BOONE, Iowa — Riley Simmons used a front row starting position to take control of Saturday’s IMCA modified feature at Boone Speedway and he led every lap en route to victory during the Wild Rose Casino Prelude to the Super Nationals.
Simmons rocketed into the lead from the pole on the opening lap of the 25-lap feature and was pursued throughout by fellow front row starter Jake McBirnie, who hounded him for several laps during the middle portion of the feature.
With 11 laps left, Simmons caught the tail of the field but he struggled to get around a slower car, which allowed McBirnie to close right to his back bumper. Things got a bit more challenging for Simmons when he clipped an infield tire in turn four while trying to move past the slower car with nine laps left.
With McBirnie right behind him, Simmons was finally able to get around the slower car that had been hindering him for several laps with seven laps left. Once clear, Simmons was able to gap McBirnie and hang on to claim the victory and the $1,000 top prize.
Simmons, a California native, is the first driver from outside the state of Iowa to win the Prelude to the Super Nationals modified feature.
Tim Ward finished the modified feature in third, followed by Cody Laney and defending IMCA modified Super Nationals champion Ethan Dotson.
In the stock car main event, David Smith started fifth and ran down polesitter Jeremy Christians midway through the 25-lap feature. Christians initially built a one-second lead over the rest of the field, but as the feature wore on he started to fade.
That opened the door for Smith, who used a run on the outside of turn four with 10 laps left to steal the lead away from Christians. Kelly Shryock, who started 11th, soon followed Smith by Christians for second and gave Smith a run for his money at the front of the field.
However, coming to the white flag Shryock slipped up the track out of turn four, allowing Christians to steal back the runner-up spot. That left Smith uncontested at the front of the field, allowing him to easily score the victory.
Rocky Caudle barely held on to win the Northern sportmod feature after a late challenge from Brayton Carter. Carter, who started 15th, had made his way up to third when the caution flag waved with two laps left in the 25-lap feature for a multi-car crash on the frontstretch.
When the green flag waved for the final two laps Carter was shot out of a cannon on the top, which allowed him to get a big run on the bottom entering turns three and four. Caudle was able to hold him off, but Carter wasn’t done yet.
Carter went to the top and got another big run in turns one and two on the final lap, allowing him to dive to Caudle’s inside down the backstretch into turn three. Carter cleared Caudle into the corner and slid up the track, allowing Caudle to cross back under him and beat Carter to the finish line in a drag race.
The margin of victory for Caudle over Carter was eight one thousands of a second.
Wayne Gifford put on an impressive showing in the hobby stock main event. After starting 16th, Gifford raced his way up to third when a timely caution flag for a spin in turn four erased a three-second advantage for track champion Dylan Nelson.
On the ensuing restart, Gifford ripped the top to get a run on Nelson. Using the momentum on the top, Gifford was able to get alongside Nelson and challenge for the lead. One lap later Gifford nosed ahead at the start/finish line before fully clearing Nelson to take the lead on the next lap.
Gifford stayed committed to the top for the final laps, holding on take top honors in the hobby stock feature over Nelson.
Jake Benischek dominated the 20-lap sport compact feature. After winning his heat race, Benischek led every lap during the division’s debut during the Wild Rose Casino Prelude to the Super Nationals.
All six nights of the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s on Sept. 7-12 will be broadcast live via SPEED SPORT TV affiliate IMCA.TV.