5/11/2024
Boone Speedway
It's Victory Lane for Wray, McBirnie, Reimers, Knutson, Stensland and Inman
A beautiful night for racing greeted the 175 race cars checked in at the Boone Speedway on Saturday. First time winner Cory Wray enjoyed his visit to Victory Lane in the IMCA Friesen Performance Modifieds. Jake McBirnie took the win in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, and it was Cam Reimers with a thrilling finish at the line in the IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMod class. Eric Knutson also took the checkers in the final moments in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock division, and Travis Stensland repeated his win from last week in the IMCA Stealth STARS Mod Lites. Also on hand were the Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks, and it was Tyler Inman seeing the checkers.
The Mod Lites, presented by Carquest Auto, Truck, & Farm ran 15 laps kicking off the night's feature racing.
It didn't take long for sixth place starter Travis Stensland to get to the front, taking command on lap two. From there on he would lead every lap, pulling away at the end, and repeating his win from last week. He finished well ahead of second place Cory Sonner. Austin Gray came from eleventh to finish in third place, it was thirteenth place starter Joe Glick taking fourth, and Bryan Zehm started tenth, and took fifth. After a caution at lap one, the race went green to checkers.
Up next was 18 laps for the SportMods, presented by Elmquist Towing.
Mike Munson led the early portion of the race but after a caution flew at lap six, Taylor Kuehl took advantage as the race returned to green, taking over the top spot. Soon, she had her hands full with Matt Avila and Cam Reimers right on her tail. As the race wore on however, she pulled away and it was looking like checkers for her on this night. Hold the phone! A caution flew late which set up a green, white, checkers run to the finish. As the race restarted, Cam Reimers was now in second and anxious for the green to fly. He was immediately pressuring Kuehl, and on that final lap was able to get the pass and beat Kuehl to the checkers. Reimers captured his second win of the season, and Kuehl, who had started twelfth, crossed in second place. However, a post race inspection deemed an infraction for deck height, docking her two positions and relegating her to fourth. Second place was awarded to eighteenth place starter Tyler Inman. Third place went to Dustin Lynch, and fifth was Dusty Masolini.
The IMCA Modifieds, presented by D & E Outside Services, ran their 20 lap main event next.
Cory Wray, Trenton, Missouri has been making a weekly appearance at the Boone Speedway this year. He started on the outside front row, and immediately took command. Jeremy Mills was soon tightening the screws, but it didn't faze the leader, even through lap traffic. Wray would hang on to that top spot the rest of the way to capture his first ever weekly win at the track. Mills kept the runner up spot, and third went to Nick Roberts. Todd Shute started tenth, and took fourth place, and rounding out the top five was Riley Simmons.
The Karl Chevrolet Dirt Trucks joined the regular classes for the evening, running an 18 lap feature next.
Todd Inman started sixth, took over the lead from Shawn Cooney on lap three, and from then on, never looked back. He pulled away from the field, taking the checkers easily. Following a distant second was Austin Meiners. Third place went to ninth place starter Mason Mitchell, fourth was Jeff Johnson, and Brandon Cox rounded out the top five.
The 20 lap feature for the IMCA Stock Cars, presented by Boone Moose Lodge, had a few problems as the caution flew several times in this contest. When the checkers finally flew, it was Jake McBirnie seeing the checkers first. McBirnie started eighth, used the topside of the track to rip the lip most of the race to get his place in Victory Lane. Michael Jaennette came from fourteenth starting spot to take the runner up spot, Troy Jerovetz led in the early portion of the race, and finished third. Fourth went to eleventh place starter Josh Daniels, and Buck Schafroth hard charged it through the pack, started dead last in 24th spot, and finished fifth.
The IMCA Hobby Stocks 15 lap feature, presented by Pickett Salvage, put a nightcap on the evening's racing.
Daniel Smith led the race through lap five when he lost the handle at the top of turn four, bringing out the yellow and piling up several cars. When the race restarted and the cars were realigned, it was young Mike Smith holding down the lead. He looked to be on his way to victory, but a flat tire would change the complexion of this race. He had to exit at lap nine, handing the lead over to Solomon Bennett. A lap later, it was Tom Killen, Jr. taking command. Killen still held down the lead with two to go, but now it was twelfth place starter Eric Knutson charging hard in third and looking for more. The final circuit saw Knutson grab the lead and make it to the checkers first to seal the win. Killen had to be content with the runner up spot on this night. Third went to Solomon Bennett, and veteran Wayne Gifford came from twenty-second to finish in fourth, and son Braden Gifford finished fifth after starting fifteenth.
Next Saturday night, May 18, will be another weekly series of racing. The IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, Hobby Stocks, and Mod Lites will again be in action. Pits open at 3:30, grandstand at 4:30, hot laps at 5, and racing at 6.
Photo Credit: Motorsports Photography
Article Credit: Joyce Eisele
Article Media
