Ryan Clark

Shawano checkers fly for Stankowski

SHAWANO, Wis. (July 22, 2023) – There were some new faces in victory lane at the legendary half-mile Shawano Speedway Saturday night. Up first was the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car division and the man of the hour would be Mitch Stankowski as he jumped to an early lead from sixth starting and into the lead by two. Travis VanStraten and Dan Michonski followed in what became a three-car breakaway. Stankowski held his ground, fought off the challenges of his fellow competitors and was not denied as he raced his no. 5 to victory lane. “It’s nice to win and I want to do it again,” he said. “We definitely have a lot of stout competition here.” As the checkered flags flew at the line in the $3,000 to win Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature it was Johnny Whitman, Mike Wedelstadt, Mike Mullen and Konnor Willinski finishing in that order. However after post-race inspection track officials deemed Whitman was disqualified for a weight infraction which gave the victory and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility to Wedelstadt. In [Read More]

DeVilbiss first in first appearance at Benton County Speedway

VINTON, Iowa (July 23, 2023) – In his storied career, Zane DeVilbiss had never been to Benton County Speedway prior to Sunday night. The two-time Friesen Performance IMCA Modified national champion from Farmington, N.M., showed why he’s one of the best in the nation as he ended his night in victory lane. Jerry Dedrick held the early lead in the Beaty Excavating 20-lapper before Troy Cordes worked his way to the front from a second row start a few circuits into the event. While Cordes paced the field, he was pursued by Patrick Flannagan and a hard-charging Joel Rust. Meanwhile, DeVilbiss was making his way through traffic from a row five start and settled into fourth just prior to a mid-race caution. On the restart, DeVilbiss shot to the inside of Flannagan and Rust to secure the runner-up spot before caution again slowed action late. When racing resumed a final time, DeVilbiss made the winning pass and drove away from the pack to score the victory. Rust ran second ahead of Cordes and Flannagan. Vern [Read More]

Murty gets 300th win, Elmquist gets first at Boone

By Joyce Eisele BOONE, Iowa (July 23, 2023) – A veteran and a rookie both achieved milestones Saturday at Boone Speedway, when a season-best 179 cars were on hand for Fox Welding Stock Car King of the Katwalks night, presented by VanEaton Pork. Damon Murty won his career 300th IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature while 17-year old Josalyn Elmquist became a first-time feature winner in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods. Stock Cars were running for a $2,500 payday, as well as an impressive trophy. Murty not only walked away with those honors, but in doing so, got his 300th career win in the division. Fifty-nine different drivers competed on the night, qualifying 24 cars through heats, and three ‘B’ mains. Two provisionals with the most points at the track who did not qualify, tagged the field. Gage Neal started on the outside front row and led the opening circuits but it was Murty taking over at lap four. Murty continued to lead though lap 15 when the race was yellow flagged for debris on the track. [Read More]

Miles scores first career win at Maquoketa

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (July 22, 2023) – Following a week of no racing as the Jackson County Fairgrounds hosted a large dog competition show the racing action returned on Saturday night with 121 teams putting on an exciting show as the races were hurried along to beat the approaching rain storm. It is always special to see a driver win his first-ever main event and on Saturday night that was the case in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Jordan Miles, one of the many racing Miles brothers and one of three Miles’ that were racing Saturday night scored his first of what will be many feature wins. Miles held off the one of the best in Hobby Stock racing, Randy LaMar in scoring the win. The 25-lap IMCA Sunoco Late Model feature saw veteran driver Andy Nezworski drive his no. 7 very patiently to the front from his eighth position start and overtake Jaden Fryer late in the main to go on and score the win. Fryer had a strong run in taking [Read More]

Close finishes highlight CJ Speedway racing action

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (July 21, 2023) – Friday night, fans at CJ Speedway were treated to a fantastic evening of IMCA racing on the perfectly prepared 4/10-mile dirt track with three of the five main event winners being determined on the final lap. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event saw Anthony Guss lead the first couple circuits before Blaine Webster took over the point position. Ninth starting Jarrett Brown worked to the front and took over the top spot and with the year the Ainsworth driver has been having, it appeared as the race for the lead was over and the battle for second would be on. Brandon Banks, in his second night in his new car, chased down Brown and set up a late-race charge that would net him his first win of the year at CJ. Banks took the win by passing Brown on the white flag lap and came under the checkers with a car length win. Brown settled for second ahead of a fast-closing Dakota Simmons. IMCA [Read More]

New location for 10-year-old’s lemonade stand helps boost funds raised for Salute to Veterans

ALGONA, Iowa – IMCA fans and drivers will stand and applaud hundreds of the men and women who have served their country in the armed forces, during Hunting With Heroes Salute to Veterans race programs next week in Spencer, Algona and Boone. Another one of the people who will deserve a big salute is Toryn Kleen. The 10-year-old and fifth grader-to-be at Algona Middle School raised $3,206 to contribute to the annual veterans’ endeavor, selling lemonade along with cookies and cupcakes at a stand set up near Mike Hauan’s Lake Mills Motorsports Polaris dealership in Algona. “I feel like veterans are under appreciated,” said Toryn, whose grandfathers and a great-grandfather all served in uniform. “This is something I can do for them.” Toryn had donated the more than $2,300 she made selling lemonade and sweet treats from a stand at her home and was recognized with a special Top Gun Fund Raiser award last year. She made the move to the new location this year to up her visibility and along with veterans and folks [Read More]

Done just in time, new bridge is a big deal for Smiley’s Southern SportMod Super Nationals

KENNEDALE, Texas (July 24, 2023) – Being able to host hall of fame night in conjunction with the second annual IMCA Southern SportMod Super Nationals powered by Smiley’s Racing Products, says promoter James Lopez, is a pretty big deal. Not having to take the detour from town to get to Kennedale Speedway Park will be a pretty big deal, too. The new, wider bridge on New Hope Road that takes traffic over Kennedale Creek, to and past the track opened late last week. Traffic of all shapes and sizes had been rerouted since last year, with the entrance to the pit area at KSP tantalizingly close but on the wrong side of the orange and black detour signs. “If you knew how long you had to drive around to get to the track …” Lopez began. “It’s a long ways, especially if you’re coming from the north or the west and you’re hauling a trailer. The detour was probably 10 miles. Smiley’s isn’t that far from here and you had to take the detour to [Read More]

Murty reigns at King of the Katwalks, Boone win is IMCA Stock Car career 300th

BOONE, Iowa (July 22, 2023) – They unrolled and then they showed off his 300 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car Career Wins banner on Saturday. And as far as Damon Murty is concerned, there couldn’t have been a better night to do it, or at a better track. Murty’s latest milestone win came in the main event of the King of the Katwalks show at Boone Speedway. The Chelsea Charger led the last 22 of 25 laps and simply ran away from the rest of the field after both restarts, taking the $2,500 checkers ahead of son Dallon. “To do this at Boone is very special. This place is IMCA. This is where the Super Nationals are,” said Murty, second on the all-time wins list for the division and now the fifth IMCA driver with 300 career wins. “My 300th win is something I wanted to get this season and I’m glad I was able to do it at a race with 59 cars,” he added. “And I love being able to do it racing with Dallon. It’s the [Read More]

Nielsen wins Weishaar Memorial race

By Greg Grabianowski ALGONA, Iowa (July 20, 2023) – Brandon Nielsen was the big winner of the $1,000 Jess Weishaar IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock Memorial race held Thursday at Kossuth County Speedway. Aaron Rudolph and Josh Sidles brought the 22-car field to flag stand to take the green flag in the final race of the night as they raced for the $1,000 first place check in honor resident and race fan Jess Weishaar, slain in a 2019 bank robbery. Rudolph edged ahead after the first trip around the Algona oval as Josh Sidles and Rudolph went door-to-door the first five laps for the lead in the feature. The caution flag appeared on six and Mike Smith grabbed the lead off the restart, but that only lasted three laps as Nielsen became the new leader at the halfway point of the 20-lap feature race. The yellow flag reappeared on 11 and came out again one lap later as Tyler Beckler and Brianna Osterson got tangled up in turn two. Once the green flag came back out, [Read More]

McBirnie takes Highbanks after the Creek Stock Car win

By Joyce Eisele MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (July 21, 2023) – It was Vessco Inc. Night at the Races Friday and Jake McBirnie raced to the $2,000 Highbanks After the Creek IMCA Sunoco Stock Car win on at Marshalltown Speedway. Jake McBirnie led the field to green for the contest and that was all she wrote, as he paced all 30 laps on his way to victory lane and B & B Racing Chassis All-Star qualifying eligibility. McBirnie was chased most of the distance by Chelsea Charger Damon Murty, but on this night Murty had to be satisfied with the runner-up spot. Kaden Reynolds ripped the lip of the track in the latter portion of the race in an attempt to gain ground but had to be content with third. Fourth went to Jim Horejsi of Marshall, Minn., who advanced 17 spots to take the hard charger award and Garrett Corn completed the top five. The IMCA Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature went to Joel Rust while Jenae Gustin returned to the winner’s circle in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern [Read More]