Newswire

Sprint checkers fly for Cranston at Dodge City

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. (June 1) – Luke Cranston is finding the showdowns pitting the Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars versus the POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series to his liking. For the second time this year, Cranston raced to victory lane in Saturday’s IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature atop the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park in southwest Kansas. In the 25-lap DCRP vs. URSS Sprint Car Clash, Cranston chased down early leader Ty Williams in traffic on the 16th round and went on take the checkered flag by nearly a half straightaway. After a pair of aborted starts, Williams and Cranston led the 24-car feature field to the green flag with the ensuing 25 laps run off in non-stop fashion. Williams gunned into the early lead and paced the field for the initial 15 circuits. Cranston closed in to challenge for the point as traffic came into play after a dozen circuits and pounced on opportunity in traffic to take command on the 16th round. Cranston slipped away in the final rounds with Williams holding on for runner-up honors. Jake Martens battled past Taylor Velasquez to snare the [Read More]

Merced Speedway preps for June 15 Ed Parker Memorial

MERCED, Calif. – IMCA Modifieds race for $1,700 to win, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods for $1,000 to win at Merced Speedway’s Saturday, June 15 Ed Parker Memorial. A Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth is at stake for the Modifieds, who race for a minimum of $100 to start. SportMods taking the feature green earn a minimum of $60. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, E3 Spark Plugs State and track points will be awarded in both divisions. Modifieds also contend for Larry Shaw Race Cars Western Region points. There is no entry fee for the draw/redraw show. Pit gates open at 2 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. Hot laps are at 5:45 p.m. with racing to follow. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and military, $5 for students ages six to 12 and free for five and under. Pit passes are $40. More information about the second annual event is posted on the www.mercedspeedway.net website.

Thornton proves mettle at Dacotah’s Iron Man 100

MANDAN, N.D. (June 1) – Ricky Thornton Jr. proved his mettle in Saturday’s 100-lap Iron Man main event for IMCA Modifieds at Dacotah Speedway. As a result, he took home $5,000 from his latest Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying victory. In a replay from their opening night qualifying feature finish, Thornton and Tom Berry Jr. ran 1-2 in the finale at Mandan. Marlyn Seidler, Robert Hellebust and Casey Arneson rounded out the top five. Thornton had driven away from the rest of the field from his outside front row starting spot but his huge lead was erased by a lap 21 caution. Berry slipped by Thornton following the restart and pulled a disappearing act of his own before the mandatory lap 50 caution. When the race resumed, Thornton retook the lead and pulled away. Seidler made a late-race pass of Hellebust to grab third. Kelly Henderson started 11th and finished first in the opening night feature for Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods following the 2Strong Summer Dirt Series. Chase Conway battled Henderson before ending in second. [Read More]

Davis, Egbert, Williams clinch Red River Tour crowns

By Jackson Braun ARDMORE, Okla. (May 31) – The finale to the second edition of the Lone Star Super Gas IMCA Red River Modified Tour presented by Smiley’s Racing Products provided a lot of action as the racing events unfolded on the Southern Oklahoma Speedway. Feature winners on the fifth and final night of the tour were Jake O’Neil, IMCA Modifieds; Trevor Egbert, Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods; and Jeffrey Abbey, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Champions were Cory Davis in the Modifieds, Egbert and Gary Williams, Stock Cars. Throughout the Modified pack, three- and four-wide racing was common as the racers fought for position. Up front, Travis Johnson and O’Neil raced around the high side of the speedway and O’Neil attempted to find a way around Johnson. In almost every single corner, O’Neil would double up with Johnson, but couldn’t find the momentum to do so until a few laps later. A caution flag reset the field before Jeff Taylor took his machine to second. Nobody was able to touch O’Neil, however, as the decision [Read More]

Allen plays spoiler in Big O Speedway Red River IMCA Modified Tour feature

By Jackson Braun ENNIS, Texas (May 28) – The first visit to the Big O Speedway for the Lone Star Super Gas IMCA Red River Modified Tour did not disappoint as Chase Allen, Bo Day and Jeffrey Abbey all raced to victory lane. Tour career tour win number two for Allen, who took the opener last year in Kennedale, paid $1,500 and put him on the ballot for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Jeff Taylor and Allen led the field to green. Allen was fast from the start, getting the jump on the initial start and never looking back. Every single restart, Allen was smoother than cream cheese on a bagel as his no. 157 machine ran away from the field. Josh McGaha started inside row two and passed Taylor after a restart. Chris Elliott charged from the 18th starting spot to the top 10, gaining a little more real estate on every single restart as he worked the top and middle lanes of the track. Elliott settled into the top three after a green [Read More]

Carter masters Marshalltown SportMods in photo finish

By Joyce Eisele MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (May 31) – Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods vied for a $500 top prize Friday at Marshalltown Speedway and Brayton Carter took home the top check in a photo finish. Thirty-one cars battled in an 18-lap main event that saw both Carter and runner-up Cory Rose come from the ninth row. The final laps turned out to be a barnburner with Johnathon Logue, Rose and Carter battling it out in an epic duel. All three drivers would hold momentary leads through those final circuits, but as they crossed the finish line, the win went to Carter in a photo finish. Rose was second by inches and Logue was a close third. Fourth went to Carter VanDenBerg and Tyler Inman was fifth after starting 15th. Marshalltown Speedway got back to racing after having its last four scheduled events scrapped by the weather. The IMCA Modified win went to Joel Rust, Jeff Aikey won in the IMCA Late Model ranks, Todd Reitzler went to the winner’s circle in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars [Read More]

Top IMCA Modified prize is $1,000 this Sunday at Clay County

SPENCER, Iowa – A check for $1,000 and a berth on the ballot for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot are on the line Sunday, June 2 at Clay County Fair Speedway. Eight hundred dollars of the IMCA Modified purse is sponsored by Weasy’s Bar & Grille. LJK Racing added to the divisional purse for the Abel Drainage & Excavating Night show at Spencer. Also on the IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing program are IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts. Feature winners in all divisions receive $100 gift cards from Spencer Auto Parts. Pit gates and the grandstand open at 4 p.m. Hot laps are at 5:30 p.m. with racing to follow. Grandstand admission is $10 for adults and free for kids ages 12 and under. Pit passes are $25 for adults, $15 for kids ages six to 14 and free for five and under.

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through May 30

IMCA Modifieds – 1. David Goode Jr., Copperas Cove, Texas, 908; 2. Chris Morris, Taylor, Texas, 813; 3. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 796; 4. Zachary Madrid, Tucson, Ariz., 777; 5. Jeffrey Hoegh, New Caney, Texas, 726; 6. Kelsie Foley, Tucson, Ariz., 705; 7. Jeff “Bubba” Stafford Jr., Wittmann, Ariz., 670; 8. Kevin Green, Waco, Texas, 662; 9. Chris Elliott, Abilene, Texas, 659; 10. Tyler Mecl, Queen Creek, Ariz., 634; 11. David Goode Sr., Copperas Cove, Texas, 621; 12. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev., 618; 13. Matt Guillaume, Haslet, Texas, 583; 14. Beau Begnaud, Spring, Texas, 557; 15. Eric Tomlinson, Waco, Texas, 520; 16. Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, 500; 17. Don Banker, Austin, Texas, 495; 18. Ryan Roath, Peoria, Ariz., 493; 19. Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz., 478; 20. Ricky Thornton Jr., Adel, Iowa, 470. IMCA Late Models – 1. Matt Ryan, Davenport, Iowa, 300; 2. Justin L. Kay, Wheatland, Iowa, 233; 3. Jeremiah Hurst, Dubuque, Iowa, 193; 4. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo, Iowa, 189; 5. Dylan Schmer, Aurora, Neb., 186; 6. Cory Dumpert, York, Neb., 182; 7. Lake Knutti, Chadwick, [Read More]

National champions in five IMCA divisions earn Wilwood Engineering awards

CAMARILLO, Calif. – National champions in five IMCA divisions earn contingency awards again this season courtesy of Wilwood Engineering. The Camarillo, Calif., manufacturer will provide a pair of brake rotors to the IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod national champions, and a set of front and rear Wide 5 hubs to the IMCA Late Model national champion. Second through fifth place finishers in all five divisions also receive $100 product certificates from the nine-year IMCA sponsor. “Wilwood understands the importance of choosing the right braking components to match not only the race car but driving style as well,” said Dave Brzozowski, Motorsports Manager for Wilwood. “IMCA does an outstanding job providing drivers with a series to develop their skills while allowing Wilwood to work directly with them one-on-one to provide that important education.” All awards will be presented during the national IMCA banquet in November or mailed the following week from the IMCA home office. Information about the complete line of high-performance Wilwood products is available [Read More]

Davis, Williams get 2nd Red River Tour wins, Egbert tops Southern SportMod main at 281

STEPHENVILLE, Texas (May 27) – Cory Davis and Gary Williams both won second Lone Star Super Gas IMCA Red River Modified Tour presented by Smiley’s Racing Products features on Memorial Day at 281 Speedway. Trevor Egbert, meanwhile, won for the first time at Stephenville in so long he wasn’t sure when. Davis led all 25 laps of the IMCA Modified main event, weathering a series of early cautions and pulling away after each restart. Also the Sunday night winner at Heart O’ Texas Speedway, Davis checked out on everybody in taking the $1,500 victory. Fred Wojtek and Chris Morris were next across the line. Williams had topped the Saturday IMCA Sunoco Stock Car lidlifter at Kennedale Speedway Park. He made just the second start of his career at 281 a memorable one with a flag to flag run in front, holding off challenges from Dennis Bissonnette and then from eventual runner-up Cary White. “When we got it done at Kennedale, we knew we had a fast car. We were hoping for a top five here. [Read More]