Stock Car Archives

Berkeley leads the lap that matters most at Willamette

By Ben Deatherage LEBANON, Ore. (Sept. 14, 2024) – In racing, it’s not about how many laps you lead but that you are ahead of the field when the checkered flag flies. That was the case for Colville, Wash.’s Chase Berkeley, as he got around his brother-in-law with two laps left to cover in the 45-lap contest at Willamette Speedway’s $2,500 to win IMCA Sunoco Stock Car special. It marked the sixth occasion this season he’s won in the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region and his third win at Willamette in 2024, the latest victory making him eligible to qualify for next September’s B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational. B.J. Wild, showing his determination, won the three-car race for the lead on the opening lap at the one-third mile clay oval after coming from the second row. Wild tried his best to escape the clutches of Sid Schott, but Schott, equally determined, kept him in his crosshairs. Schott’s efforts ended on lap 16 when he was involved in a caution. Berkeley and Zack [Read More]

2024 IMCA point season ends Sunday, Sept. 29

VINTON, Iowa (Sept. 17, 2024) – Final points races of the 2024 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season are Sunday, Sept. 29. Modified, Late Model, RaceSaver Sprint Car, Stock Car, Hobby Stock, Northern SportMod, Southern SportMod, STARS Mod Lite and Sport Compact drivers have their last opportunity that day to compete for points applicable toward track, state, regional and national standings. Track championship bonus points will be figured and national and regional champions and rookies of the year, as well as the Junior National Champion and Lady Eagle winner, announced as soon as possible after all race reports are received. Track and series officials have until noon Central Standard Time on Monday, Oct. 14 to notify IMCA of corrections that affect their top 15 point standings before 2024 standings become official. Questions about IMCA point totals and standings should be directed to Virginia Lindsey, director of membership and points, at vlindsey@imca.com or by calling 319 472-2201, ext. 215.

Antioch Hall Of Fame Night checkers fly for Machado, Ryan

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (Sept. 14, 2024) – Mitch Machado and Jason Ryan Jr. turned in hall of fame caliber performances Saturday in Hall of Fame Night at Antioch Speedway. Machado won the 20-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main event. This was the first win in this division for the highly decorated Petaluma Speedway super stock champion. He had to hold off the efforts of Jason Jennings to get the win. From the outset, Machado led the way ahead of Jennings and Jason Robles. Nick Caughman Jr. settled into third on the second lap. As Machado and Jennings pulled away, Caughman, Robles and Kenny Shrader had a spirited duel for third. Shrader headed pit side on lap 13, and Caughman retired from third on the 17th circuit. Jennings made a last-turn effort to get underneath Machado, but Machado beat him to the checkered flag for the victory. Robles ended up third ahead of Scott Foster and Caughman. Ryan won the 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature. The race ran without a yellow flag [Read More]

Car photos needed for Aero, Allstar awards

VINTON, Iowa (Sept. 17, 2024) – IMCA drivers will be big winners even after the point season ends, courtesy of Aero Race Wheels and Allstar Performance. Aero, of Estherville, Iowa, awards a complete set of wheels to the driver with the most feature wins during the 2024 point season. Allstar, of Watervliet, Mich., gives a $100 gift card to every driver winning 10 or more heat races and a $250 gift card to the driver winning the most heats. What’s required as part of both programs is for drivers to email pictures of their race car proving display of the heat and/or feature win decals they received after making checkered flag runs at weekly and special events through Sept. 29. Those pictures can be sent to IMCA Marketing Integration and Sponsorship Director Carson Becker-Gramm at contingencies@imca.com. Deadline for doing so is 4:30 p.m. CST Friday, Nov. 1. Gift cards will be presented during the IMCA national awards banquet in Lincoln, Neb., on Nov. 30, or mailed beginning the following week. “These are great programs with the potential [Read More]

Beckendorf records Rucks Memorial win

ARLINGTON, Minn. (Sept. 14, 2024) – Brandon Beckendorf was the third and final leader in the Jeff Rucks Memorial event for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds at Arlington Raceway Saturday night. Trent Loverude started on the pole and Clint Hatlestad who started in the second row, moved right to the front with him by the eighth lap, Hatlestad was the leader but only for two laps as Loverude retook the position. A yellow came out for a spinning car and on the restart, Hatlestad was in second behind Loverude once again but the 10th starting Beckendorf was also in the mix. Three laps later, Beckendorf put the pressure on and as they were coming in for the white flag, it was Beckendorf leading the pack. He held on for the $1,000, Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying win with Loverude taking second, Hatlestad in third and Dalton Magers fourth. Jonathan Schroeder was the first lap leader in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature but by the second time around, Brett McConnell was at the point. He was challenged [Read More]

IMCA Stock Cars run for $10,000 to win at Batesville

BATESVILLE, Ark. (Sept. 16, 2024) – IMCA Sunoco Stock Car drivers will head to Batesville Motor Speedway to wrap up their 2024 points campaign at one of the richest events of the season. The 50-lap finale of the Sept. 26-28 Schoenfeld Headers Mid-America IMCA Stock Car Championship pays $10,000 to win, with an accompanying guaranteed starting spot in the 2025 B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational field. The runner-up earns $5,000 with $2,500 for third, $1,250 for fourth, $1,000 for fifth and a minimum of $800 to make the 25-car field. There’s also a $500 bonus that will be paid to the highest finishing driver displaying a Schoenfeld Headers decal on their race car. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region and Arkansas State points will be awarded. Entry fee of $150 can be paid at the gate. On Thursday, pre-tech and practice run from 7-8:30 p.m. with time trials to follow. Pit passes are $20 and grandstand admission is free. Heat races are on Friday and two cars will [Read More]

Harnick, Brillhart are great at Crystal’s Great Lakes Nationals

CRYSTAL, Mich. (Sept. 14, 2024) – A career-best season for Austin Harnick got even better Saturday night, while Rob Brillhart made history of his own at Crystal Motor Speedway. Harnick won the 32nd annual Great Lakes Nationals feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and $5,000 while Brillhart topped the $2,000 to win IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main, in that division’s debut at Michigan’s premier sanctioned event. Not much more than a month removed from his 22nd birthday, Harnick had the second quickest time in Friday qualifying and started outside Mitchell Hunt on the front row for the Modified 40-lapper. Winner of the Rage Chassis Race of Champions at Boone the previous weekend, Hunt saw early advantages erased by a couple cautions. Harnick took the lead following a restart 12 laps in and the front pair fought for the lead most of the way, before Harnick was able to pull away as the race wound down. “The last five laps or so was just pretty much going for it with everything I have,” said Harnick, newly eligible to [Read More]

IMCA champions are crowned at RPM

By Sheldon Wickwar HAYS, Kan. (Sept. 15, 2024) – Eighty-two race teams checked into the legendary RPM Speedway for championship night racing on Sunday. Taking home feature wins were Gage Porter in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts and track champions Blaine Walt in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods, Zach Olmstead in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Kyle Pfeifer in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Daniel Gottschalk in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. Rileigh Flohrs was the Sport Compact track champion. The 15-lap feature for the 4-cylinder class started with a front row of Kaishen Brack and Alison Jeske. Brack led early while Kyle Mortensen and Porter fought for second, with Porter grabbing the lead after a few laps. Jake Schwien broke and that would open the championship door for Flohrs. Meanwhile, nobody could catch Porter as he ran away with the feature win. Second was Flohrs and third was Connor Schwien. Hobby Stocks were second on the program. Their 20-lap feature started with a front row of Blake Holmes and Danny Schulte. Holmes [Read More]

Gottschalk finds fastest line at Fose Memorial

WaKEENEY, Kan. (Sept. 14, 2024) – After starting 11th, Daniel Gottschalk admitted he didn’t think he’d be a contender at WaKeeney Speedway’s inaugural John Fose Memorial. After being involved in an early-race scuffle and restarting in the back row of the 20-car Friesen Performance IMCA Modified field, he was even more skeptical. Then he found the fast line. Gottschalk raced to the first of what would become two weekend feature wins – he’d also top Sunday’s season championship night show at RPM Speedway – and earn $1,527 along with Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility with the Saturday checkers. “To be honest, with Dylan (Sherfick) starting out front, I didn’t know if anyone had a shot at catching him,” said Gottschalk. “But it all worked out.” Gottschalk found his speed on the lower line while Kyle Rohleder, who’d also been involved in that early incident and restarted at the back, took a higher line in his own charge toward the front. Wheeling the 2021 VanderBuilt Chassis that had taken him to a top three finish [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through Sep. 12, 2024

Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 1,000; 2. Ethan Braaksma, Newton, Iowa, 986; 3. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, 979; 4. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton, Iowa, 977; 5. Chris Zogg, New Liberty, Iowa, 974; 6. Troy Morris III, Bakersfield, Calif., Jed Freiburger, Dubuque, Iowa, and Grey Ferrando, Stayton, Ore., each 966; 9. Myron DeYoung, Stanton, Mich., 965; 10. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 960; 11. Jeff Larson, Freeport, Ill., and Jeffrey Reay, Portland, Mich., both 955; 13. Jake McBirnie, Boone, Iowa, 942; 14. Charlie Mohr, Bettendorf, Iowa, 939; 15. Todd Shute, Norwalk, Iowa, and Matt Werner, Geneseo, Ill., both 936; 17. Austin Harnick, Clare, Mich., Chase Rosebrugh, West Branch, Mich., and Jacob Mallet Jr., Oakley, Calif., each 933; 20. Ben Chapman, Clarence, Iowa, 932. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Cory Dumpert, Newman Grove, Neb., 794; 2. Travis Denning, Sterling, Ill., 788; 3. Evan Miller, Davenport, Iowa, 774; 4. Anthony Roth, Platte Center, Neb., 772; 5. Zach Zeitner, Bellevue, Neb., 766; 6. Andy Nezworski, Blue Grass, Iowa, 750; 7. Mitch Morris, Long Grove, Iowa, 744; [Read More]