Bobby Hogge IV An Impressive Third At IMCA SuperNationals

By Gary Jacob

Boone, IA -- Watsonville Speedway star Bobby Hogge IV turned his pole starting spot in the IMCA Modified SuperNationals in Boone, Iowa into an impressive third place finish Saturday night as Boone's own John Logue turned in an incredible drive as he won the most prestigious modified race in the country for the fourth time, coming from 33rd starting spot. When the Friday night action was rained out, the event used the usual 40 heat, two qualifying feature format early on Saturday to determine 8 more transfers into the A Main. They then used points earned during the three nights of racing to determine the final 9 starters in the 11 rows of 3 abreast starting grid. Logue was final of those 9 additions and he lined up 33rd for the 40 lapper.

Hogge and Jerry Hoffman took turns leading the first 12 laps of the 40 lapper. Karl Tipton from Central Arizona Raceway got tangled up with Deana Wilson on lap 2 and had to restart in the rear. Wilson was the first female racer to make the A Main ever in this event. Incredibly, Logue worked his way from the 11th row to take the lead on lap 13 and he went on to win by a half-straight over Kelly Shryock. Shryock and Hogge battled for second throughout the race and Hogge put his Joe Carr chassis into the third finishing spot. Tipton did rally to finish 17th. The top finishers in the A Main all have their engines claimed by the track and they are auctioned off to add funds to the race purse. Therefore, Hogge lost his engine at the end of the night. The IMCA Modified portion of the show drew over 400 cars and each driver that survives the four race nights is guaranteed $300 in winnings. Hogge and Tipton ended up being the only western United States racers to make the elite 33 car lineup.

Watsonville's Bobby Hogge IV To Start On The Pole At IMCA SuperNationals

By Gary Jacob

Boone, IA -- By winning both his heat race and the first qualifying main event on Wednesday night, Watsonville Speedway regular Bobby Hogge IV from Prunedale will start Saturday night's prestigious IMCA Modified SuperNationals A Main event in Boone, Iowa from the pole position. The event draws over 400 cars from throughout the country and each of the three qualifying nights sees a total of 40 heat races. You have to win your heat race to be qualified to run in one of that night's two qualifying feature races. Only the top 4 drivers in each of the two qualifying features advance to the big 40 lap, 33 car A Main on Saturday night. After Hogge wheeled his Joe Carr chassis to his two big wins, he won a drawing with Boone champion Joe McBirnie for the pole position as McBirnie had won the other qualifying feature. Another Western US racer also made Saturday night's feature on Wednesday as Central Arizona Raceway star Karl Tipton won his heat and then ran second in his qualifying main event in his Pro Chassis to earn the right to lineup on the inside of row 3 on Saturday night. Arizona's Terry Belcher Jr also won a heat race Wednesday, but was 15th in his qualifying main and Bob Sikes from Eunice, New Mexico ran 12th in his qualifying main event after winning a heat race.

On Thursday night, three more Western US drivers won their heat races, but none were able to finish in the top 4 in their qualifying features as those 8 transfers will start in the first 8 rows of the middle column. The 40 lapper as Boone is started like the Indy 500 with 11 rows of 3 drivers each. Western Region point leader Jason Pike from Pahrump, Nevada came the closest with a 7th place finish in his qualifying main event in his Dirt Works Chassis. Phoenix's Darren Williams was right behind him in 8th and former regional champion Jim Perkins from Fort Mohave, AZ was 16th. The Thursday night action was delayed two hours by rain and finished up in the wee hours of the morning.