8/14/2021
Boone Speedway
Sauerman gets unexpected victory, Nelson and Davis take first wins of the year
There were 184 cars checked into the Boone Speedway on Saturday where it was Elmquist Towing Night at the races. Three drivers would capture their first victories of the season, while three others would return to victory lane.
Feature racing kicked off with the My Race Pass IMCA STARS Mod Lites 15 lap main event. Dustin Ford led the troops through the first eight laps of the race. That's when sixth place starter, Travis Stensland came calling, and took over the top spot. It was a tight race at the front of the pack for much of the race as Stensland fended off the challenges of Bryan Zehm, early leader Ford, and Mike Kennedy getting into the fray in the closing circuits. As the checkers flew, it was Stensland repeating his win from last week, Zehm took second, Mike Kennedy started eleventh and finished third, with Dustin Ford and Randy Bryan rounding out the top five.
Colton Nelson, the driver from Osceola, Iowa started fifth on the grid for the Elmquist Towing IMCA Northern SportMod 18 lap feature, and was immediately on the tail of leader Austin Price. Nelson hounded Price continually until lap eight, when he was able to take over the lead. Nelson would then throw off the late challenges of Johnathon Logue, and take the win. Logue was a very close second, third went to Jace Whitt, Hamilton, Missouri, hard charging Jake Sachau came from twenty-first starting spot to take fourth place, and Izac Mallicoat came from eleventh, to finish fifth. This was Nelson's first win at the speedway this season.
The IMCA Sport Compacts joined the regular classes for their final appearance of the season. They ran 15 laps for their feature event. Oliver Monson jumped to the lead as the race went green, and Kaytee DeVries tagged into second place. Pole sitter Jaedon Erickson from Welcome, Minnesota was not about to go away though as he eyed the two front runners duke it out. DeVries nabbed the top spot away from Monson at lap eight, and behind them it grew into a tight battle for position with Erickson, Devin Jones, and Curtis Masterson. At lap twelve, Erickson was able to get the advantage and take over the helm. Erickson would then hold that lead the remaining three laps to take the win. DeVries finished as the runner up, Masterson took third place, fourth went to Devin Jones, and Oliver Monson rounded out the top five. This was the first win for Erickson at the track.
Next came 20 laps of D & E Outside Services IMCA Modified fury. Joel Bushore jumped to the lead from his outside front row starting spot and held it through the halfway mark of the race. Then a "white castle" slider by Jake McBirnie put him into the top spot at lap eleven and it was appearing that McBirnie would be heading back to the winner's circle. That is....until lap eighteen when a lap car went spinning right in front of McBirnie, and with no place to go, McBirnie too went for a spin, and was out of the race. The incident brought out the yellow, with now Cory Sauerman inheriting the lead. With a green, white, checkered finish, Sauerman was able to hold on and capture the unexpected win. Nick Roberts started eleventh and finished as the runner up. Tim Ward had to qualify through a B main, started twenty-first and made it all the way to third place. Early leader Joel Bushore took fourth, and Jay Noteboom, in the Tim Love machine, was fifth. This was win number two for Sauerman this season.
Scott Davis has had some good runs this year in the Arnold Motor Supply IMCA Stock Car class, but has just not been able to grab that win. Tonight, Davis put it all together and took the checkered flag. Davis started ninth, caught then leader Donavon Smith, and swept to the lead on lap seven. From there on out, Davis stretched out his lead, and took the comfortable win. Donavon Smith took second, fourteenth place starter Jeff Mueller made it to third, fourth went to pole sitter Kevin Opheim, and Mike Goldsberry was fifth.
The racing for the night wrapped up with the 15 lap Pickett Salvage IMCA Hobby Stock feature. Pole sitter John Watson led the field to green and kept it at the point through lap eight. By this time, Eric Stanton had moved his ride from eleventh starting spot, and was ready to pounce. He made it happen before lap nine was in the books. Meanwhile, tenth place starter Luke Ramsey had thrown his hat into the ring, and was pressuring the two front runners. Stanton was able to hold off both Watson and Ramsey until one to go, when Ramsey got the upper hand, and snatched the lead. He held it the rest of the way to the checkers and sealed his second win of the year. Stanton finished as the runner up, Carter Koop sneaked by Watson in the closing moments as they finished third and fourth respectively, and it was fourteenth place starter Josh VanCannon taking fifth.
Next Saturday night, August 21, will be Weekly Saturday Night Series #19 with the IMCA Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods, Hobby Stocks, and STARS Mod Lites all in competition. Hot laps are 6 p.m. and racing at 7.
Article Credit: Joyce Eisele
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