Ryan Clark

Out of the ashes

After trailer fire cuts 2023 season short, Philpott tops opener at Cottage Grove La PINE, Ore. (April 20, 2024) – Standing by the side of Interstate 5 and surveying what was left of his burned out trailer and blackened remains of his race car last August, Landyn Philpott had to wonder what came next in his motorsports career, if anything. Fast forward to opening night Saturday at Cottage Grove Speedway and the youngster from La Pine was standing in victory lane, following his career-first Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod feature win. “The win meant a lot to me because it was my first, but to be honest it meant more because of everything we had to do just to be able to race this year,” said Philpott, 17 years old and a junior at La Pine High School. “And because Cottage Grove was the last track we raced at last year.” That last start, on Aug. 5, saw Philpott win his first heat race and run second in the main event, the best of his rookie [Read More]

Legends, A.I.R.S. join IMCA Weekly Racing program this Sunday at Benton County

VINTON, Iowa (Apr. 24, 2024) – Following an exciting opener this past weekend, the IMCA Weekly Racing season will continue this Sunday, April 28 at Benton County Speedway. The five weekly classes will be joined by INEX Legends and American Iron Racing Series (A.I.R.S.) in their first appearances of the season at The Bullring. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds presented by Wright Way Trailers, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars presented by Christie Door Company, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks presented by iHeart Radio and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts will all be in action for their second night of weekly points racing. Kids’ power wheels races will also be held during intermission. Pit gate and grandstand open at 2:30 p.m. April 28, with hot laps slated for 4:30 and racing at 5. Adult grandstand admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and veterans, and $5 for ages 6-12. Kids five and under will be admitted free if accompanying as paid adult. Pit passes are $30. All events at The Bullring in 2024 will [Read More]

Maquoketa Speedway falls to weather, season opener postponed to April 27

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (April 23, 2024) – The IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season opener at Maquoketa Speedway scheduled for Saturday, April 20 fell victim to wet grounds and cold temperatures. The 2024 season will now be set to get underway on Saturday, April 27. The racing program will include sanctioned races in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Late Model, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod divisions, along with INEX Legends and the 4-cylinder compact class. Hot laps take to the quarter-mile Maquoketa Speedway, located on the Jackson County Fairgrounds at 6 p.m. with hot laps and racing will follow this Saturday.

Shawano Speedway welcomes Ken Schrader for Hall of Fame Night

SHAWANO, Wis. (April 23, 2024) – Shawano Speedway powered by Auto Select proudly announces a thrilling highlight for motorsports enthusiasts as Ken Schrader is set to make a special appearance during Hall of Fame night on Saturday, June 8. Schrader, a familiar figure in the racing world, will not only attend the event but will also take to the track in his Federated Auto Parts IMCA Mod, promising fans an unforgettable experience. Schrader’s career spans decades, marked by numerous victories and a passionate fan base. His participation in Shawano Speedway’s Hall of Fame night adds an extra layer of excitement to an already anticipated event. Spectators can look forward to witnessing Schrader’s skill and expertise firsthand as he navigates the track in pursuit of victory. Sanctioned divisions joining Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds on the program that evening will be the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods. This special event is made possible through the generous support of Automotive Supply, whose sponsorship underscores their commitment to promoting and celebrating the thrill of motorsports [Read More]

Fantastic finishes highlight season opener at Benton County Speedway

VINTON, Iowa (April 21, 2024) – If Sunday night’s IMCA Weekly Racing season opener was an indication of things to come, it’s going to be an exciting year at Benton County Speedway. Multiple events were decided by late-race passes as fans were provided with 109 race teams in action on the fast, multi-groove quarter mile in an efficient show that took just over three hours to complete. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars presented by Christie Door Company led the list of exciting finishes at The Bullring as 18 entries competed in the first night of action. Gage Neal, Dustin Griffiths and John Oliver Jr. shared time out front throughout the 20-lapper before Kaden Reynolds made a last corner pass to work the low side by Oliver to score the opening night win. Kyle Olson raced from a fifth row start to finish third ahead of Jay Schmidt. Reynolds, who started eighth and raced to his career 10th Stock Car win on the Vinton oval Sunday night, was also the winner on championship night last season. The [Read More]

Sweigart rides high side to Port Royal PASS victory

By Frank Buhrman PORT ROYAL, Pa. (April 20, 2024) – Two weeks ago, Nick Sweigart committed to the high side of Port Royal Speedway’s racing surface, and while his racing line thrilled the crowd, he needed some late attrition among other front-runners for it to result in a fourth-place finish in the River Valley Builders Pennsylvania Sprint Series makeup of the 2023 Keystone RaceSaver Challenge. This Saturday night was very different. Hanging high, and hitting the wall once, the Myerstown veteran shot from his sixth starting position into second on the opening lap, then got past early leader Ken Duke at the beginning of lap three. From that point on, Sweigart was atop the Speed Palace leaderboard and despite his critical appraisal of his driving over the last half of the race, he held his lead in traffic and scored a 2.159-second victory over defending PASS champion Logan Spahr, who took the runner-up spot from Duke on the final circuit of the 20-lap feature. The feature ran non-stop and was completed in less than seven minutes. Only [Read More]

Chadwick, Diaz, Bannister are best in opener for Central California Clash

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (April 20, 2024) – Kellen Chadwick scored the victory in the 25-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified race Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was the opening race of the six-race Central California Clash. The win paid Chadwick $1,000 and made him eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Chadwick had the outside front row for the start and bolted into the lead at the green flag, followed by Bobby Hogge IV and Troy Foulger. Foulger slipped past Hogge for second on a lap three restart with Andrew Pearce settling into third. After a lap nine caution, the race had a good run of green flag racing with Chadwick pulling away from Foulger. A yellow flag with three laps to go bunched the field but Chadwick bolted ahead and brought it home to a satisfying win. Foulger settled for second ahead of Pearce, Hogge and Cody Burke. Rick Diaz won the 20-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main event. He led all the way and held off a furious challenge [Read More]

Saturday Ice Breaker Challenge checkers fly for Braaksma

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (April 20, 2024) – On a track that’s definitely different than what he’s used to running on, Ethan Braaksma raced to the same results Saturday night. Braaksma won his sixth Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature, and fifth Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying race of the season, collecting $2,000 on night two of the Ice Breaker Challenge. “It was a pretty good run. I just took my time and hit my marks. I was kind of searching there at the beginning but once I found the bottom I hit it really good,” said Braaksma, the leader from lap 11 to the finish. “I could see where the others were messing up in front of me and that’s how I got to the lead. I just had to be sure to get the left side down in the moisture so I could get off of the corner.” Ricky Stephan and then Shawn Harker held down the front spot early on. Braaksma caught Chad Andersen for second on lap seven and grabbed the [Read More]

Grays Harbor checkers are IMCA Modified first for Scherer

ELMA, Wash. (April 20, 2024) – While he’d race to track rookie of the year honors, the 2023 season was admittedly a learning one for Grays Harbor Raceway regular Riley Scherer. The Tenino hotshoe put those lessons to use on Saturday, racing to his Friesen Performance IMCA Modified career-first feature win in the 2024 opener at Elma. “It still hasn’t sunk in yet. I don’t exactly know how to describe it,” Scherer said of the main event shortened by cautions and impending weather. “It’s kind of like racing from Motel 6 to the Hilton.” Wheeling a new-to-him 2018 GRT car themed Hammerin’ Down in Pound Town and Doin’ It for Bobby,’ in memory of childhood friend Bobby Orr who passed away last November, Scherer started fifth and ran third most of the way. He’d worked his way to the front just before the race ended. Two-time defending track champion Tyson Blood started 13th and finished second.

Winning continues for Reid in MLA opener

PLUMERVILLE, Ark. (April 20, 2024) – Jace Reid continued his winning ways Saturday night, as he led from the opening lap en route to the checkers in the first Mod Lites of Arkansas event of 2024 at Two Dollar Pistol Motor Speedway. The Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite victory was the third in as many consecutive starts for Reid, from Nashville, at the Plumerville speed factory. Reid led from the pole and was unchallenged throughout most of the 25-lapper but that didn’t mean the win was not without some drama as his car started to show signs of overheating and smoke emerging in the closing circuits. Son and father Blake and Jeromy Wilson completed the top three with Blake being the evening’s hard charger as he raced from 11th starting to finish in the runner-up position. The Mod Lites of Arkansas return to action April 27 at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis.