fourth through 12th will be Josh Ruby, Todd Shute, Ryan McDaniel, Bob Moore, Vern Jackson, Mike VanGenderen, Joel Rust, Johnny Scott and Anthony Roth. * The ace put the Westin Abbey on the inside of the front row for the start of the Sunoco Race Fuels Stock Car Race of Champions Two-time RoC winner David Smith will line up on the outside. Completing the 10-car grid are Randy Brands, Shaun Bruns, Bryan Rigsby, Matt Schauer, 2014 race winner Devin Smith, defending winner Dustin Larson, Brandon Czarapata and Kyle Clough. * Todd Shute rock-paper-scissored his way to the outside row one start in tonight’s Modified main event, getting the Rochambeau [Read More]

Super Nationals finale starts with I do’s

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 9) – The bride wore a beaded ivory gown. The groom, of course, wore a checkered flag tie. Nebraska Stock Car driver Bob Chalupa and Carol Koch exchanged vows Saturday afternoon on the infield stage at Boone Speedway before pre-race ceremonies got underway for the final day of the 35th annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. “We’ve been coming here for four years and I wanted to get married in Las Vegas,” Chalupa said. “She said no, let’s get married in Boone.” While he’d have liked to have qualified for tonight’s main event, Chalupa agreed that getting married at Super Nationals was a bigger highlight. His car served as a backdrop to post-ceremony pictures and Carol waved to the grandstand crowd from the passenger side window as they drove back to his trailer. Doug Cue, pastor at First United Methodist Church in Boone, officiated.

Shute, Thornton lead parade of champions

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 8) – Qualifying feature winners Todd Shute and Ricky Thornton Jr. were two of the four Modified drivers with IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s championships already on their resumes who punched tickets to 2017’s big dance Friday night. 2007 champion Shute of Des Moines topped the first qualifier at Boone Speedway while defending king Thornton of Chandler, Ariz., outran 2011 champ Richie Gustin of Gilman in the second show. 2009 champion Randy Havlik of Ankeny was fourth. Shute drew the pole start and led start to finish. He ran three wide with lapped traffic in the final circuits, winning in front of Justin Auringer of Evansdale, Jay Noteboom of Hinton and Jeremy Mills of Garner. “It’s been 10 years since I was on this stage. There was a great field of drivers behind me,” Shute said post-race. “I can’t believe this is happening.” Thornton, who’d been disqualified in post-race tech on Thursday, led the last 21 laps of the nightcap, which saw Gustin motor all the way from 26th [Read More]

Saturday Schedule of Events

DRIVERS MEETING – 1:45 pm PRE-RACE CEREMONY – 2 pm Stock Car RoC Card Game in Fan Zone Modified RoC Card Game in Fan Zone Northern SportMod Best Appearing Car presentation Modified Best Appearing Car presentation FIRST RACE – 3 pm HOBBY STOCK ROC HOT LAPS 5 – MODIFIED LAST CHANCE HEATS (10 laps) TRACK PREP (Friday Stock Car Top 8 to Fan Zone) SPORTMOD ROC HOT LAPS 5 – MODIFIED LAST CHANCE HEATS (10 laps) TRACK PREP (Friday Modified Top 8 to Fan Zone) STOCK CAR ROC HOT LAPS 5 – MODIFIED LAST CHANCE HEATS (10 laps) TRACK PREP (Hope For The Warriors/Casey’s presentation at flagstand) MODIFIED ROC HOT LAPS STOCK CAR “A” (25 laps) 3 – MODIFIED “A’s” (12 laps) TRACK PREP HOBBY STOCK QUALIFIER HOT LAPS HOBBY STOCK “RACE OF CHAMPIONS” (10 laps) SPORTMOD “RACE OF CHAMPIONS” (10 laps) STOCK CAR “RACE OF CHAMPIONS” (10 laps) MODIFIED “RACE OF CHAMPIONS” (12 laps) TRACK PREP SPORTMOD QUALIFIER HOT LAPS HOBBY STOCK DANCE (30 laps) TRACK PREP STOCK CAR QUALIFIER [Read More]

Top drivers in four divisions featured in races of champions at Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa – A season’s worth of bragging rights are on the line Saturday, Sept. 9, when race of champions winners take their turn on stage at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The winner of the 29th annual Harris Auto Racing Modified Race of Champions earns $1,000 while $500 is the top prize in the 17th annual Sunoco Race Fuels Race of Champions for Stock Cars. Both the BSB Manufacturing Race of Champions for Northern SportMods and Stephenville Starter Race of Champions for Hobby Stocks pay $300 to win. Those events will be held for the eighth time. SportMod and Hobby Stock ROC qualifying will be Monday, Sept. 4. Modified and Stock Car ROC qualifying is Friday, Sept. 8. Drivers eligible to qualify for their respective events include former national and Super Nationals champions and race of champions winners, 2017 track champions/point leader or the second-place driver if the leader is not in attendance. Also eligible to qualify are former Modified (from 1993), Stock Car and Hobby Stock regional champions. A dozen Modifieds [Read More]

Four Super Nationals champions get new engines

BOONE, Iowa – Four champions crowned at the 35th annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s will leave Boone Speedway with more than their place in dirt track racing history secured. Each of the main event winners on Saturday, Sept. 9 receives a new engine from Karl Performance or Karl Chevrolet as well. Modified, Northern SportMod or Hobby Stock champions who win titles with crate motors receive a new GM 604 or 602 crate from Karl Chevrolet. Drivers in those divisions winning with claim motors get engines from Karl Performance. All motors will be built to IMCA specifications and any additional services or parts desired are to be taken care of at the new owner’s expense. The Modified champion, if running a claim motor, gets a KPM CPH383-60D engine valued at $6,999. The Stock Car champion will receive a KPM 360 spec engine valued at $6,040.99. The SportMod and Hobby Stock champions, if running claim motors, both get a KPM CC355-60F engine valued at $4,299.99. Stock Car, Northern SportMod and Hobby Stock engines are all [Read More]

Casey’s wristbands can be redeemed for fountain drink

BOONE, Iowa – Both week-long and Saturday-only Casey’s General Store pit admission wristbands can be redeemed for a 32 ounce fountain drink on the way home from the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The offer is good at any participating Casey’s between Sept. 10-16. Casey’s is the official convenience store of IMCA and presenting sponsor of Super Nationals.

Honorary starters bring tradition of service, love of racing to flagstand at Boone

BOONE, Iowa – The three honorary starters for last-chance Modified features have varying backgrounds in the military but share a passion for dirt racing in general and IMCA racing in particular. John Wailes of Fort Dodge, Trevor Baker of Omaha, Neb., and Mark Berglund of Clarksville will all wave the green flag on Saturday, Sept. 9 during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Wailes, nominated by Curtis Lee of Hope For The Warriors, has served 15 years in the armed forces and currently serves with the Army Reserves. He deployed to Iraq in support of Operaton New Dawn in 2011. Baker, an IMCA Modified driver, has served for 12 years in the Nebraska Army National Guard. Baker and his mother Carrie were deployed together to Afghanistan during the Enduring Freedom campaign. Nominated by his mother, Baker’s father and two brothers have also served or are currently serving our country. Berglund served on five different ships and 20 different countries during his 20-year career in the U.S. Navy. Nominated by IMCA Modified driver [Read More]