Sprint Car Archives

Weaver, Harris sprint to wins at Winchester

By Jim Haines WINCHESTER, Va. (July 27, 2024) – Winchester Speedway hosted a unique event in that with 40 IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars signing in, the field would be split into two groups and for the field. Heat races kicked off the night with Reed Thompson and Landon Priced headed to feature one and Kolby Weaver and Zach Rhodes headed to feature two. Onto feature one with Kasey Weaver and Ken Duke Jr. pacing the field to green with Weaver out first and Duke right behind. The 20-lap feature was going by fast and even after a couple quick yellows for spinners, Weaver stayed steady and in control even with charges from Duke, who was holding off Austin Reed. With one to go the front of the field was nose to tail but Weaver would not waver and flashed under the checkered flag first. At the line it was Weaver, Duke, Reed and Brad Mellot making up the top five. Onto the second feature with Dale Schweikart and Caleb Harris at the front as the [Read More]

Saathoff makes it two straight at Eagle

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (July 27, 2024) – Johnny Saathoff went old school and took his Friesen Performance IMCA Modified foes to class Saturday at Eagle Raceway. Saathoff led from lap two to the checkers, outrunning Clint Homan, Shawn Harker and Dustin Andersen following a caution with seven laps to go, for his second straight Eagle checkers. The win was also his career 361st in the division. “I’ve gone old school. I put in an open motor and got away from the crate engine. I’m just having a good time at Eagle Raceway with the track that Roger (Hadan) preps for all of us,” said Saathoff, who counts four crowns at Eagle among his record 26 track titles. “That cushion was nasty tonight and it got so slick in the middle that my crate engine would have been better, but we broke ours and I don’t feel like buying another one this year. I’m on my way out and trying to use up what I have.” “I know (I’m only 61) but I keep saying [Read More]

Allstar Performance renews heat race win awards for 15th IMCA sponsorship season

WATERVLIET, Mich. (July 30, 2024) – The heat race win decals adorning IMCA race cars coast to coast and border to border again come courtesy of Allstar Performance. Drivers themselves must take the next step in making themselves eligible for post-season awards from the Watervliet, Mich., high performance parts manufacturer and 15-year IMCA sponsor. Heat race winner decals were distributed to all IMCA tracks at the beginning of the 2024 race season. Drivers winning 10 or more heat races this year receive $100 gift cards. The driver, regardless of division, winning the most heat races gets a $250 gift card. “What drivers have to do to become eligible for that $100 gift card, perhaps even the $250 car, is email a photo of their car proving heat race winner decal placement to me at contingencies@imca.com,” explained IMCA Marketing Integration and Sponsorship Director Carson Becker-Gramm. “All Star Performance gift cards will be presented during the IMCA national banquet in November or mailed beginning the following week.” IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock driver Cody Williams of Minneapolis, Kan., was [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through July 25, 2024

Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 997; 2. Ethan Braaksma, Newton, Iowa, 969; 3. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, 963; 4. Troy Morris III, Bakersfield, Calif., and Chris Zogg, New Liberty, Iowa, both 951; 6. Grey Ferrando, Stayton, Ore., 946; 7. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton, Iowa, and Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, both 935; 9. Jeff Larson, Freeport, Ill., 930; 10. Charlie Mohr, Bettendorf, Iowa, 922; 11. Matt Werner, Geneseo, Ill., 908; 12. Jed Freiburger, Dubuque, Iowa, and Jake McBirnie, Boone, Iowa, both 899; 14. Myron DeYoung, Stanton, Mich., 895; 15. Jacob Mallet Jr., Oakley, Calif., 889; 16. Izac Mallicoat, Boone, Iowa, 888; 17. Trevor Fitz, Marshalltown, Iowa, 883; 18. Cole Czarneski, Denmark, Wis., 868; 19. Spencer Diercks, Davenport, Iowa, 858; 20. Jeffrey Reay, Portland, Mich., 836. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Cory Dumpert, Newman Grove, Neb., 775; 2. Evan Miller, Silvis, Ill., 755; 3. Andy Nezworski, Blue Grass, Iowa, 746; 4. Travis Denning, Sterling, Ill., 730; 5. Jesse Bodin, Silvis, Ill., 720; 6. Mitch Morris, Long Grove, Iowa, 699; 7. Gary Webb, Blue [Read More]

Sweigart sprints to second Keystone RaceSaver title

By Frank Buhrman and Stephanie Dodson PORT ROYAL, Pa. (July 20, 2024) – Nick Sweigart wired the field at Port Royal Speedway Saturday to become only the second driver ever to win the River Valley Builders Pennsylvania Sprint Series’ biggest race, the Keystone RaceSaver Challenge, twice. The veteran driver, who returned to PASS last season after a couple of seasons running 410 sprints, collected his 11th career victory with his latest win. Seven of those have come at Port Royal. Sweigart joins Jeff Miller as the only drivers to win the Keystone RaceSaver Challenge twice in its 13 runnings. His seventh Port Royal win overall moved him into third place in overall PASS wins at the track, trailing only Miller and Garrett Bard, each with 12. In victory lane, the winner revealed that he plans to retire at the end of this season, making the win all the more meaningful. Owen Dimm, who joined Sweigart on the front row for the race start, finished second. Dimm was able to cut into Sweigart’s lead several times in [Read More]

Near flawless night, great track make for quick race program at Arlington

ARLINGTON, Minn. (July 20, 2024) – A quick race program played out due to an almost flawless night and great track conditions Saturday at Arlington Raceway. The only mishap all night occurred in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature when a collision happened in turn one between the cars of Jeremy Ziemke and Taylor Manderfield, ending both their race nights. Ziemke had been the early leader and after a restart, Cory Probst got by him to take over the lead and win again. Brad Becker moved up with Probst to take second ahead of Chad Volk. The Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature saw Dale Gatton take the lead on lap two and remain in front in the green to checkered flag race. Gary Schumacher took second ahead of Alan Lahr The IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature saw two different leaders with Bill Johnson leading the first five laps before mechanical issues forced him to and stop on the track. That gave the lead to the number 1300 of Brett Allen, who had been running in second. [Read More]

Rhodes repeats as PASS ‘Power’ winner

By Frank Buhrman SPRING RUN, Pa. (July 19, 2024) – Thanks to a couple of rainouts, it took the River Valley Builders Pennsylvania Sprint Series until midseason to make its first appearance at its oldest stop, the quarter-mile Path Valley Speedway bullring, but Zach Rhodes and his fellow IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car competitors made sure the large crowd remembered why PASS keeps coming back. The McVeytown driver fought his way past Mike Alleman to take the lead with five laps remaining in the 25-lap feature and won the PASS portion of the special Dr. Crouse’s Night of Power program for the second consecutive year. The margin of victory was three-quarters of a second. Doug Dodson, who charged from 10th starting, also got past Alleman on the next-to-last lap and finished second, while Alleman, who was oh-so-close to his first feature victory since taking his only career checkered flag at this track 23 years ago, came home third. Jeff Weaver came home fourth and Jerald Harris was fifth. Kenny Heffner claimed the W.C. Eshenaur & Son [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through July 18, 2024

Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 996; 2. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, 954; 3. Troy Morris III, Bakersfield, Calif., 944; 4. Chris Zogg, New Liberty, Iowa, 943; 5. Grey Ferrando, Stayton, Ore., 938; 6. Ethan Braaksma, Newton, Iowa, 934; 7. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 919; 8. Charlie Mohr, Bettendorf, Iowa, 918; 9. Jeff Larson, Freeport, Ill., 913; 10. Matt Werner, Geneseo, Ill., 899; 11. Jacob Mallet Jr., Oakley, Calif., 878; 12. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton, Iowa, 868; 13. Izac Mallicoat, Boone, Iowa, 865; 14. Trevor Fitz, Marshalltown, Iowa, 859; 15. Myron DeYoung, Stanton, Mich., 856; 16. Spencer Diercks, Davenport, Iowa, 851; 17. Jake McBirnie, Boone, Iowa, 848; 18. Cole Czarneski, Denmark, Wis., 833; 19. Jed Freiburger, Dubuque, Iowa, 823; 20. Tyson Blood, Tumwater, Wash., 778. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Cory Dumpert, Newman Grove, Neb., 766; 2. Evan Miller, Silvis, Ill., 748; 3. Andy Nezworski, Blue Grass, Iowa, 743; 4. Travis Denning, Sterling, Ill., 709; 5. Jesse Bodin, Silvis, Ill., 704; 6. Kale Kosiski, Omaha, Neb., 657; 7. Gary Webb, Blue Grass, [Read More]

Dan Grams Memorial checkers fly for Serbus

ARLINGTON, Minn. (July 13, 2024) – Extra money was on the line before and in the Rice Companies-sponsored IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature on Dan Grams Memorial Night Saturday at Arlington Raceway. Andrew Allen and Chris Graf each won heat races and earned $100 from GRP Motorsports. Then Allen won the foot race on the front stretch with the top 10 drivers to determine who would draw first, picking up $50 from Johnson Motorsports and a 55-gallon barrel of methanol from Rick and Jessica Linde and Joel and Katie Eckberg. In the feature, Brandon Allen was the early leader as he led the first seven laps until Trevor Serbus came up in turn four, saw an opening on the top and then made an awesome move, sliding under Allen to take the lead. They stayed in that 1-2 order through back-to-back cautions, when Brett Allen took the high groove and got around Brandon Allen to gain the second spot. Brett Allen wasn’t able to catch Serbus, who took the win and $1,400, plus the $130 hard charger [Read More]

Vanderheiden sprints to first Eagle win

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (July 13, 2024) – Young fans got a chance to add some heft to their piggy banks with the $1,500 money grab on the front stretch sponsored by One Shot Auto Repair but the big winner Saturday night at Eagle Raceway was Cole Vanderheiden. Vanderheiden won for the first time in his career at America’s Home Track, snagging the lead on a mid-race restart and denying Trevor Grossenbacher’s mad slide job attempt in the final turn for the $1,300 IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car checkers. “It’s been a long time coming. Over the past three years we’ve been second, had thirds and fourths all year. It just feels amazing to finally get a win here at Eagle,” Vanderheiden said. “That’s the longest lap (the last one) I’ve ever experienced in my three years of racing. Going down the back stretch I couldn’t see him (Grossenbacher). I hopped his wheel going into three, but luckily my car didn’t break and I didn’t pop a tire,” he continued. “I kept going into four and [Read More]