Ryan Clark

Second round of voting adds three more first-time All-Stars

BOONE, Iowa – Cayden Carter, Joel Rust and Kody Scholpp will make career-first Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational starts on Sept. 7 during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway. All three advanced from the second round of IMCA Modified All-Star voting, which concluded Thursday afternoon. Thirteen drivers in all were elected, in polling conducted through the IMCA Facebook page. Jay Noteboom will take the green for a record-extending 11th time while Tim Ward and Chris Abelson each make their eighth starts. Kyle Strickler is in for the sixth time. Four-time All-Stars are Kelly Shryock and Jason Wolla. Ethan Dotson and Kyle Brown both make their third All-Star starts while Clint Luellen and Cody Laney are both in for the second time in their respective careers. Noteboom was the All-Star Invitational winner in 2005 and 2008 and was the runner-up last year. Abelson won in 2011 while Strickler topped the 2014 event. Strickler got the call to notify him he’d been elected to start the 2018 race on his birthday. Scholpp became [Read More]

Arnold Motor Supply Dirt Knights Tour finale Aug. 6 at Clay County Fair Speedway

SPENCER, Iowa – The finale for the 2018 Arnold Motor Supply Dirt Knights Tour is Monday, Aug. 6, when IMCA Modifieds headline the Clay County Fair Speedway show. A top check of $2,000, along with a berth on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot are at stake as the series travels to Spencer, hometown of tour title sponsor Arnold Motor Supply. Arnold Motor Supply provides a portion of the $10,000 point fund and also awards a Traeger Lil’ Tex Elite Pellet Grill to the champion of the ninth annual tour. Hunter Marriott has the current point lead and two previous Clay County tour victories to his credit. The Brookfield, Mo., driver won at Spencer in 2016 and again last year. Drivers’ six best finishes over the course of the seven-date series will be used to determine point standings because of events held out of state and drivers in contention for the tour championship are aware of that scoring. One hundred and seventy drivers from 14 states have competed in one or more of the first [Read More]

Ruter races back to Kossuth County victory lane

ALGONA, Iowa (Aug. 2) – Just a week after winning the Veterans’ Night event at Kossuth County Speedway, Ryan Ruter was standing in victory lane at Algona with another big check and a very tall trophy. Ruter led all 20 laps of Thursday’s Hovinga Memorial main event for IMCA Modifieds, outrunning Jeremy Mills and Tad Reutzel for the $1,000 payday. The feature was slowed by just a single caution and Ruter pulled ahead following the yellow just after midway. Clayton Christensen and Ethan Dotson rounded out the top five in the fair night show. Ruter was already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot for 2019. Tenth starting Chad Palmer was the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car winner, ahead of Kevin Opheim and David Wickman. Hard-chargers led the way across the stripe in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod headliner as eighth starting Matt Looft was the winner and 15th starting Doug Cook the runner-up. Third was George Nordman. Josh Sidles collected the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock checkers in front of Brandon Nielsen and Jamie Weishaar. Winner [Read More]

Late charge by Larson leads to Sibley County Shootout checkers

ARLINGTON, Minn. (Aug. 1) – Jeff Larson took the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car checkers and was joined by Luke Sathoff and Matt Speckman as the big winners money-wise at Wednesday’s Sibley County Shootout. Larson made his move to the front with four laps left in the Arlington Raceway show, passing Sathoff and leading to the $1,500 checkers. Sathoff took second and his position was drawn for an extra $500 bonus from Sunoco NAPA of Arlington. Speckman also received a $500.00 bonus for his 10th place finish. Damon Murty, David Moriarty and Dean Cornelius rounded out the top five. Hard charger Shaun Bruns was sixth. Derek Green chased Sathoff early before falling out with mechanical problems. The only caution was on lap nine for a spun car and Larson, Murty and Moriarty were all on the move following the restart. The top four cars were all in the mix and racing side-by-side before Larson took charge. Cory Probst prevailed in the caution-free IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock headliner and Matt Looft led the way to the Karl [Read More]

Yarie, Barkholtz go wire to wire at Shawano

By Scott Owen SHAWANO, Wis. (July 31) – Marcus Yarie and Jordan Barkholtz led all twenty laps of their respective features IMCA features during the midweek show at Shawano Speedway. It was the third feature win of the season for each driver. Yarie is a two-time track champion and the current point leader in the IMCA Modified division, and any time he puts his art skills to good use and draws a front row feature starting position one can bet that it’s going to be a long night for his competition. Yarie led every lap of the feature as Wyatt Block, Lance Arneson and Jerry Wilinski battled hard behind him for position. In the end it was Yarie cruising to victory followed by Block, Arneson, Jerry Wilinski and Konnor Wilinski. Barkholtz started outside the front row of the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature by virtue of the draw. As Barkholtz led, Lucas Lamberies and Kyle Raddant battled for second. That battle allowed Barkholtz to speed away from the pack. As laps ticked off, it was all Barkholtz in [Read More]

Braaten collects Willamette, Cottage Grove checkers

By Ben Deatherage CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – It was a fantastic weekend of racing for Jorddon Braaten last Friday and Saturday night as the Central Point, Ore., chauffeur took home the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod winner’s checks on both nights at two different venues. The weekend kicked off July 27 at Willamette Speedway. The night started off by Braaten being third quick and finishing second in the heat. In the main event, Braaten seized the lead after a lap five restart. From there on he simply dominate the field for his fifth win of 2018 at Willamette. “This car is working well and that really make job way easier,” commented Braaten. “The last half of the race I was having fuel pressure problems for some reason but other than that the car handled good and felt really good.” The team traveled south on Saturday to Cottage Grove Speedway on Saturday, where Braaten set quick time in time trials and was the runner-up in his heat race. He patiently worked his way to the front after starting toward the [Read More]

James is double winner during weekend at Willamette

By Ben Deatherage ALBANY, Ore. – 2018 has been an ultra-successful campaign for Bricen James. The Albany, Ore., teenager has nabbed four wins at Cottage Grove Speedway and twice has visited victory lane at Willamette Speedway. James was hoping to add more to that count by participating in two evenings of racing at Willamette Speedway on Friday and Saturday, July 27-28. Friday saw James win his heat race and finish on top in the trophy dash. In the feature, he battled toward the front for most of the race. He spent the majority of the time in second place trying to track down the leader. James caught the pace setter and the two battled in some heavy traffic. He got to the front with a daring pass on lap 28 and held on for the final two circuits for the victory. “I really didn’t think we had a chance there,” said James. “Justin (Cady, the leader) was gone and if it hadn’t been for lapped traffic he definitely wouldn’t have won.” The next night, James competed at the Rick [Read More]

Booher bests Bethany foes for first win

By Rick Staley BETHANY, Mo. (July 28) – Hometown hero Mitch Booher took the lead at the drop of the green and paced every lap on his way to his first-ever Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature win Saturday at Bethany Speedway. Matt Lent challenged Booher every lap but placed a very close second with Steve Stammer third. Colton Nelson edged younger brother and heat winner for fourth. Josh Truman topped the IMCA Modifieds and Anthony Witham topped the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main event.

Grabouski sweeps IMCA Modified, Stock Car features at Gage County Fair

BEATRICE, Neb. (July 29) – A pair of blue ribbon runs put Jordan Grabouski in victory lane twice Sunday night, during the Gage County Fair special at Beatrice Speedway. Grabouski got the best of Kyle Vanover in a back-and-forth IMCA Sunoco Stock Car headliner, than checked out for the $1,000 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying IMCA Modified win. Grabouski drew the pole for the Stock Car main but it was Vanover who was fastest much of the distance. The two swapped the front spot several times before Grabouski got the lead for good in the late going. Vanover ended in second with Jed Williams third. The national point leader led every circuit in the 20-lap Modified feature, pulling ahead after each restart. Jordy Nelson and Jaxon Saathoff completed the top three. Brandon Spanjer was fourth while Randy Foote made his way from 13th starting to fifth. Brady Bencken raced from 11th starting to win the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature ahead of Kevin Vanlaningham and Jesse Vanlaningham. Lance Borgman outran Rick Rohr and 10th [Read More]

Green takes I-37 Modified checkers

By J.M. Hallas PLEASANTON, Texas (July 28) – Rick Green took home the top money in Saturday’s IMCA Modified feature at I-37 Speedway, but it wasn’t easy after midway. Green had jumped out to an early lead from the eighth starting spot and put some distance on Jeremy Davenport, Cody Tidwell, Jake Rollins and Greg Dinsmore. Dinsmore advanced to second but was half a straightaway back until caution flew on lap 13. The restart saw Dinsmore and Tidwell on Green’s bumper, but as the two fought for second Green inched ahead. Dinsmore’s run to the front ended with brake problems, leaving Tidwell to take up the charge on a restart. Green got a couple car lengths on Tidwell and Carroll with Flanagan and Cody Leonard side-by-side for fourth. Tidwell gave Green a look on the final lap, but Green held him off for his first I-37 victory in several years.