Ryan Clark

Saathoff makes it two straight at Eagle

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (July 27, 2024) – Johnny Saathoff went old school and took his Friesen Performance IMCA Modified foes to class Saturday at Eagle Raceway. Saathoff led from lap two to the checkers, outrunning Clint Homan, Shawn Harker and Dustin Andersen following a caution with seven laps to go, for his second straight Eagle checkers. The win was also his career 361st in the division. “I’ve gone old school. I put in an open motor and got away from the crate engine. I’m just having a good time at Eagle Raceway with the track that Roger (Hadan) preps for all of us,” said Saathoff, who counts four crowns at Eagle among his record 26 track titles. “That cushion was nasty tonight and it got so slick in the middle that my crate engine would have been better, but we broke ours and I don’t feel like buying another one this year. I’m on my way out and trying to use up what I have.” “I know (I’m only 61) but I keep saying [Read More]

Connelly wires IMCA Northern SportMod main at Antioch

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (July 27, 2024) – Hometown driver Dylan Connelly won the 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature in flag-to-flag fashion Saturday at Antioch Speedway. When the green flag waved, Connelly charged into the lead ahead of Tommy Clymens. Championship hopeful Jason Ryan Jr. quickly moved into third and set his sights on the consistent Clymens. Clymens was hitting all of his marks on the bottom groove as Connelly led the way. Ryan’s attempts to get by Clymens continued to be thwarted before a yellow flag waved on the 12th circuit. This might have been Ryan’s opportunity to get past Clymens, but Connelly continued to lead Clymens and Ryan on the restart. On the 18th circuit, Ryan went around the outside of Clymens in the fourth turn to grab second. Clymens spun in the same turn a lap later without a yellow flag. Connelly sped home to victory ahead of Ryan, Kenny Shrader, Kelly Campanile and Trevor Clymens.

Allstar Performance renews heat race win awards for 15th IMCA sponsorship season

WATERVLIET, Mich. (July 30, 2024) – The heat race win decals adorning IMCA race cars coast to coast and border to border again come courtesy of Allstar Performance. Drivers themselves must take the next step in making themselves eligible for post-season awards from the Watervliet, Mich., high performance parts manufacturer and 15-year IMCA sponsor. Heat race winner decals were distributed to all IMCA tracks at the beginning of the 2024 race season. Drivers winning 10 or more heat races this year receive $100 gift cards. The driver, regardless of division, winning the most heat races gets a $250 gift card. “What drivers have to do to become eligible for that $100 gift card, perhaps even the $250 car, is email a photo of their car proving heat race winner decal placement to me at contingencies@imca.com,” explained IMCA Marketing Integration and Sponsorship Director Carson Becker-Gramm. “All Star Performance gift cards will be presented during the IMCA national banquet in November or mailed beginning the following week.” IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock driver Cody Williams of Minneapolis, Kan., was [Read More]

Wolf gets first win, Rundle repeats at Benton County Speedway

VINTON, Iowa (July 28, 2024) – It was a memorable Sunday for Will Wolf at Benton County Speedway. The Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod driver raced to his career first win on the fast, smooth, quarter-mile Bullring. Robert Patava led the early stages of the 15-lapper while Wolf worked into contention from a second row start. He took command a handful of laps into the event while Kyle Olson and Tony Olson made their way through the pack. Wolf built a one second lead over the Olsons, who battled side-by-side behind the leader throughout much of the race. Wolf maintained his stay out front to drive to the milestone win ahead of Tony Olson, who inched ahead of Kyle Olson at the checkers. Rayce Mullen ran fourth. One week after his first career win, Robert Rundle made back-to-back trips to victory lane in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. Rundle took charge at the drop of the green and built a sizable lead while Lukas Rick raced through the field from the third row. Rundle survived [Read More]

Governor’s Cup checkers fly for Turnbull, Domagala, Hughbanks

By Becca Pelkey MANDAN, N.D. (July 27, 2024) – Rain did its best to wreak havoc but couldn’t wash away all of the North Dakota Governor’s Cup Auto Races at Dacotah Speedway. Saturday checkers would ultimately fly for $1,500 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified winner Aaron Turnbull, $1,000 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car winner Hunter Domagala and $400 Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact winner Zach Hughbanks. Tim Perkins and Mark Dahl led the field to the green flag in the Modified main event, the final feature of the weekend. Cautions were frequent as drivers struggled to get laps in but despite the yellows, the seventh starting Turnbull stealthily moved through the field. Restarts helped him grab the lead by lap four but cautions continued to fall. As the Canadian driver led the field back to line, he would quickly pull away from the field. It was now a race for second between Dahl, Quentin Kinzley and Jeremy Keller. Keller used the cautions to slip by Kinzley and Dahl to take second. Dahl and Kinzley continued to race hard [Read More]

IMCA Speedweek has Aug. 7 date at Clay County

SPENCER, Iowa (July 29, 2024) – Night two of IMCA Speedweek takes five IMCA divisions to Spencer next Wednesday for the Clay County Clash. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds race for $2,500 to win their Aug. 7 main event at Clay County Fair Speedway. That feature is a qualifier for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational and is complemented by a $750 to win, B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifier for the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Rounding out the evening’s race program are $500 to win features for IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods, an a $300 to win feature for the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and Iowa State points will be awarded. Entry fee for the Modifieds is $50. Pit gates at Spencer open at 4 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5:30 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. with racing to follow. Pit passes are $35. Spectator admission is $15 for adults and free for kids 12 and under. IMCA.TV broadcasts [Read More]

Kossuth County’s Schattschneider Memorial boasts $5,600 top prize for IMCA Modifieds

ALGONA, Iowa (July 29, 2024) – The driver remembered for his trademark orange race car will be remembered on the night a Friesen Performance IMCA Modified driver takes a whole lot of green home from Kossuth County Speedway. The Thursday, Aug. 8 Gene Schattschneider Memorial main event at Algona pays $5,600 to win, a nod to Schattschneider’s long-time car number 56, and is a qualifier for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. The runner-up earns $2,000, with $1,500 for third and $1,000 for fourth. There is no entry fee and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars run for $1,000 to win plus B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts complete the race night card and IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing national, regional, Iowa State and track points will be awarded. Part of IMCA Speedweek, the Gene Schattschneider Memorial will be broadcast by IMCA.TV and is presented by Site Services. B & L Storage added to the Stock Car purse. Spectator admission is [Read More]

Big bonus for sweep brings potential Night of 1,000 Stars IMCA Modified payday to $12,050

BRITT, Iowa (July 29, 2024) – Two thousand dollars, $50 and $5,000 will add up to $12,050 for the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified driver who can win both nights of Hancock County Speedway’s Night of 1,000 Stars. The Friday, Aug. 9 qualifying feature will pay $2,000 to win while Saturday’s main event pays $5,000 to win. The driver who can win both, plus their $50 to win heat race on Friday, earns a $5,000 bonus, making for that $12,050 total. Runner-up money on Friday is $1,000 with the top six advancing to the Saturday show and a minimum of $150 paid to start. Second place on Saturday is good for $2,500 with $1,500 for third, $1,000 for fourth and $250 to start. Tow money both nights is $100. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars are also part of the IMCA Speedweek installment, running for $750 to win and B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying nods each night. Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods are on the Friday card and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks the Saturday show, [Read More]

Boone Speedway fans salute McBirnie following Veterans win

By Joyce Eisele BOONE, Iowa (July 27, 2024) – Boone Speedway was host to the third and final night of this year’s Hunting with Heroes Salute to Veterans night on Saturday. Veterans and their spouses were admitted free, given a meal and drink, a goodie bag, and more. The stands were packed to watch the 201 race cars on hand for the special night of racing. A moving pre-race ceremony in front of the grandstand honored all veterans in attendance, special recognition and awards given to some of those on hand, and the specially wrapped Salute to Veterans race cars were showcased. First Responders from law, fire, and ambulance were also on hand. Ten drivers had special wraps on their cars to honor veterans in some way. The overall best car winner voted on by the veterans went to Stock Car driver Jim Horejsi of Marshall, Minn., with his Pearl Harbor salute. The other Salute to Veterans wraps were Modified drivers Joel Rust with his Air Force Air Superiority – The F15E Strike Eagles, Cody Thompson’s US [Read More]

Gage County Fair checkers at Beatrice are IMCA Modified career 300th for Grabouski

BEATRICE, Neb. (July 26, 2024) – The setting proved perfect for Jordan Grabouski’s latest Friesen Performance IMCA Modified accomplishment. Grabouski raced to his career 300th feature win in the division Friday night, during the Gage County Fair show at hometown track Beatrice Speedway. “A lot of family and friends were there. We grew up showing cattle at the fair before I was even racing so winning my 300th at the Gage County Fair was really sweet. The grandstands were full and that was cool, too,” he said. That his latest milestone win would come at Beatrice should be no surprise: Grabouski got his 100th there in May of 2014 and 200that the same locale in August of 2018. “This is another win that means a lot – Beatrice Speedway feels like home to me, which it is. It’s my hometown race track,” he explained. “I grew up here and it was just neat.” A five-time Modified national champion during his career and the only IMCA driver to win national crowns in two divisions the same season – Modifieds [Read More]