Divisions Archives

Close Racing Supply backs touring IMCA Modifieds in NY, PA

ELDRED, Pa. (May 31, 2023) – The not infrequent chats Close Racing Supply owner Joel Smith had with customer Jake Maynard frequently covered the topics of IMCA and Modifieds in general and IMCA Modifieds in particular. Those conversations ultimately led Close to taking on the title sponsor role for the then-new NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series three years ago. The Eldred, Pa., suspension component manufacturer and high performance parts retailer provides a portion of the point fund and helps Maynard, now the tour director, keep connected with other NY-Penn sponsors. “We have serviced the dirt track industry for more than 25 years and have always been in Modifieds. We’ve had some very good IMCA drivers come out of this area over the years,” Smith said. “We do a lot of traveling and get to Iowa for Super Nationals every year.” “I like everything about IMCA, especially the rules,” he continued. “Everything is done right.” Doing everything right was Maynard’s goal when he took over at the helm of the tour, and as director of the Eastern [Read More]

Oliver races into IMCA Stock Car 100 win club

WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (May 26, 2023) – John Oliver Jr. listened to the list of names of drivers in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car 100 career win fraternity and was impressed. And honored, to become the 30th member of that exclusive club. “That’s a pretty good group. It feels pretty good to get 100 wins for how many good Stock Cars are out there,” Oliver said, following his own history-making checkered flag run Friday night at Lee County Speedway. “And I’m glad to get it because now it’s one thing off my mind and I can go out and race my race.” From West Burlington, Iowa, Oliver ran an outlaw hobby stock before friend Jason Cook asked if he’d be interested in driving a Stock Car. That was in 2006 and the answer was a resounding yes. Oliver totaled a dozen feature wins and won the first of what is now 14 career track championships that season. “Stock Car racing is probably the most fun I’ve ever had racing,” he said. “It’s so close. Everybody is [Read More]

Much traveled Scarborough is RaceSaver winner at Natural Bridge

By Jim Haines NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. (May 27, 2023) – Being an IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car driver from Vermont, John Scarborough has traveled a lot. He says Natural Bridge Speedway in Virginia has become one of his favorite tracks and he showed why Saturday night by sweeping the night, topping his heat race and then the Virginia Sprint Series main event. Scarborough and Aaron Leach pacing the field at the start with Scarborough hugging the bottom and staying out front as fourth starting Jerald Harris quickly made his way to second. The top two stay glued to each other as they left the rest to trade spots all through the race. With the 20 laps going quickly, traffic was in Scarborough’s favorite line as Harris made a final push with two to go, getting inside the leader, but he could not make the pass and Scarborough flashed under the waving checkered flag first. It was Jerald Harris, Daren Bolac, Caleb Harris and Leach completing the top five behind him. Scarborough became the fourth different winner [Read More]

Lamberies rules Shawano IMCA Modified main

By Joe Orsini SHAWANO, Wis. (May 27, 2023) – Former track champion Lucas Lamberies reigned in Saturday’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature at Shawano Speedway. The main event saw ageless wonder Jerry Muenster start on the pole. When the green dropped, though, outside polesitter Nicholas Holtger launched into the early lead while Jeremie Hedrick put his familiar C19 machine into the runner-up spot. That lead duo set the pace for the first nine laps until caution flew, restacking the field. The ensuing restart had Holtger lead Hedrick, Jordan Bartz, Lamberies and Marcus Yarie back to racing speeds. Lamberies and Bartz wasted no time and worked to the front, where they traded the top spot back and forth with each driver having to run low or high in the door-to-door scrap. Lamberies eventually locked up sole possession of the lead and held on when the double checkers flew. Bartz settled for a hard-fought second, Yarie claimed third and Konner Wilinski charged from ninth on the starting grid to round out the top four. Travis Van Straten proved to still [Read More]

Ward sweeps IMCA Modified anniversary weekend at Benton County Speedway

VINTON, Iowa (May 29, 2023) – Tim Ward had a great Sunday. His Monday was even better. After scoring a convincing victory in the Prelude to the 44th Anniversary Race for IMCA Modifieds Sunday night, the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified driver made a repeat visit to victory lane and earned a $4,400 payday winning Monday’s anniversary special at Benton County Speedway. From an outside front row start, Ward traded the top spot with polesitter Jake McBirnie throughout the early stages of the Beaty Excavating 44-lapper. Once settled into the lead, Ward ran the top side and built a two second advantage over McBirnie and Dakota Sproul. Ward maintained his lead until he drifted off the top of turn two just past the midway point. While his margin out front was gone, he returned to the speedway in time to stay within striking distance of McBirnie. The two again traded slide jobs until Ward was able to wrestle the lead away for the duration a short time later on his way to victory. Tom Berry Jr., who [Read More]

Morgan collects top dollars at KC Cole Memorial

By Michael Benjamin SUSQUEHANNA, Pa. (May 28, 2023) – The day’s racing at Penn Can Speedway set up to be a great one and proved to be just that for Rodney Morgan. The Mainesburg speedster got the best of his Close Racing Supply NY-Penn IMCA Modified Series presented by M.R. Grafix foes in the inaugural KC Cole Memorial event, earning $1,024 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility for his efforts. Veteran Shawn Bruce jumped out to the early lead, followed by Rich Michael Jr. and Eddie Sites, already a two-time series winner this season. Bruce held the lead for 17 laps until bringing out the caution in the second set of turns. Bruce’s misfortune gave the lead to Sites, with Morgan to his outside on the restart. Morgan then slipped back to third as Brad Sites moved up. Eddie Sites continued to lead as the rest of the top four battled behind him. Coming to two laps to go, Morgan found himself in second. Eddie Sites took the white flag and going into turn [Read More]

Duhme dominates IMCA Modifieds at Maquoketa

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (May 27, 2023) – The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature belonged to Ryan Duhme Saturday night at Maquoketa Speedway. Duhme took over the top spot from Brandon Jewell and went on to record the 20-lap feature win. Jason Schueller followed Jewell across the finish line in third. Jerry Miles drove to the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature win, taking over the top spot following an incident on the 10th lap that saw the two front runners sail off of turn two and forced to restart from the rear. Miles took over the race lead and took the checkers ahead of Justin Kay and Jacob Ellithorpe. The Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods continue to provide thrilling racing at the Maquoketa Speedway. Saturday night’s main event was another thriller that saw the lead change hands several times on the last two laps as the leaders raced through lapped traffic. Race leader Jacob Arp got pinned behind a lapped car and Jarrett Franzen found a hole and shot into the lead and led [Read More]

Serbus sprints to series win at Arlington

ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 27, 2023) – The Toppers and Trailers Plus Minnesota IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car Series kicked off and once again Trevor Serbus wheeled his car around the car to win Saturday at Arlington Raceway. Mike Stien tried to stick with the leader but wasn’t able to gain on him. Brandon Allen was running a strong third but Matt Johnson was able to get under him and take his spot, then Brett Allen and Brandon Allen were exchanging positions for the following laps with Brett coming out in fourth and Brandon in fifth. Brett Allen also won the RockStar Hard Charger of the Night award and an extra $100 from Schultz Custom Woodcrafters. Once again Cory Probst worked his magic and captured a clean sweep in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Jonathan Schroeder had a good lead but spun out in when he went too high in turn two and that gave Probst the moment he was waiting for as he had driven up from his 10th place start to challenge. By lap six another caution was [Read More]

Reimers rules Boone, May takes Corn Belt Clash win

By Joyce Eisele BOONE, Iowa (May 27, 2023) – It was a beautiful night Saturday for racing at Boone Speedway to kick off the Memorial Weekend. There were 148 cars checked in to provide the crowd with a full night of entertaining racing action. The Stealth Racing STARS Mod Lites ran a 25-lap feature event for their second night of a three-race Corn Belt Classic series. Ben George was the early leader of the main event but had big-time company in the likes of Josh May, Bryce Vowan and Jon Padilla. Bad luck bit George when a lapped car caused him to fall back on lap 10, with May taking over the top spot. May never looked back after getting the lead and would take it the rest of the way home to the win. Second place went to Jon Padilla. Third place was Bryce Vowan. Josh May was the Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite winner on night two of the Corn Belt Clash, at Boone Speedway. (Photo by Bruce Badgley, Motorsports Photography) The Friesen Performance IMCA Northern [Read More]

Baca gets 100th, 101st IMCA Modified wins in sweep at Show Low

MESA, Ariz. (May 26-27, 2023) – Chaz Baca had to think for a moment before recalling the results of his first racing visits to Show Low. His latest proved much more memorable. Baca won for the 100th time in his Friesen Performance IMCA Modified career during the opening night show Friday at Deuce of Clubs Thunder Raceway, then completed his Weekend of Remembrance sweep with win number 101 on Saturday. “It was definitely a good weekend, for sure,” Baca said, following wins 13 and 14 on the season and during the three-hour trip home to Mesa. “It’s always fun to be able to go to your home tracks and win, and it’s always satisfying to be able to go to a new track, or someplace you haven’t been to in a while, and do it.” “I think I’d been to Show Low like twice in a mod lite in 2012,” he continued. “It was special to go back for the re-opening with tons of fans there, and it was awesome to race from 12th to get my 100th win. [Read More]