Pestotnik grabs first career win
July 1, 2017
Weekly racing continued at the Boone Speedway on Saturday night. A nice field of 126 cars came to try their hand at taming the IMCA Super National’s track. Two drivers got win number one for 2017, while four others saw repeat wins.
Things kicked off with the running of the 15-lap Mod Lite feature. Joel Huggins led the field from the get go, as he sought his first win of the season. His nemesis came with just two laps remaining, when Bryan Zehm was able to slip under him in turn four, to take over the top spot. Zehm then held it to the flying checkers and the win. Huggins finished as the runner up, pole sitter Randy Bryan was third, Justin Rankin took fourth and Josh May was fifth. Zehm won for the second week in a row, and chalked up his fourth victory of the season. The race went caution free.
Cory Pestotnik led the IMCA Northern SportMod 18-lap main, as soon as the race went green. He built himself more than a straight away lead as he cruised along, only to have it vanish when the only yellow of the race flew at lap seventeen. This would set up a green-white-checkered finish when the race restarted. Pestotnik was not to be denied on this night however, and he went on to capture his first career win in fine fashion. Australian racer, Frank Packer chased Pestotnik the entire race, and finished second. Eleventh place starter, Jake McBirnie raced all the way through the pack to finish third, Chad Ryerson started tenth, and finished fourth, and twelfth place starter Johnathon Logue completed the top five.
Earlier, after the three SportMod heats were run, the top three finishers ran a dash sponsored by TiLUBE. The drivers started three abreast and ran for nine laps. Johnathon Logue led the entire nine laps to take the win.
The IMCA Modifieds had trouble getting into their racing rhythm as several yellows flew in the first seven laps. Joel Bushore started fourth, and had maintained the lead throughout all those caution flag restarts. He was a determined racer when he was finally able to stretch his lead over his opponents in the latter half of the race, sealing his third win of the year. Russ Dickerson took second over Jimmy Gustin in third, Al Wolfgram started fourteenth and finished fourth, and eleventh place starter Josh Truman finished fifth.
Trent Murphy won for the second time at the speedway in the IMCA Stock Car class. Murphy snatched the lead away from Jay Schmidt on lap fourteen, and then continued on to the checkers. Schmidt let out a puff of smoke in the final moments of the race, but held on to second, barely ahead of third place finisher Donavon Smith. Matt West and Russ Byriel completed the top five.
The 20-lap IMCA RaceSaver Sprint feature went to Tyler Thompson, for the second time in as many weeks. Thompson finished well ahead of second place Ben Woods. CJ Houseman took third, fourth was Michael Houseman, and Michael Johnston rounded out the top five. This made three wins for Thompson at Boone Speedway this season.
The night ended with the running of the 12-lap IMCA Hobby Stock feature. Shaun Wirtz took the lead at lap one, but Solomon Bennett quickly got to his rear bumper. Bennett pressured Wirtz for several laps and was finally able to make the pass for first with two laps remaining. He then kept it to the finish to secure his first win this season. Wirtz held on to second place, Gregg Anderson was third, last week’s winner Todd Bass raced from fourteenth starting spot, to finish fourth, and Dustin Lynch was fifth.
Next up at Boone Speedway, is the 4th of July spectacular which will include the IMCA Stock Cars along with a roll-over contest, backward bus races, train of death, outhouse races, fireworks and more. Gates open at 6 p.m.
The weekly racing continues next Saturday night, July 8, with racing in all six divisions. Hot laps are 6:30 with racing at 7:30.
