Ryan Clark

Friday, Saturday features for IMCA Modifieds, SportMods at Stampede

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – The 49th annual Stock Car Stampede special wraps up the season at Jamestown Speedway Sept. 25 and 26 with features for IMCA Modifieds and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods both nights. IMCA Modifieds race for $1,500 to win on Friday and $2,000 to win Saturday in their Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifiers. Both races pay a minimum of $125 to start, with $200 paid to the leader on laps 2 and 22 both nights in honor of Don Gumke. Northern SportMod features pay $1,000 to win and a minimum of $100 to start. Both shows are draw/redraw. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National and KMJ Performance State points will be awarded and Modifieds earn Side Biter Chassis North Central Region points as well. Weekend entry fee is $120 for Modifieds and $100 for SportMods. Pit passes are $40 for Saturday only or $70 for both days. Drivers who have not raced at Jamestown this year are asked to register ahead of time on MyRacePass. Pit gates open at 10 Friday. The grandstand opens [Read More]

PASS win at Williams Grove puts Hanson, team ‘in happy land’

By Frank Buhrman MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (Sept. 18) – Sometimes a win is more than just a win. Like when the driver wins for the first time in more than five years and has only recently became a new father. Like when it all happens at Williams Grove Speedway, a track where that driver has finished every position second through sixth but never won. And like when the owner wins for the first time in 44 years at the track and is in the pits on his stepson’s wedding weekend. Jaremi Hanson’s win on Friday night met all those criteria, leading to an outpouring of congratulations for him and car owner Rod Ort, also director of the Pennsylvania Sprint Series. Hanson led all the way in the 20-lap IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature, fending off early challenges from fellow front-row starter John Walp and a late charge from defending series and national champion Ken Duke Jr. Hanson said in victory lane that he wasn’t nervous “at the beginning” about his prospects for the win (because he [Read More]

Aikey, Carter cash in with IMCA Modified wins at World Nationals

By Joyce Eisele MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (Sept. 18-19) – Jeff Aikey and Cayden Carter were $2,000 IMCA Modified feature winners at Marshalltown Speedway’s 14th annual World Nationals. Aikey made it back-to-back trips to victory lane, following his Thursday night Dale DeFrance Memorial IMCA Late Model victory in the 500th and final Summer Series event. Carter joined Aikey on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot with the Saturday checkers. Aikey drew the pole for Friday’s 25-lap feature and led the entire race to take the win. Carter and Ethan Dotson challenged Aikey several times, but he fended them off. Carter finished second and Dotson took third, followed by Todd Shute and 18th place starter Tim Ward was fifth. J.D. Auringer paced the opening laps on Saturday but Carter quickly moved from his fifth starting position and into the lead. Carter never relinquished that lead, though Tom Berry did his best to reel him in. Berry, Auringer, the 21st starting Dotson and Cody Laney completed the top five. Cayden Carter put his name on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational with his [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through Sept. 16

IMCA Modifieds – 1. Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn., and Tom Berry, Des Moines, Iowa, both 800; 3. Jeff Larson, Freeport, Ill., and Steven Bowers Jr., Topeka, Kan., both 798; 5. Dakota Sproul, Hays, Kan., 793; 6. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 787; 7. Anthony Roth, Columbus, Neb., 781; 8. Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb., 779; 9. William Gould, Calera, Okla., 778; 10. Tony Leiker, Gillette, Wy., and Chris Abelson, Sioux City, Iowa, both 777; 12. Jeff A. Aikey, Cedar Falls, Iowa, 774; 13. Ethan Braaksma, Newton, Iowa, 773; 14. Jim Thies, Mapleton, Iowa, 772; 15. Joey Price, Great Falls, Mont., Aaron Johnson, Brainerd, Minn., and Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz., each 771; 18. Troy Cordes, Dunkerton, Iowa, and Jesse Rogotzke, Sanborn, Minn., both 770; 20. Jeremy Mills, Britt, Iowa, 769. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Cory Dumpert, York, Neb., 799; 2. Matt Ryan, Davenport, Iowa, 787; 3. Logan Duffy, Independence, Iowa, 767; 4. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo, Iowa, 745; 5. Justin Kay, Wheatland, Iowa, 741; 6. Eric Pollard, Peosta, Iowa, 740; 7. Zachary Zentner, Cedar Rapids, Neb., 738; 8. Dalton [Read More]

IMCA Summer Series standouts DeFrance, Aikey are celebrated at 500th, final event at Marshalltown

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (Sept. 17) – The two drivers synonymous with IMCA’s Summer Series for Late Models were honored before and at the end of Marshalltown Speedway’s Dale DeFrance Memorial. Darrel DeFrance, Dale’s son, was recognized for his perfect attendance through the series’ 500th and final event. Jeff Aikey won that final feature, leading all but the first three of 44 laps to win for the series-best 71st time. One of, if not the most respected drivers in division history, the Ironman DeFrance received a custom door panel, a stone plaque engraved with pictures of his cars from different eras, and a die cast replica of his father’s race car during pre-race ceremonies. A standing ovation from his hometown fans followed congratulations from IMCA officials and promoter Toby Kruse. “I raced every race I could, trying to win every race I could,” DeFrance said of his streak. The Late Model feature brought the third annual special to a close. Dave Wada led the first two times around the track before Aikey took charge, checking out on the rest [Read More]

Racing canceled for Friday at U.S. 36

OSBORN, Mo. – Due to circumstances out of the track’s control, U.S. 36 Raceway officials have been forced to cancel racing for Friday, Sept. 18. U.S. 36 Raceway apologizes for any inconvenience the cancelation may cause. Up next at U.S. 36 Raceway is championship night on Friday, Sept. 25. The final event of the season at US 36 Raceway is the second annual IMCA Missouri Nationals on Oct. 8-10 featuring the IMCA Modifieds, IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods. The Saturday night finale will pay $2,000 to win to the Modifieds and Sprint Cars, $1,700 to the Stock Cars and $1,500 to the Sport Mods.

Schmidt follows egg toss with season’s first SUS win

CLEVELAND, Texas (Sept. 12) – Trey Schmidt showed he was almost as good at tossing an egg as he is wheeling an IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car. Schmidt topped the Saturday Southern United Sprint feature at 105 Speedway, getting his first win of the season and staying in contention for a second career SUS title. Kids from the grandstand were teamed up with the top qualifying drivers from heats in an egg toss competition to determine the front eight starting positions in the feature. Schmidt, who had put a new motor in just the night before, was on the outside pole for the initial start, then moved to the pole after a multi-car melee. Timely cautions kept him out of heavy lapped traffic. Schmidt took the checkers ahead of Shane Morgan and Rod Craddock. “I searched around in one and two to find speed. I tried all different lines. Three and four were locked down and super fast,” he said. “It feels great to get this win. It came at the right time.” Feature results – 1. [Read More]

Dale DeFrance Memorial, World Nationals at Marshalltown Sept. 17-19

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa – Two of the biggest special events in Central Iowa will be held back-to-back at Marshalltown Speedway with the Dale DeFrance Memorial on Sept. 17 and World Nationals Sept. 18 and 19. Five IMCA divisions are on the card for the rescheduled DeFrance Memorial. IMCA Sunoco Late Models run for $2,619 to win that evening in their 500th and final Summer Series event while top prize for IMCA Modifieds is $1,125 in a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying feature. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars race for $650 to win, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods for $575 and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $400. There is no entry fee for the draw/redraw show. Grandstand admission is $15 for adults and free for kids 10 and under. Pit passes will be $30. The pit gate opens at 5:15 p.m. and the front gate opens at 5:30 p.m. Hot laps are at 6:50 p.m. with racing at 7:30 p.m. Modifieds chase $2,000 top checks and All-Star ballot berths while Stock Cars and Northern SportMods run for $1,000 to win [Read More]

Days don’t get better than this: Logue sweeps RoC, Super Nationals SportMod main event

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 13) – When Johnathon Logue woke up Sunday morning, his first thought was that it was going to be a good day. He just had no idea how good. Logue won the BSB Manufacturing Race of Champions for the first time, then won his career third IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Northern SportMod championship. “When I woke up, I was thinking it was going to be a good day. There was no rain in the forecast so maybe we would be able to get some racing in,” he said. Logue led 35 of the 42 laps he’d run Sunday at Boone Speedway, the last eight in the RoC and the last 27 of the 30-lap main event. He was inches ahead of Brett Berry when the fourth lap was scored in the main. He pulled away from the field following each of five restarts, getting a lapped car ahead of Cody Thompson before winning by half a straightaway. “The track transitioned very quickly. Brett beat me on the start [Read More]

A win for the Super Nationals record book as Thornton ends week with Modified crown

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 13) – Ricky Thornton Jr.’s race to the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s record book began on Monday and ended Sunday, with another visit to victory lane in between. Thornton became the first driver in the 38-year history of dirt track racing’s biggest event to win two championships at the same Super Nationals, the Late Model feature on Labor Day and the Modified feature on Sunday at Boone Speedway. He passed Cody Laney in lapped traffic on the 24th of 40 laps, then checked out on the way to the $7,000 win in the final event of the week. “This track really suits my driving style and we’ve been very successful here. We work hard and our equipment is always well prepared,” said Thornton, also winner of Saturday’s Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “I flipped in my (Wednesday) Stock Car heat and that was really the only bad luck we had all week.” Defending champion Ethan Dotson led the first two laps before giving way to fellow Californian Laney. The only [Read More]