Newswire

Shawano Speedway preps for Saturday opener

SHAWANO, Wis. – After Mother Nature hit us with her best shot, Shawano Speedway is finally kicking off its season this weekend, May 9 and 10. On Friday, tech inspection for late models and 4-cylinders begins at 3 p.m. behind the grandstands. Drivers can pit inside if they prefer. Safety checks (belts, helmets, etc.) only will be done for IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods. Practice starts at 5:30 p.m. The session continues as long as enough cars are on the track. Cost is $10 per car. There is no charge for spectators. Concessions, including pizza, popcorn and beverages, will be sold. Tech inspection for the three IMCA divisions starts at 3 p.m. Saturday. Hot laps are at 6 p.m. and racing starts at 6:30 p.m. Spectator elimination races are also on the program. The track will be worked all week and the Long Haul Fan Award goes to a family making a five-hour drive for practice on Friday and racing on Saturday.

IMCA Modified, Late Model drivers licensed by June 1 get $100 TomCat gift certificates

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – All IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified and IMCA Late Model drivers who purchase their 2014 competitor’s license by June 1 receive a $100 gift certificate from TomCat Performance. Certificates can be applied to the purchase of a RaceGators transmission from TomCat, the wholesale division and inhouse brand of Mooresville, N.C.-based Carolina Racing Supply, and are included in decal packets now being mailed from the IMCA home office. Certificates worth $200 for each 2014 Modified or Late Model track title are also good toward the purchase of a RaceGators transmission. More information about RaceGators transmissions is available by calling Carolina Racing Supply at 704 662-8299 and at the www.racegatorstransmission.com website. This is TomCat’s fourth season as an IMCA marketing partner. “Last year we added three transmission giveaways at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s and we’ll continue that as part of the program in 2014,” said IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder. “It is great to know the support of Carolina Racing Supply and TomCat Performance continues to grow and we’re [Read More]

Friesen Chevrolet Empire State Series is Brewerton bound on May 9

BREWERTON, N.Y. (May 7) – The Empire State Series runs for the first time under the Friesen Chevrolet banner this Friday, when touring IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds travel to Brewerton Speedway. The May 9 feature pays $400 to win, a minimum of $75 to start and doubles as the Dean Hubbs Memorial. All applicable IMCA points will be awarded. Pit gates and the grandstand both open at 5:30 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:30 p.m. and racing starts at 7:30 p.m. Spectator admission is $12 for adults and free for fans ages 18 and under. Pit passes are $27. Sponsor of the IMCA Modified portion of the season-opening program Friday evening is Nationwide Insurance. More information is available by calling 315 668-6906 and at the www.brewertonspeedway.com website. Central Square’s Dale Caswell won four of the first seven series events held at Brewerton, including three straight from 2008-2010. James Cornell of Port Crane topped the April 13 series opener at Five Mile Point Speedway. The third of 10 events on the current tour schedule is [Read More]

Canyon Speedway Park set for Mother’s Day Race for the Cure

By Lonnie Wheatley PEORIA, Ariz. – A big night of racing action is on tap as Canyon Speedway Park is set to host the fourth annual Mother’s Day Race for the Cure this Saturday night. Following an open practice session tonight (Wednesday) from 6-9 p.m., the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds headline Saturday’s event atop the 1/3-mile clay oval that also includes X-Modifieds, Pure Stocks, Renegades, Dwarf Cars and Lady Stocks. Ricky Thornton Jr., the current IMCA Modified point leader at Canyon, will try to defend his Mother’s Day Race for the Cure title after topping last year’s event that attracted more than 120 total competitors. Mark Stewart and Tony Belcher, Jr., are other past winners of the IMCA Modified Portion of the Mother’s Day Race for the Cure event. Thornton, Jr., has been on a hot streak at Canyon by topping four of six Winter Challenge events and then taking Copper on Dirt and Spring Speed Event wins. He currently holds a seven-point edge over George Fronsman in the title chase with Cody Center [Read More]

Season opener is Sunday for Thomas County Speedway

By John Schmidt COLBY, Kan. – The long wait for the 2014 race season at Thomas County Speedway is just about over as action resumes this Sunday, May 11 at 7 p.m. Just like last season, several improvements have been made to the track as well as the grandstands. Another change is the return of the wild and crazy cruisers. With the help of Bernie Meyer at Murfin Drilling and several others, the table top in turns three and four has been removed. The wall was moved back a couple feet, then the track was graded the rest of the way to the wall. This widened turns three and four by about eight feet. Also, the wall was pointed down at an angle so it will help push the cars back on the track instead of creating a ramp. MD Auto Works of Colby is sponsoring an extra $100 to the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified purse each race. That means an extra $50 for first place, $30 for second, and $20 for third. One [Read More]

Lane lands career first IMCA Modified win at DCRP

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (May 3) – Joel Lane scored his first career IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified feature win Saturday at Dodge City Raceway Park. Lane took advantage of his pole starting position, outdueling Kevin Gray for the point in the early rounds and then holding off a late charge from Mike Petersilie over the closing rounds to secure the victory. Petersilie had battled through a pack of contenders before taking over second on the 14th round. He closed in on Lane and was nearly within striking distance as the white flag flew but Lane held strong on the final round for the victory. In IMCA SportMod action, Michael Shenberger made it two wins in as many DCRP visits this season by racing into the lead on the 10th round en route to victory lane in the 20-lapper. Shenberger reeled in Austin Walker and pounced on a lead he would never relinquish, ultimately taking the checkered flag ahead of defending track champion Jeff Kaup, who raced from 11th. Clay Money transferred from [Read More]

Smith flies fastest at Eagle

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (May 3) – After starting mi-dpack, Dylan Smith finished first in Saturday’s Kaplan University IMCA Modified feature at Eagle Raceway. Smith passed Clint Homan for the lead with three laps to go and won pulling away. “I started 12th and to be honest, the bottom line looked ominous in the beginning but I tried it. When I got up to seventh or eighth, everyone else was running the bottom so I moved up top,” Smith said. “Heck, my right rear was bouncing off the wall in turn two! Then toward the end we caught a lapped car and that’s what helped me pass for the win.” Clint Benson worked his way to the front of the Mud in America IMCA Eagle Motorsports RaceSaver Sprint Car field, passing Shayle Bade on lap 14 and leading to the checkers. “This was a different track tonight but I was confident. We’re really starting the year off good,” he said from victory lane. “I could run where I wanted, but I decided to run [Read More]

Opening night brings 94 cars to Seymour

By Dave Panske SEYMOUR, Wis. (May 4) – On the best night for racing in the area so far this season, N.E.W. DIRT opened its 31st season at Seymour Speedway Sunday night. A field of 94 cars checked in and a hardy crowd witnessed a fast paced, competitive night of racing. Lucas Lamberies led the opening three circuits of the Karl Chevrolet SportMod main before Andy Kleczka took the outside line to front. On lap seven, Jeremy Cota moved into second. Kleczka stayed in the high groove with Cota running low. Over the final five laps, Cota kept inching alongside Kleczka. Kleczka was half a car length ahead with two to go and the pair crossed the line even under the white. Cota got a better jump off turn two on the final lap and was able to hold off Klecka to pick up the win. Bill Kelsey set the pace for the first six laps of the Coors Light IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main. On lap seven, Mike Coel inched into the top spot [Read More]

New title sponsor Friesen Chevrolet boosts point fund for IMCA’s Empire State Series

SUTTON, Neb. (May 6) – IMCA’s Empire State Series has a new title sponsor and a bigger point fund this season. Friesen Chevrolet of Sutton, Neb., will furnish a portion of the $3,000 to be paid to top 10 drivers in point standings for the 13th annual IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified tour. Ten dates at tracks in New York are on the 2014 series schedule, the next of them this Friday, May 9 at Brewerton Speedway. “We got involved with the GM 604 crate engine last year and sponsoring this series is one way we can give back to drivers,” said Al Walters, performance sales manager for Friesen’s. “It’s also a good way for us to expand our market. We have a lot of IMCA customers in the Central and Western regions. This is an opportunity for us to go east with IMCA.” Empire State Series drivers can send in a copy of the letter they received from IMCA regarding the Friesen Chevrolet sponsorship and get free shipping on their next 604 crate purchase. [Read More]

Cain collects Raceway Park checkers

By Bob Coney JEFFERSON, S.D. (May 4) – Raceway Park kicked off its IMCA championship series Sunday with action in five divisions. Three-time defending champion John Cain raced to victory in the Motorparts Central IMCA Hobby Stock feature. Behind Cain, Jake McClure held off a hard-charging Dave Riley for the runner-up spot. Karl Brewer continues to hold the hot hand in the Skyline Bar and Casino IMCA SportMods. Brewer scored his 20th victory on the high banks, topping defending champion Todd Boulware while Kirk Beatty rounded out the top three. Four-time defending champion Jason Ward held off a strong challenge in the late laps from Todd Gereau to win the Casey’s General Stores IMCA Stock Car feature. Behind the top duo, Casey Jones finished out the top three. The KISS 107.1 IMCA Sport Compacts saw Ramsey Meyer run to the front in the early laps and cruise to an easy victory. Gabe Barclay finished second, while Cody Thompson completed a run from the final row to the third spot at the finish. The final feature [Read More]