BOONE, Iowa — The caution Jeromy Wilson didn’t want to see came out with four laps left in Sunday’s STARS Mod Lite Race of Champions.
“I was a sitting duck,” the Mabelvale, Ark., driver said from victory lane at Boone Speedway, after holding off Jon Padilla to win the first RoC of the 41st annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. “But I knew there were good, clean racers behind me.”
Wilson led the distance from the pole. Padilla made his way from eighth starting to finish just 12 hundreth’s of a second off the pace and two-time defending race winner Dillon Raffurty was third.
2023 track, series and state champions or point leaders, and former Super Nationals champions and race of champions winners – Raffurty, in both the last two cases – were eligible to qualify for the 12-lap race.
Ronnie Choate and Bryce Vowan completed the top five. Eight states were represented in the 12-car field.
“This is huge,” Wilson said following his win, in the third appearance by the Mod Lites on the Super Nationals stage. “These cars deserve an audience.”
Night two of the Wild Rose Casino Double Down Prelude and the week of Super Nationals are broadcast by SPEED SPORT.TV affiliate IMCA.TV.
Feature Finish (12 Laps)
1. Jeromy Wilson, Mabelvale, Ark.; 2. Jon Padilla, Silvis, Ill.; 3. Dillon Raffurty, Kansas City, Mo.; 4. Ronnie Choate, Cookeville, Tenn.; 5. Bryce Vowan, Marion, Ark.; 6. Josh May, Des Moines; 7. Blake Wilson, Mabelvale, Ark.; 8. Jeremy Buxton, Lumberton, Texas; 9. Kyle Demo, Fulton, N.Y.; 10. Randy Bryan, Ames; 11. Joseph McIntyre, Cleveland, Texas; 12. Justin Kinderknecht, Salina, Kan.