IMCA, Author at IMCA - International Motor Contest Association

Bahrs is quickest in Quad City’s fair special

By Anthony Sandoval EAST MOLINE, Ill. (June 18) – Jason Bahrs knew he had the car to win at Quad City Speedway’s Open Wheel Onslaught on Wednesday night. He just had to wait for the right time to use it.   Bahrs started fourth in the Rock Island County Fair special for IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds and squeezed his way into second behind Milo Veloz Jr. by lap two and bided his time as the two gradually caught up with the back of the pack.   On the ninth circuit, Veloz became trapped behind a lapped car, allowing Bahrs to scoot by on the outside. Bahrs led the final 21 laps en route to his career first fair race win and a spot on the ballot for the 2014 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational.   ”He has the capability to win a race even if he doesn’t have the best race car,” Bahrs said of Veloz. “He’s a challenge anytime we’re at the race track.”   I was seeing where he was going to run and trying to figure [Read More]

XSAN Hawkeye Dirt Tour date at Lee County rescheduled to July 14

DONNELLSON, Iowa (June 19) – Another ominous forecast has resulted in another XSAN Hawkeye Dirt Tour postponement. With rain in the late afternoon and evening forecast, the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified tour event scheduled tonight (Tuesday) at Lee County Speedway in Donnellson has been moved to Monday, July 14. Program of events for that night is to be announced. The new date makes for an even busier week of racing for IMCA Modified drivers, following weekly races and the July 13 Hogan Memorial at Benton County Speedway in Vinton. The Hawkeye Dirt Tour is at Southern Iowa Speedway on Tuesday, July 15 and at Knoxville Raceway on Thursday, July 17 for the Harris Clash show; Oskaloosa’s regular weekly show is on the Wednesday between those dates.

IMCA Late Model veterans in running for $500 bonuses at Marshalltown Deery

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (June 19) – An even bigger payday is possible for veteran IMCA Late Model drivers following the Deery Brothers Summer Series to Marshalltown Speedway next Tuesday, June 24. The Miller Lite 50 tour event pays $3,000 to win and a minimum of $300 to start. Former promoter Steve Priske, now owner of Rumor’s Bar & Grill is Marshalltown, will pay a $500 bonus to the highest finishing Late Model driver who competed at Marshalltown between 1985 and 1990. H & F Distributing, also of Marshalltown, adds another $500 to the veteran who can win the feature. The first of 22 Deery Series events at Marshalltown was held in 1987; the division was sanctioned there weekly from 1987 through 1990. “The Late Models, the Deery Series and IMCA have all been important to the history of this race track,” noted promoter Toby Kruse. “These bonuses are a great addition to the evening’s purse during our 50th anniversary season.” Deery drivers with roots in the 1985-1990 Late Model era at Marshalltown have enjoyed their share [Read More]

Kupper Chevrolet returns as Dakota Classic Tour sponsor

MANDAN, N.D. – Kupper Chevrolet returns this season as title sponsor for the Dakota Classic Modified and Stock Car Tours. This is the second in a three-year pact. The largest Chevrolet dealer in North Dakota, Kupper again provides point funds of $2,000 for traveling IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds and $1,000 for traveling IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. The Kupper Automotive companies include Kupper Chevrolet and Kupper Subaru in Mandan and Bismarck Motor Company. Kupper Chevrolet also supplies crate engines that are an option for three of the IMCA divisions sanctioned in North Dakota. “This tour continues to grow and has become a ‘must-attend’ for many of our Modified and Stock Car racers, not just in the upper Midwest but across the country,” IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder observed. “The support of Kupper has been a welcome addition and a relationship we’re very proud of.” Opening night for the 25th annual Modified series and the seventh annual Stock Car series is Sunday, July 6 at Nodak Speedway. The series are at Estevan Motor Speedway on July [Read More]

Terry Simon Memorial is Saturday at Thunderhill Raceway

By Edward Anschutz STURGEON BAY, Wis. – Thunderhill Raceway is set to honor Terry Simon this Saturday, June 21. Simon was a huge supporter of local dirt track racing. You didn’t have to look far to find his wife Darlene sitting beside him in the stands or walking through the pits as they talked to all the drivers. Sadly we lost Terry to an unfortunate accident. He is missed by many and we’re racing in his memory with the third annual Terry Simon Memorial. With his 50th Thunderhill win achieved last week, Todd Dart padded his point lead in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds to seven over two-time defending champ James Tebon. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars had a shake up as point leader Shawn Havel suffered a DNF, letting Charlie Kroll close to within one point. Two-time defending champ Dave Bouche sits two markers back. Thunderhill Raceway website designer Chris Budzban has raced his way into the point lead of the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods. Budzban leads Ryan LeMieux by just one point [Read More]

Late Model Sunday Series win at I-35 goes to Cooney

By Greg Grabianowski MASON CITY, Iowa (June 15) – Todd Cooney was the winner when the Sunday Series for IMCA Late Models came to I-35 Speedway on June 15. The hard charger by advancing six positions, Cooney finished in front of Charlie McKenna and Curtis Glover. The IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds had an interesting finish to say the least as frontrunners Alex Hanson, Mike Jergens and Jeremy Mills all made contact with one lap to go, sending Jergens spinning into the infield while Mills wrestled the lead away from Hanson and went onto the win. Kevin Opheim is off to a good start this summer at I-35 and that good run continued with his first IMCA Sunoco Stock Car win at the track Sunday night. Blake Cole placed second. Shane Swanson earned his fifth Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature win of the season in the area but his first one at the Mason City track. Chad Gentz also earned his first feature win of the season at I-35 in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, [Read More]

Three first-time winners at Hancock County

By Greg Grabianowski BRITT, Iowa (June 13) – Chad Palmer, Cody Knecht and Daniel Kanisch all won features for the first time at the Hancock County Speedway this season while Mike Jergens and Brandon Nielsen found the winner’s circle for the third time to highlight Friday night racing at Britt. Jergens, who rolled his 37 rig the previous Saturday night at Algona, got a new car together and went onto the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified victory after starting on the outside of the third row. Josh Foster was the runner-up. Palmer also started on the outside of the third row before piloting his no. 14 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car into the winner’s circle. Dan Hanselman had his best run of the summer to take second. Matthew Hanson and Alex Schubbe started on the front row of the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature but when the dust settled and the double-checkered flags flew, Knecht earned his first win of the season at the track. Nick Meyer was second. Nielsen and his brother Cody have been [Read More]

Murray repeats at Dawson County

LEXINGTON, Neb. (June 15) – Grabbing the lead on lap six on a very dry-slick oval, David Murray Jr. cashed in on the opportunity and held off all challengers to capture his second straight IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified victory Sunday at Dawson County Raceway. Getting collected in early race incidents wasn’t enough to halt the progress of Mike Nichols to collect the win in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Nichols had the lead by less than a fender on the seventh lap and continued to pace the field throughout the rest of the main event. Jamey Kennicutt drove away with the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod checkers. Kennicutt led the final eight laps after starting in the fifth row. Leaving no doubt, Kyle Bond ran away and hid from the rest of the field for his first local IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock win of the season. Bond tiptoed through the competition until he snared the lead on lap six.

Cash awards from Bushore go to top drivers in three IMCA divisions

BOONE, Iowa – One of IMCA’s longest tenured partners has renewed a contingency award program paying cash to drivers in three divisions. IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod drivers competing with a Bushore Racing Enterprises transmission are in the running for awards from the Boone, Iowa, manufacturer and high performance parts retailer. Top eligible drivers, based on final national point standings for each division, get $300 while the runners-up receive $200. Checks will be presented during the national banquet in November or mailed beginning the following week from the IMCA home office. The 2014 season is Bushore’s 23rd as an IMCA sponsor. Information about Bushore products and services is available by calling 515 432-8130. “Bill Bushore does a great job keeping track of his loyal customers and not only servicing their related transmission needs, but providing a cash-based incentive program that recognizes their accomplishments,” IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder said. “It is really great to do business with someone who takes customer service so seriously and has since [Read More]

Umscheid, Pittsenbarger, capture first wins

By Bill Grit MAYETTA, Kan. (June 14) – Austin Umscheid picked up his first-ever career win in the Casey’s General Store IMCA Sport Compacts in the final event of the evening Saturday at Thunder Hill Speedway. Morgan Ziegler and Issac Jones chased Umscheid through the field before lining up in the Pit Pass Liquor Victory Lane in that order. Jordan Grabouski held off a determined Dave Conkwright for the BSB Manufacturing IMCA Modified checkers. Patrick Thyfault got to the front early and stayed there in winning the Bad Boyz Bail Bonds IMCA Hobby Stock main. The Belleville Motor Sports IMCA Northern SportMods always provide the fans great racing action week in and week out. Troy Baumgartner led the race early but as the race went on his car lost forward bite. At the midway point, Jeremy Pittsenbarger made a pass for the lead, getting his first win at Thunder Hill. Pittsenbarger stood proudly in the Pit Pass Liquor Victory Lane, followed by Troy Baumgartner, Luke Stallbaumer, Aaron Hilderman and Curtis Dreasher. Marvin Griffith Jr. led [Read More]