Ryan Clark

Building on success, Berry to raise bar for Super Nationals

NEWBURG, N.D. – He’s already had a season full of career highlights, but Tom Berry Jr. will be looking to raise the bar again at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. “We’re going to go to Boone with the goal of making the show. Once you qualify, you can race hard and try to win the thing,” said Berry, from Newburg, N.D., and most recently winner of Hancock County Speedway’s Night of 10,000 Stars IMCA Modified man event. “We’re already in the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational and are eligible to qualify for the Harris Auto Racing Race of Champions. I think we’re going to have a pretty good week.” The Oregon native began racing in the Midwest in 2016. He now lives in North Dakota, girlfriend Mayce Brodehl’s home state, and works for a construction company. Running with many of the top shoes from North Dakota as well as the region and nation, he won 10 of his first 25 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing starts this season, with another dozen top [Read More]

Green grabs Modified gold at I-37

By J.M. Hallas PLEASANTON, Texas (Aug. 10) – Rick Green picked another IMCA Modified win, coming from eighth starting Saturday at I-37 Speedway. After a couple rocky tries at starts, Green powered his way to the front on lap three, held off Dillon Tindall through the early stages and then pulled away the final half to secure the victory. “It’s a long way when you have to start back in the fourth row,” said Green. “It worked out pretty good. Once Dillon showed me the line the second time, I knew there must be something up there. That’s when I went up to the high side and the car was excellent.” “I was kind of a sitting duck running out front. Once someone shows you the nose you think if you should be there, too,” he added. “I was still beating him on the bottom but once I moved up top the car was so much faster. That’s when I was able to get away from him.” Tindall ended in second and Anthony Gordon was [Read More]

Salem Memorial is this weekend for Rebels

By David Smith, Jr., OKTidbits OBERLIN, Kan. – The Lucas Oil POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series presented by Mel Hambelton Ford Racing has its sights set on this coming weekend, Aug. 16-17, for the annual Eagle Travel Stop and Convenience Stores Bob Salem Memorial at Oberlin Speedway. Friday night’s opener will pay $700 to win for the nights feature finale. Saturday night will once again see a full set of heat and last chance races for the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car series with the championship finale paying $1,200 to the winner. Saturday’s Bob Salem Memorial championship was originally scheduled to pay $1,000 to win. Scott Precision Aerial added the extra $200. Both Friday and Saturday shows see gates open at 4 p.m. with race action slated for 7:30 p.m. Grandstand adult general admission will be $15 each night while ages 7-12 will be $10. Children ages 6 and under will be admitted into the grandstands for free.

US 36 Raceway to crown champions this Friday

By Jacob Blair OSBORN, Mo. – Another season at US 36 Raceway has flown by and drivers have the opportunity to put their names in the record books this Friday, Aug. 16. The early part of the season was marred with rainouts and cancellations. As the season started to reach the end, drivers started to find a rhythm in the weekly schedule and the season-long battle is set to conclude this weekend for the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods. As championship battles are settled on the track, there is also a lot of fun to be had in the stands. Thanks to the help from Vicki Davis 66 Promotions, it is Hat it Up Night at US 36 Raceway. First, it is hats off to the ladies, so for each adult ticket sold, one lady will get in free. There will also be a competition where men can choose to dress like a lady for a chance to win $100, with the top three receiving [Read More]

Deery Series back in Illinois for Sunday show at Quincy

QUINCY, Ill. – Another Sunday date at another Illinois speedplant is next on the schedule for the Deery Brothers Summer Series. The IMCA Late Model tour travels to Quincy Raceway for a $2,000 to win, minimum $300 to start main event on Aug. 18. That will be the first Deery race held at Quincy since July of 2011. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 4 p.m. on race day. Hot laps are at 6:15 p.m. with racing to follow. Spectator admission is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors, $10 for students and free for kids 10 and under. Pit passes are $35. Jeff Aikey won the first Deery event held at Quincy, in 1998, and is the only driver with two tour wins to his credit so far this season. One-time winners in 2019 include Justin Kay, Joel Callahan, Eric Pollard and, most recently, Matt Ryan. Ryan was first to the checkers last Sunday at Quad City Speedway. Point leader Andy Eckrich has three runner-up finishes in the first six [Read More]

Eagle Raceway amps up for RaceSaver Nationals

EAGLE, Neb. – Just a little over two weeks from today, the initial night of the 2019 RaceSaver Nationals kicks off at Eagle Raceway with qualifying heats for the Jake Ita Memorial Race of Champions and a practice night for all competitors. Prior to being able to compete at the Aug. 29-Sept. 1 Nationals, each and every IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car and engine that will see action has to go through the most rigorous and thorough technical inspection seen in any sprint car sanction in the world. Not one wheel will hit the track without passing that inspection to ensure that every team has the opportunity to compete on an even footing. Then on Friday, the teams will go through a complete show of heats and features to determine the first three rows of the final “A” main on Sunday. Saturday sees another set of heats and features to set the next three rows for the finale. Sunday will have nothing but features, all run to find out who the final nine cars will be [Read More]

Defying the odds, Smith returns to race and represent PA in All-Star Invitational

COLUMBIA CROSSROADS, Pa. – A year and a half ago, doctors were telling Brad Smith he’d never race again. In July, his family, friends and fellow IMCA Modified drivers were calling and texting to congratulate the Columbia Crossroads, Pa., driver on his election to the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. He’ll become just the second Pennsylvania driver in the 16-year history of the event to start the Friday night special at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. “Words can’t describe it,” said Smith, who had earned his place on the All-Star ballot by topping Summer Nationals at Outlaw Speedway. “I’ve been to Boone the last four years. Seeing all that takes place makes my hair stand up. The All-Star Invitational is one of the most prestigious races in IMCA.” Being able to race was first and foremost in his mind following a Jan. 12, 2018 traffic accident on his way home from work, after staying late to wrench on a race car at his shop in Horseheads, N.Y. The head-on crash left Smith [Read More]

Tonoli shows quickest way to Springfield checkers

By Ronnie Williams SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (Aug. 10) – Veteran Chris Tonoli took advantage of track position and left the filed behind Saturday in The Bad Boy Mower IMCA Modified feature At The Quick-Quarter of Springfield Raceway in collecting his IMCA win in the Show-Me State. The California transplant, always a frontrunner in Modified and Street Stock racing in the area, converted his number 71 to the IMCA division as Springfield announced in the off season the move to the sanction. “We just felt for our program, this made sense with the cost and changes. It has put the fun back into local racing for us,” he said. Tonoli has had some strong runs this season and had a late charge to third the previous Saturday. He took off like a rocket ship on the green and led all 20 laps of the Aug. 10 feature with ease. The real battle was for the runner-up spot between last week’s winner Bobby Pearish and Trevor Drake, as Drake ran Pearish down late to secure second. Pearish, James Thompson [Read More]

Ryan capitalizes on late restart to win Quad City Deery

EAST MOLINE, Ill. (Aug. 11) – Matt Ryan didn’t lead the most laps, just the most important ones. Ryan passed Brandt Cole following a late restart and led the last two circuits in winning Sunday’s Deery Brothers Summer Series main event at Quad City Speedway. The $2,000 checkers were Ryan’s IMCA Late Model tour career third, and first since August of 2016. Cole took runner-up honors in his first career series start while point leader Andy Eckrich was third. Justin Kay, Brian Harris and Curt Martin also did stints at the front, with polesitter Kay holding off high side challenges from Tommy Elston and leading the first nine of 30 laps. Elston was forced to retire following a multi-car tangle on lap eight and Harris shot to the front before Kay drove to the infield. Harris was slowed by a flat tire and surrendered the lead to Martin on lap 20. Martin appeared to survive a rough restart on lap 21 but soon had a flat of his own, falling back as Cole, Eckrich and [Read More]

Berry is best at Britt’s Night of 10,000 Stars

BRITT, Iowa (Aug. 9) – Tom Berry Jr.’s string of second-place finishes ended with the win at Hancock County Speedway’s Night of 10,000 Stars. Berry passed Mike Mullen for the lead with nine laps left, then held on to the front spot after two late restarts in winning Friday’s IMCA Modified main event, and $7,000, at Britt. Berry had started eighth and chased Ethan Dotson most of the first half of the race. Mullen threatened to pull away from the pack following the mandatory pitstop at halfway but Berry made up ground as the two ran in lapped traffic. A single lapped car separated the two when lap 41 was scored. Berry rolled the dice and came up a winner with that nifty drive around the outside the next time around. “I didn’t know who was behind me or how much tire I had left,” admitted the 2020 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier. “All kinds of things were running through my head. This was the biggest race I’ve ever led. I can’t be more [Read More]