6/20/2020
Boone Speedway
Jerovtez and Knutson go back-to-back, Gustin takes first win of the season
It was another Saturday Night Series of weekly points racing at the Boone Speedway. Two drivers, Troy Jerovetz in the Arnold Motor Supply IMCA Stock Cars, and Eric Knutson in the Pickett Salvage IMCA Hobby Stocks made it two in a row, and Jimmy Gustin, defending track champion saw victory lane for the first time this season, when he won the Snap-On-Tools IMCA Modified feature. Austin Kaplan won the Elmquist Towing IMCA Northern SportMod feature, after a long drought, and Mike Kennedy earned his second win of the year in the My Race Pace Mod Lites, as did the tag team of Don Mason and Mike Agan in the Cruiser Cars.
Mike Kennedy ran down early leader Tanner Gannon in the Mod Lite 15-lap feature. He took command just after a handful of laps were in the books....and never looked back on his way to victory in the caution free race. Gannon finished as the runner up Charlie Brown was third, Randy Bryan took fourth and Ben George was fifth. Kennedy also won on opening night.
Up next was the 18-lap IMCA Northern SportMod main event. This one would finish under the green-white-checkered with Austin Kaplan holding off Daniel Tasler to take the win. Early leader Dustin Lynch finished third, fourth went to Cam Reimers, and eleventh place starter Johnathon Logue finished a close fifth at the checkers. Kaplan said in his victory lane interview that it was his first return visit to the winner's circle in thirteen years.
Jimmy Gustin led all 20-laps of the IMCA Modified feature to visit the winner's circle for the first time at the speedway in 2020. Paul Nagle chased Gustin much of the way and at one time, peeked his nose underneath the leader. Gustin was having none of that and shot off. Gustin would then go on to take the win and secure the win. Heavy lap traffic late in race saw Nick Meyer take the runner up position, Tim Ward came from twelfth to take third, fourth went to Paul Nagle, and rookie to the class Jake McBirnie took fifth, after starting thirteenth.
Jeff Mueller got the early race lead in the IMCA Stock Car 20-lap A main. He was quickly tailed by last week's winner Troy Jerovetz and then the race was on between the two. Mueller held on to that top spot until the final lap when Jerovetz was able to take the low road, grab the lead, and hang on to the flying checkers. Jeff Mueller held on to keep the runner up spot. Then came three Smith brothers, David in third from starting sixteenth, Devin in fourth from eleventh, and Donavon came from fifteenth to round out the top five. Jerovetz matched his win from last week.
Hobby Stock winner Eric Knutson also matched his win from last week in taking the checkers first. Aaron Rudolph gave it his all as the two raced to the finish line, but fell just short and had to be content with a second place finish. Dylan Nelson took third after starting tenth, Solomon Bennett came from eleventh to finish fourth, and Shaun Wirtz completed the top five. Knutson came from twelfth starting spot, to make back-to-back visits to victory lane.
Next Saturday will be the first Super Saturday of the season, with $1,000 to win for the IMCA Modifieds, with all other regular classes in competition. Grandstands open at 4, hot laps at 5, and racing at 6.
Article Credit: Joyce Eisele
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