Ryan Clark

Checkers fly for Chadwick in Wild West Shootout round 4

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (June 24) – After runner-up finishes each of the last two nights, Kellen Chadwick stood on the top step of the podium following Monday evening’s Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout at Cottage Grove Speedway. Chadwick ended Collen Winebarger’s winning streak at two with the $1,000 victory, putting his name of the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot in the process. Winebarger looked primed to three-peat, setting a rapid pace from his outside pole start and building a huge lead over the rest of the field. The leader encountered heavy lapped traffic in the final half of the main event and began to come under pressure from the second-running Chadwick. The California challenger tried several times to make a pass underneath or around the outside, but each time Winebarger thwarted those advances. Unfortunately, the two touched briefly in turn one on lap 32, resulting in Winebarger spinning. Winebarger went to the tail of the field, Chadwick inherited the lead with three laps to go and held onto the top spot [Read More]

Miles finds fast line at Maquoketa

By Rob Hinckley MAQUOKETA, Iowa (June 22) – Jerry Miles bided his time, worked the high groove and sped by Logan Veloz with six laps left to win the 15-lap B&D Pit Stop IMCA Northern SportMod finale on Hall of Fame Night at Maquoketa Speedway. Veloz, Rusty Deshaw, Tyler Soppe and Wes Digman came next. Point leader Soppe suffered a mechanical issue in his own no. 3T ride during his heat. He hopped into Scott Williams’ no. 9 and raced from the tail to that finish, his first outside the top two all season at Maquoketa. Other feature winners were Ray Cox Jr. in the QCJeeps.com IMCA Modifieds, David Brandies in the 15-lap GRE/REV Chassis IMCA Stock Cars and Randy Lamar in the Shawn’s Auto Service IMCA Hobby Stocks. The wins came after the inaugural class of the Maquoketa Speedway Hall of Fame was inducted. Ernie Cook, Bob Current, Pickle Edwards, Tom Feller, Lloyd Nabb and Karl Vohringer were honored during intermission.

Andreasen charges to Dawson County checkers

LEXINGTON, Neb. (June 23) – The secret of success Sunday at Dawson County Raceway for Tyler Andreasen was staying in the front group and out of trouble. Andreasen found the moisture and traction he needed during the waning laps to lead the final three circuits to earn the Platte Valley Auto Mart IMCA Northern SportMod victory. Andreasen had made his way through traffic after starting in the sixth row. Anthony Roth led the last 10 times around the oval in winning the Holbein Lawn Service/KLawn of Lexington IMCA Modified main and Mike Nichols hustled from the fourth row to top the Levander Body Shop IMCA Stock Car feature. Jeff Ware repeated as the Overton Sand and Gravel IMCA Hobby Stock winner while Terry Tritt won his third consecutive Plum Creek Motors IMCA Sport Compact feature.

Defending PASS champion holds off rookie challenger for third 2019 win

YORK HAVEN, Pa. (June 22) – Defending champion Zach Newlin held off a determined last-lap effort by rookie Jake Frye and claimed the victory in Saturday’s Pennsylvania Sprint Series feature race at BAPS Motor Speedway. The IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car win was his third this season with PASS, following seven in 2018, and his second at BAPS. Newlin led the caution-free 20-lapper all the way but had to edge fellow front-row starter Dominic Melair to the front before withstanding the efforts of teenager Frye, running the most impressive start of his young PASS career. Frye, who started fourth, passed Melair for second on lap five and then closed on the veteran Newlin in traffic over the last half of the race before trying a slide job going into the third turn on the final lap. Newlin’s high-line momentum carried him out of the fourth turn in front, however, and Frye finished on his bumper. Melair also posted his best finish in a brief PASS career, holding on for third, with Cale Reigle fourth and another [Read More]

Scott Porter celebrates birthday weekend with Arlington checkers

ARLINGTON, Minn. (June 22) – Celebrating his birthday weekend, Scott Porter won the Coors Light IMCA Sport Compact feature Saturday at Arlington Raceway. Porter took the lead from Tim Senne on the second lap and remained in front for the duration of the contest. First-time winner in the Unhinged Pizza IMCA Northern SportMods was Chris Plammann, who led the entire distance in a caution-free race. The Porter team had a great night as Chad Porter took the lead from Josh Larson on the eighth lap and led to the finish of the IMCA Modified main event. Matt Schauer pulled off his third B&B Racing Chassis IMCA Stock Car win a row by getting around A.J. Zimmerman. Michael Stien led flag to flag in the Alpha Media IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature. Cory Probst picked up his fifth Eckblad Trucking IMCA Hobby Stock win of 2019 at Arlington.

Coos Bay checkers give Winebarger consecutive Wild West Shootout wins

By Ben Deatherage COOS BAY, Ore. (June 23) – Collen Winebarger became the first repeat winner in the Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout, with a flag-to-flag run in front of the Sunday Gambler field at Coos Bay Speedway. The $1,000 win followed Winebarger’s Saturday victory at Southern Oregon Speedway, which had put him on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. And like the opening night show Friday at Yreka, the feature ran caution-free. Winebarger took the lead at the drop of the green flag, got up on the wheel and outpaced the rest of the field. He worked traffic late in the race, putting 12 of the 20 starters down at least a lap. Winebarger earned his fifth career Wild West Shootout main event win and first at Coos Bay. He is also the first driver since Kellen Chadwick in 2016 to win consecutive races. Chadwick was second for the second straight night, while Travis Peery of North Dakota crossed the wire in third. Bricen James scored a fourth-place result in his first appearance of [Read More]

Southern Oregon win to Winebarger on night two of Wild West Modified Shootout

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (June 22) – Another defending race winner was first to the checkers, on night two of the Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout Collen Winebarger topped Saturday’s main event at Southern Oregon Speedway, gaining a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth with the $1,000 victory, his series second in a row at White City. Kellen Chadwick took full advantage of his pole starting spot, taking the lead early and remaining there much of the race. Chadwick cruised until the culminating laps when he was briefly barricaded by traffic. Winebarger managed to cut down Chadwick’s lead and for the first time in the feature put significant pressure on the leader. The two battled briefly until lap 33 when Winebarger edged out in front. Winebarger went on to win the main event, his career fourth Wild West Shootout triumph. Chadwick, Jesse Williamson and Zach Fettinger were next across the stripe, while Jerry Flippo posted a fifth in his series first career feature start. Nick Trenchard had repeated his winning ways on opening [Read More]

Modified Madness rescheduled for Friday at US 36

By Jacob Blair OSBORN, Mo. – US 36 Raceway has tried twice to run Modified Madness presented by St. Joseph Beverage and twice the event has been plagued by weather. Attempt number three has been rescheduled for this Friday, June 28. IMCA Modifieds will race for $1,000 to win and $150 to start their Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier. Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods will run the Wayne Hicks Memorial Shootout as part of the event, which will pay a $966 check to the winner. The 20-lap feature will pay $86 to start. At the end of the night, the SportMods will also run the Shocker Chassis Six Pack Shootout. The top six eligible drivers in votes will participate in the event at the end of the night. IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars are also on the card to the event. Pit gates open at 5 p.m. The grandstand opens at 6 p.m. Hot laps are at 7:30 and racing starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adult general admission, [Read More]

Trenchard takes third straight at Yreka in Wild West Modified Shootout opener

By Ben Deatherage YREKA, Calif. (June 21) – Another Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout event at Siskiyou Golden Speedway ended with Nick Trenchard in victory lane. Trenchard raced to his third straight Shootout win at Yreka on Friday, earning $1,000 and a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth along with the opening night tour checkers. Danny Lauer set a torrid pace for much of the race, cruising right along until hitting thick lapped traffic around halfway. Trenchard began to give chase and reeled in Lauer,thus beginning his bid for the lead. Trenchard and Lauer had a seesaw struggle for the top spot before in traffic before Trenchard secured the position on lap 25. The race went green to checkered and Trenchard held on the rest of the distance unchallenged to win his third straight series race at Siskiyou. It marked his fourth career Wild West Modified Shootout feature triumph. Lauer ended the night second while Jerry Schram placed third. Matthew Drager collected an impressive fourth over fifth-finishing Jesse Williamson. All consolation features before the main [Read More]

Conn wires field at 81 for first RaceSaver Sprint series win

By David Smith Jr., OKTidbits PARK CITY, Kan. (June 21) – Tanner Conn took the lead at the start and never looked back to claim the Lucas Oil POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series presented by Mel Hambelton Ford Racing and Sprint Series of Oklahoma presented by Smiley’s Racing Products feature Friday night at 81 Speedway. Conn and Steven Shebester started on the front row for the 20-lap feature finale with Conn taking the lead as the green flag fell. Fourth starting Zach Blurton moved into the second position and pressured the young driver but could never get close enough to mount a challenge for the lead. Conn, already a two-time winner this season in IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car weekly action at Lawton Speedway, went on to claim his first-career URSS and SSO victory. Blurton settled for second while third-starting Jack Potter held on for third. Brandon Anderson took home the Keizer Wheels hard-charger award, coming from 12th starting to finish sixth. Next up for the Rebels of the Lucas Oil POWRi URSS presented by Mel Hambelton Ford Racing will be a [Read More]