5/27/2023
Boone Speedway
Shute returns to Victory Lane, May takes Corn Belt Clash win
It was a beautiful night for racing at the Boone Speedway to kick off the Memorial Holiday weekend. There were 148 cars checked in to provide the crowd with a full night of entertaining racing action. Todd Shute claimed his second victory of the year in the IMCA Modified class, and Devin Smith repeated his win from last week in the IMCA Stock Car division. Cam Reimers won the IMCA Northern SportMod feature, and young Mike Smith went back-to-back in the IMCA Hobby Stocks. The IMCA STARS Mod Lites were running a Corn Belt Clash series race, and it was Josh May taking those honors. The duo of Jack Allen and Michael Miller got the trophy in the 2-Man Cruisers.
The STARS Mod Lites ran a 25 lap feature event for their second night of a three race series of their Corn Belt Classic event.
Ben George was the early leader of the main event but had big time company in the likes of Josh May, Memphis, Tennessee racer Bryce Vowan, and Jon Padilla. Bad luck would bite George when a lap car caused him to fall back on lap ten, with May then taking over the top spot.
May would never look back after getting the lead, and would take it the rest of the way home to the win. Second place went to the first race winner of the series, tenth place starter, Jon Padilla, Silvas, Illinois. Third place was Bryce Vowan, RJ Gonzales, Colona, Illinois started in the sixteenth position and finished fourth, and rounding out the top five was Story City, Iowa's, Austin Gray.
The IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMod 18 lap feature was next on the program.
The early portion of the race was a swapping of position for the lead between Dusty Lynch, and Corey Pestotnik. The two diced it back and forth for lap after lap until bad luck reared its ugly head when Pestotnik had a tire cut down, putting him out of the running.
Lynch was now in command being chased by Otho, Iowa's Jeremiah Reed and Cam Reimers. A yellow would fly on lap sixteen when a drive shaft was dropped on the track, setting up a green-white-checkered shootout when the race returned to green. Cam Reimers seized the opportunity and got the perfect restart, sliding into first place in turn two and then taking it on home to the checkers. Taylor Kuehl also got a daily double on the restart, passing two cars and finishing as the runner up. Reed would cross in third spot, but would be penalized after the race for a deck height infraction, delegating him back to fifth place. This then would place Ryan Leeman in third, and Dusty Lynch in fourth.
The IMCA Friesen Performance Modified came to the track next for their 20 lap feature event.
Ronn Lauritzen led the troops through lap fourteen and was looking strong circling the top of the track. Meanwhile, Todd Shute had made his way from sixth starting spot, and was now running in second place. Two laps later, Shute pulled off a slider, and snatched the lead. The closing laps saw Shute pull away to take the comfortable win. Lauritzen held on to second, Cory Sauerman ran at the front all race long, and took third spot, fourth went to fourteenth place starter Jerry Flippo, and Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Nebraska started eleventh, and took fifth. This was Shute's second win at the speedway this season.
The Class too Tough to Tame, the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars ran a 20 lap feature.
Jeff Mueller started third, and took the immediate lead. He catfished on the bottom holding the field at bay, as Devin Smith made his way into second spot. Smith then went to work on Mueller looking for a way around from about the halfway mark. Finally Smith made the topside work with a lap to go, taking over the lead, and then taking it on home to the checkers. Mueller had to settle for the runner up spot. Third went to Josh Daniels, fourth was Buck Schafroth who started eleventh, and twelfth place starter, Scott Davis came home in fifth. Devin Smith matched his win from last week.
The IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks ran their 15 lap feature caution free.
Joe Wollenhaupt, who came from Neola, Iowa but now calls Boone home, led the opening laps until Andrew Burg threw his hat into the ring. Burg took the lead on lap five, but lap nine found Wollenhaupt back in command. Meanwhile, young Mike Smith had been working his way from twelfth starting spot, and had caught the leaders.
Smith took over second spot on lap eleven and then began the constant hounding of Wollenhaupt. Just after lap fourteen was the in books, Smith saw his way around Wollenhaupt, and took the lead. He then took it the rest of the way to the flying checkers and the win. Smith made it back-to-back wins as well as scoring win #3 of the season, plus winning the Frostbuster special.
Next Saturday, June 3, will begin summer start times. Pits open at 4:30, the grandstand at 5:30, hot laps are 6, and racing at 7. It will be Capital Sign Company presents the Topless 2-Fers Night where the Modifieds and SportMods shed their roof and run for $1,200 and $1,000 respectively in a draw/redraw show. The Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks, and Mod Lites will also be in competition.
Photo Credit: Motorsports Photography
Article Credit: Joyce Eisele
Article Media
