Ryan Clark

The numbers add up: PASS is rocking in 2024

By Frank Buhrman PORT ROYAL, Pa. (April 3, 2024) – The River Valley Builders Pennsylvania Sprint Series isn’t usually like NASCAR, starting the season with its biggest race, but thanks to last weekend’s rainout at Path Valley Speedway and last October’s weather issues at Port Royal Speedway, that’s what’s happening in 2024. The new season gets underway Saturday, April 6 at Port Royal with the 12th annual Keystone RaceSaver Challenge, postponed from 2023 to become the ultimate season opener in 2024. The race has received a significant sponsorship boost from the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the division is sponsored at Port Royal by Penns Valley Meat Market. With nearly a week before the green flag, the pre-registration (entry) list has topped 50 and may be headed toward one of its highest totals ever. With 410 sprint car racing also on tap, plus that many IMCA/RaceSaver Sprinters fighting for a spot in the KRC starting field, this is a day of racing not to be missed. Even if this wasn’t the Keystone, though, all signs point [Read More]

Racing returns to Antioch after two straight rainouts

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (April 3, 2024) – The weather has not been kind to Antioch Speedway thus far in 2024. After two consecutive practices were rained out, the speedway has lost three of its first four races due to inclement weather. Making matters worse is the fact that it only rained a little bit on Friday night for the past couple of weeks, but that was enough to soak the pits and make racing impossible for the weekend. However, there’s good news. This Saturday, April 6 will see exciting racing on the 3/8 mile clay oval at the Contra Costa County Event Center in the form of the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods. When it comes to the MVP divisions on the Antioch Speedway roster, it’s hard to find a division with a bigger impact in recent years than the IMCA Northern SportMods. At the opener, Kenny Shrader of Pacheco showed why he is the reigning champion after winning a battle with last season’s point runner-up, Jason Ryan Jr. of Oakley. While that [Read More]

Seven more score eligibility for Fast Shafts Invitational

VINTON, Iowa (April 3, 2024) – Four feature winners at the Clash on the Coast are among the seven Friesen Performance IMCA Modified drivers new to Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. Jeff Larson and Trevor Fitz topped events at Northwest Florida Speedway while Mitchell O’Patik and Izac Mallicoat both prevailed at Southern Raceway. Jeff Taylor was a double winner at Batesville Motor Speedway’s Wimp Reed Spring Nationals. Daniel Gottschalk scored a ‘W’ at RPM Speedway’s Fall Classic and Dylan Thornton was a Nippy 50 victor at Maquoketa Speedway. Other qualifying feature winners already eligible were Ethan Braaksma, Spencer Diercks, Jordan Grabouski, Kollin Hibdon, Troy Morris III, Dakota Sproul and Tim Ward. Drivers now eligible to qualify for the Sept. 6 Fast Shafts Invitational are: Chris Abelson, Chase Allen, Curtis Allen, Ricky Alvarado, Brandon Beckendorf, Eddie Belec, Tom Berry Jr., Ethan Braaksma, Zane DeVilbiss, Spencer Diercks, Trevor Fitz, Troy Foulger and Daniel Gottschalk. William Gould, Jordan Grabouski, Travis Hagen, Toby Herring, Kollin Hibdon, Ryan Jenkins, Jeff Larson, Izac Mallicoat, Jeremy Mills, Rodney Morgan, Troy Morris [Read More]

Neal, Ware, Nichols, Brandies earn B & B eligibility

VINTON, Iowa (April 3, 2024) – Add another four names to the list of IMCA Sunoco Stock Car drivers eligible to qualify for the upcoming B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational. Gage Neal won the first two Clash on the Coast events, both at Northwest Florida Speedway, while Jeff Ware went back-to-back at Beatrice Speedway’s Spring Nationals and Mike Nichols swept Sunflower Classic shows at RPM Speedway. David Brandies, meanwhile, was the night two win at Bloomfield Speedway’s Southern Iowa Frost Out. Drivers already eligible winning recent B & B qualifying events included T.J. Herndon, Dallon Murty, John Oliver Jr. and Ryan Roath. The 36 drivers now B & B qualifying eligible include: Brock Beeter, Tom Berry Jr., David Brandies, Austin Brands, Larry Brigner, Troy Burkhart, Cole Czarneski, Zane DeVilbiss, Levi Feltman, Jordan Grabouski, Trent Grager and Thomas Hall Jr. T.J. Herndon, McCain Jennings, Jake Masters, Angel Munoz, Dallon Murty, Damon Murty, Gage Neal, Mike Nichols, John Oliver Jr., Bo Partain, Ryan Roath and Jake Sachau. And Buck Schafroth, Ken Schrader, Cody Smith, David [Read More]

Worley wheels to Small Tire Shootout sweep

DOE RUN, Mo. (March 29-30, 2024) – Brian Worley was the big wheel at Doe Run Raceway’s Small Tire Shootout. Worley swept weekend Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite features at the Missouri speed factory, earning $1,000 for his Friday night win and $2,500 for taking the Saturday checkers. He led start to finish of both 20-lappers, winning ahead of R.J. Gonzales and Jaggar Beard each night. “I don’t know that we do anything special here. We’ve won (in different classes) at every track around here. A lot of it is just the car we’ve got a 2018 Sidewinder. It’s easy to drive,” said Worley, who pilots the Mike and Tammy Hayes-owned ride. “We put gas in it and race it. We don’t change anything. I tell people we fill it up and go eat hot dogs.” Carson Hubbard was fourth on Friday and Garrett Stonum ran fourth Saturday after giving Worley a good run in their heat race. Matthew Filkins was fifth both nights. Five states were represented in feature fields each evening. Worley [Read More]

Brandies ends pretty awesome weekend with Frost Out feature win

BLOOMFIELD, Iowa (March 30, 2024) – Fast on the track, David Brandies was equally quick to point out the positives of the start to his IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season. Fourth in Friday’s Southern Iowa Frost Out lidlifter, the Wilton hotshoe led every lap of the Saturday feature for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars at Bloomfield Speedway, earning $1,250 and becoming eligible to qualify for the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational. “This was my first time ever racing at Bloomfield and Friday was just my second start in this car (a 2024 B & B). We made some changes to make it even faster Saturday,” Brandies said. “I hate drawing the pole because you’re like a sitting duck out there, but the weekend turned out pretty awesome,” he continued. “Last year we didn’t win at all until May or June, then again in July and that was it. I’m already halfway to (equaling) last year.” The Saturday checkers were Brandies’ career 74th in The Class Too Tough To Tame. Fifteenth starting Derrick Agee was second [Read More]

Too tight but Sproul makes things right with Sunflower checkers

HAYS, Kan. (March 30, 2024) – He didn’t get any points for guessing right but Dakota Sproul did get $1,000 for his Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature win on night two of RPM Speedway’s Sunflower Classic. Despite missing on his Saturday night setup, Sproul took the lead from Jace Whitt just after midway in the 20-lapper and outran Jeremy Frenier & Co. the rest of the way. “We tightened the car for the feature and it seemed like I was fighting it the whole way,” said Sproul, nonetheless able to take advantage of a bobble by Whitt on a restart for the lead. “I was struggling before I passed Jace and Jeremy was right behind me. I didn’t know if I was going to be good enough to win but fortunately no one gave me trouble after I got to the lead.” Dylan Sherfick, Eddie Belec and Clay Sellard completed the top five. Sproul was already eligible to qualify for the upcoming Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “Every time we hit the track it was different. [Read More]

Diercks, Thornton nab Nippy 50 feature wins

MAQUOKETA, Iowa (March 29-30, 2024) – Two nights of Nippy 50 racing at Maquoketa Speedway yielded season-first Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature wins for Spencer Diercks and Dylan Thornton. Both drivers were in and out of the front spot before taking the checkers in their respective main events, Diercks in Friday’s $1,500 to win show and Thornton in the $2,500 to win headliner on Saturday. Already Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible, Diercks built up a two second advantage before a lap 15 caution slowed the opening night feature. He’d swap the lead with Jacob Hobscheidt from that point before finally nailing the spot down for good with two laps left. “It was a good way to start the season,” said Diercks. “Jacob is pretty good and he gave me a run for my money. He came on strong but we were good enough to hold on.” Hobscheidt, Jeff Larson, Jeremy Mills and Jacob Snyder ended second through fifth. Thornton had qualified from his ‘B’ race, started 20th and collected hard charger honors with his eighth [Read More]

Gottschalk tops IMCA Modified main on night one of RPM’s Sunflower Classic

By Sheldon Wickwar HAYS, Kan. (March 29, 2024) – Nine years after winning his first Sunflower Classic main event, Daniel Gottschalk celebrated after winning his second. The Ellis charger got the best of Eddie Belec in the Friday night feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds at RPM Speedway, earning $1,000 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility for his efforts. “It’s hard to find victory lane here. The competition is just so tough,” said Gottschalk, a Northern SportMod winner at the Sunflower Classic in 2015 and a three-time Modified track champion at RPM since. “I rolled under Eddie, then tried high and once I got to the front it was smooth sailing.” Gottschalk and Belec had raced side-by-side early on, with Gottschalk gaining the lead seven laps in. The 20-lapper ran green to checkered with Belec, Brett Berry, Greg Gustus and Dakota Sproul completing the top five. Mike Nichols’ IMCA Sunoco Stock Car career 628th win was also his Sunflower Classic career 10th while Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod win number 97 for Blaine Walt doubled as the [Read More]

Braaksma is best in Modified main as IMCA returns to Bloomfield

BLOOMFIELD, Iowa (March 29, 2024) – Ethan Braaksma was told Bloomfield Speedway was “a cool place to race.” After winning the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature on opening night of the season-opening Southern Iowa Frost Out at the Davis County Fairgrounds venue, he couldn’t have agreed more. “Bloomfield doesn’t exactly compare to anywhere else I’ve raced before,” Braaksma said after taking Friday’s $1,250 checkers. “One of my buddies, Drew Janssen, said it was a pretty cool place to race. Plus it’s close to home, only an hour and 20 minutes or so.” Braaksma started the 20-lapper from fourth and took advantage of an early caution before going to the top of the track and outrunning Cayden Carter and Chris Zogg for his home state win of 2024. “We had another restart with about five laps to go. I didn’t see anyone after that and just concentrated on hitting my marks,” said Braaksma, already Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible after two January wins during Cocopah Speedway’s IMCA.TV Winter Nationals. “It was a lot of fun.” Bloomfield [Read More]