Memorial Clash checkers put Thies on All-Star ballot

Jim Thies put his name on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot with his $1,000 IMCA Modi­fied feature win at Park Jefferson Speedway’s Memorial Clash. (Photo by Jim Steffens)

JEFFERSON, S.D. (May 23) – Fans at Park Jefferson Speedway have been cheering for Jim Thies since he started racing some 27 years ago.

They got to cheer for him again Saturday night, as Thies scored his first IMCA Modified feature win of the season. The Memorial Clash checkers paid $1,000 and put the Mapleton, Iowa, hot­shoe on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. 

“It’s nice when you can still get it done when you’re this old,” said Thies, who held off Shane DeMey and Chris Mills following a late restart in the flag-to-flag run. “It’s always fun to win.” 

The victory, his career 32nd in the class, came in Thies’ sixth start close to home after starting the sea­son in Texas. After chalking up a single-season best six wins last year, he won on Saturday aboard a new Razor and ahead of DeMey, Mills, Bob Moore and Anthony Ross. 

Jesse Sobbing rushed out to an early lead and fended off challenges by Justin Luinenburg in winning the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main. Austin Brauner was third.

And Spring Nationals winner Malik Sampson returned to collect bookend hardware, besting Kevin Bruck and Brandon Nielsen in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature.

Feature Results

Modifieds – 1. Jim Thies; 2. Shane DeMey; 3. Chris Mills; 4. Bob Moore; 5. Anthony Roth; 6. Jeff Berens; 7. Ricky Stephan; 8. Jason Schneiders; 9. Devon Schlumbohm; 10. Sean Barragan; 11. Chad Porter; 12. Shawn Bearce; 13. Jim Cole; 14. Andy Eickhoff; 15. Matt Bonine; 16. Josh Rogotzke; 17. Jim Mathieson; 18. Jason Hickingbottom; 19. Travis Hatcher.

Stock Cars – 1. Jesse Sobbing; 2. Justin Luinenburg; 3. Austin Brauner; 4. Dan Mackenthun; 5. Marty Steinbach; 6. Glen Jones; 7. Curt Vanbeek; 8. Austin Jahnz; 9. Tony Ritterbush; 10. Jason Fisher; 11. Paul Wenzlaff; 12. Trevor Holm; 13. Ryan Harris; 14. Todd Gereau; 15. Brenton Palmer; 16. Andrea McCain; 17. Kyren Porter; 18. Tom Schumann; 19. Cade Richards; 20. Greg Taylor; 21. Travis Barker; 22. Bo Lundquist; 23. Casey Jones; 24. Daniel Eckblad; 25. Mike Nich­ols; 26. Thomas Ahrndt.

Hobby Stocks – 1. Malik Sampson; 2. Kevin Bruck; 3. Brandon Nielsen; 4. Matt Olson; 5. Gavin Gilbertson; 6. Corey Gronewold; 7. Andrew Harris; 8. Wes Jahnz; 9. Blake Luinenburg; 10. Cory Probst; 11. Jeremy Ziemke; 12. Carl Monroe; 13. Jamie Bruce; 14. Tanner Dowty; 15. Keegan Sampson; 16. Andy Hoffman; 17. Scott Porter; 18. Craig Clift; 19. Troy Dowty; 20. David Bates; 21. Jordan Robinson; 22. Lowell Janssen; 23. Charles Bartels; 24. Ryan Gilland.