Ryan Clark

Big month of April on tap at Dodge City Raceway Park

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – The 2019 racing season at Dodge City Raceway Park gets underway in fashion with three big events atop 3/8-mile clay oval in southwest Kansas over the course of April. While the season gets under way this Saturday, April 6, ensuing April events include the seventh annual Modified Stampede on April 13 and then the third round of championship chase action on April 27. The high-speed month of racing action gets under way with the Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars squaring off with the United Rebel Sprint Series. The Sprint Car clash headlines the opening night of championship chase action that also includes IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Seven nights later, the IMCA Modifieds take center stage as contenders from throughout the region converge upon Dodge City for the Modified Stampede. All four other championship classes will be in action as well. Brendon Gemmill captured his second Modified Stampede triumph last year with a dramatic late-race move, joining Cole Traugott and David [Read More]

First doubleheader of season this weekend for PASS

PORT ROYAL, Pa. – The first two-race weekend of the season for the IMCA RaceSaver Pennsylvania Sprint Series should bring out the largest sprint car fields seen so far in 2019 in Central Pennsylvania. A 40-car field or even better is expected Saturday, April 6 when PASS is at Port Royal Speedway for that venue’s first night race of the season. Gates open at 4 p.m. and racing is set to start at 6 p.m. at the historic Juniata County Fairgrounds track. Zach Newlin, last year’s point champion, is among those planning to be on hand, as are several other former Port Royal winners and a good selection of 2019’s large rookie field. On Sunday, BAPS Motor Speedway in York County, now 65 years since its opening, will feature an all-open wheel racing night. More than 30 pre-entries have been received for this show, which will begin at 5 p.m. Again, the field will include multiple former BAPS winners and members of this year’s rookie class. BAPS and Port Royal are the two speedways appearing [Read More]

Karl Companies have new IMCA title sponsorship roles for Northern SportMods, engine auction

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Karl Companies complement a familiar program of IMCA awards with a first-of-its kind title sponsorship at the biggest event in all of dirt track racing. Karl Kustoms, the Des Moines high performance parts manufacturer and distributor, in a rebranding move becomes title sponsor of IMCA’s Northern SportMod division, providing a portion of the $9,500 point fund to be paid to top 10 drivers in final national standings for the class. “With the restructuring complete at the Karl Companies, Karl Kustoms will be the new brand affiliated with the IMCA Northern SportMod division,” stated IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder. “The new designation is represented not only in the name, but also through the decals drivers are now receiving in their drivers packets.” Fifty dollar Karl Kustoms gift cards will be awarded to top five finishers in national Northern SportMod, Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock and Mach-1 Sport Compact point standings. All drivers in those divisions are required to display two Karl decals to be eligible for post-season [Read More]

Season championship chase begins Friday at U.S. 36

OSBORN, Mo. – US 36 Raceway is set to open the season this Friday, April 5 with the start of the season championship chase. Four sanctioned divisions will begin championship battles. Opening night will feature the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods. U.S. 36 has used the offseason to make numerous improvements to the race track. This season U.S. 36 will use transponders to score each race, while also making live timing and scoring available to race fans and crews via the MyRacePass app. Pit gates open at 5 p.m. on Friday, with the grandstand gates opening at 6 p.m. Hot laps begin at 7:30 p.m. and racing will start at 8 p.m. Pit passes for the event are $35. General admission is $15, senior and military is $12, children 7-12 are $5 and children six years old and younger are free. Tickets can be purchased online through MyRacePass at https://market.myracepass.com/store/tickets/?store=17636. Follow US 36 Raceway on social media @US36raceway on Twitter, @us36raceway on Instagram and like us [Read More]

AutoMeter continues IMCA special events awards

SYCAMORE, Ill. – IMCA special events competitors are in the running for awards from Autometer again in 2019. The Sycamore, Ill., competition instrument and accessories manufacturer will give $50 gift certificates to a top five finishing driver at each of 80 designated specials for IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Late Models, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods. That list of designated specials includes all events in the Deery Brothers Summer Series. All AutoMeter gift certificates will be mailed from the IMCA home office within a week after official race results are received. Runners-up in national Modified, Late Model, Stock Car and Hobby Stock national standings receive mechanical 3-gauge panel sets while second-place finishers in national standings for the Sprint Car, both SportMod and Sport Compact divisions receive 2-gauge panel sets. Information about AutoMeter products and the company’s dealer network is available at the www.autometer.com website, by calling 866 248-6356 and on Facebook. Autometer had more than half a century of involvement in the drag racing market prior [Read More]

Stuart Frostbuster now canceled, Marshalltown, Boone dates still on

STUART, Iowa – Both the Wednesday, April 3 practice night and Thursday, April 4 IMCA Frostbuster at Stuart Speedway have now been canceled. Rain in the forecast, a lack of drying time and a frozen water line share the blame. Marshalltown Speedway hosts the Friday, April 5 show and Boone Speedway hosts the Saturday, April 6 finale. Ken Schrader joins IMCA Modified fields at Frostbusters Friday, April 5 at Marshalltown Speedway and Saturday, April 6 at Boone Speedway. Modifieds race for $1,000 to win in Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying events both nights. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars run for $500 to win, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods for $400 to win and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $250 to win Friday and Saturday while IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars vie for $1,000 to win at Boone. Gates open at 4 p.m., the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. and racing follows 7 p.m. hot laps at Marshalltown. Boone opens the pit gates at 2 p.m. and the grandstand at 3 p.m. Hot laps start at 4 p.m. [Read More]

Black gets IMCA Modified victory, Grabouski wins twice at RPM’s Sunflower Classic special

HAYS, Kan. (March 30) – Tanner Black atoned for a misadventure on opening night of last season’s Mike Hughes Memorial Sunflower Classic while Jordan Grabouski was a double winner at RPM Speedway’s 2019 season-opening special. Both took home $1,000 for their respective IMCA Modified victories on Saturday, after inclement weather brought an early end to Friday’s scheduled show. Black was added to the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot while defending national champion Grabouski was already on the candidate list. A late caution in the first feature worked to Black’s advantage, taking out traffic ahead of him and clearing out his preferred higher line for the last five laps. “I messed up last year. Jason Wolla got by me and I didn’t want that to happen again,” Black said following his first feature win of the season. “This year we were able to finish.” He’d taken the lead at the drop of the initial green from his outside front row starting spot and led by three seconds and more at several points, ultimately beating Grabouski to [Read More]

IMCA special events drivers, top rookies earn Dynamic Drivelines awards

DES MOINES, Iowa – Special events drivers and top rookies in six IMCA divisions take home Dynamic Drivelines awards for a fourth consecutive season. The Des Moines, Iowa, manufacturer gives steel drive shafts to national IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod rookies of the year, and carbon fiber drive shafts to both the national IMCA Late Model and the Deery Brothers Summer Series rookie of the year. Designated place finishers at 80 Modified, Late Model, Stock Car, Hobby Stock and SportMod special events all receive $50 gift certificates.”Working with IMCA to develop a program that focuses primarily on rookie drivers has resulted in some of the best relationships in our four years in business,” Mike Bennett, owner of Dynamic Drivelines, said. “We look forward to continuing to partner with IMCA for many years to come.” Gift certificates will be mailed from the IMCA home office within a week after official race results are received while rookie of the year awards will [Read More]

Opening night is Saturday at Bethany Speedway

By Rick Staley BETHANY, Mo. – Historic Bethany Speedway roars into the 2019 racing season this Saturday, April 6 with IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods. With 70 degree temperatures forecast come and enjoy the comfort of covered grandstands and yard chair box seats for the low grandstand admission price of $10. Pit gates open at 5 p.m., grandstand gates open at 6 p.m., hot laps are at 7 p.m. and racing is at 7:30 p.m. Bethany Speedway is proud to welcome back Toot Toot Family Restaurant and Lounge, HyVee Grocery, Pettijohn’s Auto Center, Advanced Tire, Judy Staley Photography, Lake Road Warehouse, Boller Motorsports and Reemers Designs as sponsors for 2019.

IMCA state champions awards are new this season from Eibach

CORONA, Calif. – Awards for state champions in six IMCA divisions are new this season, courtesy of Eibach Springs. The Corona, Calif., manufacturer will give $100 certificates to drivers winning IMCA Modified, IMCA Late Model, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod state crowns. In addition, one randomly selected state champion in each of those divisions receives a set of four springs. The 11-year IMCA sponsor had previously given awards in the same divisions, based on regional or national point standings. “Eibach Springs wanted to come up with a new and exciting program to congratulate a wide variety of racers and (Marketing Director) Kevin (Yoder) and the guys at IMCA came up with the idea of awarding state champions, and we loved it!” Sales Manager David Cardey said. “IMCA has such a vast reach across the country in numerous forms of racing that this was a no brainer. We will be awarding close to $10,000 back to the racers and teams across our great [Read More]