Stock Car Archives

James repeats Wild West Speedweek heroics with win at Douglas County

By Ben Deatherage ROSEBURG, Ore. (June 18, 2024) – Bricen James and Chase Berkeley both raced back to victory lane while Ethan Killingsworth captured his first checkered flag of the 2024 IMCA Wild West Speedweek Tuesday at Douglas County Dirtrack. James, who’d topped the opening night show at Yreka, banked $1,000 for his Friesen Performance IMCA Modified victory while Berkeley followed his Monday Coos Bay win with an impressive run from 11th starting. Killingsworth paced the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods. A pair of former Speedweek champions made up the front row in the Modified tilt, with Troy Morris III and Kellen Chadwick fighting for the initial lead. Morris used the top of the track and beat Chadwick to the line to pace the field. Chadwick settled into second with Jacob Mallet Jr. and James in pursuit. Lapped traffic became a factor with eight circuits negotiated. Mallet got the second spot on lap nine but James and Chadwick quickly came to challenge. The 2022 Speedweek champ, James took over second on lap 12 but was well [Read More]

AFCO begins fourth decade as IMCA sponsor

BOONVILLE, Ind. (June 20, 2024) – AFCO begins a fourth decade of IMCA support, continuing awards for drivers in six divisions in 2024. The high performance shock, suspension, cooling and brake products manufacturer again gives those awards based on regional point standings for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, and on national standings for IMCA Sunoco Late Models, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMods. Top three drivers in each of the five Modified regions earn product certificates valued at $250, $150 and $50, respectively, while both the Modified national champion and rookie of the year receive GM frame replacement kits. The rookie of the year and fourth, sixth and 11th place finishers in national Late Model point standings receive $100 product certificates. Certificates worth $200, $100 and $50 go to top three drivers in both Stock Car regions and three eligible drivers in the two Hobby Stock regions and in national standings for both Northern and Southern SportMod divisions earn product certificates redeemable [Read More]

Tietz shakes off rust at Redwood for first IMCA Stock Car win since 2016

REDWOOD FALLS, Minn. (June 16, 2024) – Eight years after his last IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature win, Ken Tietz raced his way back to victory lane. Tietz reeled in and then outran Jesse Rogotzke for the Sunday night checkers at Redwood Speedway. His career 61st win in The Class Too Tough To Tame was also his first since July of 2016, after a heat race crash left him with a multitude of broken bones along with a destroyed car. “I’m not going to lie, it feels good to win. I kept saying I’d be back next year and next year never came,” said Tietz, from Belle Plaine. “I had Paul (Burger) over at B & B build me a new car, so I had a brand new 2017 car sitting in the garage that I could never seem to get done.” “Priorities and just life got in the way. I was really focusing on my business. My towing business was expanding and really took off,” he added, noting the car in his garage is still not finished. [Read More]

Snellenberger soars again at Eagle River

By Joe Verdegan EAGLE RIVER, Wis. (June 18, 2024) – Rod Snellenberger passed Jason Zdroik for the lead with five laps remaining and went onto collect the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature win at Eagle River Speedway Tuesday night. Snellenberger, Wisconsin’s winningest IMCA Stock Car driver, trailed another former track champion who was substitute driving for his brother. Zdroik jumped into the early lead and appeared headed for a victory. However Snellenberger remained within striking distance of Zdroik and with seven laps remaining began to close the gap. On lap 15, Snellenberger ducked underneath the Eagle River veteran and cruised to victory. On the final circuit coming out of turn four Zdroik clobbered the frontstretch wall, relegating him to a fourth place finish. David Blackberg finished second with Patrick Farley Jr. coming home in third. Hometown driver Jonathan Miller rounded out the top five finishers. For Snellenberger, the win was his 223rd career IMCA Stock Car feature flag.

Winebarger, Sanders, Berkeley top Wild West features at Coos Bay

By Ben Deatherage COOS BAY, Ore. (June 17, 2024) – Tour career win number 12 for Collen Winebarger came on night three of IMCA Wild West Speedweek at Coos Bay Speedway. Winebarger completed his drive from fifth staring to the front on the 25th circuit, then outran Bricen James for the $1,000 Friesen Performance IMCA Modified checkers and qualifying eligibility for the upcoming Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Timothy Allerdings was a strong third. Lawrence O’Conner and Tyler Blankenship completed the top five. Perfect coastal weather greeted Speedweek competitors for the Monday night show. The Modified main began with 2022 tour champion James motoring ahead of Chance Hyser for the lead at the line. The two battled for a few more laps before James secured the position. Winebarger passed Hyser for second following a lap six restart. A twist to the plot was thrown in the mix after a caution with 20 laps to go in the form of a melee for fifth between Kellen Chadwick, Tim Balding and Tyler Blankenship. Blankenship kept the other two [Read More]

Jasons Ryan, Robles are IMCA aces at Antioch

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (June 15, 2024) – Jason Ryan Jr. and Jason Robles were IMCA feature winners Saturday at Antioch Speedway. Ryan won the 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature while Robles collected the checkers in the 15-lapper for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Kelly Campanile set the early pace ahead of Al Johnson in the Northern SportMod show. A low pass in turn four of the second lap put Ryan into second, and Ryan made a similar move a lap later to take the lead. Ryan began to stretch his advantage, leaving Campanile to battle Ken Shrader for the second position. By the 17th lap, Ryan held a half-lap advantage over Campanile, but a yellow flag waved for Haley Gomez. Ryan resumed command on the restart. Shrader tried to get a run on the inside, but Campanile kept her cool on the outside to maintain second. As Ryan brought it home to the satisfying win, Campanile was a career-best second, followed by Shrader, Tommy Clymens Jr. and Trevor Clymens. Robles’ Stock Car [Read More]

Larson, Merkes, Soppe, Hunter are IMCA winners at Maquoketa

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (June 15, 2024) – Chalk up Saturday IMCA feature wins at Maquoketa Speedway for Jeff Larson, Kyle Merkes, Tyler Soppe and Sheldon Hunter. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature saw defending track champion Larson add another feature win to his 2024 resume. Larson shot to the top of the track from his third row start and quickly worked to the front. Larson was able to get by early race leader Mark Schulte as the race closed in on the halfway mark. Charlie Mohr also found the high side to his liking advancing from a fourth row start to move into second late in the race. Mohr was able to close on Larson but was not able to pose a serious threat to the leader. Mohr crossed under the checkers in second ahead of Schulte. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars put on their usual hotly contested feature race with plenty of door-to-door racing. For the first time, Farley driver Merkes raced to the win in the very tough class. Merkes raced [Read More]

Sauerman scores first Boone win of season

By Joyce Eisele BOONE, Iowa (June 15, 2024) – It was Farley’s Pre-owned Night at Boone Speedway on Saturday, and despite the gloomy forecast of rain/storms, it was no issue for the racing program and in particular for Cory Sauerman who took his first local Friesen Performance IMCA Modified win of the year. Doug Smith took the honors in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for the second time, and also making return visits to victory lane were Cam Reimers in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods, Eric Knutson in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Ben George in the Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lites. The Mod Lites rolled to the track first for their 15-lap feature event. Scott Bailey led the troops through the first seven laps of the event but seventh place starter George had quickly risen to challenge him and took command at lap eight. Cory Sonner was reeling in George before the race was halted on lap 12 when David Bailey went for a tumble in corner four. Thankfully, he was okay, [Read More]

Morris hustles to IMCA Wild West Speedweek win at Southern Oregon

By Ben Deatherage WHITE CITY, Ore. (June 16, 2024) – The driver nicknamed TM3 was the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified winner on night two of Wild West Speedweek. Bakersfield, Calif., ace Troy Morris III motored all the way from 14th in winning Sunday’s main event and $1,000 at Southern Oregon Speedway. Already eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, his dominating victory came over Mark Wauge, Katelynn Robertson, Ian Whisler and Kevin Williamson. The race was a thriller from the start, with Whisler and Wauge fighting up front and Robertson and Tim Balding slugging it out for third behind them. Morris made the most of the top line following a lap restart to crack the top five. He made it around Balding on lap seven for fourth and dispatched Robertson on the ninth circuit for third. Wauge came under fire from Morris before a lap 10 caution erased Whisler’s big lead. Morris kept his faith on the high side on the twelve times around the 3/8-mile clay oval to pick up the runner-up spot [Read More]

Ferrando banks $5,000 at Yreka’s Biehn Memorial

By Ben Deatherage YREKA, Calif. (June 14, 2024) – A threat to win wherever he tows, Grey Ferrando’s latest Friesen Performance IMCA Modified victory was good for $5,000 when Yreka Speedway hosted the inaugural Rich and Nicky Biehn Memorial Friday night. From Stayton, Ore., and newly eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational, led from the end of lap seven to the checkers in the headline race at the event dedicated to honoring the legacy of two beloved racing enthusiasts and car owners. Kellen Chadwick initially took the lead and had a moment where he could have some breathing room as Ferrando was occupied with keeping back Collen Winebarger and Tyler Blankenship. Ferrando kept both in check, then went back on the offensive and poured more pressure on Chadwick. Ferrando overtook Chadwick at the wire as the seventh circuit was scored and led the rest of the distance in the caution-free main event to score his first win of the season at Yreka and his fourth victory in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region. [Read More]