Weekly Archives

Season Championship Night at Marshalltown rained out

By Jeremy Fox MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (Aug. 29th) – Friday’s Season Championship Night at Marshalltown Speedway has been rained out. Two inches of rain overnight and more in the forecast has forced the weekly points season to come to an end. Season Championship Night at Marshalltown was last lost to inclement weather in 2003 … also on Aug. 29. Unofficially, track champions are Ronn Lauritzen in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, Donavon Smith in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Clint Luellen in the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and John Watson in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Also rained out is Crawford County Speedway at Denison.

Fourth time a charm for Handschke

By Dave Panske SEYMOUR, Wis. (Aug. 24) – The fourth time was a charm Sunday night at Seymour Speedway for Beau Handschke. Handschke has led the last three Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod features entering the final lap, only to end up second. He stayed in front this time for his first career win in the division. Handschke had opened a big lead before Rod Solem moved into the runner-up spot after a battle with Kevin Bethke and point leader Jeremy Cota. Solem slowly started to close the gap on the leader and with three laps to go was in striking distance. Handsche moved from the outside line to the low groove to close off Solem’s line. Solem tried to make it there but Handschke would not be denied. Solem was second with Cota taking third. Bethke, Colten Van Hierden and Bruce Belland rounded out the top six. Benji LaCrosse held off Mike Wedelstadt to collect his second straight Budweiser IMCA Modified feature flag. Kyle Frederick collected his second Coors Light IMCA Stock Car feature win [Read More]

It’s Money time in SportMod Mayhem at Dodge City

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (Aug. 23) – Clay Money stepped up to the occasion by racing to a $1,000 victory in Saturday night’s Inaugural 30-lap IMCA SportMod Mayhem feature event atop the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park clay oval. The high school junior from Penokee, Kan., battled past Kameron Gruber for the lead on the 14th lap then kept reigning track champion Jeff Kaup at bay over the final 10 circuits to secure his second feature win of the season at DCRP over a stout field of 33 competitors. With Money gridding the Sport Modified Mayhem main event outside the third row, Gruber outgunned Michael Shenberger to snare the early lead from the pole position. Money made his way to third behind Gruber and Angel Munoz by the time the first caution flew after four laps and then took second from Munoz on the eighth circuit. Money wasted little time closing the gap on Gruber in short order and began pressuring for the point, finally squeezing underneath in turn three on the 14th [Read More]

Wilmes sprints to Arlington checkers

ARLINGTON, Minn. (Aug. 23) – Seventy-three-year-old Dwain Wilmes piloted his 95.7 IMCA Sprint Car to the checkers Saturday at Arlington Raceway to win his first-ever 305 RaceSaver event. Dalyn Cody took second and Dustin Sargent rounded out the top three in the green to checkered race. For the second consecutive week, Andy Timm of Mankato won the MN 93 IMCA Modified feature. Jeff Coon was the early leader but halfway through the race got too high and went off the top of the track. That gave the lead to Timm, who stayed in front the remainder of the race. Chad Porter challenged at the end but settled for second ahead of Coon and Dan Menk. Chet Ragan won his first feature ever in the Unhinged Pizza IMCA Northern SportMods, leading from the beginning to end after starting in the second row. Eric Larson was runner-up and third was Josh Larsen. Cory Probst made the trip worthwhile as he started 12th in the Eckblad Trucking IMCA Hobby feature and won for the first time ever at [Read More]

Track champions crowned at Davenport

By Mike McGuire DAVENPORT, Iowa (Aug. 22) – Friday was Season Championship night at Davenport Speedway and many drivers were competing like it was for the final time. The top 10 were lined up by points for the feature, with the point leader in each class offered the back row challenge for a chance to win double the money. One driver accepting the challenge was Justin Kay in the Petersen Plumbing & Heating IMCA Late Model feature. Kay had little to lose, as he had already clinched the track title. However Kay’s race would end early with mechanical issues. Nate Beuseling blasted out to an early lead, which he held until lap 12. Brunson Behning owned the point until Mike Murphy Jr. got under Behning for the lead. Murphy led the final six laps to make his third trip to victory lane this season. Behning held on for second, just ahead of Beusleling, Todd Malmstrom and Matt Ryan. The closest points battle coming into the night was in the Milan Heating and Air IMCA Modified [Read More]

Schirm scores Marshalltown Hobby Stock checkers

By Jeremy Fox MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (Aug. 22) – Tenth starting Jamie Schirm was the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature winner Friday at Marshalltown Speedway. Gary Pfantz grabbed the early lead. Schirm and Garrett Eilander lined up on his back bumper following a lap six restart. Schirm took the front by the exit of turn two on the restart and went on to the victory. Richie Gustin prevailed in a green to checkered IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified main event. Donavon Smith held off heavy hitters Damon Murty, Steve Meyer, Robert Stofer and Michael Jaennette for the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car checkers. Clint Luellen notched his seventh local feature win in the Big 8 Tyre Center IMCA Northern SportMods.

Martin wraps up 11th track title at Independence Motor Speedway

By Ryan Clark INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (Aug. 23) – Nobody has won more track championships or Late Model features at Independence Motor Speedway than Curt Martin. He added to that stellar career Saturday night. Martin, who entered the night tied atop the standings with Darren Ackerman, led all 30 laps of the IMCA Late Model feature and took the checkers half of a lap ahead of Jon Passick during Budweiser Season Championships. It was Martin’s 95th Late Model win in weekly racing history and his 11th track championship at the speedway, his first since 2006. Martin’s first track title came in 1984. Troy Cordes, Alex Zwanziger and Benji Irvine also locked up track titles by finishing the season in victory lane. Roger Ciesielski earned his first Independence win in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car division while Norman Chesmore earned track champion honors in that division. All feature events were lined up straight-up based on season point totals. The top four in each division’s standings were given the chance to double their money by taking the Indee [Read More]

Dow gets first win; Mielke, Vollbrecht get last lap wins at Riviera

NORFOLK, Neb. (Aug. 16) – The Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts opened feature racing Saturday night at Riviera Raceway with Thomas Dow notching his first career win after leading start-to-finish and holding off Colby Kaspar and Brooke Fluckiger. TeJay Mielke topped the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature after passing leader Tracy Buck in turn three on the final lap. Nate DeSive finished third. The Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature saw four different leaders with Nelson Vollbrecht taking the lead on the last lap in turn three and turn four to edge Kyle Prauner for the win. Neil Bruns finished third.

Cota collects third straight win at Seymour Speedway

SEYMOUR, Wis. (Aug. 17) – Jeremy Cota, Benji Lacrosse and Barry Van Straten scored victories Sunday night at Seymour Speedway. Cota made his way around J. J. Andersen on the 10th lap of the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature to earn his third straight victory and fourth of the season. Andersen and Lucas Lamberies completed the top three. With help from a caution flag midway through the Budweiser IMCA Modified feature, LaCrosse was able to drive to his first win of the season. The restart erased Brad Lautenbach’s straightaway lead and allowed LaCrosse to drive the outside lane to victory. Lautenbach was second ahead of Erik Mahlik. Van Straten made his way through lapped traffic to pull away to his third win of the year in the Coors Light IMCA Stock Car feature. Chas Van Ooyen and Kyle Frederick completed the top three.

Becker and Charles pick up first wins of 2014 at Thunder Hill

By Larry Lowrey, Jr. MAYETTA, Kan. (Aug. 16) – Justin Becker was able to hang on through a bunch of yellow flags to win his first BSB Manufacturing IMCA Modified feature of the season Saturday night at Thunder Hill Speedway. Becker, who started sixth in the main event, shot out to the early advantage and extended it to a considerable margin only to see it erased by several yellow flags. Becker met all challenges on the restarts to drive away to the win. A third generation driver piloted to his first win in the Belleville Motor Sports IMCA Northern SportMods. Austin Charles, son of Danny Charles and grandson of Tom Charles, put another good run together that lasted until the finish. Charles, who started seventh, was challenged in the late stages by Bryan Rigsby, but coming to the white flag Rigsby’s rear end gave out to bring out a green, white, checkered scenario. Charles survived the restart to earn the milestone win. Marvin Griffith Jr. headed into the night the points leader in the Heinen [Read More]