Thornton takes Boone Speedway Frostbuster, Schmidt, McBirnie and Anderson also score wins

The Boone Speedway’s annual Frostbuster special is finally in the books, after being postponed one week.  Saturday’s race was the third of four IMCA Frostbuster series specials, and it saw action in four IMCA divisions, the Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods and Hobby Stocks.

The Northern SportMods kicked off the feature racing with a 20-lap feature.  The outcome of this one was only decided as they crossed the finish line.  Doug Smith took command of the race by lap three, passing early leader Robert Moore.  Smith sailed along comfortably until lap eighteen when a caution flew, bunching the field.  Jake McBirnie had meanwhile worked his way from seventh starting spot into the runner up position and had been slowly reeling in the leader.  The caution now set up a shoot out for the final two laps, and an exciting finish it proved to be!  Smith held the lead as the white flag flew, with McBirnie looking for anyway around him.  His persistence paid off with a last corner pass for the win.  Smith had to be satisfied with the runner up spot, third went to Crete, Nebraska driver, Brandon Spanjer, Robert Moore held on for a fourth place finish, and Randy Roberts rounded out the top five.

The IMCA Hobby Stocks ran a 15-lap A feature.  Shannon Anderson took the lead over John Watson at lap two, and would never look back on his way to victory. Two cautions would halt the racing action, but didn’t bother Anderson.  Watson finished in the runner up spot, third was Solomon Bennett, fourth went to Justin Wacha and Eric Stanton was fifth.

The IMCA Modifieds went 25-laps in their action packed feature.  Ricky Thornton, Jr. the Arizona racer who plans to race in Iowa this racing season, passed Jimmy

IMCA Modified driver from Arizona, Ricky Thornton, Jr., passed for the lead and would keep it to the checkers flying, scoring the win at the Boone Speedway Frostbuster on Saturday, April 9, 2016.

Gustin for the lead and would keep it to the checkers flying, scoring the win.  Mike VanGenderen took second over Jimmy Gustin in third.  Fourth place went to The High Side Tickler, Kyle Strickler from Mooresville, North Carolina.  He had started sixteenth on the field and knows his way around the track as he is the back-to-back defending Super National’s champion.  Kyle Brown, who had won the first two Frostbuster of 2016, finished in fifth.

Wrapping up the night’s feature racing was the 20-lap IMCA Stock Car A main.  Jay Schmidt, last year’s track champion, continued his success in taking this victory.  Schmidt started ninth, overtook Norm Chesmore for the lead at lap eight, and took the checkers by a comfortable margin.  Second went to Trent Murphy who fought past third place Chesmore late in the race, fourth was Donavon Smith who had started eleventh, and Carroll, Iowa’s Adam Klocke was fifth.

Next Saturday, April 16, will be Boone Speedway’s season opener, with track points in all divisions.  The month of April will have early starting times, with hot laps at 5:45 and racing at 6:30.