Newswire

Thornton goes 9-for-9 at Arizona Speedway

APACHE JUNCTION, Ariz. (Aug. 29) – Ricky Thornton Jr. capped off a perfect season at Arizona Speedway with his ninth Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified victory in as many events Saturday evening. With a maximum possible 360 points, Thornton led Brian Schultz, Chaz Baca Jr. and John Morris Jr. in the top four standings. Thornton has plenty of racing left in the 2015 season as there are still six races left in the 2015 San Tan Ford Modified Championships. He’ll compete at the upcoming IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Thornton will start the Sept. 11 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational.

Fan Zone continues to be site of off-track activities during week of Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa – When attention turns from the race track, fans will have plenty to see and do throughout the week of the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The Fan Zone, located south of the main grandstands at Boone Speedway, will be the location for numerous events each day of America’s Racin’ Vacation Sept. 7-12. On Labor Day Monday, Sept. 7, the Casey’s General Store redraw for starts in the front six rows of that evening’s Deery Brothers Summer Series event will be held at approximately 7 p.m. Card games to determine the starting grid for Northern SportMod and Hobby Stock race of champions events will be held at approximately 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively, on Tuesday, Sept. 8. Monday’s Hobby Stock and Northern SportMod qualifying feature winners sign autographs at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Drivers in the two divisions winning qualifiers that evening sign autographs in another 6 p.m. session on Wednesday, Sept. 8 Stock Cars entered in the best appearing car contest will be on display at 1 p.m. and top four [Read More]

DeCarlo capitalizes at Antioch

ANTIOCH, Calif. (Aug. 29) – Nick DeCarlo took advantage of a fumble by Shawn DeForest to win Saturday’s Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified feature at Antioch Speedway. The win came by out-maneuvering DeForest in lapped traffic. DeCarlo and DeForest started in the back of the pack. As they passed cars, DeCarlo made a bold move. “Nick (DeCarlo) just went around all of us,” said DeForest. “I fumbled and he got by me.” With three laps to go, Aaron Crowell was holding onto first when DeCarlo passed him on the restart. Scott Busby was challenging Crowell for second when DeForest made his move for DeCarlo with one lap to go. “Before I knew it, the race was over. Running on the bottom of the track was good for me. Every car I passed, I passed on the inside, which is uncharacteristic for me,” DeForest said. Oreste Gonella moved into third place. Anthony Giuliani outdueled Patti Ryland to win the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature. Giuliani scored his fourth IMCA win of the year after starting last. When Fred [Read More]

2015 champions crowned at Thunder Hill Speedway

By Larry Lowrey, Jr. MAYETTA, Kan. (Aug. 29) – The 2015 season came to a close with Championship Night at the Races Saturday at Thunder Hill Speedway. All five IMCA divisions crowned their unofficial champions. In the BSB Manufacturing IMCA Modifieds Steven Bowers Jr. was the only driver that locked up his title prior to Saturday night’s races. Tyler Frye took the Bad Boyz Bail Bonds IMCA Northern SportMod crown. It’s rare that a rookie wins a track championship, but that’s exactly what Dominic Thyfault did in the Heinen Repair Service IMCA Stock Cars. Another rare feat is to win a championship without ever winning a feature on the season and that’s what Tyler Garst did in the Midwest Vending IMCA Hobby Stocks. The only driver to win for a championship for the 2nd consecutive year was Austin Umschied in the Casey’s General Store IMCA Sport Compacts. Feature winners on the final night of the season were Brandon Blochlinger in the Modifieds, Mat Stallbaumer in the Stock Cars, Frye in the Northern SportMods, Tyler Hinrichs [Read More]

Wilson, Hensley are IMCA winners at Merced

By Don Martin II MERCED, Calif. (Aug. 30) – Alex Wilson continued his drive toward the Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified championship at Merced Speeway with his fourth victory of the season Sunday night. Wilson grabbed the lead early on from Ricky Thatcher and prevailed in a side-by-side battle with his brother Kyle Wilson before pulling away to the impressive win. Thatcher had a front row start and led just two laps before Wilson slipped underneath him. A lap five yellow slowed the pace and Kyle Wilson drove past Thatcher for second. Ramie Stone was third and the crowd was treated to two very close battles. Kyle Wilson ran the outside with Alex on the inside. Kyle barely beat Alex back to the line to lead laps nine through 11 before a low move on lap 12 got Alex back in front. Kyle was back in front on lap 15 but Alex again came back strong on the inside to regain the lead on lap 16, then pulled away for the win. John Hensley drove [Read More]

Krone stays perfect at Elmwood Park

By Mike Hughes NORTON, Kan. (Aug. 30)—Elmwood Park Speedway returned to action on Sunday evening, with two drivers making return appearances in victory lane. Jake Krone won his third consecutive Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature. Krone led all 10 laps on the way to the win. Kolton Vogel was second and Dan Lauer third. David Murray Jr. won his second Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified feature of the season at the half-mile oval. Murray chased Jesse Richter most of the race, then finally made the winning pass on lap 12 of the 15-lap feature. Mike Petersilie finished second and Richter was third. Jacob Olmstead passed Travis Coop at the halfway mark of the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature en route to the victory. Coop held on for the runner-up spot, trailed by Luke Wasson. Tanner Portenier led the first four laps of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature before Jay Hachmeister took a lead he would not relinquish. Hackmeister powered away for the win, followed by Geoff Jermark and Eric Kinderknecht.

Dvorak tops I-90 feature, Smith celebrates Sprint championship

By Steve Zwemke HARTFORD, S.D. (Aug. 29) – Bob Dvorak and Colin Smith both celebrated their accomplishments in the Coffee Cup IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car division Saturday at I-90 Speedway. Dvorak owned the night’s feature in leading all 20 laps. It was a welcome result for Dvorak who tows 190 miles to get from Stuart, Neb., to Hartford. Dvorak stated his appreciation for the fans in a gracious victory lane interview. At the same time, Smith was celebrating the season championship, which he had already clinched before Saturday night. In his first season at I-90 Speedway, the Sheldon, Iowa, Sprint Car driver won five features and finished outside the top five just twice.

Davis drives to first win at Tri-State

By Rob Nugent POCOLA, Okla. (Aug. 29) – Jake Davis won his first local Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified feature of the season Saturday at Tri-State Speedway. Johnny Bone, Jr. was second and Tate Cole took third. Justin Johnson captured his second IMCA Sunoco Stock Car win of the season ahead of Shannon Cox and Keith Heaslet. Ken McCarty took home his sixth IMCA SportMod feature win of the season ahead of last week’s winner Cody Rongey while Neil Johnston crossed the line in third.

Eastern Region point leader delays start of senior year to race at Super Nationals

MONROETON, Pa. – The start of Keith Lamphere’s senior year at Towanda High School will have to wait. He’s coming to Boone. Lamphere, 17 years old as of July 17, a three-year veteran of the IMCA Modified division and the current point leader in Dirt Works Eastern Region, will make his first competitive trip to the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals next month. “As a driver, Super Nationals has always been on my bucket list,” said Lamphere. “My cousin (Logan Terry) also races a Modified and told me about Super Nationals. I watched it on TV before going with Jason Benjamin to watch last year.” Benjamin shares space in Lamphere’s Monroeton, Pa., shop and will join him on the 1,000-plus mile trip out west. Their convoy will include a toter, a trailer with plenty of spare parts and “15 or so” crew members. “We got out there last year and just watched. All the cars and all the people were just amazing. It’s a different world out there than it is on the Northeast Coast,” Lamphere [Read More]

Drought ends at Seymour for Lance Arneson

By Dave Panske SEYMOUR, Wis. (Aug. 30) – Lance Arneson won his first Budweiser IMCA Modified feature at Seymour Speedway since June 12 of 2011 Sunday night. Arneson worked from the second row and into the lead after the opening lap followed by Trevor Spaulding, Jerry Wilinski, Chad Guyette, Rob Charapata and Konnor Wilinski. A spin brought out the only caution of the race on lap 2, and Arneson continued to set the pace after the restart. Jerry Wilinski moved into the runner-up spot and point leader Eric Scribner followed into third. On lap 5, Scribner took over the second spot with Eric Arneson and Chad Bartel moving forward. Scribner closed in on the leader but after a couple laps, Arneson settled into a solid pattern on the outside, Scribner did the same on the inside and the margins stayed pretty much unchanged to the finish. Bartel ran out of laps to mount a serious challenge and finished third. Travis Van Straten was finally able to inch ahead and finally into sole procession of the lead on lap [Read More]