News Archives

Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational candidates number 75 with influx of state champions

VINTON, Iowa – Another 27 IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports drivers are new to the ballot for the 2014 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Twenty-one of those additions are Allstar Performance State champions and include Brandon Beckendorf in Minnesota, Dean Deming in New Mexico, Kreg Dobson in Oklahoma, Greg Durbin in Illinois, Joe German in Washington, Steven Glenn in Missouri, Wyatt Howard in Utah, Paul Jones Jr. in Wyoming, K.C. Kubichek in Nevada, Mike Petersilie in Kansas, Dale Schweikart in Pennsylvania, Jeffrey Streeter in California, Jesse Taylor in Colorado, Ricky Thornton Jr. in Arizona, Curtis Towns in Oregon, Daniel Waldemar in Idaho, A.J. Ward in Michigan, Tim Ward in Nebraska, Randy Weaver in Arkansas, Keith White in Texas and Marcus Yarie in Wisconsin. Special event winners now vote eligible include Chase Allen at the Southern Challenge, Brian Mullen at Thunder On The Hill, Brad Pounds at the Dirt Track Nationals, Mike Van Genderen at the Desert Classic, Jeremy Payne at the Duel In The Desert and Randy Thornell at the Day After The Duel. Already on the [Read More]

Wendt earns LVMS Duel Best Appearing Car honors

By Ryan Clark WILLISTON, N.D. – Although he didn’t experience much success on the track, Darin Wendt left the Duel In The Desert with some extra green in his pocket. The third-year IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified driver from Williston, N.D., won Best Appearing Car honors in the Las Vegas-themed contest at the dirt track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, taking home the $500 top prize in the process. In addition to the cash courtesy of XSAN, Wendt walked away with a trophy and new RACEceiver. Wells Design of Ogallala, Neb., also paid for his 2014 Modified membership license. Wendt spent just 22 nights behind the wheel of his race car this season prior to his trip to Las Vegas. His work as an oil field consultant limits his time on the track. “I just race when I can,” explained Wendt. “I normally work two weeks on and two weeks off.” Despite a busy work schedule, Wendt found time to make a number of trips to Williston Basin Speedway where he earned his lone feature [Read More]

Belleville Motorsports earns 4th IMCA Manufacturers’ Cup title

BELLEVILLE, Kan. – Belleville Motorsports won its fourth title in the five-year history of the IMCA Manufacturers’ Cup program this season. The Belleville, Kan., chassis builder had the top point total among the record 24 manufacturers entered in the 2013 contest and will receive a $500 cash prize and trophy during the IMCA national awards banquet on Nov. 30 in Lincoln, Neb. Points were awarded to 15 different manufacturers based on top 10 drivers in each of the five IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified regions (10 points for first, nine points for second, etc.). Points from each of region were then combined to determine a national manufacturer of the year. BMS totaled 40 points, Jet Racing had 30, Victory Chassis 25, Razor Chassis 15, Skyrocket Chassis 12 and Ninja Chassis by DeVilbiss 10. “It’s great to win the Manufacturers’ Cup contest for the fourth time,” BMS manager Brandon Blochlinger said, again sharing the success with dealers Close Racing Supply, Sebo Motorsports and KSI Racing Supply. Completing the scoring were Larry Shaw Race Cars and BillsBuilt [Read More]

IMCA to honor 40 tracks with sanction awards at national banquet

LINCOLN, Neb. – Forty tracks will be honored with sanction awards during the national IMCA banquet on Saturday, Nov. 30 in Lincoln, Neb. Marshalltown Speedway will be recognized with a 30 consecutive year award for Stock Cars. Tracks receiving 25 consecutive year plaques are Arlington Raceway for Modifieds, Sprint Cars and Stock Cars; the Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway and Shawano Speedway for Modifieds; and Jackson Speedway for Stock Cars. Awards for sanctioning 20 consecutive seasons go to Abilene Speedway, Beatrice Speedway, Dawson County Raceway and U.S. 30 Speedway for Modifieds and Independence Motor Speedway and Luxemburg Speedway for Stock Cars. Aztec Speedway and Salina Speedway receive plaques for 20 total years of sanctioning their Modifieds with IMCA. Fifteen consecutive year awards will be presented to Rattlesnake Raceway for Modifieds, 281 Speedway for Stock Cars and Beatrice Speedway for Hobby Stocks. Cumulative awards for 15 years of sanctioning go to Hancock County Speedway for Modifieds and Stock Cars, Hamilton County Speedway and Merced Speedway for Modifieds, Jackson County Speedway for Late Models and Lee County Speedway [Read More]

State championships help add 27 to Fast Shafts All-Star ballot

Memorial services are Saturday for Bill Zwanziger

WATERLOO, Iowa – Long-time driver and retired IMCA director of competition Bill Zwanziger died Monday morning, Nov. 18 at University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics in Iowa City. He was 82. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Friday at Hagarty-Waychoff-Grarup Funeral Home, located at 300 West Ridgeway in Waterloo. Memorial services are at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home with inurnment at Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery. Full military rites will be conducted by Evansdale Amvets Post 31, Waterloo Amvets Post 19 and the Iowa Army Honor Guard. IMCA’s director of competition from March of 1989 through the 1996 race season, Zwanziger helped write rules and oversaw their enforcement during the time that saw the IMCA Modified become the most popular class of race car in the country. “Bill left an indelible mark on racing as a driver and as our director of competition,” said IMCA President Kathy Root. “He played a key role in the growth of IMCA and particularly our Modified division for many years.” “More importantly, he was a friend to everyone [Read More]

Thunder Hill Speedway continues IMCA sanction through 2015

MAYETTA, Kan. – Thunder Hill Speedway owners and promoters Mike and Pam Conkwright have announced they will continue their association with IMCA after signing a two-year agreement to continue sanctioning through the 2015 race season. Thunder Hill has been IMCA sanctioned since being reopened by the Conkwright family in 2010. Weekly divisions returning to the Mayetta, Kan., venue are the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts. “We’re increasing both car counts and fan attendance and we’ll keep improving the facility and the racers’ and fan experience as much as possible every week,” said Mike Conkwright. “Fans want to see fast and competitive racing and our facility supports that for sure. Racers want to be competitive at a reasonable cost and IMCA provides a consistent rules package to support that. “ “IMCA sanctioning also allows racers to compete for a variety of championships at the track, state, regional and national level.” Pam Conkwright added “IMCA provides us technical and procedural support [Read More]

Third tour win of season gives Wilmot first World Products Empire State Series crown

KIRKWOOD, N.Y. (Nov. 9) – Mike Wilmot clinched his career first World Products Empire State Series title with his third tour win of the season Saturday at Five Mile Point Speedway. After avoiding early race collisions that slowed the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified finale, Wilmot raced from eighth to third before getting caught up by a spun car. He restarted at the rear, used the high side of the oval to make his way back toward the front and was running side-by-side with Gary Roberts for the lead by the 15th of 25 circuits. Finally pulling ahead, Wilmot beat Roberts to the $600 checkers by less than a car length. Matt Cole, Kevin Cole and Matt Jones rounded out the top five. Dirt Works Eastern Region champion and former tour titleist Chris Fleming had the best shot mathematically at displacing Wilmot atop the standings but was slowed twice by trips to the pit to fix flat tires. He still managed to finish 11th. The regular season champion at 5MP, Wilmot had also won the [Read More]

Thornell paces Pahrump’s Day After The Duel

PAHRUMP, Nev. (Nov. 10) – Randy Thornell enjoyed two long runs at the front of the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified field before departing from Pahrump Valley Speedway with a $1,500 paycheck. Thornell led 15 laps before midway of Sunday’s Day After The Duel special before bobbling after a restart and watching Kyle Brown drive by. He stayed close and returned the favor just five circuits later, however, leading to the finish and racing his way onto the ballot for the 2014 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Thornell’s car, engine and even his trailer are homebuilt. He’s pared back his own racing schedule this season while traveling the go-cart circuit with son Blake. “We won the first night out when this car was new in 2010,” he said. “We experimented more with setup this year and got faster as the season came to an end. We learned a lot of stuff. Sunday night was very sweet.” Tony Kinkade Jr., Jesse Williamson, Joe Wabsis and Jason Pike completed the top five. Ben Kates was the Karl Chevrolet [Read More]

Payne hits another jackpot with fourth IMCA Duel In the Desert victory

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 9) – On a record-setting weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Jeremy Payne extended his own Duel In The Desert record to four. Payne won the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified special at the LVMS half-mile Dirt Track for the fourth time Saturday night in a 40-lapper that ran green to checkered. The $7,777 victory put the Missouri hotshoe on the ballot for the 2014 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Terry Phillips, Jeff Taylor, Aaron Turnbull and Dominic Ursetta completed the Modified top five. Justin O’Brien started 15th and finished sixth. Dean Abbey was the $777 IMCA SportMod winner, ahead of Tyler Frye, Chad Dolan, Robert Elliott and Ben Kates. Total car count for the 16th annual Duel was a record 320. That total includes a best-ever 74 SportMod entries. Phillips, a two-time Duel winner, started the main event from the pole, flanked by Dominic Ursetta. Phillips jumped out to an early lead as Payne moved past Ursetta for second place. Payne caught Phillips on lap seven and the battle for the [Read More]