Close the Books: Supernationals are Over

Originally posted on September 9, 2007.


Last night the final races were run, closing the books on the 25th Anniversary IMCA SuperNationals.  770 cars in six different classes signed in and raced over the past week.  Approximately 383 races were run, including heats, last chance races and features.  Twenty-five different states were represented by teams and fans.


One interesting sid note was that Randy LaJoie was there to work with the competitors on their safety equipment.  LaJoie owns/runs a company that sells seats, but he also is concerned about the local racer who has a low budget and is racing every week.  He was on hand during the week to look at safety equipment that the IMCA officials had questions about, and to help racers be safe.


The SuperNational winners and their class are:  Boone McLaughlin, Late Models; Curt Lund, Sprint Cars; Andy Boeckman  Hobby Stock; Kevin Opheim, Stock Cars; Tracy Wassenberg, Northern Sports Mods; Todd Shute, Modifieds.


Mark your calendars now for the first week in September and the 26th Annual IMCA SuperNationals. 

Craving Racing: Try this Racing Orgy: Dirt Track Style

Originally posted on Foxsports blogs on September 4, 2007.


Need a racing fix?  Want to see several hundred cars  race in a night?  Then head out to Boone Speedway, in Boone, Iowa, for the IMCA annual SuperNationals.  The SuperNationals run through Saturday night, but the qualifications have already started.


Last night, over 140 Hobby Stock and 160 Stock Cars signed in for the chance at being SuperNational Champion.  In addition, 55 Late Models duked it out, with Boone McLaughlin winning.


For a racing fan, last night boasted over 60 races.  And tonight they'll add more stock cars to the final Saturday night grid, as well as starting and finishing sprint car races. 


Wednesday means over 40 heat races for modifieds (that's somewhere around 320-400 cars), and the sport mods are set to start then too.  Thursday continues the modified qualifications, and eventually we'll get to the last chance races for each division.


So how does the track hold up?  Boone has pioneered and perfected the farming session.  After approximately 10 races, the track is ripped up, wet down, and repacked.  Within in 15 minutes. 


The farming sessions are perfect for fans, as it leaves time to run to the bathroom, refill your cup, or buy a meal - all without missing any of the racing action on the track.


Racing begins at 4 p.m. and runs until, well, they're done.  Last night I left at 11:30 p.m., and there were still 14 B Mains to go. 


The SuperNationals should satisfy your racing craving.  And if it doesn't, then nothing will.

Labor Day: Odds and Ends

Originally Posted on Foxsports on August 29, 2007.



Ah, Labor Day.  The final fling of summer.  So many things to do each summer, so little time left to do them.  Here are a few of the end of summer traditions I like to take part in...

Kruse Auctions holds its annual bash in conjunction with the Auborn (Indiana) Duesenberg Days during the Labor Day weekend.  If it has wheels, it will be sold here.  Pick a year, a manufacturer and a color.  They have it.  Want a car owned by AJ Foyt, Carroll Shelby, Elvis? Get the garage ready.  Want your own Mark Martin Cup car?  Franchitti IndyCar?  Transfer money to the checking account.  I love going to the auction to see cars and manufacturers I've never heard of, along with everything I have heard of.  Plus, where else are you going to get a look at a million dollar tour bus?  Oh, yeah, they have a parade of Duesenbergs through town too, which is worth the trip by itself.

Local track racing.  It is the end of the season for many of the local tracks.  Despite weeks of racing, most tracks have points races close enough to make one race determine the winner.  That will happen near you this weekend.

IMCA Boone SuperNationals.  SuperNationals, sanctioned by IMCA, begin on Monday at Boone Speedway.  Several hundred teams (yes, you read that right) will sign in for the chance to become SuperNational Champion.  It will take all week, Monday through Saturday night, to qualify cars and run the final races in each of six different divisions.

The Southern 500.  Oops, forgot we modified this to California because the racing's better there.  No, that's not right.  The crowd is a sell-out.  No, no.  Californians dig stock car racing way more than South Carolinians.  Hmm...maybe not.   Well, for whatever reason, Nascar decided it would be better.  Parade starts sometime Sunday afternoon and may end under the lights.   Wake me if something exciting happens.

Labor Day signals the start of the college football season.  And tomorrow night, the Iowa State Cyclones take on the Kent State Golden Flashes.  I plan to be there.  Let the tailgating begin.

NFL seasons officially start immediately following Labor Day.  The placeholders can now sit the bench while starters like LaDainian Tomlinson take the field.  The Quest for Super Bowl Championship begins.