Newswire

IMCA stars walk the red carpet at national awards banquet

LINCOLN, Neb. (Nov. 30) – The stars of the IMCA dirt track racing world walked the red carpet Saturday night at the national awards banquet. The more than 600 champions and rookies of the year crowned during the 2019 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season were honored during the annual gala, held at the Marriott Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln. National champions feted included Jordan Grabouski, IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car; Matt Ryan, IMCA Late Model; Cory Dumpert, IMCA Late Model; Kenneth Duke Jr., IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car; Jeff Ware, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock; Tyler Soppe, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod; James Hanusch, Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod; and Alex Dostal, Mach-1 Sport Compact. Regional Modified champions were Bricen James in the Shaw Race Cars Western; Tom Berry Jr. in the Side Biter Chassis North Central; Grabouski in the Jet Racing Central; William Gould in the Razor Chassis South Central; and Matt Szecsodi in the Dirt Works Eastern. Grabouski also ruled the EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region for Stock Cars while Westin Abbey paced the [Read More]

MBSLM Series acquires IMCA Summer Series for 2020 and beyond

VINTON, Iowa (Dec. 3) – One era in IMCA Late Model racing ends and another begins in 2020. The IMCA Summer Series becomes part of the Omaha, Neb.-based Malvern Bank Super Late Model Racing Series, owned by Joe and Steve Kosiski, next season. “It has been a great 33-year ride for this series and our traveling Late Model drivers,” IMCA President Brett Root. “The growth in Late Model sanctions, however, in 2019 demonstrated that we needed to commit our time and resources to further developing national and weekly race programs for that division.” “I firmly believe Late Model touring series across the Midwest need unification,” Root added. “The Malvern Bank Super Late Model Racing Series has rules that accommodate IMCA Late Model members and this is a positive step in the right direction for those drivers who want to be part of touring events.” “I can’t adequately thank the many drivers and track promoters who have supported this series for so many years. Summer Series events have been season highlights at a lot of tracks [Read More]

Dream comes true for Lady Eagle winner Florio

COPPERAS COVE, Texas – Taylor Florio grew up watching Robin Batt and dreaming of the day when she, too, would win the IMCA Lady Eagle award. Those dreams became reality as the Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod driver from Copperas Cove, Texas, raced to the top point total of the 227 female drivers competing in IMCA this season. “I grew up watching Robin race and wanted to be like her. I thought it was the coolest thing ever when she won the Lady Eagle (in 2010) and I wanted to do it, too,” said Florio, who also repeated as the E3 Spark Plugs Texas State champion. “I knew at the beginning of the season we wanted to do it. We set out to achieve our goal and midway through started thinking maybe this was our year. And it was.” She’ll display her Lady Eagle award on the TV stand, right next to the trophy she received in 2015 after becoming the first female driver to win national rookie of the year honors, also in a [Read More]

IMCA Modified, Hobby, Northern SportMod rookies of year earn Friesen crate engines

LINCOLN, Neb. – Friesen Performance made stellar seasons pay off even more for rookies of the year in three IMCA divisions. Modified rookie of the year John Oliver Jr. received a 604 crate engine while Hobby Stock rookie of the year Kaden Reynolds and Northern SportMod rookie of the year Cade Richards both earned 602 crates. Reynolds also paced Big Daddy Race Cars Northern Region rookie standings. He was a 10-time feature winner and was 13th in the national points race. Richards won five features and was 17th nationally. He continued his rookie campaign despite a broken left hand suffered in a crash midway through the season, finishing in the top five in seven of nine starts made with a form-fitting cast. Also the top rookie in the Side Biter Chassis North Central Region, Oliver won half a dozen features and was track champion at Lee County Speedway. “This is a great program that has fresh new faces receiving awards each and every year and made possible by the great relationships we have with Friesen and Chevrolet,” [Read More]

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Taylor tops Desert Thunder Nationals finale, Thompson sweeps Casa Grande SportMods

By Lonnie Wheatley CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Nov. 24) – Central Arizona Speedway’s sixth annual Desert Thunder Nationals came down to the final lap with Jeff Taylor denying R.C. Whitwell a sweep of the three-race weekend by winning Sunday afternoon’s 30-lap IMCA Modified main event atop the 3/8-mile clay oval in Case Grande. Taylor jumped into the lead at the outset of the $3,000 to win IMCA Modified feature and led throughout, fending off a late challenge from Whitwell. “We got a little more balance in the car today,” Taylor said afterward. “We held on, the car was pretty good so we’re happy with that.” While Taylor set the pace ahead of Alex Stanford, Whitwell was working his forward from 16th in his quest to sweep the weekend. Reaching the fourth position by the time a caution flew after 19 laps, he made quick work of Jason Noll and Stanford on the restart to take command of second and set his sights on Taylor for the lead. A final caution with five laps remaining put Whitwell on Taylor’s rear [Read More]

Consistency is key, changes few for 2020 IMCA rules

VINTON, Iowa – Look for consistency but no earth shaking changes in the IMCA rules for 2020. Notably, Modified, Late Model, Stock Car, Hobby Stock, SportMod and Sport Compact drivers may now compete with a minimum two-inch wide SFI-approved five point safety belt assembly. “As safety improvements evolve in this industry, we will evolve with them,” IMCA President Brett Root explained. “Our rules already allow for the two-inch wide belt for use with the HANS device and allowing an entire two-inch wide harness assembly is an evolution of this rule.” Also along the lines of safety, lithium batteries will not be allowed in any division. “That is primarily due to safety concerns in event of fire,” Root said. “Executive Director of Competition Dave Brenn addresses this issue at more length in his column in the November Inside IMCA newsletter.” And along the line of evolving technology, cell phones will not be allowed in race cars. “Obviously, we all carry cell phones. We just don’t want them in race cars,” stated Root. “They can be used to collect [Read More]

Rage Chassis reigns as IMCA Manufacturers’ Cup winner

WEST UNION, Iowa – Rage Chassis reigns as a first-time winner of the coveted IMCA Manufacturers’ Cup. The West Union, Iowa, chassis builder topped overall point standings in the 11th annual contest. Points were awarded based on the make of chassis driven by racers finishing in the top 10 in each of the five regions for IMCA Modifieds. Fifteen builders were entered in this year’s contest. Last-year’s Cup runner-up, Rage led the way with 41 points, tallied by seven different drivers. “This is a great accomplishment. It’s something every chassis builder wants to do but can’t by themselves,” said Rage owner Justin O’Brien. “Our customers, their hard work and performance dictated the results.” Two-time and defending Cup champion Shaw Race Cars was second, with eight drivers totaling 33 points. Rounding out the top five were GRT Race Cars with 30 points and Harris Auto Racing and Razor Chassis, both with 25. Rage paced point standings in its home North Central Region. Shaw won in its title sponsored Western Region, GRT repeated in the Central Region, BMS [Read More]

Duel In The Desert tire samples meet IMCA benchmark

VINTON, Iowa – Samples taken during the Duel In The Desert have been tested and determined to conform with benchmark standards for the IMCA Hoosier G-60 tire. Samples were taken from Thursday night qualifying feature winners Tom Berry Jr., R.C. Whitwell and Michael Johnson. All three drivers led substantial portions of their main events, with Whitwell winning the Modified main and Johnson ultimately finishing second in the Northern SportMod feature on Saturday at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track. Chemical testing was done at a private laboratory. “We take all possibilities of skirting or outright cheating our rules very seriously, whether at a weekly show or at an event like the Duel In The Desert,” said IMCA President Brett Root. “Our members deserve to know that we take the necessary measures to monitor and enforce those rules.”

Canyon’s Harvest Hustle special set for Nov. 29-30

PEORIA, Ariz. – IMCA Modifieds race for $1,250 to win, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods for $1,000 to win both nights of Canyon Speedway Park’s Friday and Saturday, Nov. 29-30 Harvest Hustle. The Modified features are Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying events. Pill draw each night is $50 for Modifieds and $40 for Northern SportMods. Gates open at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. on Friday. Gates open at 4 p.m. with the first green flag at 5 p.m. on Saturday. Spectator admission is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and military and free for kids 11 and under. Pit passes are $35 for adults, $20 for kids ages seven to 11 and free for six and under. Free dry camping spots are available that weekend. More information about Harvest Hustle is available on Facebook, by calling 602 258-RACE and at www.canyonspeedwaypark.com.