Thornton, Allen top Modified qualifiers at Boone

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 4) – Two first-time visitors to the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s were first to the checkers in their Modified qualifying features Wednesday night at Boone Speedway.

Ricky Thornton Jr. made the trip from Arizona and led all 25 laps of the first race, winning ahead of Keith White, Johnny Saathoff and Jesse Sobbing. Allen, from Texas, took the lead on the 14th circuit in the nightcap. He beat 14th starting Chris Abelson, Adam Larson and 15th starting Mike Jergens across the stripe.

Top four finishers from each qualifier will line up on the inside row of Saturday’s main event.

Thornton was unshakeable following each of four restarts. White moved into second to stay with 10 laps to go. Sobbing held onto the final transfer spot from the 17th circuit on. White and Sobbing both advanced seven positions.

Kevin Stoa and Eric Dailey did stints at the front of the second feature field before Allen worked his way by. Larson ran second the last half of the contest while Jergens dueled with Jimmy Gustin before gaining the fourth spot with two to go.

Four former Super Nationals champions were in the field for the second show. Jimmy Gustin was seventh, Stoa was ninth, Jeff Taylor was 19th and Richie Gustin was 24th.

Joining Thornton and Allen as first-time Super Nationals qualifiers were Jergens and the rookie Sobbing. Abelson and White are both in for the second time, Larson for the fourth and Saathoff for his 13th.

First feature – 1. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.; 2. Keith White, Little River Academy, Texas; 3. Johnny Saathoff, Beatrice, Neb.; 4. Jesse Sobbing, Glenwood; 5. Jake Durbin, Perry; 6. Kelly Shryock, Fertile; 7. Jay Noteboom, Hinton; 8. Jay Matthias, Green Bay, Wis.; 9. Ryan Wat­nem, Humbolt; 10. Aaron Turnbull, Estevan, Sask.; 11. Shane Hiatt, Rising City, Neb.; 12. Jacob Murray, Hartford; 13. J.P. Dowell, Killeen, Texas; 14. Brian Schmitt, Wall Lake; 15. Matt Bonine, Onawa; 16. Mark Elliott, Webster City; 17. Beau Kaplan, Boone; 18. Matthew Meinecke, Madrid; 19. Travis Hagen, Williston, N.D.; 20. Kevin Sustaire, Emory, Texas; 21. Jim Lynch, Bloomfield; 22. Dave Pedersen, Brady, Neb.; 23. Tyler Limoges, Redwood Falls, Minn.; 24. Loren Pesicka, Jr., Burt; 25. Jerry Wren, Howard Lake, Minn.; 26. Bob Moore, Sioux City; 27. Cory Wray, Jamesport, Mo.; 28. Jordy Nelson, Marysville, Kan.; 29. Wayne Johnson, Minot, N.D.; 30. Nick Deal, Walnut.

Second feature – 1. Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas; 2. Chris Abelson, Sioux City; 3. Adam Lar­son, Ankeny; 4. Mike Jergens, Plover; 5. Shane Thome, Albion, Neb.; 6. Brandon Blochlinger, Concordia, Kan.; 7. Jimmy Gustin, Marshalltown; 8. Eric Dailey, Armstrong; 9. Kevin Stoa, Clear Lake; 10. Mike Van Genderen, Newton; 11. Dennis LaVeine, West Burlington; 12. Jeff Stephens, Arion; 13. Michael Albertsen, Audubon; 14. Conner Pullen, Oronogo, Mo.; 15. Devin Havlik, Iowa Falls; 16. Alex Hanson, Northwood; 17. Jeff Streeter, Madera, Calif.; 18. Christopher Fleming, Union Springs, N.Y.; 19. Jeff Taylor, Cave City, Ark.; 20. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton; 21. Mike Peter­silie, Hoisington, Kan.; 22. Steve Reynolds, Springfield, S.D.; 23. Mike Hagen, Williston, N.D.; 24. Richie Gustin, Gilman; 25. Jeremy Frenier, Fort Morgan, Colo.; 26.Kaleb Carey, Osceola, Neb.; 27. Jeffrey Larson, Lakefield, Minn.; 28. Justin Jurgens, Lincoln, Neb.; 29. Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn.; 30. Vern Jackson, Waterloo.*

Super Nationals is legendary for bringing drivers from across the country and Canada to Boone. The diversity of addresses was best seen Wednesday in the 28th Modified heat where the eight starters represented seven states and our neighbors to the north.

That heat included Terry Johnson of Iowa, Mike Petersilie of Kansas, Andrew Timm of Minnesota, Jason Wolla of North Dakota, Kody Scholpp of Saskatchewan, Steve Reynolds of South Dakota, Kyle Kudick of Wisconsin and Richard Mueller of Wyoming.

Seven different states are represented in two of the 30 Thursday night heats, the ninth and 18th.*

A dozen Modifieds will start tonight’s inaugural Karl Crate Clash. The winner goes home with a 604 crate engine, valued at $5,500, courtesy of Chevrolet Performance and Karl Performance. Names of the drivers starting the race were drawn from 121 entries this afternoon, with starting spots determined later in front of an SRO crowd at the Fan Zone.

Brian Schmitt and Chevy Hadan drew front row starts. Ricky Stephan and Mike Petersilie are in the second row, Jake Durbin and Scott Hogan in the third row, Greg Cox and Kelly Lyons in the fourth row, Dan Rhiley and Jim Lynch in the fifth row and Shawn Kilgore and Gary Roberts in the sixth row.

The last-place driver will be blackflagged on each of the first 10 circuits. The race will then be restarted with the leader getting his choice of starting position for a two lap dash.

Dividing the value of the engine by the number of laps, the Karl Crate Clash is worth $458 and change every time around the track to the winner.*

Two former winners are in the field for the 2013 Harris Auto Racing Race of Champions.

Jimmy Gustin (2007 and 2012) and Clint Hatlestad (2010) won Thursday qualifying heats, as did Dylan Smith, Jesse Sobbing, Dustin Smith and Corey Lagroon.

Runners-up Tim Ward, Ryan McDaniel, Richie Gustin, Brandon Beckendorf, Chris Abelson and Aaron Turnbull also advance to Saturday’s $1,000 to win feature.

Jimmy Gustin made the RoC for the fifth time, Lagroon for the third, Dylan Smith, Richie Gustin and Hatlestad each for the second. Ward, Sobbing, Beckendorf, Dustin Smith, Abelson, McDaniel and Turnbull each for the first.

Turnbull also owns the distinction of being the first Canadian driver to qualify for the Harris Race of Champions, a Super Nationals staple since 1989.

Twelve cars ran in each of six heats.

The tried and true method of rock, paper, scissors was used to determine starting order for the inside row of Saturday main events, during an autograph session for Wednesday’s qualifiers.

The front eight spots for the Modifieds will be Ricky Thornton Jr., Chase Allen, Chris Abelson, Keith White, Johnny Saathoff, Adam Larson, Mike Jergens and Jesse Sobbing.

Front eight for the Stocks will be David Smith, Brandon Czarapata, Donavon Smith, Mike Nichols, Jay Schmidt, Bob Daniels, Abe Huls and Nick Tubbs.