Weekly Archives

Seymour races on Sunday this week

By Dave Panske SEYMOUR, Wis. – NEW DIRT moves its weekly racing programs at the Seymour Speedway back into the normal Sunday night slot beginning this week, April 19, and for the remainder of the 2015 season at the 1/3 mile banked clay oval. The weekly programs will feature five divisions, Budweiser IMCA Modifieds, Coors Light IMCA Stock Cars, O’Reilly Auto Parts IMCA SportMods, Turbo Blue Street Stocks and 4 Cylinders. Pit gates will open at 3 p.m. Sunday. This week all cars draw/redraw for opening night. Cutoff is 4:30 p.m. Racing is at 5:30 p.m. All drivers must be club members starting this week. Dues are $10 for the season. Spectator Eliminators will return this season on a bi-weekly schedule. This season will see the addition of the Thunder Trucks on the nights the spectators are off. Kids Club will be open Sunday night with activities and drawings throughout the season.

IMCA Modified feature pays $650 to win Saturday at Sunset Speedway Park

By Ben Deatherage BANKS, Ore. – Sunset Speedway Park will open the 2015 campaign in a big way as the Budweiser IMCA Modifieds invade the 1/4-mile clay oval on Saturday, April 18. With $650 going to the main event winner, the event is sure to attract some of the top-shelf talent in the Pacific Northwest. Last season, Sunset produced nine different winners in 13 events. Eventual champion Doug Lockwood scored four victories to lead the win column while Allstar Performance Oregon State Champion Craig Cassell was the only other multi-race winner with his two triumphs. In addition to the Budweiser IMCA Modifieds, there will be street stocks, pure stocks, dwarf cars and 4-Bee’s in action. Pit gates open at 2 p.m. and front gates open at 4 p.m. Racing starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are adults $13, seniors, military and juniors (ages 13-18) $10, youths ages 6-12-6 and five and under free. A family pass will be offered for two adults and up to four youth for $35. For more information log on to www.sunsetspeedwaypark.com.

IMCA Modifieds open 27th season at Crystal on Saturday

CRYSTAL, Mich. – Test and tune sessions at Crystal Motor Speedway are complete and officials at the 3/8-mile clay oval are making final preparations for the season opener on April 18. IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds kick off their 27th consecutive season at Crystal Saturday. Pit gates open at 4:30 p.m. and the main grandstand opens at 5 p.m. Adults spectator admission is $12 and kids ages 5-11 are $5. Pit passes are $25. Racing starts about 7:30 p.m. Call the office at 989.235.5200 or visit the website at www.crystalmotorspeedway.com for more information.

Mach-1 Sport Compacts make Wisconsin debut at 141

FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. – IMCA’s Mach-1 Sport Compact division makes its Wisconsin debut on opening night April 18 at 141 Speedway. The four cylinder class takes the place of a similar sport-4 class that had run weekly on the 1/3-mile clay oval. “At the end of the day, our decision to sanction the class came down to rules. IMCA makes them and we enforce them,” explained Dan Ratajczak, who co-owns and co-promotes Francis Creek with his brother Scott and Toby Kruse. “Being able to follow a nationwide set of rules is the biggest thing for us.” 141 also sanctions the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod divisions. Season championship night is Aug. 29. “We’re excited about this year,” said Ratajczak, a former Modified driver. “There’s a lot of buzz all over the countryside.”

No pit pass fee for drivers Wednesday at Southern Iowa Speedway

OSKALOOSA, Iowa – No pit pass fee will be charged to drivers who compete in the rescheduled opening night show Wednesday, April 15 at Southern Iowa Speedway. Inclement weather got the upper hand over last week’s scheduled show. IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Mach-1 Sport Compacts comprise the upcoming draw/redraw card. Pit gates open at 5 p.m., hot laps are at 7 p.m. and racing starts at 7:30 p.m. Spectator admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students and free for kids 12 and under accompanying a paid adult.

Stone returning to Merced in borrowed Modified

MERCED, Calif. – Paul Stone would rather drive someone else’s car than sit and watch the races at Merced Speedway on Saturday night. Because building his new IMCA Modified is taking longer than expected, Stone found another seat to sit in. He’ll be driving a car owned by Jack Mounce of Merced for the second time this season. “It’s like when you’re on the road and you are sleeping in a bed that isn’t yours. It never feels quite as good as the one you have at home,” Stone said. “An unfamiliar car adds an extra challenge to driving.” Stone, who is known nationally in the ranks of IMCA, will make Mounce’s car more like his own as the season progresses. Though the new car was all assembled in his garage early last week, it was unassembled by the week’s end. Stone is a perfectionist. He disassembled the car to have the parts powder-coated. The colorful coating will add extra protection to the car’s chassis. “I don’t think the new car will be seen that [Read More]

10 Friday shows on schedule at Oberlin Speedway

OBERLIN, Kan. – Oberlin Speedway opens again this season, under the guidance of a guy who knows a thing or two about getting around a race track. IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks run on 10 Friday nights beginning with the April 17 Scott Dolan Memorial. Shows at the 3/8-mile clay oval will be promoted by David Murray Jr., with race night assistance from Rick Salem. “Except for some specials, this track has been idle for five or six years. We decided this would be a good time to get it going again,” explained Murray, IMCA’s career wins leader, a four-time national champion and three-time Modified champion at his hometown venue. “I’m excited about this race track. We’ve coordinated our schedule with Thomas County Speedway (in Colby, Kan.) and gotten a lot of sponsors on board to give drawing prizes to drivers.” “The grandstand is in good shape. We haven’t had to go too far out of the way to get the racing [Read More]

Thunderhill Raceway postpones practice

By Edward Anschutz STURGEON BAY, Wis. – Track officials at Thunderhill Raceway have decided to postpone the open practice originally scheduled for Saturday, April 4. The open session has been moved to Saturday April 18. A start time has yet to be determined. “We put the practice on our schedule just in case things warmed up early. That way we had two options,” explained Promoter Woody Wodack.“With last week being cold, windy and sometimes sleeting, we weren’t able to prep things like we wanted. It’s all about keeping our track great and with the forecast looking promising, we’ll be good to go on the 18th.” With cars racing in Iowa and at Seymour Speedway on Saturday afternoon, Wodack added that “it just made sense to push everything till after the R.A.C.E. Car Show and benefit that takes place on April 11.” The first point night for IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks is Saturday, April 25 and will be sponsored by WDOR.

Wisconsin’s Dodge County sanctions IMCA Modifieds, Northern SportMods

BEAVER DAM, Wis. – One IMCA division returns and another is new this season at Dodge County Fairgrounds Speedway. Both IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods are on 11 Sunday night programs on the 1/2-mile clay oval. “The Modified drivers around here are a pretty strong group of guys. They like going fast,” said promoter Brian Gerber. “The Northern SportMods have an amazing car count. We’re going to have two very strong classes.” “I like the uniformity of the IMCA rules. Everything is there in black and white,” continued Gerber, a former Modified driver and later Modified tech inspector at Dodge County. “With IMCA, you’ve got a set of rules that everyone is familiar with.” Opening night is May 24. IMCA points will also be awarded for May 31; June 7, 21 and 28; July 5, 19 and 26; and Aug. 2, 9 and 30 shows. Gerber anticipates sharing drivers in both divisions with Friday night venue Oshkosh Speedzone Raceway 45 miles to the north. Dodge County ran sanctioned Modifieds from [Read More]

Purse increased for Budweiser-sponsored IMCA Modifieds at Sunset Speedway Park

By Ben Deatherage BANKS, Ore. – Budweiser has stepped up and will become local sponsor the IMCA Modified division at Sunset Speedway Park. The Modifieds are one of the most popular classes that the “Banks Bullring” has to offer and is sure to thrill fans with exciting action all season long. “We’re happy to support grassroots racing,” commented Troy Teach, sales director for Maletis Beverage. “We can’t wait for the beginning of this upcoming season to see some great racing.” In addition to the class sponsorship the weekly purse money has increased. If there are 26 or more Modified entries, main events will pay $650 to win and a minimum of $150 to start. If there are 25 or fewer cars, features will be $650 to win and a minimum of $125 to start. Complete payouts are: 26 or more cars – 1. $650; 2. $500; 3. $300; 4. $220; 5. $180; 6-back, $150. 25 or fewer cars – 1. $650; 2. $500; 3. $300; 4. $220; 5. $180; 6. $150; 7. $130; 8-back, $125. [Read More]