Ryan Clark

Big Dance at Boone is ultimate goal for Yeager

GREEN RIVER, Wy. – Making the Saturday show at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s? That’d be great, says Braxton Yeager. Your dad and brother making the Big Dance, too? Even better. The Yeager clan from Green River, Wy., will be fully-represented at the 41st annual Super Nationals, with 22-year-old Braxton joined by younger brother Bryson and father Justen at Boone Speedway. “I’ve raced at Super Nationals once before (in 2019) and it was pretty awesome,” said Braxton, in the midst of a Midwest racing swing with Bryson along as crew chief. “The number of cars, all the people and the track itself … it was all bigger than anything I’d ever been part of.” Now in his eighth Modified season, Yeager has won track titles at home track Sweetwater Speedway two of the last three years. He began the 2023 season in Arizona and U-turned in the spring for King of the Highbanks shows at Marshalltown Speedway. He won all four of his June starts, sweeping weekend doubleheaders at Millard County Raceway [Read More]

Lincoln, Bedford this Saturday and Sunday for PASS

By Frank Buhrman ABBOTTSTOWN, Pa. (Aug. 11, 2023) – Two tracks with long but very different histories of River Valley Builders Pennsylvania Sprint Series competition make their only 2023 appearances on the schedule this weekend. Lincoln Speedway will be the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car teams’ destination Saturday night, and on Sunday night the action moves west to Bedford Fairgrounds Speedway, for a co-sanctioned event with the Laurel Highlands Sprint Series. Both tracks hosted their first PASS race 20 years ago. Lincoln will run exactly 20 years and five weeks after its first appearance, and Bedford will host the sprinters two days shy of exactly 20 years since the first show. It needs to be noted, however, that Lincoln hosted the Virginia Sprint Series, the oldest of all RaceSaver regional groups, before its first PASS race. In the years since, Lincoln has been a regular on the PASS schedule, typically with either one or two races. Overall, this will be the 30th PASS race at the Pidgeon Hills track, and the victories have been well spread [Read More]

Shute is victorious at Stuart’s Davis Memorial

By Josh Reynolds STUART, Iowa (Aug. 9, 2023) – Wednesday saw the return of the Bill Davis Sr Memorial to the Karl Chevrolet of Stuart International Speedway. IMCA winners for the night were Taylor Kuehl, Jake Sachau, Todd Shute, Kolby Sabin and Skylar Pruitt. Colton Livezey and Gage Hilgenberg brought the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods to the track with Livezey leading the first 10 laps. Kuehl marched through the field and stormed to the top spot on lap 11, driving away from the field to take her second consecutive win at the speedway. Livezey finished second with Hilgenberg third, Bill Wears fourth and Mike Dullard fifth. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars were next as Sachau set the pace until a lap six yellow flew. Buck Schafroth and Austin Bouzek held the next two spots through a few cautions but it was Sachau keeping just enough distance throughout the whole race to lead every lap and take the win. Schafroth finished second with Bouzek third, Shay Woods fourth and Todd VanEaton fifth. The season championship for [Read More]

Fast, furious finish sees Flippo first in IMCA Night of 10,000 Stars feature

BRITT, Iowa (Aug. 9, 2023) – The first Friesen Performance IMCA Modified win in Iowa this season for Jerry Flippo came in late June at Hancock County Speedway. The California transplant’s biggest win in the Hawkeye State came Wednesday night, in the same location. Flippo got the best of Tripp Gaylord in a late battle of fast and furious lead changes on his way to the $5,000 checkers at Hancock County’s Corteva Agriscience Night of 10,000 Stars show, in the second installment of IMCA.TV Speedweek. Gaylord had caught Cody Thompson shortly after the mandatory pit stop halfway through the 50-lapper at Britt. Flippo made his way forward from 11th starting and restarted second following the latter of two lap 44 cautions. “I’m glad we had that restart,” said Flippo, just as glad to come out of the back-and-forth battled that ensued before he gained some separation from Gaylord over the last three circuits. “I got my first win in Iowa this season here and was just trying to race tonight the same as a weekly show, staying [Read More]

Keeler looks to build IMCA resume with start in Saturday’s Big Dance at Super Nationals

FARMINGTON, N.M (Aug. 9, 2023) – She’s proven herself at tracks closer to home for close to a quarter century. Next, Julie Keeler looks to do the same on the biggest stage in IMCA and in all of dirt track racing. The veteran from Farmington, N.M., brings her Friesen Performance to Boone for the first time in September, looking to race her way into Saturday’s Big Dance at the 41st annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. “Definitely, a spot in the main event is what I’m racing for,” said Keeler. “With the caliber of competition in the Northern SportMods, making the main event would be a victory for me.” “It would be number one on my list of everything I’ve done in racing,” she continued. ”Then I’d have to back it up next year to prove it wasn’t a fluke.” A former Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMod state champion in both New Mexico and Colorado, Keeler was runner-up in national standings for that division in 2014. She’s looking to repeat as track [Read More]

Friesen Performance adding to super support of IMCA Super Nationals with $63,000 in new awards

SUTTON, Neb. (Aug. 9, 2023) – Give Al Walters credit for a super idea leading up to the Sept. 4-9 IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The sales manager at Friesen Performance has come up with the single richest slate of awards for competitors at the 41st annual Super Nationals, as the Sutton, Neb., race shop gives a staggering total of $63,000 in product certificates to drivers in divisions with the crate engine option. The 24 Northern SportMod and 24 Hobby Stock drivers advancing to their respective Saturday night main events from qualifying features, plus six ‘wild card’ recipients chosen at random each receive $500 certificates, good toward the purchase of a 602 crate engine from Friesen’s. And the 24 Modified drivers advancing to their Big Dance from qualifying features, six drivers in the Late Model main and another six ‘wild card’ drivers each get $1,000 certificates, which can be applied when purchasing a 604 crate. “We’ve been doing something like this with individual IMCA tracks and promoters on a much smaller scale,” explained [Read More]

“Huge” IMCA Harris Clash win will be unforgettable for Ward

SPRING VALLEY, Minn. (Aug. 8, 2023) – Tim Ward wasn’t even sure if he made the main event field the first couple times he tried to qualify for the Harris Clash. For sure, he won’t forget how he finished at the 32nd annual special for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. Ward led the last five times around the track in winning Tuesday’s main event at Deer Creek Speedway, on the first night of IMCA.TV Speedweek. “This win was huge. It’s so tough to win here,” Ward said after the $5,000 checkers flew for his 19th victory of the season. “It’s something we’ve always looked forward to being able to do.” The Clash brought nearly 130 entries to Spring Valley for IMCA’s longest-running one day event. Pole starter Cody Laney led the first two of 30 Modified laps before giving way to Brandon Beckendorf. What proved to be the only caution of the contest came on lap five. Austen Becerra and Jacob Hobscheidt chased Beckendorf past midway, with the ninth starting Ward making his way to third on lap [Read More]

Racing for Autism, Bald Tire Bash August 13 at Benton County Speedway

VINTON, Iowa (Aug. 8, 2023) – Although the rain won last weekend, racing will resume Sunday, August 13 at Benton County Speedway with the rescheduled Racing for Autism / Bald Tire Bash August. Racing for Autism, presented by Every Piece Matters, is the theme for the August 13 show and a $2,000 winner’s share will be up for grabs in the second annual Bald Tire Bash for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars presented by Christie Door Company. The Stock Car special, which is draw/redraw and pays $200 to start the 50-lap A main, will require a tread depth of no more than 5/32” on all four tires. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds presented by Beaty Excavating also boast an increased winner’s share Sunday night. That draw/redraw event pays $1,000 to win. Both Stock Cars and Modifieds will award IMCA National, Regional and State points only. Track points will not be awarded. There are no entry fees for either division. The Stock Car winner will be eligible to attempt to qualify for the B&B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational [Read More]

Next IMCA Sunoco bonuses awarded at Davenport, Maquoketa

DAVENPORT, Iowa (Aug. 9, 2023) – Two more Sunoco Race Fuels bonuses are at stake this weekend, with IMCA Late Model drivers racing for extra money on Aug. 11 at Davenport Speedway and on Aug. 12 at Maquoketa Speedway. Drivers can receive the bonus from their division title sponsor one time in a season so the $250 would be given to the top finishing non-winning driver either night, if the winner has already earned the bonus at another track. Friday’s show at Davenport also features Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds running for $1,000 to win their Ronnie Weedon Memorial main event, with IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods completing the sanctioned portion of the program. Pit gates open at 4 p.m., the grandstand opens at 5:30 p.m. and racing follows 6:30 p.m. hot laps. Pit passes are $30 for adults and $15 for kids. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, $5 for kids ages 5-12 and free for four and under. Saturday’s season championship night program for the Late Models at Maquoketa [Read More]

Shawano pays Saturday night tribute to Weisnicht

By Brandon Reichenberger SHAWANO, Wis. (Aug. 5, 2023) – Mother Nature provided a beautiful night for racing at the legendary half mile Shawano Speedway on Saturday. Opening ceremonies kicked off the action honoring long-time track worker and former racer Scott Weisnicht with “One Final Lap” as he carried the checkered flag in is no. 53 Camaro. Scott was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year and to honor him and his contributions, Spectator Eliminators returned to compete in “One Lap for Weisnicht.” Travis Welch and Trent Nolan led the field to the green flag for the 20-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Nolan quickly took the lead with Shawn Wagner following Nolan through to second. Jeremy Christians made the pass on Welch to maintain third place. Behind them a fantastic three-car battle between Dylan Stedjee, Dan Michonski and Travis Van Straten was taking place. Lap after lap, they raced three-wide at both ends of the speedway, trading spots back and forth and putting on a show. A mid-race caution stacked the field up and set up [Read More]