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Hatlestad, Meyer dominate Friday Super Nationals qualifiers 

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 10) – Another Minnesota driver will start the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals Modified main event from the front row. 

Clint Hatlestad checked out twice on the rest of the field in Friday’s qualifying event at Boone Speedway, first after taking over the lead on lap 10 and again following a restart with three circuits left in the 25-lapper. 

He’ll make his career first Saturday night start at the front of the outside row, ahead of top eight finishers Reese Coffee, Kellen Chadwick, Cale Sponsler, Luke Wanninger, Todd Shute, Chris Derenne and Rich Smith. 

Derenne drew the outside row one start and led the first nine times around the track. Back to back cautions came out on lap five. The third starting Hatlestad moved into second on lap nine and zipped past Derenne the next time around. 

Once in front, Hatlestad pulled away from everybody. Coffee was into second on lap 15 and Chadwick into third on lap 16 but neither could mount a challenge before or after the late yellow. 

Shute qualified from the 19^th starting spot. Wanninger made his way up from 21^st. 

Coffee and Smith both made the big show for the fifth time. Smith took the green flag at the first Super Nationals in 1983 and most recently in 1987, so this is the first time he’s qualified since the event moved to Boone. 

Shute, the 2007 champion, is in for the fourth time while Chadwick and Sponsler each make their third Saturday starts. Joining Hatlestad as first time starters in the Modified show are Derenne and Wanninger. 

Wanninger joins a unique fraternity as a Super Nationals qualifier in three different divisions over the course of his career. He’d previously raced in Hobby Stock and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod mains 

Minnesota’s Kevin Stoa has the pole and home state favorite Jimmy Gustin starts at the front of the middle row in the main event. 

Steve Meyer prevailed in what was surely the longest Stock Car qualifying feature timewise in Super Nationals history, earning the outside front row spot in the Saturday main event for that division. 

One lap was in the books and the race was under caution when the clouds opened up. Cars were parked in the infield, then directed to the staging area after the rain stopped and work on the track could begin. 

The race resumed after a delay of more than two hours. Meyer promptly said see ya’ and built up most of a straightaway advantage over second running Damon Murty. 

The race stayed green through lap 18. Meyer stayed in that fastest line and beat Murty to the checkers by more than a car length. The victory was his first this season. 

Rounding out the top 10 and the outside row starters are Josh Daniels, Paul Shepherd, Stefan Sybesma, Ryan Rose, Merlyn Hegland, Justin Jacobsen, Nathan Burke and Dave DeGrave. 

Hegland and DeGrave made it in after starting from the back row. 

Burke is in the main event for the seventh time. 

Another qualifier in three divisions during his career, Murty will make his sixth start in the Stock Car main. The 2002 and 2008 runnerup, he also made the Hobby Show four times and the Northern SportMod main once. 

Rose will make his fourth Saturday night appearance. Meyer, Daniels, Shepherd, Sybesma, Hegland, Jacobsen and DeGrave are all in for the first time. 

Modified qualifier – 1. Clint Hatlestad, Glencoe, Minn.; 2. Reese Coffee, Hinton; 3. Kellen Chadwick, Oakley, Calif.; 4. Cale Sponsler, Grimes; 5. Luke Wanninger, Jefferson; 6. Todd Shute, Des Moines; 7. Chris Derenne, Luxemburg, Wis.; 8. Rich Smith, Davenport; 9. Chad Estes, Troy, Texas; 10. Jonathan Snyder, Ames; 11. Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.; 12. Brad Williams, Lytton; 13. Shane DeMey, Denison; 14. Alex Stanford, Chowchilla, Calif.; 15. Scott Baker, Boone; 16. Denny Johnson, Council Bluffs; 17. Corey Lagroon, Salina, Kan.; 18. Justin O’Brien, West Union; 19. Jerry Wren, Howard Lake, Minn.; 20. Clint Wendel, Mason City; 21. Michael Gregg, Morton, Minn.; 22. David Elliott, Eastland, Texas; 23. Justin Sackett, Moville; 24. Russ Dickerson, Boone; 25. Ryan Ruter, Kanawha; 26. Keith White, Little River Academy, Texas; 27. Vern Jackson, Waterloo; 28. Chris Elliott, Abilene, Texas; 29. Dave Hardesty, Minneapolis, Kan.; 30. A.J. Ward, Ionia, Mich. 

Stock Car qualifier – 1. Steve Meyer, Grundy Center; 2. Damon Murty, Chelsea; 3. Josh Daniels, Des Moines; 4. Paul Shepherd, Marengo; 5. Stefan Sybesma, Sanborn; 6. Ryan Rose, Boone; 7. Merlyn Hegland, Rudd; 8. Justin Jacobsen, Black Creek, Wis.; 9. Nathan Burke, Minot, N.D.; 10. Dave DeGrave, Luxemburg, Wis.; 11. Abe Huls, Carthage, Ill.; 12. Jason Ward, Sioux City; 13. Nathan Wood, Keswick; 14. Jason Rogers, Selden, Kan.; 15. Heath Tenkley, Hartley; 16. Matt Greiner, Washington; 17. Kevin Opheim, Mason City; 18. Cory Dumpert, York, Neb.; 19. Dustin Vis, LeGrand; 20. Jason Batt, Hatcher Heights, Texas; 21. Jim Larson, Rushmore, Minn.; 22. Jared Dirks, Rowan; 23. Daniel Parker, Greenville, Texas; 24. Jeff Turner, Kaufman, Texas.