BOONE, Iowa (March 18) – More of the best drivers from the IMCA Modified ranks will take the green flag in the next Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational.
The starting field for the eighth annual event, scheduled Friday, Sept. 9 during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals at Boone Speedway, has been expanded to 20 cars.
All-Star voting will again be conducted through the IMCA website, from June 1 to Aug. 1. Candidates will include last year’s regional and state champions, as well as drivers who won feature events paying $1,000 or more from June 1 of 2010 through May 31, 2011.
“More than 80 drivers are already on the ballot. Considering how many specials and series events paying at least $1,000 to win that are scheduled the next two-plus months, it’s possible we’ll have an increase of 40-50 percent over last year in the number of drivers who are vote eligible,” said IMCA Vice President of Operations Brett Root. “With that many quality candidates, expanding the All-Star race is a no brainer.”
As in previous years, two drivers will be elected from each of the five regions. The field will be filled by the next eight drivers with highest vote totals, regardless of their home region, and IMCA’s wildcard provisionals, the highest driver in national point standings and then the top driver in total feature wins as of Sept. 2.
Their numbers of feature wins will be the tie breaker if two or more drivers are tied for the national point standing spot; second-place finishes will break any ties for the All-Star spot determined by feature wins.
Provisional starters will be announced on Wednesday, Sept. 7, the first day of qualifying for Modifieds at Super Nationals.
The invitational will be 20 laps and pay $1,000 to win and a minimum of $100 to start. Lap money will add another $1,000 to the purse.
Forty-seven different drivers, from 17 states and Canada, have been elected to All-Star fields since 2004. Ten drivers were elected to start each of the first six years; the field was expanded to 12 last year.
“The All-Star Invitational has become one of the crown jewels of IMCA Modified racing. Just being elected to start the race is a career highlight,” Root said. “Race fans want the opportunity to see the best of the best all on the track at the same time, and they want the opportunity to express their opinion on who those drivers are. The All-Star event provides that and so much more. Expanding the field will just make this race that much better.”