Ryan Clark

Pettit prevails in Ocean IMCA Modified tilt

By Steven Blakesley Blakesley Sports Media WATSONVILLE, Calif. (Aug. 16, 2024) – Jim Pettit II moved closer to a third consecutive track championship in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified division Friday, during the Terry Traub Tribute program at Ocean Speedway. Austin Burke drove third to first on the opening salvo with Pettit going fourth to second as well. The first caution of the evening flew when Jacob Mallet, Jr. got sideways in turn three and was hit hard by Raymond Keldsen Jr. on lap four. Pettit stormed around Burke on the outside on the restart to lead lap five. Bobby Hogge drove into second as well. Hogge showed his nose in lapped traffic and drove up to Pettit’s bumper on a few occasions, but Pettit held court. Pettit took a one car length win ahead of Hogge, Andy Obertello, Cody Burke and Mallet. Matthew Hagio earned his second win of the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod season when he grabbed Friday’s 20-lap event. Outside polesitter Brian Baggett took the first lap lead. Fourth starting Rob [Read More]

Stanford scores first win as CJ Speedway runs season championships

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (Aug. 16, 2024) – CJ Speedway hosted Season Championships on Friday night, sponsored by long-time track supporters Rusty and Angie Zook of Midwest Frame & Axle. A great crowd turned out on a beautiful August evening to take in the final racing action of the 2024 season. It is always special to witness a driver score his first-ever win and that happened in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock class. Billy Stanford shot to the front from a third row start and went on to record the feature win over a fast-closing Luke Phillips. First-time visitor to the CJ Speedway Jimmy Doescher made the long tow down from Hollandale, Wis., and ran up front in the main before settling for third ahead of Shane Richardson. In victory lane, Stanford thanked all of the Richardson family for their help in making the win a reality. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event win went to Troy Cordes. The 71C of Cordes worked to the front from a sixth row start taking [Read More]

First for Oregon as Braaten wins IMCA 100th

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. (Aug. 16, 2024) – It was an accomplishment that Jorddon Braaten would have preferred to have celebrated sooner, but the timing was perfect, anyway. Braaten became the first Oregon driver in any IMCA division to reach the 100 career win mark, topping the Friesen Performance Northern SportMod feature during the Dwayne Melvin Clash program at Southern Oregon Speedway Friday night. “I don’t think I could have picked a better night for this, other than Super Nationals,” he said after the $3,069 checkers flew. “It’s a bit of relief. After being at 99 I was wondering when I was going to get the 100th. There’s been a bit of a monkey on my back the last few months.” Win number 100 came from eighth starting with Braaten lined up against the heavy hitters from the Pacific Northwest in a 40-lapper at White City that ended green, white, checkered. “It was cool. Kind of everything went through my mind at the same time because I knew it was all together,” he said. “It was [Read More]

James caps Southern Oregon special with $5,500 IMCA Modified checkers

WHITE CITY, Ore. (Aug. 16, 2024) – It didn’t matter where Bricen James ran Friday night, he was fast. The Albany ace became a double winner at Southern Oregon Speedway’s Dwayne Melvin Clash/Bruce Rayburn Classic show, taking the $2,000 Silver Bullet I-5 Late Model Series victory and then beating Nick Trenchard to the stripe by six hundredths of a second for the $5,500 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified top prize. The Modified 40-lapper ran caution-free and the frontrunners ran in traffic more than half that distance. Also the Rayburn winner in 2022, James matched his career-best payday with his 10th victory in the division this season. “This was one of the best race tracks we’ve been on all year. It was fast on the bottom and it was fast on the top and slick all the way between,” said James, who worked his way to the front from eighth starting. “It seemed like the race went really quick.” He picked off a couple cars right at the start, then ran with Grey Ferrando for much of [Read More]

Six track champions crowned at Marshalltown Speedway

By Joyce Eisele MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (Aug. 16, 2024) – It was the N 3rd Avenue Dairy Queen Larry Wollam Season Championship night Friday at Marshalltown Speedway and six track champions were crowned. Out-of-car introductions were made for all features. The point leader in each division drew for the way the feature would be lined up …4, 6, 8 or the complete field inverted. First to the track were the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods. The draw was for the field to be inverted. Six extra laps were added making it a 22-lap main event and putting point leader Brayton Carter to start at the rear. When the race went green, it was outside front row starter Ryan Leeman taking the lead. A yellow flew on lap three when Will Wolf lost a wheel and by this time Carter had already made his way up to third place. When the race picked back up, Carter wasted no time in moving forward again and had the lead when lap five went in the books. It was all Carter’s race from there [Read More]

Meyer, Smith, Hanselman all find first 2024 victories at Hancock County

By Chad Meyer BRITT, Iowa (Aug. 16, 2024) – Races Friday night were sponsored by John Furst Construction and the Hancock County Snowmobile Association and featured a gold rush on the front straight that featured over $500 in coins for the kids. Nick Meyer’s season at the Hancock County Speedway didn’t start until after mid-season, and he captured his first Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature of the year on Friday. Over the last five laps he pulled away from second place finisher Kelly Shryock. Jeremy Mills pressured the top three early but had to settle for third over Cody Knecht. Shryock won the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main but had to hold off a quick Colby Fett to do it. Fett found the bottom to be faster, however Shryock moved his line down just in time to prevent Fett from getting past. Behind Fett was a fast Kevin Ophiem in third while Justin Ades finished fourth. In the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods, Doug Smith capitalized on his return to Britt and led every lap. [Read More]

Contingency awards top $60,000 for upcoming IMCA Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa (Aug. 16, 2024) – Drivers competing at the upcoming IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s will be in the running for the most exclusive titles in all of dirt track racing, as well as approximately $60,000 worth of contingency awards given by IMCA and event sponsors. In all, 81 sponsors will give product, product certificate or outright cash awards to Modified, Stock Car, Hobby Stock, Northern SportMod, Late Model Mod Lite and Sport Compact drivers at the upcoming Super Nationals. “A lot of drivers are coming to Boone for the Aug. 31-Sept. 1 Prelude and Sept. 2-7 Super Nationals and a lot of them will be receiving continencies,” noted IMCA Marketing Integration and Sponsorship Director Carson Becker-Gramm. “It’s important for drivers to note that some product and product certificate awards such as those from AERO will be distributed at Boone Speedway, and will be redeemable on Manufacturers’ Row that week.” Product awards will be given by Abilene Race Rads, AERO Race Wheels, AFCO, Autometer, B & B Racing Chassis, Bassett, Champ [Read More]

IMCA.TV brings budget boosting Inflation Buster coverage to Prelude, Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa (Aug. 16, 2024) – One of, if not the greatest bargains in all of motorsports? Look no further than IMCA.TV’s The Inflation Buster-priced coverage of the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Sept. 2-7 at Boone Speedway. For just $169.99, the same price as last year, viewers will enjoy 100-plus hours of the best dirt track racing action on the planet, along with driver interviews and features, both nights of the Aug. 31-Sept. 1 Double Down Prelude and the entire week of the 42nd annual Super Nationals. Cost is $154.99, a $15 discount, for IMCA.TV viewers who already have a replay subscription. The reasoning behind The Inflation Buster theme is to help alleviate the stress of inflation seen nationwide and in particular that dirt track racing’s demographic and the IMCA fan base in particular endures. As such, daily prices for IMCA.TV viewers remain the same as last year as well: $34.99 daily or $29.99 daily with a replay subscription Aug. 31 through Sept. 6, or $49.99 daily or $44.99 daily with a replay subscription for Championship Saturday. [Read More]

Double Down Prelude leads into IMCA Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa (Aug. 16, 2024) – As the name of the event would suggest, double features are on the schedule for any division with more than 100 cars competing each night of the Wild Rose Casino Double Down Prelude Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at Boone Speedway. Both Friesen Performance IMCA Modified features will pay $1,500 to win and both IMCA Sunoco Stock Car features $1,000 to win on Saturday; if not already eligible, winners can qualify for their respective All-Star Invitationals later in the week. $250 to win features for Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts will also be held on Saturday, $750 to win features for Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and $400 to win features for IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks on Sunday if their entry numbers top 100. “A record 664 cars in those five divisions competed, making last year’s Prelude the second biggest dirt track event of 2024,” noted IMCA President Brett Root. “It also gives drivers the invaluable opportunity to race at Boone right before the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled [Read More]

Fast Shafts All-Star eligible list adds seven more drivers

VINTON, Iowa (Aug. 16, 2024) – Another seven Friesen Performance IMCA Modified drivers will be eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Steven Pfeifer was a Coal County Classic winner at McLean County while Nick Trenchard won at Cottage Grove Speedway’s Mark Howard Memorial. South Texas IMCA Modified Series checkers flew for Ryan Doyon at I-37 Speedway. Trevor Geist was first across the stripe in the opening night Rooks County Free Fair show. Jeff Schmuhl reigned at Angell Park Speedway’s King of the Park, Brian Mullen was best in the “Blue” race at 141 Speedway and Mitchell Hunt won big at Tri-City Speedway. Winners of qualifying events previously eligible to qualify were Austen Becerra, Eddie Belec, Brett Berry, Tom Berry Jr., Myron DeYoung, Grey Ferrando, Troy Foulger, Jordan Grabouski, Travis Hagen, Eric Mass, Dylan Thornton, Tim Ward and Jeff Westergard. Drivers eligible to qualify for the upcoming Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational are: Chris Abelson, Chase Allen, Curtis Allen, Tyler Allen, Ricky Alvarado, Chad Andersen, Steve Askew, Chaz Baca, Eric Barnes, Jordan Bartz and [Read More]