Ryan Clark

Dodge City Raceway Park shifts practice to May 23

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – In the ever-changing environment of the current COVID-19 coronavirus culture, Dodge City Raceway Park has shifted its open practice to a tentative date of Saturday, May 23, rather than the previously scheduled date of May 16. Following the tentative practice session set for May 23, pending further developments, Dodge City Raceway Park will now kick off the season with a URSS vs. DCRP Sprint Car showdown along with a full slate of championship chase action including IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks on Saturday, June 6. In an additional schedule adjustment, the seventh annual SportMod Mayhem North vs. South Duel will now take place in conjunction with the Lubbock Wrecker Service DCRP Sprint Car Nationals on Aug. 20-22. The Thursday portion of the event will serve as a practice night for the IMCA Modifieds with heats and qualifiers on Friday and then the $1,500-to-win main event on Saturday. Originally slated to run in conjunction with the DCRP Sprint Car Nationals, the eighth [Read More]

Whitwell wires Corona Kicker foes at Southern Oklahoma

ARDMORE, Okla. (May 1-2) – After winning his heat race, R.C. Whitwell knew he’d be going into Friday’s Corona Kicker IMCA Modified feature with a fast car. And after leading start to finish of the main event at Southern Oklahoma Speedway, the Tucson, Ariz., driver collected a $1,250 check for his latest Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying victory. Fifty-six Modifieds contested at the opening night show in Ardmore and nine states were represented in the evening’s headline event. Pole starter Whitwell ran the bottom most of the 20-lapper, going to the top in the second set of turns to work through lapped traffic and outrunning Ethan Braaksma to the checkers. “The car was pretty decent in the heat race handling-wise. We didn’t make any changes for the feature,” said Whitwell, who’d made just two previous starts at Southern Oklahoma, in 2017 and last year. “Our setup was good, we had a fast car and it ended up working pretty good for us.” Matt Guillaume, Josh McGaha and Chris Elliott completed the top five. Hard [Read More]

Ricochet renews awards for IMCA Modifieds, Northern SportMods

BRUSH, Colo. – Ricochet Race Components has renewed a broad slate of awards for IMCA Modified and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod drivers for a seventh season. Owned by long-time IMCA Modified driver John Hansen, the Brush, Colo., company, gives a pair of shock guard covers to the champions and rookies of the year in each of the five regions for Modifieds, and to the Northern SportMod national champion and the national rookie of the year. The champion and feature winners each night of the Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour, and feature winners at 10 other Modified specials also receive a pair of shock guard covers. ”We are excited to announce this year we have partnered with Wehrs Machine and Racing Products to launch an improved Ricochet shock guard, and look forward to another great year supporting IMCA race teams,” Hansen said. Feature winner awards will be presented in victory lane while other Ricochet awards are to be presented during the national IMCA banquet in November or mailed from the home office beginning the following [Read More]

Marshalltown’s Dale DeFrance Memorial postponed to June 9

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa – While it’s still going to be an event for the IMCA history book, the chapter on the upcoming Dale DeFrance Memorial just won’t get written when originally scheduled. Featuring both the 500th and final race in IMCA Late Model Summer Series history and a Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour program for IMCA Modifieds, the Marshalltown Speedway special has been postponed from May 7 to Tuesday, June 9. “We remain committed to the health and well-being of everyone who is a part of race programs at Marshalltown Speedway, as a driver, crew member, spectator or track worker,” said promoter Toby Kruse. “We’ll follow guidelines or recommendations that are in place from the state for all weekly and special events.” IMCA Late Model Ironman Darrel DeFrance will complete his perfect attendance streak in the Summer Series finale at his hometown track. The Modified feature is a qualifier for the 2020 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods round out the June 9 card. [Read More]

Bassett backs IMCA Stock Car, SportMod drivers

BURLINGTON, Wis. – Bassett Racing Wheel continues its long association with IMCA in 2020, giving post-season awards in three divisions. The Burlington, Wis., manufacturer and 26-year sponsor gives sets of four wheels to IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod national champions while track champions in the same divisions receive $60 product certificates the purchase of four wheels. Those awards will be presented during the national IMCA banquet in November or mailed beginning the following week from the IMCA home office. Bassett also returns to national decal programs for each of the SportMod divisions. All Northern and Southern SportMod drivers must display two Bassett decals on their race car to become eligible for point fund shares. “Bassett Racing Wheel and IMCA share many values – affordable racing, consistent rules and awarding racers for their accomplishments,” noted Director of Marketing & Sales Brian Gill. “We look forward to another season of wheel-to-wheel racing and thank IMCA for the opportunity to continue as a decal contingency sponsor for our 26th [Read More]

US 36, Bethany open with IMCA points, spectators

OSBORN, Mo. – US 36 Raceway will open May 8 and Bethany Speedway on May 9 with all IMCA points awarded both nights. “Response has already been great and we’re expecting tremendous car counts both Friday and Saturday,” said promoter Jon Boller Jr. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional, E3 Spark Plugs Missouri State and track points will be given for IMCA Modified, IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod divisions at both Friday and Saturday shows. Central and North Central Region points will be available to Modified drivers. Pit gates open at 4 p.m., the grandstand opens at 6 p.m., hot laps are at approximately 7:30 p.m. with racing to follow. Social distancing guidelines will be maintained in both the pit area and grandstand; track officials will ask each team to stay within their respective pit area and that everyone attending wear a mask or other appropriate facial covering. Drivers are also asked to pre-register through MyRacePass or the track website. Pit passes are $35 while grandstand [Read More]

New Dominator Race Products awards announced for IMCA Late Model drivers

LYONS, Ohio – Dominator Race Products expands its post-season awards program to a sixth IMCA division beginning this season. Drivers finishing sixth through 15th in IMCA Sunoco Late Model national standings each receive $100 product certificates from the Lyons, Ohio, manufacturer. In its 12th year of sponsorship, Dominator also gives $100 certificates to ninth and 10th place drivers in standings for each of the five IMCA Modified regions and to ninth and 10th place drivers in Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod national standings. And 11th and 12th place finishers in both regions for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks get $50 certificates. All Dominator product certificates will be presented during the national awards banquet in November or mailed beginning the following week from the IMCA home office. Information about Dominator products is available at www.dominatorraceproducts.com, by calling 419 923-6970 and on Facebook. “Dominator has always done a great job of looking for racers who have a great season but might not finish in a position to receive a lot of recognition,” noted Kevin Yoder, [Read More]

Three IMCA divisions in action this weekend at Southern Oklahoma

ARDMORE, Okla. – Three IMCA divisions see action this weekend at Southern Oklahoma Speedway. Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace will be among the IMCA Modified contenders on the Friday, May 1 opening night card while IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods both run Saturday, May 2. In compliance with CDC and local health guidelines, both the number of entries and the number of spectator tickets sold will be limited each night. Pit passes are $35 for all divisions; pit passes and spectator tickets are only available online, through MyRacePass and accessible through the track website. Drivers must print off pit pass vouchers and exchange it for a wrist band at the pit gate. Similarly, anyone who buys spectator ticket(s) must provide a voucher and photo ID for grandstand entry. Masks or other suitable facial covering must be worn at all times by everyone at the track and the pit area has been expanded to make social distancing easier for race teams. Hand sanitizer stations will be located at numerous locations around [Read More]

Justice Brothers/Gillund car care awards go to Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour winners

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – Nearing another IMCA sponsorship milestone, Justice Brothers and Gillund Enterprises renew awards for Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour competitors. Feature winners during the 11th annual tour for IMCA Modifieds receive car care packages, to be presented in victory lane. Gillund Enterprises, located in Eden Prairie, Minn., and a 24-year IMCA sponsor distributes Justice Brothers Car Care products manufactured for high-performance, commercial vehicles, agricultural and industrial applications. Justice Brothers products are sold by various automotive parts retailers throughout the Midwest. This is the fourth season Dirt Knights drivers receive JB/Gillund awards. Information about the JB brand is available at the www.justicebrothers.com website and on Facebook. “We are gearing up for a very busy IMCA Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour and the great folks at Gillund Enterprises are doing the same,” IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder commented. “Having Justice Brothers products in victory lane has been something we’ve been able to do in some capacity for over two decades and they’ll be there again in 2020.”

Thornton sweeps South Dakota starts, Barker, Clift, Logue, Clark also win at New Raceway Park

JEFFERSON, S.D. (April 26) – After going weeks between wins, Ricky Thornton Jr. returned to victory lane in a matter of hours. Thornton reeled in race-long leader Chris Mills with five laps left, then ran away from the rest of the field in topping Sunday’s IMCA Modified feature at The New Raceway Park. Thornton had started seventh and was up to second just after midway of the 20-lap main event. Mills spun late and Jeff Taylor, Grey Ferrando, Tom Berry Jr. and Aaron Johnson followed Thornton across the stripe. Berry had started 17th. A geographically diverse field was on hand, as was the case Sunday at Park Jefferson Speedway, with 10 states represented by the Modified grid. Also winning features were Travis Barker in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Craig Clift in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Johnathon Logue in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Anthony Clark in the Mach-1 Sport Compacts. The fifth starting Barker led the last 15 of 18 laps in the Stock Car main, chased most of that distance by [Read More]