Ryan Clark

Melair steers to Selinsgrove PASS win

By Frank Buhrman SELINSGROVE, Pa. (Aug. 26, 2023) – Whether fighting for the early lead, flying on a clear track, or cutting through traffic, Mike Melair had the edge Saturday night, taking home the victory in an exciting, non-stop River Valley Builders Pennsylvania Sprint Series 20-lap feature at Selinsgrove Speedway. The Warrington driver took the no. 36 IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car across the finish line .466 seconds ahead of Nick Sweigart to score his first win since June of 2021 at Hagerstown. He appeared to win a race later that year at Lincoln, but in his excitement forgot to go straight to the scales after the race and was disqualified. This year he was leading at the white flag at Path Valley Speedway but came home second, and he had another runner-up finish at Port Royal Speedway. Unfortunately, he also had an unwelcome amount of bad luck and bad pill draws for starting position. Saturday, the feature start re-draw was kind, giving Melair the pole position after a runner-up finish in his heat. From there [Read More]

Focus turns to track prep for Sept. 7-9 Southern SportMod Super Nationals

KENNEDALE, Texas (Aug. 29, 2023) – Sponsorships and contingency awards have been finalized. Early registration is winding down, and new Hall of Famers have practiced their thank you’s. The focus, then, on the IMCA Southern SportMod Super Nationals powered by Smiley’s Racing Products is getting Kennedale Speedway Park in the best shape it can be in for the second annual spectacular Sept. 7-9. Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods race for $5,000 to win and a minimum of $500 to start their Saturday night main event, a 30-lapper with a purse that totals more than $20,000. While keeping up with weekly racing and with all that money on the line, promoter James Lopez and his crew have turned their focus 24/7 to getting the quarter-mile dirt oval as close to perfect as possible. “The biggest thing we have been doing for the last six weeks or so now is track preparation,” stated Lopez. “We are lucky to have one of the most knowledgeable and winningest racers to ever put on a helmet, with over 50 years [Read More]

Rust wraps up track title in victory lane at Benton County Speedway

VINTON, Iowa (Aug 27, 2023) – Season and track champions were crowned Sunday night in the final night of IMCA Weekly Racing for the 2023 season at Benton County Speedway. And Joel Rust earned a double celebration at The Bullring. Rust, who entered the night with a 15 point lead in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds presented by Beaty Excavating, simply needed to take the green flag in the main event to lock up the title. He did that and more by earning his fourth win in weekly racing on the fast, smooth, quarter-mile. Chase Weimer held the early lead while Troy Cordes worked the top side into the lead from a third row start a few laps into the 20-lapper. From row four, Rust raced through traffic and challenged the low side of Cordes just past midway. He then pulled away to lock up the title with the season championship victory. Cordes, Brennen Chipp and Patrick Flannagan completed the top four. Leah Wroten needed a top-three finish to secure her first track title in [Read More]

30 vendors on Manufacturers’ Row at Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa (Aug. 28, 2023) – Whether you’re looking for parts or maybe hoping to sneak a peek at what will make you faster next season, Manufacturers’ Row will be the place to be during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Thirty vendors have confirmed plans to be on Manufacturers’ Row throughout the week Sept. 4-9 at Boone Speedway. They’ll have a variety of high performance products for sale, and display some of the new products for use in IMCA competition in 2024. Sponsors on Manufacturers’ Row will include: Aero Race Wheels, AFCO, AllStar Performance, B & B Racing Chassis, Bassett, Bob Harris Enterprises, BSB Manufacturing, Dynamic Drivelines, Fast Shafts and Finishline Racing Products. GRT Race Cars, Integra, Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Service, Karl Kustoms, Kevko, Landrum Springs, PEM, Penske Shocks, Performance Bodies and Razor Chassis. And Schaeffer’s Specialized Lubricants, Stealth Racing, Sybesma Graphics, Swift Springs, Tire Demon, Union Pacific, Velocita, VIP Medical, Wehrs Machine and Racing Products, and Zamp Racing. Manufacturers’ Row will be located in the northeast corner of the Boone Speedway grounds [Read More]

VIP Medical returns to Super Nationals, awards cash to winners of Modified, Stock Car qualifying features

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Aug. 28, 2023) – An event sponsor bringing a unique service back to Boone will reward double the number of drivers this September. Dr. Robert Baker and VIP Medical give $100 to each Modified driver winning qualifying features and $75 to each Stock Car driver winning a qualifier during the 41st annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The Los Angeles medical services provider, primary sponsor for Friesen Performance IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car driver Jerry Flippo, will again be located outside turn two, delivering intravenous vitamins and minerals directly to the bloodstream of drivers and fans alike and providing non-emergency medical care when needed. “We wouldn’t miss this for the world,” said Dr. Baker. “I tell people that once you go to Boone and watch the most exciting racing in the world, you don’t want to go home.” He’ll get to Boone even earlier this year, setting up in time for opening night of the Double Down Prelude on Saturday, Sept. 2. With another huge car count [Read More]

Tennessee star taking shot at Super Nationals Mod Lite title

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 28, 2023) – Ronnie Choate has already won one Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite Nationals event this season. Winning a second one would be Super. The Cookeville driver is among the half dozen Boone Bound Tennessee entries for the upcoming IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s and will be looking to improve seven positions on his eighth place finish in 2022. “Last year was the first we’d ever seen the track. We might know a little more about it this year. The dirt there changes so much and so quick and that was different for us for sure,” said Choate, much more accustomed to racing on red clay closer to home. “I think we’re going to Boone with as good a shot as anybody.” “We’ve got to make it into the feature first. Then we’ll try to win it.” He’d started the main from 20th last year. Eleven states were represented in that event during the Mod Lites’ second appearance during the Sunday Prelude at Boone Speedway. “We’d seen posts [Read More]

Entries on record pace, more money for IMCA Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa (Aug. 28, 2023) – More of the pieces that make up the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s are falling into place. And just in time, with the 41st annual event coming up Sept. 4-9 at Boone Speedway. “It’s a challenge, sometimes frustrating but always satisfying, to keep up with everything that has to be finalized before Super Nationals starts,” admitted IMCA President Brett Root. “There’s always some tinkering that can be done to make the best event in dirt track racing even better.” Updated numbers see 970 cars, representing 29 states and three Canadian provinces, pre-entered. Two features are scheduled for divisions with 100 or more entries in the Wild Rose Casino Double Down Prelude Sept. 2-3 at Iowa’s Action Track. “There has been lap money, start money and hard charger awards added. The list of stuff, from sponsor money to contingencies, can be hard to keep track of,” Root said. “Carson (Becker-Gramm, IMCA marketing integration and sponsorship director) has done a very good job getting new awards for a lot of drivers [Read More]

Mulligan draw adds money to purses for Double Down Prelude

BOONE, Iowa (Aug. 28, 2023) – As if two features for every division with 100 or more entries wasn’t exciting enough, a mulligan draw will add to purses paid for Modified, Stock Car, Northern SportMod, Hobby Stock and Sport Compact features at the Sept. 2-3 Wild Rose Casino Double Down Prelude at Boone Speedway. There is no entry fee for those divisions. If they wish, drivers in any of those five divisions can pay $20 before drawing their first pill; if they’re not satisfied with that number they can draw a second time and must keep that pill. Money generated by the mulligan draw will be added to that division’s purse for the night. 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; Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod features Sunday pay $750 to win. Two $250 to win features for Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts will be held on Saturday, two $400 to win features for IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks on Sunday if their [Read More]

Group time trial format continues for Modified, Stock Car All-Star races

BOONE, Iowa (Aug. 28, 2023) – Two rounds of group time trials will fill starting fields for both Stock Car and Modified All-Star Invitationals at the 41st annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Qualifying for the B & B Chassis All-Star Invitational for Stock Cars will be Wednesday, Sept. 6 at Boone Speedway. Five drivers from the Northern Region and five drivers from the Southern Region will advance from the first round of time trials. Winners of sanctioned events paying $5,000 or more are guaranteed starting spots so the number of at-large qualifiers from round two will be determined that evening. Qualifying for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational for Modifieds is Thursday, Sept. 7. Two drivers from each of the five Modified regions advance from round one with another 18 drivers earning at-large berths in round two. Completing the Modified field will be the top All-Star eligible drivers in national point standings and in 40 point feature wins competing at Super Nationals. The B & B Racing Chassis Invitational returns to the Thursday [Read More]

Entries top 100 for IMCA RaceSaver Nationals at Eagle

EAGLE, Neb. (Aug. 28, 2023) – The biggest Sprint Car event in the world plays out this weekend at Eagle Raceway and promoter Roger Hadan plans lots of new stuff and making old stuff even better. In return, he has a simple request for the 100-plus drivers competing in the 11th annual RaceSaver Nationals at the eastern Nebraska speedplant. “Make it easy on our tech guys,” he asks. “Show up with no fuel in your car.” Reason why, RaceSaver and distributor Leiting Motorsports are giving each driver 40 gallons of VP Race Fuel after they pass pre-race tech on Wednesday. “We’ve got 111 drivers pre-registered now, from 14 states, and I sure haven’t heard any complaints about the fuel deal,” said Hadan. “With these kind of entry numbers, RaceSaver is donating roughly $40,000 in fuel.” An open practice and race of champions heats are on the Thursday, Aug. 31 card at Eagle. Qualifying features Friday, Sept. 1 and Saturday, Sept. 2 pay $700 to win and $250 to start. Also on tap Saturday is the $1,000 [Read More]