Articles by Ryan Clark

Results

Lee County Speedway will feature IMCA Late Models on Friday nights

DONNELLSON, Iowa – IMCA Late Model drivers can look forward to a warm reception when they return to Lee County Speedway this spring.  The division headlines Friday night programs at Donnellson and promoter Brian Gaylord said news of the division’s return has generated a 100 percent positive response. “It’s going to be a big plus. Everyone we’ve talked to likes the idea and we’ve already heard of a lot of new cars being built,” said Gaylord. “We want to build the car count numbers up and that will help increase numbers in the grandstand.” IMCA Late Models were first sanctioned at Lee County in 1990 and last ran there weekly in 2010. The Deery Brothers Summer Series is in town on Aug. 2. Late Models will be one of five sanctioned divisions featured this season at Lee County, with opening night on April 12. The IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season continues through Aug. 23.  IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars have both run weekly at Donnellson for more than 20 years. Karl [Read More]

Results

Texarkana 67 to reschedule, rename Winter Frenzy

TEXARKANA Ark. – The special for IMCA Modifieds and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods originally scheduled for this weekend at Texarkana 67 Speedway will have a new date and a new name. Rain has resulted in postponement of Friday’s Winter Frenzy.  Modifieds will race for $1,000 to win, Southern SportMods for $750 to win on a date now to be determined.

Sponsors

TomCat Performance rewards IMCA special events winners

MOORESVILLE, N.C. – TomCat Performance returns for its eighth season of IMCA sponsorship, giving product awards to the winners of 80 designated special events.  The Mooresville, N.C., company gives quick disconnect throttle rod assemblies to drivers in all eight IMCA divisions. Certificates will be mailed from the IMCA home office within a week after results from those events are received. The same award goes to all Stock Car and Northern SportMod heat winners during the IMCA Speed­way Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s; those awards will be presented at Boone Speedway. TomCat is the wholesale division and in-house brand of Carolina Racing Supply. “We’re excited to see the continued growth of IMCA,” commented CRS President Tom Sandal. “Partnering with IMCA allows us to get our name in front of racers we might not reach otherwise, and puts TomCat Performance products directly into the hands of the racer.” More infor­mation is available by calling 704 662-8299, on Facebook and at the www.carolinaracingsupply.com website.  “This has been a popular program since it was introduced a few seasons ago and [Read More]

Results

Monarch Motor Speedway new on Fridays for IMCA RaceSaver Sprints, Stock Cars

WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Shannon Kelton grew up at the race track. Now he’s the owner and promoter of Monarch Motor Speedway in Wichita Falls, where IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars will race on Friday nights.  “This is a great facility, one of the top five if not the top three in the state. We ran here 20 years ago,” said Kelton, a long-time car owner. “We always enjoyed coming to Wichita Falls because it has a small-town feel. There are a lot of family businesses and you can walk into places and people know your name.”  Kelton grew up going to races at Devil’s Bowl Speedway and completed his purchase of the former Red River Speedway in late January. Work started soon after on the 3/8-mile dirt racing surface and a section of the wall was removed in turn three to widen the track. Monarch remains a beehive of activity as Kelton and his crew prepare for opening night this Friday. The IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season continues [Read More]

Results

Thunderbird Raceway becomes latest Michigan track to add IMCA Modifieds

MUSKEGON, Mich. – Tom Sprague has been a fan of the IMCA Modified division for 30-plus years. The sanctioned class will run at his Thunderbird Raceway beginning this season.  Opening night at the 3/8-mile clay oval in Muskegon, on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, is April 27. Saturday shows during the IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season con­tinue through Aug. 31.  “I’ve always liked the IMCA rules. They’re for the budget-minded racer,” commented Sprague, who fit that description during his own career in the class. “When I bought Thunderbird I said from the get-go that we were going toward IMCA. They keep the rules consistent and the costs down.”  Sprague won track championships in both late model and sportsman classes and then became a tech inspector at Thunderbird. He had owned and promoted Winston Speedway before buying and reopening Thunderbird, now the fifth track in Michigan sanctioning Modifieds weekly with IMCA.  “We’ve upgraded the track to all town and county specs,” said Sprague, clicking off a list of improve­ments that ranged from improved [Read More]

Events

Opening night for United Rebel Sprint Series is less than a month away

OBERLIN, Kan. – The Kansas-based United Rebel Sprint Series’ 14th consecutive season is set to kick off in less than a month, with a two-night IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car twinbill at two differ­ent tracks in Kansas. It will all kick off on Friday, April 5, as the tour makes the first of three scheduled appearances at 81 Speedway in Park City for the track’s ninth annual Park City Cup/Air Capital Shootout. The series is excited to become a part of this annual event and with a huge thank you to Precise Rac­ing Products, this event will pay the URSS Friday night winner $800. Then on Saturday, April 6, the tour will head southwest to the beautiful Dodge City Raceway Park in Dodge City to battle the local Precise Racing DCRP Sprints for their first of six events atop promoter Tommie Estes Jr.’s palace. This event will pay $700 to win.  As race season is fast approaching, keep track of all-things-happening with URSS by accessing their official website www.unitedrebelsprintseries.com and their official Facebook page: United Rebel Sprint Series (URSS). Questions can also be answered by calling 785 475-7010.

Results

Edge in experience, win at Thunder Valley go to Lewis

GLENMORA, La. (March 9) – Kent Lewis Sr. won for the first time in 1968, at the beginning of a racing career that now spans six decades. His most recent checkers came Saturday night, when the Southern United Sprints traveled to Thun­der Valley Speedway. “I went shopping around and found the sweet spot. My car was superb right in the middle,” said the 71-year-old Lewis, who started sixth and took the lead following a restart just before halfway. “It seemed like everybody else was running high or low.”  Rod Craddock ended as the runner-up and Tyler Harris completed the top three in the IMCA Rac­eSaver Sprint Car headliner at Glenmora. “Winning (tonight) was super special. When I saw the white flag I was able to take a breath. The hardest thing to do in a race is lead,” Lewis said. “Most of the guys I’m racing with, I raced with their dads. It’s been a while since I won a feature but I still have fun going to the races every Satur­day night, whether it’s [Read More]

Feature

Hughes tops two IMCA Modified features, Thornton collects final Stampede checkers

ARDMORE, Okla. (March 7-9) – Jason Hughes was a double winner before Ricky Thornton Jr. made his way to victory lane at Southern Oklahoma Speedway’s Southern Stampede special. New Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational candidate Hughes was the $2,000 IMCA Modified winner on Thursday and the $1,000 winner on Friday. Thornton paced Saturday’s $3,000 to win event. The IMCA car count for the second annual Stampede topped 100 and included 51 Modifieds. Hughes had to reel in Jared Hoefelman for the opening night lead, then won ahead of Thornton and defending IMCA Red River Tour champion Chris Elliott. The Sooner State speedster led every circuit on Friday. Thornton repeated as runner-up while Rodney Sanders rounded out the podium finishers.  “I’m happy with the weekend. Everything went pretty well,” said Hughes. “We didn’t tear anything up and we made some money.” Thornton had worked his way up from 10th starting on Thursday and from 12th starting Friday. He drew the pole for the Saturday show at Ardmore and led start to finish of the caution-free contest.  “It’s awesome to [Read More]

Sponsors

Tire Demon by Love Tap gives IMCA special events awards

KELLEY, Iowa – Special events awards from Tire Demon by Love Tap are at stake again this season for competitors in four IMCA divisions. The Kelley, Iowa, manufacturer will give $500 certificates to designated place finishers at 30 spe­cials for IMCA Modifieds and at 15 designated specials for both IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and for Karl Chevrolet Northern and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods.  Certificates are to be applied toward the purchase of a tire prep stand and will be mailed after official race results are received at the IMCA home office. The 2019 season is the second in a two-year agreement with Tire Demon, owned by former SportMod driver Tim Love. “We are super proud to be a part of IMCA again this year and being able to support their wonderful organization. Each year that we have been a part of their program, we have seen an explosion in the popularity of our Tire Demon and matching accessories,” said Love. “We look forward to a successful 2019 racing season and want to wish all [Read More]