OSBORN, Mo. – Drivers with IMCA national championships already on their resumes begin their pursuit of 2020 honors this weekend at US 36 Raceway and Bethany Speedway.
Jordan Grabouski, Mike Nichols and Austin Kaplan are among drivers from 10 states pre-entered for opening night events Friday, May 8 at Osborn and Saturday, May 9 at Bethany. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods are on both race night cards
From Nebraska, Grabouski became the first driver to win two IMCA national crowns in the same season last year, topping point standings for both Modifieds and Stock Cars. He amassed 69 feature wins, two regional titles and eight track championships, all IMCA record totals for a single season.
Eight-time national champion Nichols, a former Missouri state king, looks to add to his Stock Car division best 529-win total. Fellow Iowan Kaplan owns a Northern SportMod national crown and makes the weekend trip south as well.
2017 Jet Racing Central Region king Steven Bowers Jr., a six-time track and two-time state champion in Kansas, is among the fleet IMCA Modified contenders. Two more drivers with state titles to their career credit, Brandon Conkwright and Scott Smith, and two-time and defending U.S. 36 Raceway champ Chad Clancy are also entered.
RaceSaver Sprint Car entries will be en route from as far away as Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana to battle an equally talented group of Midwest and Central states drivers, among them multi-time URSS and Kansas state champion Zach Blurton.
The winged field also features Tyler Drueke, who has a collection of Eagle Raceway, Sprint Series of Nebraska and Nebraska State plaques; defending US 36 Raceway track and two-time Iowa State champion Mike Houseman Jr.; 2019 Lake Ozark Speedway champ Jack Potter; and defending Nebraska State champion Stuart Snyder.
Defending Bethany champion Mich Ross and former Thunder Hill Speedway champ Marvin Griffith Jr. are also among the Stock Car entries.
Another 2019 Bethany titlist, Chris Wright, and 2019 Salina/Thunder Hill Speedway champion Luke Stallbaumer are pre-entered in the Northern SportMods.
As announced by promoter Jon Boller Jr., social distancing guidelines will be in effect in the pit area and grandstand each night. Track officials will ask all race teams to stay within their respective pit stalls and that everyone attending wear a mask or other appropriate facial covering.
Questions about the season-opening weekend can be directed to Boller at 816 752-3645. Both race programs will be broadcast by Speed Shift TV.