naturalbridgespeedway Archives

Local favorite Leavell sprints to first series win at Natural Bridge

By Jim Haines NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (May 28, 2022) – The second trip for the Virginia Sprint Series to Natural Bridge Speedway on a perfect day had a first-time winner as local favorite Joe Leavell was first to the checkers. Bill Rice and Caleb Harris paced the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature with Rice like a bullet out first leading but soon to be joined up front by Jerald Harris and Leavell not letting. Harris and Leavell were closing in, leaving Rice no room for error as the three were all under a blanket with Leavell low and Harris up high. With the end coming quick Leavell made his move low on Rice while Harris made a move high, slipped and brushed the wall. Leavell came out with the lead but Harris regrouped and challenged for the front spot. Harris edged closer with traffic everywhere as the lead group made its way through but ran out of time to catch up and deny Leavell the career-first win. Rice took third. The series takes a few [Read More]

Late pass sparks Bolac in Virginia Sprint Series opener

By Jim Haines NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (April 16, 2022) – Daren Bolac streaked by the race-long leader with a few laps to go for the Saturday night win in the 2022 season debut for the Virginia Sprint Series at Natural Bridge Speedway. The feature-only IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car event had Mike Keeton and Bolac on the front row of the fast banked oval they went green with Keeton out first and Bolac in tow. After a couple of quick cautions it went back green with the front two unable to get away from the field as Jerald Harris, Joe Leavell and Chris Humblet stayed within striking distance. Laps clicked off as Leavel got by Harris. The top three were getting very close as lapped traffic was coming up. Keeton was right on a car to put a lap down when Bolac made his move to the bottom and got to the lead. Keeton moved over to try to regain the lead at the same time Leavel popped over his tire and ending his night. Keeton [Read More]

Feature

Super Nationals Mod Lite Qualifier Goes to Choate Before Rain Washes Out Night

By Ben Deatherage BOONE, Iowa (Aug. 31, 2025) — The Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites brought another strong field to Boone Speedway for Qualifier 3 at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. It was the last chance to qualify, with 25 laps on the line and the top 10 finishers securing spots in the outside row of the Big Dance. Kaden Cochran took the lead on lap one in the Cory Sonner-owned no. 47X. Cochran, originally from California and now based in Missouri, paced the field while 2023 Super Nationals winner Ronnie Choate of Tennessee and 2025 track champion Austin Gray began reeling him in. Their battle for position let Cochran briefly pull away until Choate used the inside lane to grab the lead on lap nine. Once the leaders hit lapped traffic, Choate slipped away and built a commanding advantage before a lap-18 caution slowed the field. Choate, who started fifth and hails from Cookeville, Tennessee, was strong on the restart and again after a late caution set up a green-white-checkered [Read More]

Feature

Ward and Mills Modified Wins at Boone’s Double Down Prelude

By Ben Deatherage BOONE, Iowa (Aug. 30, 2025) — A total of 157 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified drivers were on hand at Boone Speedway for the NAPA Auto Parts Double Down Prelude, where Tim Ward and Jeremy Mills picked up feature wins. In the first 25-lapper, Jimmy Gustin and Jeff Larson went toe-to-toe early, swapping sliders until Ward charged forward from 12th. The 2023 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s champion seized command on lap 13, and after multiple cautions, he checked out to record his fifth straight Prelude win. It was Ward’s second Razor Chassis North Central Region triumph this season, both coming at Boone. Larson, the 2021 National champion, ran second in the P.J. Kostenbader-owned no. B1, Gustin finished third, Brandon Schmitt was fourth in the Jack Jones-provided no. 20, and Joel Rust charged from 28th to fifth. The second feature belonged to Mills, Boone’s 2025 track champion. Mills set the early pace, then survived traffic and a late charge from 2022 Super Nationals winner Cody Laney to claim his seventh win [Read More]

Feature

Barber, Freeburg Win Boone Mod Lite Super Nationals Qualifiers in Photo Finishes

By Ben Deatherage BOONE, Iowa (Aug. 30, 2025) — A massive 87-car field of Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites kicked off qualifying at the Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Saturday night at Boone Speedway featured two 25-lap qualifiers to set the inside and middle rows of Sunday’s Big Dance. Nevada, Iowa’s Garrett Barber and Metamora, Illinois native Brandon Freeburg came out on top to lock themselves into the front of the grid, with the top 10 finishers from each qualifier advancing. In Qualifier 1, Jaxon Carr jumped to the early lead in the Mike Kennedy-owned no. 55. Carr and Dan Keltner pulled away before Arkansas’ Blake Wilson — the 2023 Arkansas State champion and 2024 Mod Lite of Arkansas Series champion — challenged on a restart, only for his move to be negated by caution. Keltner then took charge on lap eight and began to pull away. The race was slowed by multiple yellows, including two red flags. As the laps wound down, Carr reeled Keltner back in, setting up a late [Read More]