Ryan Clark

Chased, challenged, never caught, Thornton collects Clay County Clash checkers

SPENCER, Iowa (Aug. 7, 2024) – He was chased and he was challenged but Dylan Thornton was never caught. Thornton led every lap of Wednesday’s Clay County Fairgrounds Speedway Clash main event for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, keeping Tim Ward behind him the first 20 laps and holding Tom Berry Jr. at bay the last 10 times around the track. The IMCA Speed Week win was also Thornton’s Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying third and was good for $2,500. He parried a last-turn slider from Berry, winner of Tuesday’s Harris Clash, to secure that big check. “I saw his (Berry’s) nose so I knew he was close enough to slide me,” he said. “What you have to do coming down the backstretch is not make a mistake and not stuff it into the fence or something stupid, you have to be able to turn back down.” “We actually went home after last night, woke up this morning, decided we were too dumb to quit and decided to drive four hours back up this way,” said Thornton, who’d [Read More]

Turnidge, Schott earn Clair Cup victories

By Ben Deatherage LEBANON, Ore. (Aug. 3, 2024) – Willamette Speedway hosted two IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing divisions on Saturday at the Clair Cup, a prestigious event run in honor of long-time track promoter Clair Arnold. Nate Turnidge zoomed out in front at the start of the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature, starting on the outside pole and powering away to build big gap over second place in the running order, contested by Sandy Sanders and Jacob Shandy. Shortly after that, Jason Ferguson moved into third. As the race progressed without any incidents, Shandy began to close the gap on Turnidge. With five laps to go, Shandy applied intense pressure on the leader. Turnidge, however, fended off those relentless challenge to maintain his lead. Shandy made a final attempt to overtake Turnidge, but the latter held his ground, even as Shandy spun out in the final corner. Turnidge earned the victory. Ferguson finished a close second, with Mark Pothoff third. For the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, outside polesitter Brad Gentry took control of [Read More]

Sanders brushes away foes in Sherwin Williams Night feature

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (Aug. 3, 2024) – Matt Sanders chose the perfect palette for winning the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature on Sherwin Williams Night at Southern Oregon Speedway. Ty Williams reached the point at the start of the feature but saw misfortune strike as he got sideways with three laps complete and got collected by another car. That gave the lead to Ryder Boswell. Ryan Peery started to challenge but Boswell held him back. Peery again came to call on lap eight and got the lead, but the caution came out before the lap could be officially counted. On the restart, Peery went on the offensive but got sideways in turn four and came to a halt, resulting in another stoppage. Sanders then emerged as the new threat. He made a sweeping maneuver around the outside of Boswell in the fourth turn of the ninth circuit to become the new trailblazer, followed by Trevor Points progressing to second. The ninth-place starter had no issues while at the head of the [Read More]

Westergard scores IMCA Modified checkers at Skagit

By Ben Deatherage ALGER, Wash. (Aug. 3, 2024) – Skagit Speedway witnessed the return of the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and the return of Jeff Westergard to the top step of the podium Saturday night. Greg Hibma took control at the start before car owner Ben Gunderson swept pass to collect the lead at the end of the second circuit. Brandon Nutter worked his way up to second, dispatching Hibma the fourth time around the flag stand. After a restart from a lap four caution, the battle for the runner-up spot became a three-car affair between Nutter, Hibma and Rick Smith. That tussle was put on ice, however, by a multi-car get-together on the backstretch. Things got spicy when racing returned to green as Nutter had to deal with the likes of Smith and Westergard. With neither party having a distinct advantage, Smith went to work the upper portion of the track and performed a brilliant double overtake to obtain second on lap six, with Westergard following him a short time later. Eventually, a [Read More]

Foulger is double winner at Antioch’s Fan Appreciation Night

By Candace Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (Aug. 3, 2024) – There was plenty of excitement in the air Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was the second annual Fan Appreciation Night, and fans got to see the show and all the other excitement during the evening for just $5. It was the biggest crowd for a regular race all season. Kids got an opportunity to win free bikes and other goodies throughout the evening. During intermission, drivers pulled into the infield for a meet and greet with the fans. This was the track’s way of saying thank you to the fans and it was also an invitation to new fans to see what the track is all about. Reigning Friesen Performance IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car track champion Troy Foulger scored a double as he won both division’s main events. Foulger has reduced his schedule this year but remains a force to be reckoned with every time he’s in action. In the Stock Car race, Foulger started in the second row and made a [Read More]

Ogles bring dreams of dancing on Saturday back to Super Nationals

LUBBOCK, Texas (Aug. 7, 2024) – The family that races together at Abilene Speedway will do so again at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Veteran Vince Ogle, son Kade and daughter Kenzington make the 900-plus mile trip from Lubbock, each looking for glory and a berth in Saturday’s night IMCA Modified main event at Boone Speedway. “It would be the greatest thing if all three of us would make the main,” said Ogle, who qualified for the Big Dance through an exciting last-chance feature at Super Nationals in 2000. “I know that’s a pretty high expectation, but that’s our dream. Realistically, our goal is to go and be competitive. If we happen to make the show, that’s a plus.” Vince has run a limited schedule this season while crewing for Kade, 23, and Kenzington, 18. They made their first racing vacation to Super Nationals last year, when Vince and Kade started in same heat one night, multiple cars got sideways in a hurry and both ended up getting sent to the [Read More]

Harris Clash checkers are second for Berry, Reimers repeats

SPRING VALLEY, Minn. (Aug. 6, 2024) – Fifty-nine other Friesen Performance IMCA Modified drivers had high hopes for the 33rdannual Harris Clash but none of them had anything for Tom Berry Jr. Berry led all 30 laps of Tuesday night’s main event from his middle of the front row start, then pulled away before and again after three cautions near midway before taking the $5,000 checkers ahead of Zack VanderBeek. “I’ve had my ups and downs here but I’ve had a lot of ups lately,” said Berry, also the winner at Deer Creek in 2022. “Winning this race always means a lot, just the effort by so many people that goes into it. Everything is always top notch.” “Luck has been on our side, we’ve started on the front a lot this year,” he’d acknowledge, following his latest Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying victory. “I’m just taking that while I can because you never know when your luck is going to turn and you’ll be starting in the back.” Sixteenth starting Ethan Braaksma, 11th starting and [Read More]

Mallet is hammer down at Petaluma

By Ben Deatherage PETALUMA, Calif. (Aug. 3, 2024) – The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds ground-pounders returned to Petaluma Speedway on Saturday. A crop of very talented drivers inhabited the pits of the 3/8-mile adobe clay oval facility located at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds. The main event saw Jacob Mallet Jr. lock horns with Jeffrey Faulkner for the early lead before Mallet was able to build a substantial lead as the race unfolded. Several cautions were thrown into the mix. However, each time the green flag was waved, Mallet swiftly accelerated away from the pack. The race for second became a focus point as Faulkner tried to stay ahead of Michael Paul Jr. Mallet took care of business by going to the checkered flag and parking it on the front stretch. Faulkner held on in the end to finish runner-up, while Paul collected third. The event was broadcast by IMCA.TV affiliate NorCal Speed.

Dacotah Stock Car checkers are first for Gartner

By Becca Pelkey MANAN, N.D. (Aug. 2, 2024) – It was a super hot Friday night at Dacotah Speedway on Friday and the night kicked off with the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car make-up feature from June 28. Dylan Herner and Jason Meidinger led the field to the green flag. Meidinger took the early lead but Shawn Strand quickly worked his way to the front to challenge. They raced door-to-door for several laps before Strand slipped by on lap four. Meidinger then fell into the clutches of Hunter Domagala. As they raced hard for second, Shawn Volk made it a three-car battle. While racing for second, Domagala got loose and spun in front of the field with six laps to go. On the restart, Todd Carter passed Volk for second and was all over Strand’s rear bumper. When the checkered flag waved, Strand held off Carter for the victory. Volk finished a season-best third. When the green flag waved in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature, it was a three-car battle for the lead between Alex [Read More]

Collisions, cautions and competitive racing at Off Road Speedway

By Randy Pospishil sports@norfolkdailynews.com NORFOLK, Neb. (Aug. 3, 2024) – Competition during Saturday night’s program at Off Road Speedway included battles not only for the lead, but also for positions among the top five. As a result, collisions and cautions, and even a pair of roll-overs, created a busy night for the track’s wrecker service as damaged cars were escorted to the pit area. Jordan Uehling, who had led all of the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature’s prior 14 laps, spun out after making contact with the rear of Gage Koch’s car as the two exited turn four, followed closely by cars driven by Nate Buck and Jason Wilkinson. Video of the race convinced race officials that Koch had attempted a slide job as he entered turn four and, as his car skidded up the track impeded Uehling, who could not avoid contact which caused the spin-out. The ruling determined Uehling as the feature winner and Koch, who had crossed the finish line first, was moved back one position to second. Meanwhile, Buck and Wilkinson were [Read More]