6/19/2021
Boone Speedway
Braaksma and Zehm take first wins, Logue makes it three-in-a-row
Boone Speedway continued its weekly racing series on Saturday night, with the Outlaw Mini Mod Series also hitting the track as an added attraction. New faces visited victory lane...Ethan Braaksma in the IMCA Modified class, and Bryan Zehm in the IMCA STARS Mod Lites. Donavon Smith and Braden Richards returned to Victory Lane from earlier season wins, and Johnathon Logue is on a roll, making it three-in-a-row. The 2-Person Cruisers were in exhibition again this week, with the team of Matt Oberhelman and Thomas Egenberger taking the checkers. There were 156 cars checked into the pits for a full night of racing action.
Bryan Zehm went home the victor in the 15 lap IMCA STARS Mod Lites. Zehm led all but the opening lap on his way to victory. Mike Kennedy gave it a good try, but it was too little, too late in his attempt to catch the leader, and he had to be content with the runner up position. Joel Huggins was third, and it was a real battle for fourth place with Randy Bryan winning out, Jon Braathun going fifth, and Josh May sixth, in a tight finish. This was Zehm's first win at the track in 2021.
It took a bit to get the IMCA Northern SportMods to the checkers in their 18-lap event. Blair Simmons led from the drop of the green, and was still leading when the third caution flew at lap eleven. The restart found Dusty Masolini running second, and in third place was twelfth place starter Johnathon Logue. When the race returned to green, Logue made a move immediately and had the lead by the time they reached turn one. Two more yellows would fly, the last coming on lap fourteen with Logue still in command, and the time limit called.....race to the next yellow, or the checkers, whichever comes first. The drivers heeded the call, and the race would go the distance with Logue taking the win. Kaylin Lopez came from fourteenth to finish as the runner up, Dusty Masolini was third, fourth went to Colton Nelson, and Taylor Kuehl rounded out the top five. The win made it three-in-a-row for Logue, his fifth of the regular season, and he also was the Frostbuster winner.
Up next was 20-laps of IMCA Modified feature racing. After the initial start was called back, the race would go caution free to the checkers with Ethan Braaksma in command the entire time. Heavy lap traffic was no issue for Braaksma as he sailed home to the comfortable win. Tim Ward started twelfth and took the runner up spot. Jake McBirnie started tenth, and finished in third place, fourth went to earlier contender Tony Hofbauer, and Jamie Anderson was fifth. This was Braaksma's first regular season win, after taking the honors in the Frostbuster.
The Outlaw Mini Mods were in town for one of their series races with 24 cars checking into the pits. Their 15-lap feature did not start off well when Spencer Nelson rolled his ride several times before making it to the flagstand. Thankfully, he was not injured, but his night was over. It was tenth place starter Dan Kraus, Britt, Iowa getting to the lead by lap five, after a couple of caution flags flew, and from then on, held on to take the win. The final dash to the finish line found a mad scramble for position behind the winner, with Kelly Steele, International Falls, Minnesota, taking the runner up spot. Ankeny, Iowa's Dan Kline was third, fourth went to Des Moines' Bobby Daniels, and Tyler Jonson, International Falls, Minnesota started eighteenth, and finished fifth.
The Class too Tough to Tame, the IMCA Stock Cars ran 20-laps, in their usual exciting fashion. Rod Richards took the lead immediately from his pole starting spot, and soon had Robert Stofer and Donavon Smith hot on his tail. Smith got the lead at lap seven but had plenty of company with the likes of Troy Jerovetz and Devin Smith joining in the fun along with Richards. The final handful of laps brought another Smith brother into the mix, as David threw his hat into the ring. With just two laps remaining, Jerovetz was off power and out of the game. Donavon Smith would go on to take the checkers, while a distance behind it was a shootout for position. Brother David Smith would take the runner up spot, Rod Richards was third, brother Devin Smith was fourth, and Michael Jaennette made a late race surge to take fifth, while early contender, veteran racer Robert Stofer took sixth.
Braden Richards kept his ride on the top of the track, and led all 15-laps of the IMCA Hobby Stock feature. Wayne Gifford finished second, Eric Stanton was third after his two previous week's wins, Eric Knutson took fourth, and Curt Reed completed the top five.
Make plans to be at the Boone Speedway next Saturday night, June 26, when it is Hawkeye Challenge night. Along with the regular racing, there will be six classes of cars racing at the same time in what is one of the most unique races in motorsports. Hot laps are 6 with racing at 7.
Article Credit: Joyce Eisele
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