What won the race: Repeating his IMCA Late Model triumph from a year ago, Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz., regained the lead from Jeff Aikey on the 32nd of 50 laps, then led Richie Gustin through lapped traffic to the $3,000 checkers Monday at Boone Speedway in the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals.

Quotable: “It was really hard this year,. I tried high, I tried low and I was finally able to move by him (Aikey) for the lead," Thornton said. "Every Super Nationals championship is special,” said Thornton, also the 2016 Modified king, “but this one means a lot because we really had to work for it.”

Key notes: The Iowa-based Thornton was 2016's Boone modified champion. ... Polesitter Cory Dumpert, who built a straightaway lead early, led the first 16 laps but got too high and fell off the pace with Aikey taking command. ... Thornton went ahead to lead laps 24-25, but Aikey went back ahead before Thornton's winning pass on a windswept night. ... Marshalltown, Iowa's Darrel DeFrance was sixth in his record-extending career 30th Super Nationals start. ... Aikey was loooking for his eighth Boone Nationals victory.

On the move: Winner Ricky Thornton Jr. started seventh.

Winner's sponsors: Thornton’s Todd Cooney-owned Capital Race Car is sponsored by Spangler Automotive, May Properties and Alan’s Seamless Guttlers.

Car count: 32

Polesitter: Cory Dumpert

Heat race winners: Richie Gustin, Charlie McKenna, Ricky Thornton Jr., Jesse Sobbing

Consolation race winners: Nick Marolf, Greg Krohn