Ryan Clark

Obituary for Navy Drew Smith

Navy Drew Smith, 9 months, of Waterloo, was called back to Heaven on Thursday, May 4, 2023. She was born August 4, 2022, in Waterloo, the much loved daughter of Tyler Smith and Alyssa Root. Despite her young age, Navy traveled with her parents, grandparents and great-grandparents for vacation experiencing her first airplane ride, ship ride and island adventures. She would ride around deck on the ship in her stroller, greeting all her fellow passengers with her warm and contagious smile. Navy especially enjoyed the many hours spent with Grandma Sue. She liked being outdoors, going on walks and playing in the water but hated the feel of grass on her feet. She was very curious and alert and didn’t miss anything within ear or eyeshot. Navy sat up at 6 months, then moved right into crawling and was already pulling herself up on furniture. Her adventurous nature also included eating and enjoying every food she ever tried. Navy was loved and cherished and will be deeply missed by the many people whose lives she touched in such a short lifetime. She is survived by [Read More]

Horn hauls to Drive For 5 feature win

By Brian Neal DONNELLSON, Iowa (May 12, 2023) – Wins in back-to-back starts at Lee County Speedway saw CJ Horn capture his first Iowa Corn Growers Association Drive For 5 IMCA Sunoco Late Model victory on Friday night. Horn and Jeff Guengerich drew the front row for the 25-lap feature, with Horn jumping out into the lead on lap one over Guengerich and Jeremy Pundt. While Horn started to pull away, Denny Woodworth, Dalton Simonsen, who started 8th, Jay Johnson, who started 9th, and Tommy Elston battled Guengerich and Pundt in the top seven. Despite heavy lapped traffic late in the race, Horn went on to claim his second win in a row at the track, with this one worth $1,000. Woodworth won the battle for second, Simonsen was third, Elston was fourth with Johnson coming home fifth. Austen Becerra led from lap 11 to the finish in repeating as Friesen Performance IMCA Modified winner from a week ago. John Oliver Jr. outran ninth starting Derrick Agee for the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car checkers. Sean Wyett edged out Jim [Read More]

Opportunity knocks, Zoubek answers at Eagle

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (May 13, 2023) – Opportunity knocked and Bob Zoubek answered with three laps to go in the Saturday Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature at Eagle Raceway. The Dorchester driver was running third when the front pair of Dustin Andersen and Johnny Saathoff got caught behind lapped cars. Zoubek sailed around both to take the lead and eventually his first win of the year ahead of Saathoff, Andersen and Terry Hurt. “Dustin and John got together down low behind those lappers, I went around the high side and I honestly had no idea that I was leading it, Zoubek said following career win number 37 in the division. “It all ended up pretty good. The track was racy, with a high groove and a low groove. That’s all that you can ask for.” Adam Gullion led from lap nine to the checkers in winning the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature in front of Jay Russell and Tyler Drueke. Kyle Vanover parlayed a restart into the lead and the IMCA Sunoco Stock [Read More]

Ellithorpe throws slider to win thriller at Maquoketa

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (May 13, 2023) – Saturday was another one of those race days the weatherman threatened to throw a curve ball at the plans for a night of racing at Maquoketa Speedway. The threat of wet weather moving in was not realized and racing went on as scheduled. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature provided lots of exciting racing with the final laps run with the win up for grabs. Jerry Miles rode the high side of the quarter mile for the first 13 laps in the lead. A late-race caution set up a two-lap dash to the finish. Jacob Ellithorpe threw a hard slider at Miles in turn one and the 72 of Ellithorpe and the 4 of Miles raced down the back chute wheel-to-wheel coming to the white flag. Ellithorpe was able to nose out front and take the win by less than a car length. Brandon Vorbeck crossed the finish line in third. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds saw veteran driver Jeff “Bone” Larson win his second feature [Read More]

Estevan Motor Speedway hosts IMCA Border Challenge this weekend

ESTEVAN, Sask. (May 15, 2023) – Estevan Motor Speedway rolls out the red carpet for IMCA drivers from both sides of the border at the May 19 and 20 Border Challenge. A sizable contingent of American drivers was on hand for opening night May 6 at the Saskatchewan speedplant, with proof of COVID 19 vaccination no longer required to cross the border and race in Canada. To welcome those drivers, local competitors and any newcomers to the sport who haven’t yet made the tow, Estevan hosts two nights of racing for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. While the regular weekly purse will be paid on Friday, top checks on Saturday will be $1,800 for the Modifieds, $800 for the Stock Cars, $650 for Northern SportMods and $500 for Hobby Stocks. Modifieds and Stock Car winners that evening become eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts or B & B Racing Chassis All-Star invitationals. The Stock Car Invitational qualifier is a first-ever event [Read More]

First Fast Friday to Faison

By Jim Haines ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (May 12, 2023) – On the first warm night, the Virginia Sprint Series took to the Carolina coast for its first Fast Friday event of the year at Dixieland Speedway and Delaware hot shoe C.J. Faison came out on top of the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car main event. Faison and Billy Hubbard paced the field to green with Faison sticking to the bottom with Hubbard and Jerald Harris right behind. Faison tried to get away and at first that strategy was working but Harris made his way to second and, after a spinner caused a caution to tighten the field, would stay right there. Laps were clicking off as Lance Christie made his way to third but all Harrison could do was to get close as waving checkered flags flew over Faison, the third different winner in as many series events so far in 2023. Next it’s off to Hagerstown Speedway this Saturday, May 20 with the Laurel Highlands Sprint Series for a co-sanctioned event.

First career wins to Burke, Fye Saturday at Boone

By Joyce Eisele BOONE, Iowa (May 13, 2023) – Boone Speedway avoided the bad weather rumbling around the State of Iowa on Saturday and the show went on as scheduled with Chris Burke and Aron Fye getting career first wins in their respective IMCA divisions. Summer Anderson and Burke led the field of 24 IMCA Friesen Performance Northern SportMods to the green with Anderson jumping to the point. Her night was short-lived, however, as she broke on the backstretch on lap two. This put Burke to the lead as Hunter Longnecker tucked in behind and put on a relentless challenge. Much of the rest of the race was a near side-by-side challenge as Burke kept his momentum up top and Longnecker looked for a way under him. Burke never gave up his advantage and held off all challenges to see the checkers for the first time in his career. Longnecker had to be content with second place in the caution-free feature and third went to Thomas Behle. Chris Burke led all but the opening circuit [Read More]

Brown, Ballard among Friday winners at CJ Speedway

By Jerry Mackey COLUMBUS JUNCTION, Iowa (May 12, 2023) – Fans were treated to a very exciting night of stock car racing Friday night with a very warm May evening at CJ Speedway on the Louisa County Fairgrounds. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature saw a pair of CJ regulars battle it out for the win on a very smooth and fast racing surface. Kurt Kile led for several laps before ninth starting Jarrett Brown closed in and set up a classic battle for the lead. Slide jobs and diamond moves off of the top side of turn one provided several lead changes before Brown was able to take control of the lead position and sail on to the feature win. Kile finished second ahead of eighth starting Ethan Braaksma. The IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main event saw Nathan Ballard score his third feature win in four nights of racing at CJ in 2023. Ballard drove his number 29 from the fourth row to take the lead from Matt Picray on lap eight of the [Read More]

Murty on top to start season 62 at Stuart

By Josh Reynolds STUART, Iowa (May 10, 2023) – The engines fired up once again on Wednesday as another season began at Karl Chevrolet of Stuart International Speedway with the Dynamic Drivelines Dirt Duel. The Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod main started with Garrett Nelson and Cody Yaw on the front row. Nelson led lap one with Taylor Kuehl muscling by on the top side to take over on lap two. Kuehl led through a lap five yellow and it was Brayton Carter taking over from there. A couple cautions were the only thing slowing the 01 machine down as Carter cruised to the $1,000 win. Cam Reimers finished in second with Kuehl third, Mitchell Morris fourth and Matt Avila fifth. Jeremiah Downing and Craig Furstenau led the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts onto the track next and it was Downing leading early on. Kolby Sabin started to reel in the leader and worked the bottom of the track to take the lead on lap 11. Downing did his best but Sabin was too strong and [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds, Late Models, Sprints race for Sweet awards

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (May 12, 2023) – Parts built with experience and proven by performance are part of the Sweet Manufacturing slate of awards for IMCA drivers again in 2023. The Kalamazoo, Mich., company and manufacturer of the Official Steering Box of IMCA renews awards for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Late Models and IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars for a 14th consecutive season. “Sweet Manufacturing is proud to partner with IMCA once again in 2023,” said President Jody Kelsey. “We are excited to continue our long standing partnership with them.” Top three finishers in national Modified point standings and the national Sprint Car rookie of the year receive steering boxes. The national Late Model champion gets a steering rack. The leader in national Late Model points monthly from April through September and top five drivers in final point standings for each Modified region each receive $50 gift certificates. Sweet also returns to the national Modified decal program and drivers in that division must display two Sweet Manufacturing logos on their race car to be eligible for national and [Read More]