Ryan Clark

Thornton, Egbert win opening night Duel qualifiers

By Steven Young LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 11) – Ricky Thornton Jr. and P.J. Egbert punched their tickets Wednesday night for the 23rd annual Duel In The Desert IMCA Modified main event, winning their respective 22-lap qualifying features. In the first qualifier at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, Thornton and William Gould led the field to the green. Thornton set a blistering pace early, leading by over a full second at the completion of the opening round. Tanner Black moved up to the second spot on the second circuit, then began to close in on Thornton for the top spot. The lead duo maintained the same distance through 10 completed laps, as they approached the rear of the field. Thornton closed in on a pair of lapped cars running high and low with six remaining, allowing Black to close to within a half of a second with five laps left. Three lapped cars further quelled Thornton’s momentum, causing him to abandon the bottom to work the traffic with three laps left. Thornton put [Read More]

Charities will be big winners at IMCA Duel In The Desert

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – They won’t appear in victory lane but a host of charities will be winners at the upcoming Duel In The Desert. IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod drivers competing at the Nov. 9-14 Duel, at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, with best appearing charity wraps or paint schemes, square off in minimum $1,000 to win features on Saturday night. The Duel promotional is focusing its energy on helping promote the more than 30 local, state and national charities to be represented on the track in Las Vegas, raising awareness before sharing personal driver stories before drivers dictate the results on the track to end the 23rd annual event. Online donations will be collected via the official page on the duelvegas.com website and added to the overall purse of each division as directed by those donating. Top three finishers in each best appearing feature take home $1,000, $250 and $125 plus online donations. All donations must be submitted through the official form or they will not be counted. There are [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds chase $2K at Cocopah’s Deacon Dick show

SOMERTON, Ariz. – Four IMCA divisions are on the weekend program with a $2,000 to win feature for IMCA Modifieds headlining Cocopah Speedway’s Deacon Dick Memorial. Racing starts at 7 p.m. for Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 7 programs at Somerton. The Modified main event is a qualifier for the 2021 Fast Shafts All Star Invitational ballot and both Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace will compete at The Diamond In The Desert. Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods chase a $750 top check while IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars run for $500 to win. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks complete the card in a $350 to win feature. There is a $25 pill draw for all divisions. Pit gates open at 3 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. both days. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and military, and free for kids ages 11 and under. Adult pit passes are $35. An open practice runs from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5. The event will be broadcast by IMCA.TV.

Richards puts car on display to benefit Lincoln Food Bank before going Dueling

LINCOLN, Neb. – Race fans in eastern Nebraska can get a pre-Duel In The Desert look at Cade Richards’ ride and do their neighbors a good turn at the same time. The young Lincoln speedster will have his Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod, with a new Lincoln Food Bank wrap, on display at four locations before the car goes west for the Nov. 9-14 Duel at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Theme for the best appearing car contest at the 23rd annual Duel is charity. Donations to the Lincoln Food Bank will be accepted at each location where Richards’ car is on display. “This is a great way for us to give back to our community,” the Lincoln East sophomore said. “We’re looking forward to racing in Las Vegas and this is one way to benefit the food bank before we do it.” The car will be unveiled today (Thursday) at Ramo’s Pizza. It’s on display at Speedway Motors Friday morning, at CollegeView Auto Sales Friday afternoon and at Leach Camper Saturday afternoon. National rookie of the year [Read More]

Leonard conquers Fall Classic IMCA Modifieds for career-best payday

WACO, Texas (Oct. 25) – The higher line took Cody Leonard to the IMCA Modified checkers and a career-best payday Sunday at Heart O’ Texas Speedway. Leonard raced from seventh in topping the Fall Classic field, earning $3,500 and a spot on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “It feels great. I kind of grew up watching the guys I’m racing with,” he said. “Racing with them is pretty cool. I was that little kid hoping to get to their level one day and here I am.” Josh McGaha, Craig Oakes, defending race winner P.J. Egbert and Caleb Stone completed the top five. Leonard had battled Jeff Emerson for the fifth spot before a late caution. He restarted on the outside, quickly found a faster line and drove to the front. “We came here as often as we could toward the end of the season and didn’t make a lot of changes,” Leonard said. “We knew we had a pretty good car coming into the weekend.” Oakes had started 12th, Egbert 15th and Stone 10th. John [Read More]

Official 2020 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings

IMCA Modifieds – 1. Tom Berry, Des Moines, Iowa, 830; 2. Jeff Larson, Freeport, Ill., 828; 3. Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn., 826; 4. Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb., 815; 5. Steven Bowers Jr., Topeka, Kan., 814; 6. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 813; 7. Dakota Sproul, Hays, Kan., 808; 8. Jeff A. Aikey, Cedar Falls, Iowa, 804; 9. Jim Thies, Mapleton, Iowa, 802; 10. Jeremy Mills, Britt, Iowa, 799; 11. Matt Guillaume, Haslet, Texas, 795; 12. Tony Leiker, Gillette, Wy., 791; 13. Chris Abelson, Sioux City, Iowa, Mitchell Hunt, Kent City, Mich., and Clint Hatlestad, Glencoe, Minn., each 789; 16. Joey Price, Great Falls, Mont., Cory Sample, Winnemucca, Nev., and Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz., each 786; 19. Austin Arneson, Fargo, N.D., and Troy Cordes, Dunkerton, Iowa, both 785. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Cory Dumpert, York, Neb., 815; 2. Justin Kay, Wheatland, Iowa, 799; 3. Matt Ryan, Davenport, Iowa, 798; 4. Logan Duffy, Independence, Iowa, 782; 5. Eric Pollard, Peosta, Iowa, 766; 6. Andy Nezworski, Buffalo, Iowa, 763; 7. Ben Sukup, Norfolk, Neb., 761; 8. Zachary Zentner, Cedar [Read More]

IMCA returns to Las Vegas for 23rd annual Duel In The Desert Nov. 9-14

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – One of IMCA’s longest running specials returns to the Entertainment Capital of the World, as the Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts the 23rd annual Duel In The Desert Nov. 9-14. IMCA Modifieds run for $10,000 to win and a minimum of $1,000 to start their Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying main event. Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars both run for $5,000 to win and a minimum of $500 to start. Stock Cars return to the Duel program this year. The Duel will be promoted for the first time by X.CELERATED and will be broadcast by XR. Parking begins at noon Sunday, Nov. 8 for backstretch rows and at noon Monday for reserved rows A-F and free. Track packing starts at 2 p.m. and practice for all three divisions runs from 3-7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. Gates open at 8 a.m. with drivers’ meetings at 1 p.m., track packing at 1:30 p.m. and racing beginning at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, with heats, ‘B’ features [Read More]

$3,500 is top IMCA Modified check at Heart O’ Texas Fall Classic

WACO, Texas – Both a check for $3,500 and a spot on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot go to the IMCA Modified feature winner at Heart O’ Texas Speedway’s Fall Classic special Oct. 22-24. The runner-up earns $2,000 with $1,000 for third. Saturday’s main event pays a minimum of $300 to start. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods both race for $1,500 to win, $750 for second, $500 for third and a minimum of $100 to start. Tow money is $100 for the Modifieds and $50 for both Stock Cars and SportMods. RACEceivers and transponders but not mufflers are required. Pit passes are $20 while grandstand admission for Thursday’s practice is free. Gates open at 5 p.m. and practice starts at 6 p.m. Pit gates and the grandstand open at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 8 p.m. on Friday. Gates and the grandstand open at 4 p.m. and the first green flag is at 7 p.m. on Saturday. Friday pit passes are $30. Grandstand admission is $12 for adults [Read More]

Late Model Hall of Fame tabs Aikey, Bob Shryock

VINTON, Iowa – A driver with strong IMCA credentials and a driver with a strong IMCA connection are among the newest inductees onto the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame. Jeff Aikey of Cedar Falls,, a seven-time champion and the winningest driver in IMCA Summer Series history, and the late Bob Shryock of Estherville, father of IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car driver Kelly Shryock are among the eight drivers and contributors who make up the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021. In addition to seven titles and 71 feature wins earned over the 32-plus years the Summer Series, Aikey owns a single division record six IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s championships. His string of four straight crowns from 2013 to 2016 is also an event record. “This is not something I ever expected,” said Aikey, at a loss for words when he got the official call from the hall. “You read on the Internet about other people inducted and what they’ve done. This means a lot to me.” While [Read More]

Elliott up to Challenge at Abilene’s Bard Memorial

ABILENE, Texas (Oct. 17) – After more than a year outside the winner’s circle, Chris Elliott proved more than good enough on night two of Abilene Speedway’s Ryan Bard Memorial Southern Challenge. Elliott led all 30 laps of the Saturday evening IMCA Modified main event, earning $2,000 and a spot on the 2021 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “It’s been a tough year,” Elliott said after taking the hometown checkers. “We’ve had some good nights but it seems like we had some rotten ones where we either broke or were in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Runner-up in three of the four Red River Tour events, Elliott saw his season really do a 180 when he qualified for the main event at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s and ran from 18th starting to eighth in the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “We were decent at Boone but not as good as I wanted to be ” said Elliott, most recently a feature winner at Cardinal Speedway’s Sam Hodges Memorial in [Read More]