Thornton repeats at 141 Clash with big IMCA Modified payday

Feature

Ricky Thornton Jr. repeated as winner of the Clash at the Creek special for IMCA Modifieds at 141 Speedway. Thornton’s 17th Modified win of the season was good for $10,000. (Photo by Joe Slack, www.danlewisphoto.net)

FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (June 20) – The much-traveled Ricky Thornton Jr. made another stop in victory lane Thursday night, this time at the end of a $10,000 payday. 

Thornton led the last 45 of the 50 laps in repeating as winner of the Clash at the Creek main event for IMCA Modifieds at 141 Speedway. 

“This event is definitely near the top of my list of wins. It’s huge,” he said. “The track fits my driving style and there were a lot of good cars here. Realistically, everyone in the feature had a shot to win it.” 

Pole starter Terry Phillips was second and 13th starting Hunter Marriott ended in third. Rounding out the top five were Jordan Grabouski and Tim Ward. 

Hard charger Joey Taycher took the initial green flag last in the field of 24 and finished 10th.

Thornton had started third and made his run at Phillips and the lead following an early restart. There was only one caution when Thornton was in front and the race ended with 35 green flag circuits. 

“I lapped just a handful of cars, so traffic was never much of a factor,” Thornton said. “I preferred the lower line but I could run wherever.

A multiple-time qualifier for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, Thornton has now won 17 of his 28 IMCA Modified starts this season, at 11 different tracks in five states. He’s also won four of seven IMCA Sunoco Stock Car outings.

“We wanted to concentrate on the Modified here because we knew they’d have so many good cars,” he said of the decision to leave the Stock Car at home. “We wanted to put all our focus on the Modified.”

A pleasant surprise that followed the post-race check presentation was the temperature of 141’s infield pond.

“It was warmer than I expected it to be,” Thornton said after the traditional post-race dip. “I thought it would be freezing.”

Modified qualifying started Wednesday at Francis Creek; nine states were represented in the feature at the 11th annual event.

Grabouski, another two-division star, and Rod Snellenberger were IMCA Sunoco Stock Car winners at the Clash. Cody Schroeder and Travis Hansen topped Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod features. 

Feature results – 1. Ricky Thornton Jr.; 2. Terry Phillips; 3. Hunter Marriott; 4. Jordan Grabouski; 5. Tim Ward; 6. Jeff Larson; 7. Lucas Lamberies; 8. Cody Laney; 9. Todd Dart; 10. Joey Taycher; 11. Shawn Kilgore; 12. Brock Bauman; 13. Josh Long; 14. Benji LaCrosse; 15. Joel Rust; 16. Marcus Yarie; 17. Mike Mullen; 18. Lance Mari; 19. Jason Hughes; 20. Johnny Whitman; 21. Greg Gretz; 22. Tanner Black; 23. Justin Ritchie; 24. Jake O’Neil.

Related Articles

Events

IMCA Stock Cars chase $10,000 top check at 141’s fifth annual King of the Creek special

FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (July 19, 2022) – Winning the fifth annual King of the Creek special for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars this week at 141 Speedway will pay $10,000. Knowing you finished at the front of a field filled with many of the best drivers in The Class Too Tough To Tame, and earned a guaranteed starting spot in the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational will be priceless.  Appleton Camping Center returns as presenting sponsor for the July 20 and 21 event at Francis Creek. Qualifying and a $750 to win feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds is on the Wednesday card; a $500 to win feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and a $250 to win feature for Mach-1 Sport Compacts complement last-chance qualifying and the Stock Car main event on Thursday. Stock Car drivers can register at MyRacePass. Cost is $115. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and KMJ Performance State points will be awarded. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. and racing starts at 6:30 p.m.  Wednesday grandstand admission [Read More]

Feature

Sobiesczyk sails to redemption and $10K at Captain of the Creek

FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (Aug. 16, 2023) – Tyler Sobiesczyk earned $10,000 worth of redemption Wednesday night at 141 Speedway’s East Central Coin Captain of the Creek. The Shawano speedster got to the lead late in the 50-lapper, then outran fellow Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod heavyweights Logan Anderson, Colby Fett and Cam Reimers to the career-best payday. “It doesn’t get any better than this. Everything just came together for us,” Sobiesczyk said following his eighth checkers of the season. “We’ve been having an awesome year in general but to win this crown jewel race is huge. It’s huge for me as a driver, it’s huge for our team and huge for our sponsors, especially doing it racing against so many good drivers.” He’d started second and pursued Coy Vlies early on, then lost another position when Anderson drove by and into the lead. The chase was on from that point, with Sobiesczyk catching Vlies and finally reeling in Anderson in heavy lapped traffic. “For a while I was trying to stay relevant. The middle line [Read More]

Results

LaCrosse returns to IMCA Stock Car roots and reigns at rescheduled King of the Creek

FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (Aug. 2) – Benji LaCrosse couldn’t remember the last year he raced an IMCA Sunoco Stock Car but his memory was pretty good when it came time to drive to victory lane at 141 Speedway. Piloting Travis Van Straten’s backup ride, LaCrosse led the last eight laps in winning the rescheduled King of the Creek special at Francis Creek, outrunning a field filled with heavy hitters for the $1,000 top prize. “I was pretty pumped. It was fun,” said LaCrosse, who collected 28 career wins in the division before going onto more than his fair share of IMCA Modified success. “I’d raced a Stock Car one night in 2007 and 2008 and didn’t do very good. There’s a big difference when you jump in a car that’s already working well.” “It’s kind of like getting on a pedal bike you haven’t been on for a year,” he continued. “You get to the first turn and it all comes back.” LaCrosse started shaking off the cobwebs by drawing a front row start and [Read More]