BOONE, Iowa – The drivers who ran first and second in last year’s modified main event both finished first in their respective qualifying features Friday night at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s.
Defending champion Jeff Aikey took the lead on the third lap, then outran a determined Steven Bowers Jr. following a late restart in the first qualifier. 2018 runner-up Cayden Carter led the last four times around the track in topping the nightcap at Boone Speedway.
The 12th starting Bowers Russ Dickerson of Boone and Trent Loverude completed the top four behind Aikey.
Carter had started the second qualifier from 13th, was all of a sudden in the top three by lap 10 and took the second spot from Riley Simmons after midway in the 25-lapper. He finally caught Malvern’s Jesse Sobbing with four to go.
Sobbing, Simmons and Cory Wray were next across the stripe.
Top four finishers from both qualifiers advance to Saturday’s main event.
Loverude and Wray both make first career starts in the Big Dance at Boone. Aikey, Bowers, Sobbing and Simmons are all in for the second time, Carter the fourth and Dickerson the sixth.
Aikey also counts six Late Model titles among his career record seven Super Nationals championships. He’s taken the green in a total of 23 main events at the IMCA Super Nationals.