Ryan Clark

Iron man DeFrance is golden at Quad City Deery

EAST MOLINE, Ill. (May 14) – The iron man of the Deery Brothers Summer Series came up golden Sunday night at Quad City Speedway. Darrel DeFrance, competing in his record-extending 473rd IMCA Late Model tour event, ran the lower line and led the 40-lapper from start to finish, holding off Jesse Sobbing as the race wound down to win by half a car length. “I could hear him out there. I knew the bottom was going away a little and figured the higher line was coming in,” DeFrance said. “The car worked right for us tonight. We made a few adjustments and it worked just right.” Early challenger Jeremiah Hurst was third. Rob Toland and Ray Guss Jr. completed the top five. The win, good for $2,000, was the 14th of DeFrance’s distinguished tour career and second at East Moline, where he’d taken the checkers on July 25 of 1993. “We’ve had success at East Moline before, but it’s been a while,” DeFrance said. “Those last few laps were nerve-wracking so there was a lot of relief [Read More]

Elliott races from the back to win Boone Modified feature

BOONE, Iowa (May 13) – Eric Elliott raced all the way from the back of the Saturday night field to win the IMCA Modified main event at Boone Speedway. Most recently a winner at Iowa’s Action Track in June of 2015 – and Friday night at Marshalltown Speedway – Elliott restarted at the back following a caution early in the 20-lapper, fought his way back through pack and gained the lead with a couple of laps remaining before taking the checkers by a comfortable margin. Josh Truman started 12th and had a great run to finish as runner-up. Third went to Josh Gilman, who came from 16th starting, fourth was 11th place starter and defending track champion Mike Van Genderen, and Al Wolfgram completed the top five. Michael Houseman was the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car winner and Trent Murphy topped the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Three-time track champion Eric Stanton was first to the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock checkers. The Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods put on another flag-to-flag race. The 18-lap main event was won by [Read More]

Devin Snellenberger lands Luxemburg win

By Edward Anschutz LUXEMBURG, Wis. (May 12) – Devin Snellenberger survived a four-lap dash to the checkers to capture the win in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature Friday at Luxemburg Speedway. Barry Van Straten until Derek Moede came charging to the top spot. Moede’s run up front didn’t last long as Snellenberger worked the high groove, taking the lead on lap six. A caution with four laps remaining set up a dash to the checkers. Van Straten and Moede put the pressure on the race leader but it wasn’t enough as Snellenberger collected the win. Moede was second and Billy LeMieux made a late race charge to third. Up front early in the IMCA Modified main was not the place to be as Tyler Hackett led at the drop of the green but headed pitside on lap two with mechanical woes. Todd Dart inherited but suffered the same fate, heading pit side and handing the lead over to James Tebon. Jeremy Jacobs found the high side to his liking, pulling even with Tebon for the [Read More]

Woodruff too tough for IMCA Modified foes at 34

By Brian Neal WEST Burlington, Iowa (May 13) – After getting the lead back on the sixth circuit, Blake Woodruff stayed in front the rest of the way and won the Victory Lane Suspensions IMCA Modified feature at 34 Raceway. The Saturday checkers were Woodruff’s first of the season at West Burlington. Woodruff drew the pole and surrendered the lead to Dennis LaVeine following an early restart. He returned the favor three laps later and went on to get the victory ahead of LaVeine and Bill Roberts Jr. Tenth starting John Oliver Jr. topped the Pepsi IMCA Stock Car feature field for the second time this season and Austen Becerra won a second straight Casebine Credit Union IMCA Northern SportMod feature.

Barkholtz wins second straight at Shawano

By Scott Owen SHAWANO, Wis. (May 13) – Jordan Barkholtz made it back-to-back weeks in victory lane with a win in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature Saturday at Shawano Speedway. After starting outside row one, Bryce Clements grabbed the lead at the start. Just after halfway, Kevin Bethke wrestled the lead from Clements. Barkholtz soon began to apply pressure and took the lead himself on lap 15. Over the final five laps, Barkholtz was able to hold on for the win as Kyle Raddant worked past Bethke for second. Matt Oreskovich had struggled mightily through the first two weeks of the season but got things turned around in week three in the IMCA Modified feature. Oreskovich led every lap of the feature en route to victory lane. Sean Thayer led the opening lap of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature before giving way to Justin Jacobsen. Dan Michonski moved to second on lap three and continued to stalk Jacobsen until he was finally able to get to the outside and take the lead six laps later. Jacobsen [Read More]

Wonch can’t be caught at Crystal

CRYSTAL, Mich. (May 13) – Austin Wonch was the Lane Automotive IMCA Modified winner Saturday at Crystal Motor Speedway during the annual Janet Zeigler Memorial Yes 2 Kids Night event, held in honor of the long-time track employee. Brenten DeYoung lead the opening laps with Wonch and Mitchell Hunt following. Rusty Zeigler brought the event to a halt as he went off the turn one berm. When racing resumed, Wonch pulled along side and then in front of DeYoung to take the lead with Hunt moving to second. The two stayed in those positions for most of the race. Coming out of turn four for the checkers, Hunt mounted one last challenge but Wonch but went on to the win.

IMCA Modified win at Outlaw goes to Karlnoski

By Paul Szmal DUNDEE, N.Y. (May 12) – Jake Karlnoski motored to the Friday IMCA Modified feature win at Outlaw Speedway. Glenn Whritenour charged into the lead in the 20-lap contest as Phil Yaw moved to the second spot, but the field was bunched back up following a lap 2 two caution. Yaw jumped into the top spot on the restart as Karlnoski snuck past Whritenour and into second on lap six. Karlnoski and Yaw spent the next several laps battling for the top spot with Karlnoski finally locking down the lead on lap 11. Karlnoski was able to motor away and take the win as Whritenour got by Yaw for second in the closing laps. Shawn Bruce and Brandon Smith rounded out the top five.

Keller collects IMCA Modified win at Dacotah

MANDAN, N.D. (May 12) – Jeremy Keller made what proved to be the winning pass with four laps to go in Friday’s IMCA Modified feature at Dacotah Speedway. Brent Schlafmann grabbed the early lead and started to pull away quickly but a caution on lap six regrouped the field. On the restart, Schlafmann over drove turn two, allowing Spencer Wilson and Keller to slip by. Wilson and Keller battled for the lead as Schlafmann had his hands full with Mark Dahl and Travis Olheiser. Keller was all over Wilson’s bumper and a slight bobble off turn two allowed Keller to pull alongside of Wilson down the backstretch. They raced side-by-side with six laps to go as Olheiser tried to hold off Dahl and Schlafmann for third. The high side prevailed for Keller as he completed the pass on Wilson with four laps to go. Keller went on to win the feature over Wilson. Dahl made a late pass to finish third. Jason Berg charged to the front on lap two and cruised to a second [Read More]

Waterman leads to Lee County Speedway checkers

By Brian Neal DONNELLSON, Iowa (May 12) – Jeff Waterman scored his second Budweiser IMCA Modified feature win of the young season Friday at Lee County Speedway. Larry McConnell and Mitch Boles led the field to the drop of the green flag in the 20-lap feature but it was fourth starting Dennis LaVeine who jumped out front over McConnell and Dakota Simmons. While LaVeine set the pace out front, Waterman, who started seventh, worked his way into second. On lap six, Waterman, slipped under LaVeine coming off turn four to take over the top spot. Waterman set such a torrid pace there was no way of catching him with out a caution. And that caution never happened as the race went caution-free. LaVeine ended in second and Blake Woodruff was third. A fast start took Jason Cook to victory lane in the Donnellson Tire & Service IMCA Stock Car main event. Tenth starting John Oliver Jr. was the runner-up. Austen Becerra and Tony Dunker went at it the final 12 circuits before the Shottenkirk Parts Express [Read More]

Fast trip to Iowa helps put Ward in victory lane at Michigan’s I-96

LAKE ODESSA, Mich. (May 12) – A fast trip to Iowa earlier in the week helped put A.J. Ward in victory lane Friday back in his home state of Michigan. After a wreck left his car totaled, the defending Dirt Works Eastern Region champion went on line to find a new IMCA Modified ride. Adam Larson’s 2015 BMS caught his eye, the deal went down Tuesday and Ward picked the up the car on Wednesday. After a long day and a half in the shop, Ward was off to I-96 Speedway, where he got the best of Gary VanderMark in a back-and-forth battle for the $1,500 checkers Friday night. “We had half an hour to scale the car. We loaded up at 7 p.m. and missed hot laps, but we won the heat by a straightaway. That was our hot laps,” he said. “We made a couple adjustments, then drove the heck out of the car and ended up in victory lane.” Ward started the 20-lapper from fourth and was in the lead by lap [Read More]