Hobby Stock

Legends, A.I.R.S. join IMCA Weekly Racing program this Sunday at Benton County

VINTON, Iowa (Apr. 24, 2024) – Following an exciting opener this past weekend, the IMCA Weekly Racing season will continue this Sunday, April 28 at Benton County Speedway. The five weekly classes will be joined by INEX Legends and American Iron Racing Series (A.I.R.S.) in their first appearances of the season at The Bullring. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds presented by Wright Way Trailers, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars presented by Christie Door Company, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks presented by iHeart Radio and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts will all be in action for their second night of weekly points racing. Kids’ power wheels races will also be held during intermission. Pit gate and grandstand open at 2:30 p.m. April 28, with hot laps slated for 4:30 and racing at 5. Adult grandstand admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and veterans, and $5 for ages 6-12. Kids five and under will be admitted free if accompanying as paid adult. Pit passes are $30. All events at The Bullring in 2024 will [Read More]

Hobby Stock

Maquoketa Speedway falls to weather, season opener postponed to April 27

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (April 23, 2024) – The IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season opener at Maquoketa Speedway scheduled for Saturday, April 20 fell victim to wet grounds and cold temperatures. The 2024 season will now be set to get underway on Saturday, April 27. The racing program will include sanctioned races in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Late Model, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod divisions, along with INEX Legends and the 4-cylinder compact class. Hot laps take to the quarter-mile Maquoketa Speedway, located on the Jackson County Fairgrounds at 6 p.m. with hot laps and racing will follow this Saturday.

Modified

Shawano Speedway welcomes Ken Schrader for Hall of Fame Night

SHAWANO, Wis. (April 23, 2024) – Shawano Speedway powered by Auto Select proudly announces a thrilling highlight for motorsports enthusiasts as Ken Schrader is set to make a special appearance during Hall of Fame night on Saturday, June 8. Schrader, a familiar figure in the racing world, will not only attend the event but will also take to the track in his Federated Auto Parts IMCA Mod, promising fans an unforgettable experience. Schrader’s career spans decades, marked by numerous victories and a passionate fan base. His participation in Shawano Speedway’s Hall of Fame night adds an extra layer of excitement to an already anticipated event. Spectators can look forward to witnessing Schrader’s skill and expertise firsthand as he navigates the track in pursuit of victory. Sanctioned divisions joining Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds on the program that evening will be the  IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods. This special event is made possible through the generous support of Automotive Supply, whose sponsorship underscores their commitment to promoting and celebrating the thrill of motorsports [Read More]

Hobby Stock

Fantastic finishes highlight season opener at Benton County Speedway

VINTON, Iowa (April 21, 2024) – If Sunday night’s IMCA Weekly Racing season opener was an indication of things to come, it’s going to be an exciting year at Benton County Speedway. Multiple events were decided by late-race passes as fans were provided with 109 race teams in action on the fast, multi-groove quarter mile in an efficient show that took just over three hours to complete. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars presented by Christie Door Company led the list of exciting finishes at The Bullring as 18 entries competed in the first night of action. Gage Neal, Dustin Griffiths and John Oliver Jr. shared time out front throughout the 20-lapper before Kaden Reynolds made a last corner pass to work the low side by Oliver to score the opening night win. Kyle Olson raced from a fifth row start to finish third ahead of Jay Schmidt. Reynolds, who started eighth and raced to his career 10th Stock Car win on the Vinton oval Sunday night, was also the winner on championship night last season. The [Read More]

Feature

Chadwick, Diaz, Bannister are best in opener for Central California Clash

By Candice Martin  ANTIOCH, Calif. (April 20, 2024) – Kellen Chadwick scored the victory in the 25-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified race Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was the opening race of the six-race Central California Clash. The win paid Chadwick $1,000 and made him eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Chadwick had the outside front row for the start and bolted into the lead at the green flag, followed by Bobby Hogge IV and Troy Foulger. Foulger slipped past Hogge for second on a lap three restart with Andrew Pearce settling into third. After a lap nine caution, the race had a good run of green flag racing with Chadwick pulling away from Foulger. A yellow flag with three laps to go bunched the field but Chadwick bolted ahead and brought it home to a satisfying win. Foulger settled for second ahead of Pearce, Hogge and Cody Burke. Rick Diaz won the 20-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main event. He led all the way and held off a furious challenge [Read More]

Feature

Saturday Ice Breaker Challenge checkers fly for Braaksma

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (April 20, 2024) – On a track that’s definitely different than what he’s used to running on, Ethan Braaksma raced to the same results Saturday night. Braaksma won his sixth Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature, and fifth Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying race of the season, collecting $2,000 on night two of the Ice Breaker Challenge. “It was a pretty good run. I just took my time and hit my marks. I was kind of searching there at the beginning but once I found the bottom I hit it really good,” said Braaksma, the leader from lap 11 to the finish. “I could see where the others were messing up in front of me and that’s how I got to the lead. I just had to be sure to get the left side down in the moisture so I could get off of the corner.” Ricky Stephan and then Shawn Harker held down the front spot early on. Braaksma caught Chad Andersen for second on lap seven and grabbed the [Read More]

Modified

Grays Harbor checkers are IMCA Modified first for Scherer

ELMA, Wash. (April 20, 2024) – While he’d race to track rookie of the year honors, the 2023 season was admittedly a learning one for Grays Harbor Raceway regular Riley Scherer. The Tenino hotshoe put those lessons to use on Saturday, racing to his Friesen Performance IMCA Modified career-first feature win in the 2024 opener at Elma. “It still hasn’t sunk in yet. I don’t exactly know how to describe it,” Scherer said of the main event shortened by cautions and impending weather. “It’s kind of like racing from Motel 6 to the Hilton.” Wheeling a new-to-him 2018 GRT car themed Hammerin’ Down in Pound Town and Doin’ It for Bobby,’ in memory of childhood friend Bobby Orr who passed away last November, Scherer started fifth and ran third most of the way. He’d worked his way to the front just before the race ended. Two-time defending track champion Tyson Blood started 13th and finished second.

Hobby Stock

Pestotnik, Gifford among IMCA winners at Boone

By Joyce Eisele BOONE, Iowa (April 20, 2024) – Boone Speedway held its second weekly racing series on Saturday night, and despite the chilling temperatures, 140 drivers checked in for racing action. Jake McBirnie saw his first checkers of the 2024 season in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. It was Doug Smith going to victory lane in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Cory Pestotnik got the monkey off his back and took the win in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods. Veteran Wayne Gifford was the winner in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Ben George took the win in the Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites. Mod Lites kicked off feature racing with their 15 lap “A” main. When the race went green, pole sitter George immediately jumped to the lead while Chelsea Ladurini got a good start and tagged in to run second. Unfortunately, her run was cut short very quickly when she took a tumble in corner two and her night ended just after lap one went into the books. When the race restarted, George [Read More]

Modified

Opportunistic LaCrosse tops IMCA Modified feature at 141

By Greg Aregoni FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (April 20, 2024) – On a cold night with hot racing, Benji LaCrosse used some misfortune of the leader to take home the checkered flag at 141 Speedway.  Rob Charapata put himself up front right off the bat in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature while LaCrosse and Brandon Schmitt made their respective ways toward the front from mid-pack starting spots, with Schmitt getting to the leader first. Schmitt made quick work of Charapata and set sail with LaCrosse making his way to second.  Schmitt seemed to be destined for the checkered flag even after he entered lapped traffic but made contact with another car and bent up his front suspension. He was able to maintain the lead until LaCrosse came storming past.  A caution before the final flag set up a dash to the finish. Cole Czarneski used the final restart to his advantage and stay with LaCrosse for the lead. The two would put on a great battle over the final two laps with LaCrosse edging Czarneski.  Johnny Whitman ran out [Read More]

Feature

Ice Breaker Challenge checkers are first for Andersen

By Greg Soukup             EAGLE, Neb. (April 19, 2024) – Eagle Raceway got the first night of its Ice Breaker Challenge in for the first time since 2019 and Chad Andersen won for the first time at the special that starts the season at America’s Home Track on Friday night. The defending track champion scored the $1,000 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified victory in the final event of the evening, outrunning Jordan Grabouski, Ryan Jenkins and Drew Janssen. “We’ve come to the Ice Breaker Challenge ever since I started racing a Modified and we’ve been close, but we‘d get a third or a second and never seemed to have enough to lead the final lap,” said Andersen, newly eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “We came up with a game plan after the heat race because we felt really good. I just wasn’t quite as comfortable as I wanted to be in the heat so we made a couple of changes for the feature and it felt like the car came to life.” “Hopefully, that means [Read More]