Newswire

Wenig tops 34 Stock Car feature

By Dana Royer WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (May 17) – Jake Wenig led from the second lap to the checkers in winning his first Pepsi IMCA Stock Car feature of the Season Saturday at 34 Raceway. John Brockway was the initial leader of the Fan Night main event before Wenig drove by. Tom Bowling challenged with four laps to go by Wenig stayed strong and won by three car lengths. Jeff Waterman scored the Ryner Transportation IMCA Modified victory after passing Bill Roberts with four circuits remaining. The Casebine Credit Union IMCA Northern SportMods capped off the night with Joey Gower picking up his first win the year. Gower took the lead from Jonny Williams on lap three and went on to take the checkered flag by several car lengths over Bobby Anders.

Salina checkers fly for Cleveland

SALINA, Kan. (May 16) – The man on the move ended his night in victory lane, following Friday’s Belleville Motorsports IMCA Modified feature at Salina Speedway. Brian Knoell had a strangle hold on the top spot of the class over the past two races and was looking for his third straight win coming into the night. The feature saw Corey Burch lead the first six circuits before being overhauled by Cleveland. The reigning track champ at Salina, Cleveland started eighth on the grid and was on a mission. Cleveland was hitting his marks and his car was handling well. It was everything a driver could ask for on race night. Cleveland wasn’t going to be denied on this night and would go on to the win, his first of the season. Knoell ended up with a respectable second place finish, third went to Mike Petersillie, opening night winner Clay Sellard finished fourth and Burch was fifth. Time ran out on challengers Austin Carter and Tyler Frye as Nate Ginest motored to his first M & [Read More]

Dinsmore dialed in for Ffrst Cotton Bowl win

By J.M. Hallas PAIGE, Texas (May 17) – Greg Dinsmore got back in the winner’s circle Saturday night at Cotton Bowl Speedway, the 3/8 mile, semi-banked, clay oval, just east of Austin. After recording a victory in his heat race, Dinsmore started outside the front row in the 20-lap IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature and led all 20 laps on his way to the checkered flag. The former Mountain Home and Pleasanton track champion took some time off to enjoy time with his family and focus on his business, Sundowner RV & Truck Repair. Dinsmore ran a very limited number of races, most of which were out-of-state, over the past two years and just recently began running the new Paig track. During his time off, Dinsmore picked up a new BMS Chassis that he has been learning while working out the new car blues. Saturday night he had everything go his way holding off the rest of the 19-car field, including former IMCA national champion and current track point leader Keith White. In a [Read More]

Ponciano paces Northern SportMods at Antioch

ANTIOCH, Calif. (May 17) – Megan Ponciano scored her first feature win of the year in Saturday night’s Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature at Antioch Speedway. The new season had brought some bad luck to Ponciano, who had car problems in her first three outings. That all changed Saturday as she fought off the competition in the Northern SportMod thriller. “All those restarts were nerve-wracking,” Ponciano said after the race. “I just concentrated on staying in the lead. Things just came together for us this week. We made a few changes on the car and the track was really nice.” Ponciano first battled with early leader Scotty Hoff. Then defending track champion Jeremy Hoff and national championship contender Rob Gallaher moved up to challenge her. “It was a good, clean race,” Ponciano said. Gallaher passed Jeremy Hoff on the last lap. “Megan ran a great race,” Jeremy Hoff said. “My car was way off tonight. I still haven’t got it back to where it was before I wrecked two weeks ago.” Al Johnson of Antioch [Read More]

Smith wins a thriller at Marshalltown

By Jeremy Fox MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (May 16) – Donavon Smith was the seventh different leader and won a thriller Friday on Casey’s General Stores and Old Timers Lounge Night at Marshalltown Speedway. Nate Thelen and then Robbie Merkle were early leaders in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main. Don Vis inherited the lead but Steve Meyer took the lead away on lap three. Meyer bobbled and that allowed Michael Jaennette to sneak by. Jaennette began to pull away only to see the caution come out just after the completion of lap nine. Jaennette had to contend with Brian Irvine and Meyer but it was Smith taking the lead away on lap 13. Smith led until lap 16 when Irvine got by, but then Irvine slipped up and let Smith get back by to take the win. Meyer also got by Irvine for second at the line. Richie Gustin Jr. was the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature winner. Clint Luellen captured the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod checkers and Austin Luellen’s lap 10 pass paved the [Read More]

LaCrosse is victorious at 141 Speedway

By Greg Aregoni FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. – With 146 cars jam packing the pits Saturday night at 141 Speedway, racing was the real deal with hard-fought races just to make the feature events. The IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds have had a stacked field all year long and Benji LaCrosse finally notched his belt with a win. Many drivers with multiple feature wins sat on their trailers to watch the Modified main. Mike Wedelstadt opened as the leader with R.M. VanPay running second. A couple early cautions kept the field on the back bumper of the leader. LaCrosse started 12th and charged his way through the field. A final caution allowed Johnny Whitman to join the fun up front with eight laps to go. VanPay used a great restart to get around both LaCrosse and Wedelstadt for the lead. LaCrosse shot into second with Whitman right behind. LaCrosse was the first to catch VanPay and made his move outside with six laps remaining. LaCrosse evened up with VanPay and used the momentum from the top [Read More]

Lauritzen, Gustin, Irvine are repeat winners at Independence

By Ryan Clark INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (May 17) – Repeat winners were few and far between through the first three weeks of the season at Independence Motor Speedway. That changed Saturday night as three drivers made return trips to the winner’s circle. Ronn Lauritzen became the first driver to return to victory lane in the Performance Bodies IMCA Modified division. Lauritzen worked from a fourth row starting spot while Keith Pittman set the pace in the early going of that 20-lapper. Lauritzen made his way into the runner-up spot just before the first caution on lap seven. He worked past Pittman on the restart and paced the field through a couple more mid-race stoppages. Scott Hogan, who started 11th, raced through traffic and challenged Lauritzen late, however Lauritzen pulled away in the waning laps to score his second win of the year. By virtue of his second place finish, Hogan took over the points lead. Troy Cordes ran third. Jenae Gustin dominated the 15-lap Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature. After an early caution shook-up the lineup, [Read More]

20-year IMCA sponsor Bassett Race Wheels gives Stock Car, SportMod track champion awards

BURLINGTON, Wis. – Bassett Race Wheels continues a contingency award benefitting drivers in three divisions this season, its 20th as a marketing partner with IMCA. IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod and Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMod track champions all earn $60 product certificates, which can be applied toward the purchase of four wheels from the Burlington, Wis., manufacturer. National champions in each of those divisions also receive sets of four wheels. Equally of note, Bassett returns to the national decal program for both Northern SportMods and Southern SportMods and drivers in both classes must display two Bassett decals on their race car to be eligible for contingencies. Information about Bassett-made wheels is available at the www.bassettwheel.com website. “The pursuit of national championships is always very tight and one of the incentive programs we’re pleased to bring back is the set of wheels for our Stock Car and SportMod champs,” IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder said. “Brandon Czarapata, Matt Looft and Gabe Tucker received their sets last season and we’ll see who rises [Read More]

Drivers in five IMCA divisions, Deery Series earn contingency awards from MSD

EL PASO, Texas – Drivers in five IMCA divisions and one special series earn contingency awards again in 2014 from MSD. The El Paso, Texas, manufacturer and distributor, in its 11th season as a marketing partner with IMCA, gives those prizes to competitors in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified, IMCA Late Model, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod and Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMod divisions, as well as the Deery Brothers Summer Series for Late Models. Awards will be presented during the national banquet in November or mailed from the IMCA home office beginning in December. Top eligible drivers in each of the five Modified regions receive 6AL ignition control boxes and Blaster HVC coils; the runner-up gets a control box, third and fourth place drivers get universal spark plug wire sets and the fifth place driver receives a Blaster HVC coil. Top drivers in the two Stock Car regions get Ultimate HEI kits and a universal spark plug wire set. Runners-up get a HEI module and the third place finishers receive [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings Through May 14

IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds – 1. Ryan Roath, Phoenix, Ariz., 861; 2. Keith White, Little River Academy, Texas, 822; 3. Dean Abbey, Waco, Texas, 748; 4. Ronnie Welborn, Princeton, Texas, 735; 5. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz., 730; 6. Glen Hibbard, Euless, Texas, 717; 7. Brian Schultz, Casa Grande, Ariz., 713; 8. Ben Ketteman, Pflugerville, Texas, 679; 9. Alexander Wilson, Salinas, Calif., 661; 10. Kyle Wilson, Monterey, Calif., 658; 11. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 653; 12. Joe Spillman, Marble Falls, Texas, 641; 13. Larry Hood, Bakersfield, Calif., 640; 14. Jeff Streeter, Madera, Calif., 611; 15. Zane DeVilbiss, Farmington, N.M., 588; 16. Tommy Fain, Abilene, Texas, 587; 17. Brad Pounds, Bakersfield, Calif., 569; 18. Josh Vogt, Santa Maria, Calif., 562; 19. Josh McGaha, Abilene, Texas, 537; 20. Caleb Stone, Lovington, N.M., 530. IMCA Late Models – 1. Todd Cooney, Des Moines, Iowa, 268; 2. Darrel DeFrance, Marshalltown, Iowa, 250; 3. Colby Springsteen, Wapello, Iowa, 223; 4. Nick Marolf, Moscow, Iowa, 212; 5. Curt Schroeder, Ames, Iowa, 210; 6. Ryan Griffith, Webster City, Iowa, 190; 7. [Read More]