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Gustin goes fastest in Thursday Super Nationals qualifier 

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 9) – Getting to the front from the fifth row was the first obstacle Jimmy Gustin overcame in Thurs­day’s IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals Modified qualifying feature. 

Staying there was the second. 

Gustin led the last 11 laps, holding off Scott Olson and Johnny Saathoff in a long and hotly contested tussle for the lead.  

Next, he’ll start at the front of the inside row in Saturday’s main event at Boone Speedway, in front of fellow top eight finishers Olson, Saathoff, Will Brack, Eric Dailey, G.W. Egbert, Jordan Grabouski and Nick Deal. 

The only caution of the race came out on the seventh of 25 circuits and the front trio duked it out for much of the remaining distance. 

Olson started on the pole and set the fast pace early; Egbert’s pass for the front spot was erased by the yellow. Gustin slipped past Saathoff for second on lap eight and then caught Olson for the lead on lap 14. 

Saathoff will make his 11^th career appearance in the Saturday show. Gustin is in for the fifth time, Olson for the fourth, Dailey for the third, Deal for the second and Brack, Grabouski and Deal each for the first. 

Brack is the second Colorado driver to make the Super Nationals main event. 1996 champion Kelly Boen did so three times, most recently in 1998. 

After making his way into first briefly at the start of Thursday’s Stock Car qualifier, Chad Palmer passed Jeremy Chris­tians on the 12^th of 20 laps and led to the checkers to make his first big show at Boone. 

Christians avoided any late race mishaps like the one that sidelined him on Wednesday to finish second. The rest of the top 10 moving on to Saturday’s middle row includes Mike Nichols, Jamie Colwell, Mike VanGenderen, Marcus Fagan, Michael Bruns, Kenneth Hansen, Brandon Czarapata and Trent Murphy. 

Christians counts three third place finishes in his nine previous Super Nationals main event stars. Nichols is in for the seventh time, Colwell, VanGenderen and Czarapata each for the fifth and Murphy for the third. Joining Palmer as first time qualifiers are Fagan, Bruns and Hansen. 

Modified qualifier – 1. Jimmy Gustin, Marshalltown; 2. Scott Olson, Blairsburg; 3. Johnny Saathoff, Beatrice, Neb.; 4. Will Brack, Mead, Colo.; 5. Eric Dailey, Armstrong; 6. G.W. Egbert, Belton, Texas; 7. Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.; 8. Nick Deal, Walnut; 9. Jeremy Kuykendall, Little Rock, Ark.; 10. Dan Ratajczak, Luxemburg, Wis.; 11. Jerry Hoffman, Oronogo, Mo.; 12. Scott Baker, Boone; 13. Vern Jackson, Waterloo; 14. Chris Abelson, Sioux City; 15. Brad Pounds, Bakersfield, Calif.; 16. Brett Ladehoff, Marshalltown; 17. Ryan Watnem, Humbolt; 18. Ryan McDaniel, Olivehurst, Calif.; 19. Chad Estes, Troy, Texas; 20. Troy Cordes, Raymond; 21. Jim Lynch, Bloomfield; 22. Justin Sackett, Moville; 23. Jim Cole, Sioux City; 24. Cory Wray, Jamesport, Mo.; 25. Tyrone Yazzie, Farmington, N.M.; 26. Kelly Lyons, Boone; 27. P.J. Egbert, Copperas Cove, Texas; 28. Jay Goosmann, Hinton; 29. Justin O’Brien, West Union; 30. Luke Wanninger, Jefferson. 

Stock Car qualifier – 1. Chad Palmer, Renwick; 2. Jeremy Christians, Horicon, Wis.; 3. Mike Nichols, Harlan; 4. Jamie Colwell, Kaukauna, Wis.; 5. Mike VanGenderen, Newton; 6. Marcus Fagan, Adair; 7. Michael Bruns, Olivia, Minn.; 8. Kenneth Hansen, Audubon; 9. Brandon Czarapata, Appleton, Wis.; 10. Trent Murphy, Jefferson; 11. Nathan Burke, Minot, N.D.; 12. Damon Murty, Chelsea; 13. Paul Shepherd, Marengo; 14. Jeff Turner, Kaufman, Texas; 15. Bryan Snell, Coon Rapids; 16. John Mahlberg, Hilbert, Wis.; 17. Chad Estes, Troy, Texas; 18. Cory Dumpert, York, Neb.; 19. Wayne Gifford, Boone; 20. Roger Verdoorn, Sibley; 21. Jeff Anderson, Atlantic; 22. Rex Higgins, Bloomfield, N.M.; 23. Kevin Opheim, Mason City; 24. Larry Portis, Nora Springs.