Dan Engledow

Multi-tasker DeGroft brings Modified to Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa – Timothy DeGroft Jr. will multi-task at the 2020 IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The IMCA Modified rookie from Elwell, Mich., comes to Boone Speedway looking to get in some more laps on the Pierce-owned 2020 Hoffman H3 ride while promoting suicide awareness. DeGroft owns success in both pro stock and street stock classes in his home state. He’s still looking for his first win in the IMCA division after the unexpected late start to his season. “We’ve been pretty happy with the car,” he said. “Probably the biggest difference what I’d driven before was the handling, You’ve got to ride the brake quite a bit and there were nights I struggled with that, but the car has been pretty since the end of July, early August.” He’ll line up outside row two in the 19th heat for Modifieds Saturday afternoon. “We want to get laps in on the car. Everyone’s goal is to make the show. We’re happy to make a qualifier,” DeGroft said. “They’ve done a great job on [Read More]

Fain brings Stock Car quest to Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa – He’s been Paw Paw to granddaughter Addison for four years. He’s been The Fan Man since he started selling Super Sucker Fan blades two years ago. What Tommy Fain hopes to be known as next is a first-time qualifier for the Stock Car main event at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The long-time driver of the God is Awesome car and owner of first-year IMCA sponsor Abilene Race Rads has three wins this season, just his second in the division after a distinguished career in the Modifieds. “I’ve raced more than 20 years and had watched the Stock Cars. They looked fun with a lot of side-by-side racing,” said Fain, a frequent runner at Abilene Speedway, Kennedale Speedway Park, Southern Oklahoma Speedway and Boyd Raceway. “They don’t take as much time and that gives me more Paw Paw time with my granddaughter.” Fain’s son Tyler runs a Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod and the two are regular travel companions. David Ries has helped Fain in the shop and at the [Read More]

Believe it! Hale races from 29th into Modified main event

BOONE, Iowa – When he lined up 29th for the start of Thursday’s second Modified qualifying feature at Boone Speedway, Clay Hale wanted to get in some laps, pass as many cars as he could and get as many of those valuable points as possible. What he did instead was race all the way to third and qualify for his career first IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s main event. “When I rolled out, I wanted to go half the race before deciding if I’d get up on the wheel,” said Hale, from Cameron, Mo. “I started driving harder, the car came in and the next thing I knew we were passing cars.” “When I crossed the finish line there was disbelief at first. I would have never believed that we could start 29th and end up in the tech tent,” he continued. “I was so excited because I knew we got the transfer.” A former Northern SportMod entrant at Super Nationals, Hale had a state championship to his credit in the first JBR Chassis [Read More]

First Super Nationals Modified qualifiers go to Laney, Thornton

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 10) – A quick Californian and a driver who already has an impressive collection of IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s hardware were qualifying feature winners Thursday at Boone Speedway. Cody Laney of Torrance, Calif., started 12th and led the last half of the first qualifier for IMCA Modifieds, winning ahead of Trent Loverude, Steven Bowers Jr. and Matthew Meinecke. Ricky Thornton Jr. also raced from outside row six, catching Kevin Ramey for the front spot just before midway and taking the checkers ahead of Justin O’Brien, hard charger Clay Hale and James Goodson in the second show. The top four finishers from each qualifier represent six different states and will advance to the inside row for the main event grid. Jesse Skalicky and Trent Loverude led in the opener before Laney took charge. He kept Loverude in check following the final restart with four laps left. Thornton, the 2016 Modified champion two-time and now two-time defending Late Model king, was able to pull ahead as the nightcap ended with nine [Read More]

Vanover, Huls score Super Nationals Stock Car qualifiers

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 10) – The second-place finishers in Stock Car main events each of the last two years at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s were first-place finishers in Thursday night qualifying features. 2018 runner-up Kyle Vanover topped the first qualifier at Boone Speedway, ahead of Mitch Meier, Loren Pesicka Jr. and Buck Schafroth. 2019 runner-up Abe Huls took the checkers in the nightcap, with Kelly Shryock in tow and former Super Nationals champions Jeffrey Abbey and Jeremy Christians next across the stripe. Top four finishers in each qualifier advance to the inside row for the main event grid. Meier led the first qualifier before being slowed by contact with a lapped car. Vanover drove by and took the checkers by a margin of just under two seconds. Huls was the fifth and final leader in the second event, tasked with holding Shryock at bay following a caution with three circuits left in the 25-lapper. 2010 champion Christians makes his career 13th main event start, Huls his eighth, Vanover his seventh and [Read More]

ATTENTION FRIDAY UPDATE: 4 P.M.:

ATTENTION FRIDAY UPDATE: 4 P.M.: BOONE, Iowa - We are officially postponing the Thursday nightSuper Nationals qualifying program to Saturday morning at 9 a.m. We will tentatively hot lap at 7:30 a.m. for those drivers interested in doing so. We will race the Friday program on Saturday afternoon/evening. We will move the Saturday nightChampionship program to Sunday at 9 a.m. We will run all race formats in their entirety. The Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational race will be Saturday evening. No events will be canceled and the weather should permit all racing to occur. WE WILL HONOR ALL THURSDAY ONE-DAY WRISTBANDS ON SATURDAY MORNING. After the Thursday program is complete, we will require everyone to vacate the pits and grandstands and re-enter for the next scheduled qualifying program. We will offer all THURSDAY night one-day wristbands a refund from 4-5 p.m. TODAY ONLY if you cannot attend tomorrow. The wristband MUST be on your wrist. No mail-ins and no refunds for wristbands removed before you get to the pit shack. Go to the main pit shack and we will remove the wristband and refund for that one-day wristband only (it’s [Read More]

Attention, Friday update

BOONE, Iowa – The final decision on whether race programs will be held Friday at Boone Speedway will be made at noon today. If racing must be postponed, what was originally the Thursday Modified and Stock Car qualifying program will be moved to a 9 a.m. start time on Saturday. “The track must be raceable to the expectations of our drivers, fans, Boone Speedway and IMCA,” explained IMCA President Brett Root. “That is not possible at this time. We will release any more details at noon and ask everyone to be patient until that time.”

Hobby, SportMod qualifying to be completed today, two Thursday programs for Modifieds, Stocks

BOONE, Iowa – Super Nationals qualifying for Hobby Stocks and Northern SportMods will be completed today (Wednesday) as soon as weather permits. Fifteen SportMod heats, two SportMod qualifying features and one Hobby Stock qualifying feature were postponed from the Tuesday show at Boone Speedway. There will be no charge for pit or grandstand admission. Last-chance races for those two divisions will not be held; both will be canceled with the last six spots in each field filled by points. Wednesday’s program for Modifieds and Stock Cars has been moved to 9 a.m. on Thursday and will be followed by Thursday’s scheduled program. Drivers will draw for both of Thursday’s racing programs beginning at noon today. No Modified or Stock Car hot laps will be held on Wednesday and no pre-tech will be required in either division prior to Thursday’s program. The only requirements are to sign in and draw. For updated information, go to the IMCA Super Nationals, IMCA and Boone Speedway Facebook pages, or IMCA and Boone Speedway websites.

Noon start for Tuesday Super Nationals program

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 8) – Tuesday’s race program at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s begins at noon. IMCA and Boone Speedway officials moved the first green flag up due to weather concerns. Moving the program up two hours makes for the best opportunity to get the complete program in. Schedule of events, featuring the entire Sport Compact program and Hobby Stock and Northern SportMod qualifying, is to be announced.

Thornton repeats with opening night Late Model Super Nationals crown

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 7) – Ricky Thornton Jr. became a two-time champion at last year’s IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. He became a two-time Late Model champion on a windy opening night of the 2020 event. Thornton got the lead back from Jeff Aikey on the 32nd of 50 circuits, then led Richie Gustin through lapped traffic to the $3,000 checkers Monday night at Boone Speedway. “It was really hard this year, admitted Thornton. “I tried high, I tried low and I was finally able to move by him (Aikey) for the lead.” Thornton had started seventh, Gustin from sixth. Aikey, who was chasing his career eighth and seventh Late Model crown, ended in third while Andy Nezworski worked his way back into the top four with 11 laps left. Nebraskan Cory Dumpert had the fastest car at the start, building a half straightaway advantage over Nezworski before a lap eight caution. Thornton got up to second but could only watch as Aikey drove by to the front on lap 17. After Dumpert [Read More]