Stone, Jergens to decide pole start for Super Nationals Modified main event

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 3) – Californian Paul Stone or home state driver Mike Jergens will start on the pole when the biggest event in dirt track racing goes green Saturday night at Boone Speed­way.

Stone ran second the last 19 laps of Wednesday’s first IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Modified qualifying feature, then was promoted to the top spot when Adam Lar­son failed to meet frame specifications in post-race tech.

Jergens had tracked down and race-long leader Kyle Strickler in lapped traffic with a couple cir­cuits to go in the second qualifier. Strickler became a DQ from the runner-up spot for use of unapproved wheels; Chase Allen crossed the line in third and also failed post-race tech for failing to meet frame specs.

Stone and Jergens will duke it out in a game of roshambo, in the fan zone south of the main grand­stand, on Thursday to determine who gets the coveted pole position in Saturday night’s main event.

They’ll be joined on the inside row by top three finishers Aaron Turnbull, 2011 champion Richie Gustin and Jay Noteboom from the first qualifier and Johnny Saathoff, Troy Jerovetz and Josh Most from the second.

Gustin had started 13^th and Noteboom 15th in the first qualifier. Jergens took the initial green from 13^th, Jerovetz from 16^th, Most from 28^th and Saathoff from dead last in the 30-car second qualify­ing field.

Saathoff made the big dance for the 14^th time in his career, Noteboom for the ninth and Gustin for the fourth.

Stone, Jergens, Turnbull and Most all are second-time main event qualifiers while Jerovetz is in the big show for the first time.

1^st qualifying feature – 1. Paul Stone, Winton, Calif.; 2. Aaron Turnbull, Estevan, Sask.; 3. Richie Gustin, Gilman; 4. Jay Noteboom, Hinton; 5. Brad Pounds, Bakersfield, Calif.; 6. Clint Hat­lestad, Glencoe, Minn.; 7. Bill Davis, Jr., Des Moines; 8. Jay Steffens, North Platte, Neb.; 9. Russ Dickerson, Boone; 10. Scott Davis, Boone; 11. Chad Porter, Madison Lake, Minn.; 12. Joel Bushore, Boone; 13. Chris Abelson, Sioux City; 14. Darin Duffy, Urbana; 15. Ricky Thornton, Chan­dler, Ariz.; 16. Tony Hilgenberg, Waukee; 17. Dustin Smith, Lake City; 18. Michael Al­bertsen, Audubon; 19. J.D. Auringer, Waterloo; 20. Mike Weikert Jr., Muscatine; 21. Randy Wil­son, Wichita, Kan.; 22. Trent Loverude, New Ulm, Minn.; 23. Brian Schmitt, Wall Lake; 24. Josh Truman, Indianola; 25. Tyler Heetland, Bancroft; 26. Eric Dailey, Armstrong; 27. Ryan Ruter, Kana­wha; 28. Brandon Blochlinger, Concordia, Kan.; 29. Jeff Taylor, Cave City, Ark.; 30. Adam Larson, Ankeny.

2^nd qualifying feature –  1. Mike Jergens, Plover; 2. Johnny Saathoff, Beatrice, Neb.; 3. Troy Jerovetz, Green Bay, Wis.; 4. Josh Most, Red Oak; 5. Kyle Brown, State Center; 6. Sean Jerovetz, Sobieski, Wis.; 7. Danny Holt, Topeka, Kan.; 8. Jeremy Kuykendall, Little Rock, Ark.; 9. Drew Armstrong, Alexander, Ark.; 10. Kelly Shryock, Fertile; 11. Jason Murray, Hartford; 12. Jus­tin O’Brien, West Union; 13. J.J. Scott, Iowa City; 14. Tony Snyder, Readlyn; 15. Josh Sherbon, Cedar Falls; 16. Wayne Johnson, Minot, N.D.; 17. Travis Dickes, Madison, Neb.; 18. Stacey Mills, Webb; 19. Mike Hagen, Williston, N.D.; 20. Jay Goosmann, Merrill; 21. Jeff Dolphin, Britt; 22. Russ Reinwald, Juneau, Wis.; 23. Greg Gretz, Athelstane, Wis.; 24. Robert Avery, Des Moines; 25. Keith White, Little River Academy, Texas; 26. Jim Peeler, Milan, Mo.; 27. Austin Lucas, Chero­kee; 28. J.P. Dowell, Killeen, Texas; 29. Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.; 30. Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas.

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Gifford takes checkers ahead of Stock Car qualifying drama

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 3) – He wasn’t part of the finish line drama, but Jerry Gifford was the winner of an IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Stock Car qualifying feature that announcer Jerry Vansickel was quick to describe as epic.

Gifford led all 25 laps of Wednesday’s first Stock qualifier at Boone Speedway. Travis VanStraten took over second place for good five laps in while 2001 champion Brian Blessington started 11^th and cemented third with three laps left.

The top four finishers advance to the inside row of Saturday’s main event and Brandon Taylor and Derek Green were both bound and determined to get it.

After completing the 24^th and next-to-last lap virtually bumper to bumper, the pair got together and slid sideways toward the finish line. Abe Huls and Terry Pruitt both took advantage and drove by, with Huls getting fourth and the transfer spot.

Taylor was scored sixth, Green seventh.

Top four finishers from each of the two qualifiers will square off in games of roshambo on Thurs­day in the fan zone to determine inside row starting positions.

Blessington is now a 12-time qualifier for the main event. VanStraten is in for the fifth time, Huls the third and Gifford the first.

Feature results –  1. Jerry Gifford, Boone; 2. Travis VanStraten, Hortonville, Wis.; 3. Brian Blessing­ton, Breda; 4. Abe Huls, Carthage, Ill.; 5. Terry Pruitt, Dexter; 6. Brandon Taylor, Gran­bury, Texas; 7. Derek Green, Granada, Minn.; 8. Kevin Opheim, Mason City; 9. Shaun Bruns, Danube, Minn.; 10. Marcus Fagan, Adair; 11. Jake Masters, Graettinger; 12. Justin Temeyer, Inde­pendence; 13. Chad Palmer, Renwick; 14. Bob Daniels, Des Moines; 15. Toby Smith, Os­kaloosa; 16. Josh Daniels, Carlisle; 17. Jesse Olson, Mayer, Minn.; 18. Jason Rogers, Selden, Kan.; 19. Tom Brumlic, Denmark, Wis.; 20. Ryan Harris, Hubbard, Neb.; 21. Eric Brown, Boone; 22. Shawn Havel, Algoma, Wis.; 23. James Richert, Comfrey, Minn.; 24. Matthew West, Keller­ton; 25. Kyle Werkmeister, McCook, Neb.; 26. Norman Belew, Granger; 27. David Easterday, Riverdale, Neb.; 28. Jesse Brown, Nashua; 29. Jason Batt, Hatcher Heights, Texas; 30. Scott Pippert, Elberon.

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Schmidt scores big in second Stock Car qualifier 

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 3) – Jay Schmidt led all but the first lap and held off defending champion Brandon Czarapata in winning Wednesday’s second IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Stock Car qualifying feature at Boone Speedway.

Schmidt started fourth and drove by Trent Murphy on the second circuit; after a lap 21 caution, Czarapata used the ensuing restart to his advantage to take over the runner-up spot.

He couldn’t reel in Schmidt, however. Murphy was third while Kyle Vanover made a last-lap charge to steal the fourth and final qualifying spot from Nathan Wood.

Top four finishers from each Wednesday qualifier will play roshambo in the fan zone to determine how they’ll line up on the inside row for Saturday’s main event.

Schmidt will start his career 12^th Super Nationals main event, Czarapata his 10^th, Murphy his sev­enth straight in the division and 10^th overall. Vanover made the show for the third time.

Feature results – 1. Jay Schmidt, Tama; 2. Brandon Czarapata, Pulaski, Wis.; 3. Trent Murphy, Scranton; 4. Kyle Vanover, Beatrice, Neb.; 5. Nathan Wood, Sigourney; 6. Devin Smith, Lake City; 7. John Heinz, Green Bay, Wis.; 8. Michael Jaennette, Newton; 9. Bruce Plumisto, Colby, Kan.; 10. Dave Moriarty, Jordan, Minn.; 11. Chris Palsrok, Sibley; 12. Perry Misner, Garden City, Kan.; 13. Mike Goldsberry, Runnells; 14. Jeff McCollum, Mankato, Minn.; 15. Shane Paris, Muscat­ine; 16. Kirk Martin, Weatherford, Texas; 17. Blake Cole, Nashua; 18. Aaron Matthias, Fairbank; 19. Roger Ciesielski, Waterloo; 20. Ned Kalis, Wells, Minn.; 21. Matt Speckman, Sleepy Eye, Minn.; 22. Brett Woznicki, Minot, N.D.; 23. Corey Piffer, Indianola; 24. David Smith, Lake City; 25. Damon Murty, Chelsea; 26. Jim Lynch, Kahoka, Mo.; 27. Brad Whitney, Trenton, Mo.; 28. Michael Dancer, North Platte, Neb.; 29. Chris Pruitt, Stuart; 30. Shane Stutzman, Milford, Neb.

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Burg is best in last-chance feature for Hobby Stocks

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 3) – A caution with three laps left made things more interesting, but Andrew Burg completed his green to checkered run at the front of the field to win Wednesday’s last-chance qualifying feature at Boone Speedway.

He’ll be joined in the back two rows of Saturday’s IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s main event starting grid by Weston Koop, Tiffany Bittner, Kyle Parizek, Mike Traskow­sky and Justin Nehring.

The start in the big dance will be Burg’s career third.

Koop, Bittner, Traskowsky and Nehring all are in for the second time, Parizek for the first.

Feature results – 1. Andrew Burg, Adel; 2. Weston Koop, Rockwell; 3. Tiffany Bittner, Norfolk, Neb.; 4. Kyle Parizek, Belle Plaine; 5. Mike Traskowsky, Woodbine, Kan.; 6. Justin Nehring, Storm Lake; 7. Brandon Nielsen, Spencer; 8. Mark Saathoff, Beatrice, Neb.; 9. Brian Happel, Van Horne; 10. Ryan Grochala, Pleasant Hill; 11. Aaron Rudolph, Grand Junction; 12. Dan Ayers, Web­ster City; 13. Tory Harazin, Redwood Falls, Minn.; 14. Jeff Ware, Columbus, Neb.; 15. Dan Strandburg, Worthington, Minn.; 16. Justin Rezabek, Wilber, Neb.; 17. Chad LeGere, Des Moines; 18. Cody Gustoff, Scranton; 19. Jay Sidles, Emmetsburg; 20. Mike Powell, Norwalk; 21. Chanse Hollatz, Clear Lake; 22. Bill Bonnett, Knoxville; 23. Jacob Keiser, Marengo; 24. Andrew Hustead, Rutledge, Mo.; 25. Brandon Geurin, Waco, Texas.

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Ryerson reigns in SportMod last-chance feature

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 3) – Chad Ryerson caught Brandon Long at the line and led the last six laps in winning the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s last-chance qualifying feature for SportMods Wednesday afternoon.

Ryerson had started on the pole but chased Long the first 18 times around the Boone Speedway. Michael Murphy slipped by Long with three to go for runner-up honors.

The rest of the top six finishers advancing to the back two rows of Saturday’s main event were Clinton Luellen, Daniel Gottschalk and Ryan Hiscocks.

Luellen is in the big dance for the fifth time in his career, Long for the second. Ryerson, Murphy, Gottschalk and Hiscocks are all first-time qualifiers.

Feature results –  1. Chad Ryerson, Wellsburg; 2. Michael Murphy, Jefferson; 3. Brandon Long, Green Bay, Wis.; 4. Clinton Luellen, Minburn; 5. Daniel Gottschalk, Ellis, Kan.; 6. Ryan Hiscocks, Britt; 7. Doug Cook, Algona; 8. D.J. Robinson, Des Moines; 9. Anthony Onstot, Norwalk; 10. Aus­tin Frye, Taft, Calif.; 11. Kyle Griffith, Taft, Calif.; 12. Sam Wieben, Dysart; 13. Brett Lowry, Kel­logg; 14. Dakoda Sellers, Waverly; 15. Tyler Soppe, Sherrill; 16. Jacob Sachau, Denison; 17. Joshua Appel, Dodge City, Kan.; 18. Jeremy Pittsenbarger, Cameron, Mo.; 19. Randy Porter, Hutchinson, Kan.; 20. Ben Kraus, Britt; 21. Tracy Wassenberg, Shawano, Wis.; 22. Ryan King, Montour; 23. Sean Wyett, Danville; 24. Curtis Van Der Wal, Oskaloosa.