Weekly Archives

Terry Simon Memorial is Saturday at Thunderhill Raceway

By Edward Anschutz STURGEON BAY, Wis. – Thunderhill Raceway is set to honor Terry Simon this Saturday, June 21. Simon was a huge supporter of local dirt track racing. You didn’t have to look far to find his wife Darlene sitting beside him in the stands or walking through the pits as they talked to all the drivers. Sadly we lost Terry to an unfortunate accident. He is missed by many and we’re racing in his memory with the third annual Terry Simon Memorial. With his 50th Thunderhill win achieved last week, Todd Dart padded his point lead in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds to seven over two-time defending champ James Tebon. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars had a shake up as point leader Shawn Havel suffered a DNF, letting Charlie Kroll close to within one point. Two-time defending champ Dave Bouche sits two markers back. Thunderhill Raceway website designer Chris Budzban has raced his way into the point lead of the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods. Budzban leads Ryan LeMieux by just one point [Read More]

Late Model Sunday Series win at I-35 goes to Cooney

By Greg Grabianowski MASON CITY, Iowa (June 15) – Todd Cooney was the winner when the Sunday Series for IMCA Late Models came to I-35 Speedway on June 15. The hard charger by advancing six positions, Cooney finished in front of Charlie McKenna and Curtis Glover. The IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds had an interesting finish to say the least as frontrunners Alex Hanson, Mike Jergens and Jeremy Mills all made contact with one lap to go, sending Jergens spinning into the infield while Mills wrestled the lead away from Hanson and went onto the win. Kevin Opheim is off to a good start this summer at I-35 and that good run continued with his first IMCA Sunoco Stock Car win at the track Sunday night. Blake Cole placed second. Shane Swanson earned his fifth Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature win of the season in the area but his first one at the Mason City track. Chad Gentz also earned his first feature win of the season at I-35 in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, [Read More]

Three first-time winners at Hancock County

By Greg Grabianowski BRITT, Iowa (June 13) – Chad Palmer, Cody Knecht and Daniel Kanisch all won features for the first time at the Hancock County Speedway this season while Mike Jergens and Brandon Nielsen found the winner’s circle for the third time to highlight Friday night racing at Britt. Jergens, who rolled his 37 rig the previous Saturday night at Algona, got a new car together and went onto the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified victory after starting on the outside of the third row. Josh Foster was the runner-up. Palmer also started on the outside of the third row before piloting his no. 14 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car into the winner’s circle. Dan Hanselman had his best run of the summer to take second. Matthew Hanson and Alex Schubbe started on the front row of the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature but when the dust settled and the double-checkered flags flew, Knecht earned his first win of the season at the track. Nick Meyer was second. Nielsen and his brother Cody have been [Read More]

Murray repeats at Dawson County

LEXINGTON, Neb. (June 15) – Grabbing the lead on lap six on a very dry-slick oval, David Murray Jr. cashed in on the opportunity and held off all challengers to capture his second straight IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified victory Sunday at Dawson County Raceway. Getting collected in early race incidents wasn’t enough to halt the progress of Mike Nichols to collect the win in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Nichols had the lead by less than a fender on the seventh lap and continued to pace the field throughout the rest of the main event. Jamey Kennicutt drove away with the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod checkers. Kennicutt led the final eight laps after starting in the fifth row. Leaving no doubt, Kyle Bond ran away and hid from the rest of the field for his first local IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock win of the season. Bond tiptoed through the competition until he snared the lead on lap six.

Umscheid, Pittsenbarger, capture first wins

By Bill Grit MAYETTA, Kan. (June 14) – Austin Umscheid picked up his first-ever career win in the Casey’s General Store IMCA Sport Compacts in the final event of the evening Saturday at Thunder Hill Speedway. Morgan Ziegler and Issac Jones chased Umscheid through the field before lining up in the Pit Pass Liquor Victory Lane in that order. Jordan Grabouski held off a determined Dave Conkwright for the BSB Manufacturing IMCA Modified checkers. Patrick Thyfault got to the front early and stayed there in winning the Bad Boyz Bail Bonds IMCA Hobby Stock main. The Belleville Motor Sports IMCA Northern SportMods always provide the fans great racing action week in and week out. Troy Baumgartner led the race early but as the race went on his car lost forward bite. At the midway point, Jeremy Pittsenbarger made a pass for the lead, getting his first win at Thunder Hill. Pittsenbarger stood proudly in the Pit Pass Liquor Victory Lane, followed by Troy Baumgartner, Luke Stallbaumer, Aaron Hilderman and Curtis Dreasher. Marvin Griffith Jr. led [Read More]

McDaniel visits Antioch, takes home Modified trophy

ANTIOCH, Calif. (June 14) – Visitor Ryan McDaniel took the checkered flag Saturday at Antioch Speedway, ending hometown ace Michael Salazar’s hope of a repeat victory in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified main event. “I knew he would be the guy to beat tonight,” Salazar said after the feature. “Ryan is one of the top drivers in the division, and he runs well here every time he visits.” Salazar saw McDaniel blast by him early in the event. Restarts afforded opportunities for Salazar to challenge the leader but McDaniel soon walked away. With just two laps to go, Randy Brown snatched second place after a duel with Salazar. “The track had bottom, middle and top grooves tonight – it was great,” McDaniel said after his runaway victory. “Once I discovered I could run up top, I was able to get more straightaway speed and break away from the pack.” Brown, who was gaining speed as the race wore on, emerged as a contender. Carl Berendsen and Dan Gonderman brought home fourth and fifth place, [Read More]

$1,500 extra in cash up for grabs Friday at Marshalltown

By Jeremy Fox MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa – Jim’s Johns of Des Moines will sweeten the pot in four IMCA divisions this Friday night, June 20 at Marshalltown Speedway. Each of the heat race winners in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds will receive a free pit pass for the following Friday night races. In addition to this, the Jim’s Johns Challenge will be taking place and here is how it will work: Hobby Stock heat race winners have the option to fall to the tail of the feature and if they can win, it will be worth an additional $250. If they fail to win, the challenge money rises to $500 for the SportMods, then to $750 for the Stock Cars if not won by a SportMod, and a possible $1,000 bonus for the IMCA Modified victor if they can come from the tail and the challenge has not been met in the previous three features. If the challenge money is won along [Read More]

Fagan Wins Stew Hansen Dodge Stock Car Shootout

By Josh Reynolds STUART, Iowa (June 15) –Marcus Fagan took home the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car hardware on Stuart Speedway’s Stew Hansen Dodge Night at the Races. Fagan and Terry Pruitt drew the front row for the 25-lap feature. Pruitt held the lead at the start with Donovan Smith and then Fagan following behind in second. The top three stayed Pruitt-Fagan-Smith until a caution for Stofer on the frontstretch wall. Once the cars got going again, Smith led until Pruitt nosed ahead on lap 10 right before the caution flag flew again. Pruitt held the lead until Devin Smith passed him on lap 13. Devin led one lap and then Fagan found the grip he needed on the bottom to take over on lap 15. Until about lap 20 you could throw a blanket over the top three, but from then on Fagan stretched out the lead and went on to the win and the $1,000 top prize. Devin Smith held on to second with Pruitt third, 11th starting Brian Blessington fourth and Donovan Smith [Read More]

Arneson up to challenge at Shawano

By Scott Owen SHAWANO, Wis. (June 14) – Lance Arneson proved up to the challenge in winning the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified Saturday at Shawano Speedway. Craig Bartz was back on the prowl early on, leading the first 12 laps. Bartz slipped just high enough the next time around to allow Lance Arneson and Marcus Yarie to slip past and into the top two spots. Yarie continued to pressure Arneson as the race ran on but Arneson was up to the challenge and scored the win. In the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature, Tracy Wassenberg led the final 19 laps after taking the lead from Tristin Peebles on the way to his third win of the year. Jordan Bartz pursued Wassenberg the entire race, but could not muster a pass. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature saw Travis VanStraten in control from the fifth lap on. Mike Schmidt passed Vern Stedjee to finish second. The win by VanStraten ended Kyle Frederick’s undefeated streak to start the season.

Big Wheel Night is Friday at Luxemburg

LUXEMBURG, Wis. – This Friday, June 20 is the night the kids wait for all year long at Luxemburg Speedway. It’s time for them to take to the track and show the fans and drivers the future of the Speedway. The regular five divisions will be in action with racing starting at 7 p.m. Gnome Games will be sponsoring the show. The first 400 kids will receive a Race into Reading Program coloring book. Gnome Games will have 50 participation medals for the Big Wheel contestants. Jay Matthias, Chris Budzban and Mike Dauphinais will have their cars on display before the races. Eric Mahlik won his first IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified main event last week after Troy Jerovetz ran into trouble. Jason Czarapata is shooting for the title this year and looks solid with a 15 point advantage over James Tebon. Dave Bouche picked up a win in an instant classic in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car Showdown. He won over two-time defending champ Brandon Czarapata. Rod Snellenberger leads Czarapata by eight points. Tracy [Read More]