Forster doubles up at Cocopah, Ward and West are also IMCA winners

Results

Tim Ward returned to his home state to win the Saturday IMCA Modified feature at Cocopah Speedway and $1,000. The checkers were the first of the season for the new Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot candidate. (Photo by Bobby McMorris)

By Ben Deatherage

SOMERTON, Ariz. (Feb. 20) – Once more three Speedway Motors IMCA Weekly Racing sanc­tioned classes were in competition at Cocopah Speedway on Saturday. IMCA Modifieds, Karl Kustoms Northern Sport Mods, and IMCA STARS Mod Lites complimented the card of the final night of the Western States Dwarf Car Nationals at the ⅜-mile track.  

For the IMCA Modified main event, Marvin Mueller got the front on the drop of the initial green flag. He did his best to keep his car ahead of the competition but would be overtaken on lap three by Jerry Flippo.

Flippo steered his vessel ahead of the rest of the pack but was eventually caught. Arizona native Tim Ward overtook Jerry Flippo on lap 14.  Ward was by no means out of the woods as he had to deal with some thick lapped traffic and pressure from Flippo. 

The seventh starting Ward held on to capture his first win of the 2021 campaign in the caution-free affair, earning $1,000 and a spot on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. 

Flippo ended the night second with Chaz Baca in third.

In the Northern SportMod feature, Markus Frazier showed the way for much of the race. Frazier faced a barrage of opponents at which point was up to three drivers looking to overtake him. Fra­zier lost the top spot around lap 15 to Daniel West.

Just two cautions slowed the field down and took out the factor of lapped traffic in the closing stages. West again had to hold back some contenders but ended the evening atop the rest of the field for his first win of the year. 

Chris Toth rallied to second after spinning earlier while third was Miles Morris.

In the IMCA STARS Mod Lites, Richard Kemp took control of the front of the field on the initial start. Cade Lewis was quick to get around him and lead the pack for the second circuit.

With just two laps to go, Zack Forster overtook his nephew, Lewis, to gain the point, then held on to win for the second time in as many nights at Cocopah.

Kaden Cochrun made a late pass for second with Lewis settling in third.

Related Articles

Events

Inaugural Corning Memorial this weekend at Cocopah

SOMERTON, Ariz. – One thousand dollar checks and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational berths go to IMCA Modified feature winners both nights of Cocopah Speedway’s inaugural Mike Corning Memorial Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25 and 26.  Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Mach-1 Sport Compacts race both nights at Somerton while IMCA Sunoco Late Models join the Saturday show.  IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional, KMJ Performance State and track points will be awarded both nights. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. 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. All pit passes are $35.  Corning was champion of IMCA’s Western Region for Modifieds in 1996. The point season-end­ing event is presented by Kactus Kush.  More information is available on Facebook or at www.cocopahspeedway.com. 

Feature

2023 IMCA.TV Winter Nationals open with a bang!  

By Ben Deatherage  SOMERTON, Ariz. (Jan. 4, 2023) – Wednesday was opening night of the 2023 IMCA.TV Winter Nationals at Cocopah Speedway and the 3/8-mile oval, known as the Diamond In The Desert, attracted over 230 race teams from across North America to compete in the winter extravaganza.  Arizona native Tim Ward won the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature and $1,000 while Minnesotan Jim Horejsi topped the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature and pocketed $750. Defending Winter Nationals king Shane Paris took the $750 Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod checkers, Thomas Daffern scored the $500 IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock victory and Kevin Reuter raced to the $250 Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact win. In Modified action, the 25-lap feature started with Brandon Beckendorf flexing his guns early and dominating before a lap eight caution bunched the field up.  When the green flag was redisplayed, Ward put a power move on Brandon for the lead. Despite a couple of cautions, Ward tamed the rest of the pack for his first career IMCA.TV Winter Nationals triumph along with Fast Shafts [Read More]

Feature

Five win features, five wrap up titles on final night of IMCA.TV Winter Nationals 

By Ben Deatherage SOMERTON, Ariz. (Jan. 14, 2023) – Five IMCA drivers won feature events and five more wrapped up IMCA.TV Winter Nationals in the Saturday night finale at Cocopah Speedway. Chaz Baca topped the rain-delayed but caution-free Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event, earning $1,000. Career win number 88 for the defending track and state champion, already Fast Shaft All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible, came ahead of Brady Bjella and Brandon Beckendorf. Tim Ward’s 10th place run was just enough to give him the Winter Nationals title. Veterans Curt Lund and Mike Albertsen tussled ‘til midway of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car headliner, before Dylan Thornton motored by.  A late-race restart gave Thornton a clear track ahead and he sped to his second $750 checkers in as many nights. Albertsen ended in second, Shelby Williams was second and always-consistent Chase Berkeley wrapped up the title with his ninth place showing. Levi Kiefer turned back the clock in dominating the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod finale, taking the lead on the opening stanza and, despite lapped traffic [Read More]