The order of events have changed this year at Boone as the IMCA sportmods and hobby stocks ran their complete programs on Monday and Tuesday, meaning the stock cars joined the modifieds on the program on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Wednesday night one qualifying feature would be run for both classes with the top ten in the stock car event and top eight in the modified main qualifying for Saturday night's big dance.
The luck of the draw saw Corey Strothman and Dustin Smith on the front row for the twenty-lap stock car feature. Smith wasted no time in getting out front, but he was hounded by Abe Huls and Jeremy Christians. Christians would work to the inside of Huls on lap two to take over the runner up spot as Huls would lose another spot to Justin Temeyer a lap later. The caution flag waved on lap four, bunching the field back up in double file formation behind Smith. Huls would fight back and scoot under Temeyer, and Nathan Burke followed Huls to fourth. Burke would later swing to the inside of Huls to pick up the third position.
Another caution flag flew on lap thirteen, and by that time Donovan Smith and Larry Portis had worked their way from deep in the starting field into the top ten. Smith would restart seventh, but he was able to sneak by Jesse Colwell and Nathan Burke when those two competitors got tangled together. Two more cautions came out in consecutive restarts, setting up a five lap shootout to the finish. Jeff Larson took advantage of that final restart as he got under Donovan Smith for the third spot, but both drivers were able to get by Jeremy Christians when he slid up the banking. The race belonged to Dustin Smith though as he powered his way to victory lane. The rest of the top ten qualifiers were Jeff Larson, Donovan Smith, Dan Mackenthun, Ken Tietz, Justin Temeyer, Lynn Panos, Jeff Mueller, Jesse Colwell, and Ned Kalis.
Shifting gears to the IMCA modifieds saw thirty heat races throughout the night with the winner only advancing to the thirty-car qualifying feature. Texan Chad Estes and Boone Speedway track regular Dennis Pittman started on the front row. Things got off to a slow start as it took three tries to get the show on the road. Pittman would grab the point from the start, but Kevin Stoa was quickly on the move. After starting eighth, Stoa dove to the inside and advanced his way to third in just the first two laps. He would get by Estes a lap later and pick up the challenge on Pittman. A few short laps later Stoa hugged the tires on the inside to race by Pittman and take over the lead just before the caution flag waved. Pittman would lose several positions on the restart as David Murray took over the runner up spot. Murray's luck would run out, however, as he spun to a stop on lap eleven.
After another quick yellow, Jay Noteboom picked up the runner up spot as he powered by Mike Molle. On that restart, however, people were watching Brandon Blochlinger. Blochlinger restarted seventh and charged to third off the cushion in a mere three laps. Stoa, Noteboom, and Blochlinger had separated themselves from the pack until the caution flew again with five laps remaining. Utilizing the high side, Blochlinger overpowered Noteboom and took over the second position. However he was unable to dethrone the race leader as Kevin Stoa took the win. Brandon Blochlinger finished second after starting 24th, Jay Noteboom was third, Craig Reetz started 26th and finished fourth, Mike Molle was fifth, Chris Alcorn sixth, Paul Stone seventh, and Jake Durbin rounded out the final qualifying spot.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
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