By NICK SCHWIEN

nschwien@dailynews.net

Every driver has an idea of what it takes to be successful at the annual IMCA Super Nationals in Boone, Iowa.

While some of those ideas might be similar, the large field of competitors allows for an even larger number of opinions.

When an early count of pre-registered drivers was announced Monday, the sanctioning body had received 478 early entries for cars in the modified, Northern sport mod, stock, hobby stock, late model and sport compact classes.

That shows there's a lot of ideas hopping round the quarter-mile dirt oval in Iowa that showcases the best of the best in the nation.

At the top of everyone's list is something out of each driver's hands: luck.

"A lot of luck,"  stock car driver Jason Schoenberger said. "You have to be on top of everything. The draw's a big thing. There's so many heat races, and you never know what type of heat race you're going to get. If you get an early heat race, they're not real racey, and you get a late one, they're not real racey. If you get a middle one, they're pretty good. The draw plays a big part, but you also have to drive and stay out of the wrecks because there's no forgiveness there."

Schoenberger became the first non-Iowa driver to win the prestigious feature in the stock car class in 2005.

The Gorham driver has had a stellar season so far this year, grabbing win after win at tracks throughout the state, including RPM Speedway in Hays, WaKeeney Speedway, Minneapolis Raceway and the Great American Dirt Track at Jetmore Motorplex.

As of Aug. 11, he was third in national points in the stock car class and had a monstrous lead in the state standings.

But Schoenberger isn't feeling any added pressure entering this year's week-long event.

"Not so much a target," said Schoenberger, who has won a combined 12 times in Hays and WaKeeney this season. "Everyone who shows up there has their good stuff. Everybody up there is good."

Schoenberger will get started Wednesday, when the stocks kick into high gear. Monday begins with action for the hobby stock and sport mod classes.

Headlining area racers competing in that class is Bryan LaRiviere, who is locked in a tight battle for the national points race. He has a comfortable lead for track titles at RPM and WaKeeney and has 15 combined wins at the two tracks.

"I hope we have the luck we've been having," said LaRiviere, who has 32 total feature wins this year. "If we can make the show, that would be great. If we can get into the top four, that would be even better. If we can win it, well, I can't imagine what that feeling would be like.

"I've grown up watching the races there and have seen the excitement on people's faces when they've won. I'd hate to be leading that last lap in the big show. I'd think the car was shaking like crazy and making noises I've never heard before because it would mean that much. To win that definitely would be the icing on the cake."

While many of the top drivers in the nation will be in Boone, LaRiviere said the talent at local tracks in Kansas is just as good. That's why he's focusing more on his ability and car, instead of worrying about what drivers such as Jesse Sobbing -- who is battling him for the national points title -- will be doing.

"He's no different than a Clayton Wilson or the other good guys here on the local race tracks," LaRiviere said. "I think if you start thinking about guys like Sobbing up there, you can lose your focus. You try to prepare for it no different than any other race at a local track. There's 18 or so other cars on the race track you have to beat."

Modified drivers also will have their hands full during the week. Many of the top drivers in Boone also will be traveling to Hays in October to compete at the Fall Nationals.

"It's kind of like the toughest thing to do in racing is go up there and run with the best guys in the country," said modified driver Corey Lagroon.

"You can't go to Boone with the mindset that you're going to win it, at least I can't. I'd like to make the show. That's a win in itself. One of the toughest things to do is to get to that Saturday."

And everyone wants to get to Saturday, when the "big" races take place in each class. That's why every driver has a different idea of what it might take to be successful.

But no matter how good the game plan is, it still might come down to one thing.

"You have to have a lot of luck at Boone," Lagroon said. "You have to have skill, too, but sometimes it takes more luck than skill."