BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 7) – Sean Johnson and Trent Murphy won Stock Car qualifying features while Rocky Alexander became the first Canadian driver in any division to qualify for a main event Wednesday night at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Cenex.
Johnson led start to finish in the first qualifier, which ran 20 laps flag to flag with a starting field that owns a collective 21 national IMCA championships and eight Super Nationals crowns.
Mike Nichols, David Smith, 2001 Super Nationals champ Brian Blessington and defending king Jeremy Christians rounded out the top five at Boone Speedway.
Murphy had to hold off Jeremy Gettler while both drivers had to deal with a lapped car in the final circuits of the second qualifier. Murphy caught Shay Curtin for the lead on lap seven and Gettler was scored second the next time around.
A car length would be the difference at the checkers, with Alexander, Stefan Sybesma and Curtin following in the barnburner.
The top five from the two features will square off in a five-lap dash on Thursday to determine their order for the inside row of Saturday’s main event.
Alexander, the track champion at Estevan Motor Speedway, started his run toward the front from the 11th starting position. He’s piloting Christians’ 2009 Wolfe Chassis.
“The car was really working for us. We had it dialed in,” he said. “”We watched a couple heat races before ours, saw how the track was changing and set the car up. We really learned a lot from coming here last year.”
Keith White made his Stock Car debut at Super Nationals, advancing 11 spots to finish sixth in the first qualifier.
Christians will start his 11th career Stock Car main event on Saturday, Blessington his 10th, Nichols and Smith both their eighth. Murphy is in for the fourth time, Sybesma the second, while Curtin, Gettler and Johnson join Alexander as first-time qualifiers.
1st qualifying feature – 1. Sean Johnson, Independence; 2. Mike Nichols, Harlan; 3. David Smith, Lake City; 4. Brian Blessington, Breda; 5. Jeremy Christians, Horicon, Wis.; 6. Keith White, Little River Academy, Texas; 7. Larry Portis, Nora Springs; 8. Jeff Mueller, New London; 9. Damon Murty, Chelsea; 10. Kyle Vanover, Beatrice, Neb.; 11. Bob Rebstock, Redwood Falls, Minn.; 12. Casey Woken, Ogallala, Neb.; 13. Jeff Whiting, Gothenburg, Neb.; 14. Randy Brands, Boyden; 15. Brett Woznicki, Minot, N.D.; 16. Paul Shepherd, Marengo; 17. Donavon Smith, Lake City; 18. Jeff Anderson, Atlantic; 19. Jeff Turner, Kaufman, Texas; 20. Dustin Larson, Rushmore, Minn.; 21. Kenneth Hansen, Audubon; 22. Jason Cook, Mount Pleasant; 23. Jamie Colwell, Kaukauna, Wis,; 24. Travis Prochaska, Iowa Falls.
2nd qualifying feature – 1. Trent Murphy, Jefferson; 2. Jeremy Gettler, Adair; 3. Rocky Alexander, Estevan, Sask.; 4. Stefan Sybesma, Sanborn; 5. Shay Curtin, Cresco; 6. Nathan Burke, Minot, N.D.; 7. Jason VanSickel, Webster City; 8. Alan Van Gorp, Des Moines; 9. Jay Schmidt, Tama; 10. Wayne Gifford, Boone; 11. Matt Greiner, Washington; 12. Jerry Gifford, Boone; 13. Kyle Dumpert, York, Neb.; 14. Tom Suess, New Ulm, Minn.; 15. Jake Ludeking, Decorah; 16. Toby Miller, Rhome, Texas; 17. John Mahlberg, Hilbert, Wis.; 18. Ned Kalis, Wells, Minn.; 19. Andy Altenburg, Truman, Minn.; 20. Abe Huls, Carthage, Ill.; 21. Ryan Rose, Boone; 22. Ryan Cook, New London; 23. Jason Ward, Sioux City; 24. Don Killen, Des Moines.