cocopahspeedway Archives

O’Neil makes it three straight Winter Nationals wins

By Mike Spieker SOMERTON, Ariz. (Jan. 17) – Jake O’Neil cruised to his third Winter Nationals victory Friday night at Cocopah Speedway. O’Neil started third on the grid and took the lead away from front row starter Joey Price on lap three. Once out front, the Tucson pilot never looked back as he led the remainder of the 25-lap, $1,000 to win main event. Eighth place starter R.C. Whitwell moved into second at the halfway point, but was never able to threaten the leader. O’Neil was loyal to the low side of the speedway throughout the race while Whitwell used the high side in the entry of the corner before diving low on exit. The margin of victory for O’Neil was 2.2 seconds over Whitwell at the checkers. “I saw on the scoreboard that the 96 (Whitwell) was behind me. He is super fast and a pretty good wheelman and I knew if I made one mistake, he would be right there to capitalize,” said O’Neil. “I just tried to minimize my mistakes as much as [Read More]

O’Neil bests Thornton in Cocopah classic as Morris tops Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods

By Mike Spieker SOMERTON, Ariz. (Jan. 16) – Some of the best racing seen to date at Winter Nationals was displayed Thursday evening, and Jake O’Neil ended the night at Cocopah Speedway with a second straight $1,000 IMCA Modified feature win. O’Neil made a bold three-wide pass on the high side to drive from fourth to second in the first set of corners, then powered around the outside of Kollin Hibdon to lead lap one. Ricky Thornton Jr. moved his way up to the second spot from the fifth starting position by lap four and quickly set his sights on O’Neil. Thornton searched every inch of the oval before taking command of the lead on lap 15. O’Neil quickly mounted another charge as the lead duo sliced their way through slower traffic. O’Neil finally cleared Thornton Jr. to take the point with four laps to go and held on for the victory. “I thought once he got by me it was over. Usually when that guy gets to the lead there is no catching him,” O’Neil [Read More]

Night three IMCA Modified checkers fly for O’Neil; Cordova is first to repeat at Cocopah

SOMERTON, Ariz. (Jan. 11) – His green to checkered run at the front of the IMCA Modified field Saturday night at Cocopah Speedway put Jake O’Neil in victory lane and on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. O’Neil took home $1,000 as the third different winner in as many Winter Nationals shows. Jeff Taylor held off Casey Arneson in the race for second, finishing five car lengths off the pace. Bobby Hogge IV and Lance Mari completed the top five. Joshua Cordova became the first repeat winner at Somerton, topping the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature. Gene Henrie scored the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car victory and Michael Johnson dominated the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod main. Scott Tenney led the first 18 times around the track in the Hobby Stock main. Cordova had started fourth and was scored first by the width of his bumper on lap 19 and led Tenney across the stripe in the caution-free 20-lapper. Friday winner Tim Gonska, Eric Knutson and Nathan DeRagon rounded out the top five. Checkers flew for Henrie [Read More]

Baca is best in night two Somerton show, IMCA Modified checkers good for $1,000

SOMERTON, Ariz. (Jan. 10) – After he got back in the lead, Chaz Baca got the $1,000 IMCA Modified feature win Friday night at Cocopah Speedway. Baca ran in front the first nine circuits of the Winter Nationals main event before Braxton Yeager drove by. Baca had regained the point by the time the next lap was scored, however, and led Yeager, Marlyn Seidler, Lance Mari and Bobby Hogge IV across the stripe. Tom Berry Jr. ran third much of the way before bringing out a late caution; Baca was already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. Canadian Brendon LaBatte was the leader the last 17 times around the track in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car headliner. Completing the top five were Gene Henrie, Steffan Carey, Troy Jerovetz and Kevin Roberts. Tim Gonska’s long tow from Minnesota was rewarded with the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock checkers. All 17 cars that started the 20-circuit contest finished on the lead lap. Eric Knutson, Joshua Cordova, Brad King and Scott Tenney were scored behind Gonska. After working [Read More]

Thornton tops IMCA Modifieds in Winter Nationals opener at Cocopah

SOMERTON, Ariz. (Jan. 9) – His return to his home state put $1,000 in Ricky Thornton Jr.’s bank account Thursday night. Thornton led every lap in winning the IMCA Modified feature on opening night of Winter Nationals at Cocopah Speedway. The victory came in the first sanctioned Modified event of the 2020 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing Season. Piloting Kollin Hibdon’s backup car, Thornton had started outside the front row. He walked away from the rest of the field following a lap 13 restart. Runner-up was Jeff Taylor and Jake O’Neil challenged before finishing third. “B” feature winner Tom Berry Jr. started 16th and finished fourth while Hibdon completed the top five. Already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, Iowa transplant Thornton won for the 148th time in his IMCA Modified career. Other winners in the lidlifter at Somerton were Iowan Troy Jervetz in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Shelby Frye in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and defending track champion Joshua Cordova in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Jerovetz led start to finish in [Read More]

Marriott sweeps Wes Hurst Weekend at Cocopah

By Jackson Braun SOMERTON, Ariz. (Nov. 8-9) – After being on hiatus since 2012, the Wes Hurst Memorial returned in a big fashion over the weekend with the IMCA Modifieds at the Cocopah Speedway. The IMCA Modifieds had a highly competitive field both nights of action. 35 IMCA Modifieds checked in on Friday night, while 31 filled the pits on Saturday. Jason Beaulieu led the field to green on Friday night and got the jump on the field. The 30-lap main event was a contest from start to finish, as no racer ran away from the field. Beaulieu faced pressure from Jake O’Neil and Hunter Marriott in the early portion of the race. O’Neil did end up passing Beaulieu, but a broken left front combined with a caution slowing down the field spelled the end of the race for O’Neil. Marriott inherited the lead but Jesse Sobbing got a run and found himself in contention for the win. Marriott analyzed Sobbing’s run around the race track and used the weaknesses to his advantage, getting back [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds headline Cocopah’s Wes Hurst Memorial

YUMA, Ariz. – IMCA Modifieds get top billing on both nights of Cocopah Speedway’s Wes Hurst Memorial, running for a top prize of $2,000 on Friday, Nov. 8 and for $3,000 on Saturday, Nov. 9. Both features are 2020 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying events. Friday’s race pays $1,000 to the runner-up and a minimum of $200 to start; the Saturday race pays $1,500 to the runner-up and a minimum of $300 to start. Kenny Wallace will join the IMCA Modified fields and entry fees are $50 on Friday and $75 on Saturday. Also on Friday and Saturday programs are Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Both nights will be broadcast by IMCA.TV. Pit gates open at 3 p.m., the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and military, and free for kids ages 11 and under. An open practice runs from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7. Pit passes are $25 that evening. More information about the [Read More]

Lyons takes promoter’s post at Cocopah

SOMERTON, Ariz. – Three IMCA divisions will run weekly this season at Cocopah Speedway, under the direction of new promoter Benji Lyons. Friday and Saturday point shows run through Sept. 14 and feature IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods. “This facility is probably one of the top 10 in the country,” Lyons said. “This is a racing town and the people here really support this track.” Sixty-two loads have been added to the 3/8-mile oval with another 40 or so coming before opening night. Modifieds at Cocopah are part of IMCA’s Larry Shaw Race Cars Western Region. Hobby Stocks are in the Big Daddy Race Cars Southern Region. “I like the stability of IMCA,” Lyons said. “I’m not in the rules enforcing business and I’m not in the business of reinventing the wheel. I’m in the racing business and sanctioning with IMCA means I don’t have to take my attention away from putting fans in the stands.” Cocopah first sanctioned with IMCA in 1990. This season will be the ninth [Read More]

Arizona IMCA Modified Tour ends with Thornton in Cocopah’s victory lane

By Mike Spieker SOMERTON, Ariz. (Feb. 18) – The second annual Karl Performance Arizona IMCA Modified Tour came to a close with a Sunday matinee at Cocopah Speedway and Ricky Thornton Jr. ended his afternoon with the $1,500 Winter Nationals feature win. Thornton grabbed the lead from the pole as Aaron Turnbull followed him into second. Thornton quickly pulled away from the field, opening his advantage to over two seconds by lap five. The field stretched itself out throughout the first half of the race until Thornton reached the tail of the field with 13 of 25 laps completed. Mired in traffic, Thornton’s lead quickly evaporated to just a half second on Turnbull. Turnbull, who was looking to pick up his second consecutive main event win, closed to within two car lengths until he was slowed by a lapped car. Thornton simultaneously over-drove turns one and two, which kept Turnbull within striking distance. In clean track, however, Thornton hit his marks and cruised to the checkered flag. “I kind of figured the groove was going to [Read More]

Turnbull checks out for Arizona Mod Tour victory on night two at Cocopah Speedway

By Mike Spieker SOMERTON, Ariz. (Feb. 18) – Aaron Turnbull dominated the penultimate night of the Karl Performance Arizona IMCA Modified Tour, leading all 25 trips around Cocopah Speedway Saturday evening. The $1,500 victory put the Canadian clipper on the ballot for the upcoming Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Pole sitter Cody Laney jumped out to the early lead at the drop of the green flag but Turnbull powered around the outside off turn four to lead the opening lap. Laney quickly had his hands full with Jeff Taylor, who was seeking his best finish of this year’s tour. Taylor snuck by Laney on lap three and set his sights on Turnbull, who had already established a seven car length lead. Ricky Thornton Jr. became a contender early on as well after he moved by Laney to crack the top three. Lapped traffic tightened things up late in the going. Turnbull’s comfortable lead evaporated to just two car lengths as both Taylor and Thornton reeled him in. Thornton passed Taylor for second just as the caution [Read More]