centralarizonaraceway

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Jan. 25, 2024) – There was no shortage of adjectives following Kaden Woodie’s career-first Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature win Thursday at Central Arizona Raceway. The long tow from Milaca, Minn., topped the final feature of the Ernie Mincy Early Thaw show, ahead of Cam Reimers and Clay Erickson. “It was awesome. It was exhilarating for sure,” said Woodie, who made the trip from north of the Twin Cities with his dad Paul and crewman Shawn Hess. “My team and I have been putting in the work. I was stoked, for sure.” He led all 20 circuits from the pole, building an advantage of 5-1/2 seconds and catching up with the back of the field before a lap 14 caution. Two more cautions came out before the race ended green, white, checkered. “It was definitely run being out front and lead. I’d checked out before the first caution,” said Woodie, twice a runner-up during the season-opening IMCA.TV Winter Nationals at Cocopah Speedway. “I could hear Cam behind me after the last [Read More]

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Jan. 19, 2024) – Tom Berry had to hustle to get a couple late post-season wins in Arizona last year. He found victory lane much sooner this year, winning Friday’s night two Ernie Mincy Early Thaw feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. “I fell back to fourth (from third starting) and was thinking that’s where I would finish,” said Berry, a DNF after running up front in the Thursday opener. “The high line was the preferred line and it took me three or four laps to get the lead once I found it.” The $1,000 checkers were the first of the season and career 72nd in the class for Berry, who piloted a Mike Wedelstadt owned car at Casa Grande. IMCA’s 2020 national champion was already eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “We raced in Arizona in 2015 and won twice at Cocopah in the Turkey Classic Harvest Hustle last Thanksgiving,” he said. “We got started early this year, getting the win in our second start.” Opening night winner Chaz [Read More]

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (June 3, 2023) – John Thomas’ one-man tour took him to victory lane Saturday night. The leader in national and Big Daddy Race Cars Southern Region rookie points won for the first time in his IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock career, hauling from ninth in the checkered flag run at Central Arizona Raceway. The win came in his 22nd start of the season, after three straight second-place finishes and, best of all, on girlfriend Meghan Aden’s birthday. “We’re calling this my You Only Die Once, You Live Every Day Tour,” explained Thomas, who turns 58 at the end of July. “I got back into racing this year following a health scare. I told Meghan this was something I wanted to do, she said ‘Do it,’ so I did.” “I’ve always been a fender guy,” added Thomas, most recently a winner circa 2007 in the pure stock class at West Valley Speedway. “This was something I did way back when and I never got away from it. I’m really glad to be racing again.” The Arizona native [Read More]