6/5/2021
Boone Speedway
Thornton and Braathun take first ever wins at Boone Speedway
It was another Saturday night of weekly series point racing at the Boone Speedway with all classes in competition and a King of the Hill contest for the IMCA Hobby Stocks. New winners came out of the IMCA Modified, IMCA Stock Car, and the IMCA Mod Lite classes, with repeat winners in the IMCA Northern SportMods, and IMCA Hobby Stock divisions. The two person Cruisers were also in exhibition again, with the team of Don Mason and Jason Miller taking win number three on the year.
The first feature of the evening was the IMCA STARS Mod Lite 15 lap feature and this one was led from start to finish by Story City's Jon Braathun. Braathun started on the pole and held the field at bay to capture his first ever feature win at the speedway. Joel Huggins made it interesting at the finish when his slide under the leader out of the final corner fell just short, and he had to settle for second. Third went to tenth place starter Mike Kennedy, Joe Glick was fourth,, and Austin Gray was fifth.
Ryan Leeman led the opening laps of the 18 lap IMCA Northern SportMod A main, with Nic Runyan and Kevin Yearington keeping close company. Johnathon Logue entered into the picture just before the halfway mark of the event, getting to the runner up position at lap eleven. He began applying pressure to leader Leeman and with just three laps remaining, had gained the lead. He kept that top spot the rest of the way to the checkers to score the win. Leeman held on to second place, third went to Kevin Yearington, Nic Runyan was fourth, and Izac Mallicoat took fifth. This was Logue's third regular season win, having also taken the Frostbuster special on April 3rd.
It was another exciting IMCA Modified 20 lap feature that had the crowd cheering. Dylan Thornton grabbed the lead from Tim Love on lap ten, but then had to fend off the advances of the rapidly advancing Jimmy Gustin, Jake McBirnie, and Nick Roberts who were locked into an intense battle for second place. That battle resulted in some contact being made between McBirnie and Roberts, that would send McBirnie out of the race, Roberts able to gather it back in and continue on. Another late yellow in the race sent the cars scrambling for position in the final run to the checkers. Thornton would hold on to take the win, Roberts got around Jimmy Gustin as they took second and third respectively, and Joel Bushore started thirteenth and finished fourth. Doug Smith had his best run of the year after moving up from the SportMod class this year, and finished fifth, coming from twenty-third starting spot. This was Thornton's first ever feature win at the track.
Four cautions would mar the 20 lap IMCA Stock Car feature but it didn't bother Jeff Mueller in the least. Mueller got the top spot away from leader Jesse Smith on lap nine, and kept it the rest of the way to the checkers and the win. It was however, a very close finish at the line as last week's winner, David Smith came from eleventh place on the starting grid, took to the top of the track in the closing laps, and fell just short in a last ditch effort at the checkers, having to settle for second. Michael Jaennette was third, and Tyler Pickett and Scott Davis completed the top five. It had been a while since Mueller had visited victory lane at the Boone Speedway, his last coming back in 2018.
The IMCA Hobby Stocks ran a King of the Hill earlier in the evening, the participants were the top eight in points and heat winners of the night. The final four cars remaining after elimination rounds found Eric Stanton standing atop the hill, followed by Eric Knutson, Aaron Rudolph, and Braden Richards.
The Hobby Stocks 15 lap feature event also went to King of the Hill winner, Eric Stanton. Stanton had to battle hard against Braden Richards and Eric Knutson to get the job done, getting around both at lap ten, and then holding them off as the checkers flew. Knutson finished as the runner up, Richards took third, and it was a close finish for fourth and fifth, with Seth Janssen winning out over Solomon Bennett.
Weekly racing continues next Saturday, June 12 at the Boone Speedway with racing in all regular classes. Gates open at 5:30, Hot laps at 6, with racing at 7.
Article Credit: Joyce Eisele
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