Ryan Clark

Speedway Motors marks new milestones in 2020 IMCA sponsorship season

LINCOLN, Neb. – Speedway Motors begins a new decade of IMCA support while marking a quarter-century as title sponsor of the biggest dirt track racing event in the world. Recognized last fall for 40 consecutive seasons of sponsorship, the Lincoln, Neb., high performance parts manufacturer, retailer and distributor continues unique roles backing both IMCA Weekly Racing and Super Nationals. Speedway Motors will sponsor the upcoming Super Nationals, held September 7-12 at Boone Speedway, for the 25th consecutive year. And for a 13th straight year, Speedway Motors renews a program benefitting 200-plus race tracks in the United States and Canada. Speedway Motors program provides jackets, promoter and tech official shirts as well as discounts on tech inspection equipment, flags and signage. The program helps race facilities defray weekly program costs, decals, driver’s suit patches and feature winner hats. Speedway Motors will mail $100 Gift Certificates during the season to drivers who complete the rookie application process and win career-first features. The postseason slate of awards from Speedway Motors includes helmets for all national champions and the first-ever Junior National [Read More]

Memorial services pending for Larry Larson

BUCKEYE, Iowa – Memorial services are yet to be scheduled for Larry Larson but when they’re held, friends will have countless stories to share of the race fan, pit crew member and National Anthem singer. Larson, 59, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 21 at his home in Buckeye. White-bearded and almost always wearing a Rick Brown T-shirt, he was known for painting the lines in the pit area at Boone Speedway as well as singing The Star Spangled Banner at race tracks across the state. “He was a fan turned crew member turned friend,” said long-time IMCA Sunoco Stock Car driver Brown. “Larry was at home when he was at the race track. He’d go up and down the pits and talk to everybody. He wished everybody good luck.” After the races were over, Larson joined more than a few drivers for victory lane photos, often displaying the checkered flag. Jerry Vansickel met Larson in the mid-1980s at an area go kart track. They’d become friends and frequent travel partners to tracks where Vansickel announced. “Larry’s passion for [Read More]

A first for Arizona: Cocopah adds IMCA Late Models

SOMERTON, Ariz. – The wave of the future is taking IMCA Late Models to Arizona. Cocopah Speedway at Somerton becomes the first track in the Grand Canyon State to sanction the division, with five dates on the schedule announced for the 2020 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season. “The fans are excited and we have drivers who have never competed in a Late Model before looking to get into this class,” said promoter Benji Lyons. “”We are committed as a track to this division and we’ve got a group of drivers who are committed to building cars.” “We have to do something to reduce the cost of Late Model racing and we’re going to stick to our guns,” he concluded. “This is going to be the wave of the future.” The division makes its Cocopah debut on Feb. 1. Other point season dates are March 7 and 21, May 2 and Sept. 26. “With the stability of IMCA, sanctioning Late Models just made sense,” Lyons stated. “It’s going to be a building project but I [Read More]

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Mach-1 begins 12th season as IMCA Sport Compact title sponsor

ABBOTT, Texas – The company synonymous with the IMCA Sport Compact division returns as title sponsor of the 4-cylinder division for a 12th consecutive season. Mach-1 Racing Solutions of Abbott, Texas, again provides a portion of the $1,000 point fund to be paid to top 10 drivers in national standings. The 2020 season is the second in the latest three-year agreement with Mach-1, which began giving Sport Compact contingencies in 2009. All drivers in the division are required to display two Mach-1 decals on their race car to be eligible for point fund shares. That decal will be included in the packet they receive after purchasing their 2020 competitor’s license. Forty-seven track and a dozen E3 Spark Plugs State Sport Compact champions were crowned last season. Alex Dostal of Glencoe, Minn., was the national champion and Steven Bevills of Granbury, Texas, was rookie of the year. More information about Mach-1 support and consulting services is available by calling 254 537-3040. “It takes special dedication to be the title sponsor of an entire division of race [Read More]

Four Tuesday dates for five IMCA divisions slated at Jackson Motorplex

JACKSON, Minn. – Four Tuesday dates for five IMCA divisions are on the upcoming Jackson Motorplex schedule. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts take to the four-tenth’s mile dirt oval at Jackson on June 9, June 30, July 21 and Aug. 25. The Dirt Knights Tour for IMCA Modifieds is in town for the July date. Ten shows for IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars are slated on Jackson’s regular Friday night programs. “We wanted to have races for our fans to attend on the weeks we have off and Tuesdays were the best fit with race nights at other tracks in the area,” said promoter Doug Johnson, noting the 100-plus cars entered for the midweek fair show last season. “Bank Midwest will sponsor our Tuesday night programs this year.” Jackson will become just the second Minnesota venue to host a Dirt Knights race, in the tour’s 11th season. “This is a very prestigious tour,” Johnson said. “It has had an excellent following and we are [Read More]

Arneson’s first Arizona win comes in finale at Cocopah

SOMERTON, Ariz. (Jan. 18) – Casey Arneson’s first IMCA Modified feature win in Arizona came on the final night of Cocopah Speedway’s Winter Nationals. After finishes ranging from a solid third to a not-so-sweet 16th in his first five outings at Somerton, Arneson drew the pole start and led all 25 times around the oval. “It was good to be able to get that first win,” said Arneson, $1,000 richer and already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “We had a good car and everything worked out for us.” A couple yellows kept Arneson out of lapped traffic. Jake O’Neil, in the hunt for a fourth straight Winter Nationals victory, started fifth and got to within a couple car lengths. Completing the top five were Tim Ward, Kollin Hibdon and 16th starting R.C. Whitwell. The win by Arneson came in an El Dorado ride he and Riley Hatfield built. Fellow North Dakota driver and family friend Don Gumke, who’d raced with Arneson’s father “back in the day” was honored with the empty pole position during parade [Read More]

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Funeral services are Friday for Don Gumke

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Funeral services for Don Gumke are at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 24 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Jamestown. The long-time driver, businessman and former Jamestown Speedway owner passed away last Tuesday in Somerton, Ariz. He was 66. Friends may call at the Haut Funeral Home in Jamestown beginning at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23. A prayer service will be held at 7 p.m. that evening at the funeral home.

O’Neil makes it three straight Winter Nationals wins

By Mike Spieker SOMERTON, Ariz. (Jan. 17) – Jake O’Neil cruised to his third Winter Nationals victory Friday night at Cocopah Speedway. O’Neil started third on the grid and took the lead away from front row starter Joey Price on lap three. Once out front, the Tucson pilot never looked back as he led the remainder of the 25-lap, $1,000 to win main event. Eighth place starter R.C. Whitwell moved into second at the halfway point, but was never able to threaten the leader. O’Neil was loyal to the low side of the speedway throughout the race while Whitwell used the high side in the entry of the corner before diving low on exit. The margin of victory for O’Neil was 2.2 seconds over Whitwell at the checkers. “I saw on the scoreboard that the 96 (Whitwell) was behind me. He is super fast and a pretty good wheelman and I knew if I made one mistake, he would be right there to capitalize,” said O’Neil. “I just tried to minimize my mistakes as much as [Read More]