Ryan Clark

Memorial Clash checkers put Thies on All-Star ballot

JEFFERSON, S.D. (May 23) – Fans at Park Jefferson Speedway have been cheering for Jim Thies since he started racing some 27 years ago. They got to cheer for him again Saturday night, as Thies scored his first IMCA Modified feature win of the season. The Memorial Clash checkers paid $1,000 and put the Mapleton, Iowa, hotshoe on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “It’s nice when you can still get it done when you’re this old,” said Thies, who held off Shane DeMey and Chris Mills following a late restart in the flag-to-flag run. “It’s always fun to win.” The victory, his career 32nd in the class, came in Thies’ sixth start close to home after starting the season in Texas. After chalking up a single-season best six wins last year, he won on Saturday aboard a new Razor and ahead of DeMey, Mills, Bob Moore and Anthony Ross. Jesse Sobbing rushed out to an early lead and fended off challenges by Justin Luinenburg in winning the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main. Austin Brauner was [Read More]

Five-year sponsor Dirt Defender adds Hobby Stock awards to IMCA program

WAXAHACHIE, Texas – Five-year sponsor Dirt Defender gives awards to IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock drivers for the first time in 2020. The Waxahachie, Texas, manufacturer gives assorted product awards to feature winners at designated special events for IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod and now IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock competitors. Modified, Stock Car, Southern SportMod and Northern SportMod national champions all receive a pair of Dirt Defender vented mud covers. Information about the company product line is available at www.dirtdefender.com, by calling 469 556-4612 and on Facebook. Dirt Defender awards were also given to drivers competing in the third annual Sniper Speed Lone Star Stock Car Tour. “Dirt Defender has a variety of products in addition to the traditional mud covers they’ve become known for, so adding Hobby Stocks in 2020 demonstrates that,” said IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder. “However, the mud covers are still their most recognizable product, and one which will mark IMCA victory lanes across the country this season.”

IMCA championship chase starts Friday at Lee County Speedway

DONNELLSON, Iowa – The race for track championships in five IMCA divisions starts Friday night at Lee County Speedway. The May 29 program sees IMCA Sunoco Late Models running for $700 to win, IMCA Modifieds for $600 to win, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods both for $500 to win and Mach-1 Sport Compacts for a top check of $250. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and state, as well as track points are at stake. Pit gates open at 5 p.m. with racing to follow 7 p.m. hot laps. Pit passes are $30. The grandstand will be closed and social distancing guidelines will be in effect in the pit area. Friday’s race program will be broadcast by Done Right TV. More information about the Lee County event is available by calling 319 371-6744.

Dodge City sets June 14 practice to precede season opener

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – At long last, the 2020 season opener atop the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park clay oval in southwest Kansas is within reach. But before the season officially gets under way on June 20, the track has set an open practice for Sunday, June 14, from 5-9 p.m. The practice set for the 3/8-mile oval precedes the Saturday, June 20 season opener that features the $750-to-win IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock Roundup with the Precise Racing Products Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars in action as well. With the initial delays to the season due to COVID-19 restrictions, the June 20-21 weekend launches a season that includes 10 nights of competition atop the 3/8-mile clay oval. Detailed schedule information is available at https://www.dodgecityraceway.com/schedule/.

Phillips County Raceway primed for opening weekend, IMCA.TV broadcast

HOLYOKE, Colo. – A weekend twinbill starts the season for five IMCA divisions this Friday and Saturday, May 29 and 30 at Phillips County Raceway. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts run both nights at Holyoke for IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly racing National, regional, state and track, as well as Tri-State Tour and Colorado Alliance Tour points. Both race programs start at 7 p.m. and promoter Joe Bellm explained that a “10 and 10” rule would be in effect in both the grandstands and pit area while maintaining social distancing: Spectators must not sit in groups of more than 10 and no more than 10 people should be with each car in the pits. Masks are recommended but not required. Both programs will be broadcast by IMCA.TV. Concessions will be available on both sides of the track.

Lucky and good, Winebarger sweeps holiday weekend IMCA Modified features at Antioch

ANTIOCH, Calif. (May 23-24) – A driver who says he’d rather be lucky than good was both Sunday at Antioch Speedway. Collen Winebarger three-wheeled his way to the $2,200 IMCA Modified checkers, completing a sweep of the Covid 19 special/George Steitz Memorial despite a tie rod broken in an early-race dustup with an infield tire. “I was super embarrassed because I thought I’d given it away. I was lucky that was all that broke,” said Winebarger, from Oregon and making just his career second visit to the California speedplant. “I had no steering on the left side at all but was fortunate the yellows that came out late got lapped traffic out of the way.” He’d started from the pole and got too close to that tire about seven circuits in. Ryan Porter, Darrell Hughes, Troy Foulger and Trevor Fitz-Gibbon rounded out the top five. There were fewer anxious moments before Winebarger put his name on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot with Saturday’s $1,000 win. He started fourth and was in the lead before [Read More]

Simpson captures Benton County opener, All-Star ballot nod

By Jerry Mackey VINTON, Iowa (May 24) – With fans watching on big and small screens, Chris Simpson held off Cayden Carter in winning the IMCA Modified feature on opening night Sunday at Benton County Speedway. The headliner of the night was the 25-lap IMCA Modified feature, which provided great racing on the perfectly prepared track and a battle to the checkered flag. Simpson, driving a Doug Cue-owned car, started on the pole position, led the race early and appeared to have control of the race until fourth starting Carter began to reel him. Carter raced to the white flag on the rear bumper of Simpson and set up a side-by-side drag race down the back chute as the checkered flag was about to be waved. Simpson shot off the high side of turn four and held off Carter at the finish line taking the win by half a car length. Ethan Braaksma followed across the stripe in third. Simpson’s victory paid $1,000 and put him on the ballot for the Fast Shafts All-Star [Read More]

Minnesota driver takes IMCA Modified checkers on big night at Boone

By Joyce Eisele BOONE, Iowa (May 23) – A huge field of 234 cars checked into Boone Speedway on Saturday night and Minnesota racer Aaron Johnson swept to the win in the final circuit of the IMCA Modified feature. It appeared that hometown driver Russell Dickerson was going to top them all as he immediately powered to the lead from his fourth place starting spot. Dickerson continued to lead as the 20-lapprt wound down but Brainerd, Minn., driver Johnson, who had started ninth on the grid, had reeled him in and was challenging. Dickerson held the upper hand at lap 19 but was unable to hold off his nemesis that final lap with Johnson making the pass and snatching the win. Dickerson had to settle for second. Kyle Brown moved up from 11th starting to third. Devin Smith topped the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars while brother Doug took the checkers in a field of 69 entries in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods. The nightcap saw defending Super Nationals champion Dylan Nelson take home the win in [Read More]

Aikey collects Sunoco bonus on record night at Indee

By Jerry Mackey INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (May 23) – One of Independence Motor Speedway’s winningest drivers went home with a bonus following his latest checkered flag run, on a record setting opening night. The headliner of the night was the 25-lap IMCA Sunoco Late Model feature. Jeff Aikey drew the pole position and went on to drive the Rick Dralle-owned no. 77 to a comfortable win. The race went flag to flag with Aikey taking the win and first $250 Sunoco Race Fuels bonus of the season over Eric Pollard and Sean Johnson. Saturday mid-day rains made for very challenging conditions at Indee but thanks to the never say die attitude of co-promoter Justin Temeyer, the new season got underway on Saturday night without fans in attendance due to the Covid-19 restrictions. The record 161 drivers in attendance gave a very big shout out to Temeyer and partner Mick Trier for making the racing happen. Aikey also sat on the pole for the IMCA Modified main event, but Troy Cordes had his 71C machine dialed in, [Read More]

Traffic assists Blurton in season-opening URSS victory at Salina

By David Smith, Jr., OKTidbits SALINA, Kan. (May 23) – Two-time and defending tour champion Zach Blurton picked up right where he left off last season, taking advantage of late-race lapped traffic to capture the exciting season opener for the Lucas Oil POWRi United Rebel Sprint Series presented by Mel Hambelton Ford Racing opened their 2020 race season in front of a near-capacity crowd at Salina Speedway on Saturday night. J.D. Johnson and Blurton started on the front row for the 25-lap IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature with Johnson taking the lead as the green flag fell. Johnson kept Ty Williams behind him for the first several laps before Blurton passed Williams for second on lap five. Blurton stayed glued to Johnson’s rear bumper and at the race’s midway point on lap 13 it was still Johnson, Blurton, Williams, Jason Danley and 16th starting Toby Chapman the top five. The leaders approached slower cars on lap 17 and that’s when Johnson picked the wrong line to lap Howard Van Dyke. Blurton took advantage and got around both [Read More]