Ryan Clark

Adams’ first Modified start ends with win at 281 Speedway’s Big Chill Throwdown

STEPHENVILLE, Texas (Feb. 8) – Mark Adams’ first start in an IMCA Modified ended with his first feature win in the new division. Piloting the 2016 CAM Chassis that Josh McGaha drove to last season’s Razor Chassis South Central Region crown, Adams avoided an early melee, restated at the front and then led every lap of the Friday Big Chill Throwdown feature at 281 Speedway. “My goal this season was to win a local race,” said Adams, who made the move to the Modified after earning Texas State honors in the Stock Car division in 2018. “I got in more than 100 laps during practice at Abilene a couple weeks ago and that was good seat time, but I was surprised to win so soon.” Jeffrey Abbey led brothers Dean and Westin across the stripe in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Jay Coone was the Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod victor, ahead of Kaden Honeycutt and Justin Shaw. The Mach-1 Sport Compact main saw another first-year, first-time winner in Brian Schoenbaum Jr. He raced [Read More]

JE renews product, certificate awards for IMCA built engine drivers in four divisions

CYPRESS, Calif. – JE Pistons gives product awards, plus more than $9,000 to IMCA drivers competing with built engines in 2019. The Cypress, Calif., manufacturer and nine-year sponsor shares the wealth with IMCA Modified, IMCA Late Model, IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car drivers, based on national or regional standings. The top eligible finishers in each of the five Modified regions and both Stock Car regions, and national Late Model and RaceSaver Sprint Car points all receive pistons. Certificates valued at $400, $300, $200 and $150, respectively, go to eligible second through fifth place drivers in regional Modified and Stock Car, and national Late Model and Sprint Car standings. “Dirt track racing is a core focus to JE Pistons’ product development,” Director of Content Mark Gearhart noted. “We are happy to give back to so many racers who are winning championships with our pistons.” JE awards will be presented during the national IMCA banquet in November or mailed beginning the following week from the IMCA home office. Information about JE-manufactured pistons and [Read More]

Bilstein’s 21st IMCA award program focuses on five divisions

POWAY, Calif. – Drivers in five IMCA divisions chase contingency awards from Bilstein Shocks. In its 21st season of sponsorship, the Poway, Calif., manufacturer gives nearly $8,000 worth of product certificates to IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod competitors. The top eligible drivers in each of the five Modified regions receive $350 certificates while runners-up get $250 and third-place finishers $200; top three eligible drivers in both Stock Car regions receive certificates good for $350, $250 and $150, respectively. And top three drivers in both Hobby Stock regions and in national Northern SportMod and Southern SportMod point standings receive product certificates valued at $300, $200 and $100. In addition to competing with four Bilstein shocks, drivers in all five divisions must display two Bilstein decals on their race car and return a sign-up form to the IMCA home office by Aug. 1. Bilstein awards will be presented at the national banquet in November or mailed beginning the next week from the IMCA [Read More]

Kirchoff adds his name to Arizona Mod Tour win list

By Jackson Braun CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Feb. 11) – There’s a new sheriff in town and his name is Eddie. Gillette, Wy.’s Eddie Kirchoff, a weekly contender back at home, grabbed the $1,500 Monday win at Central Arizona Speedway to become the 12th driver to win an Arizona Modified Tour feature in the IMCA Modified division. He held off a hard-charging Ricky Thornton Jr. in lapped traffic to earn his victory, as it has been no small feat to fend off the 20RT machine this week. Travis Olheiser and Kirchoff set the pace for the field coming to green. Kirchoff was fast off the start, but his advantage was erased by an early caution. Kirchoff led Drew Armstrong and Olheiser back to the green. Racing was close throughout the pack early on as drivers fought for every position they could get. The previous two features had gone without a yellow so these drivers knew the contest could very well go without another caution. All the lead cars were hooked up around the high side as [Read More]

Dominant Thornton scores 2nd Arizona Mod Tour win

By Jackson Braun CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Feb. 10) – While day racing at the Central Arizona Speedway brought a completely different dynamic to the plate, the driver in victory lane following Sunday’s Arizona Mod Tour main event was celebrating a second straight victory. A familiar face returned to the winner’s circle as Ricky Thornton Jr. grabbed his fourth career tour win, tying him with Hunter Marriott for the most overall wins in the third running of the tour. Also the $1,500 winner Saturday at Arizona Speedway and a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier six times over, Thornton used his outside starting spot to grab the lead early. Clint Reichenbach, who had faced struggles at Queen Creek, used his fourth place spot on the starting grid to catapult himself into 2nd early on. Jake O’Neil worked his way past Reichenbach and set his sights on Thornton. Thornton had a comfortable cushion once he reached lapped traffic and once again was able to maneuver very efficiently. For the second night in a row, the Modified feature [Read More]

IMCA’s eight national champions earn awards from Kirkey Racing Fabrication

ST. ANDREWS WEST, Ont. – National champions in all eight IMCA divisions receive Kirkey Racing Fabrication awards again in 2019. The St. Andrews West, Ont., manufacturer and retailer, a 13-year IMCA sponsor, gives an 88 Series layback containment seat to the IMCA Modified national champion and an 89 Series containment seat to the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car national champ. The IMCA Late Model, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod, Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod and Mach-1 Sport Compact national champions all get $250 product certificates. “Kirkey Racing is proud to continue our sponsorship of these outstanding racers,” owner Steve Kirkey said. “The dedication to the sport and attention to detail that is continually shown from the IMCA team are second-to-none and we are honored to continue this partnership for the upcoming season.” Awards will be presented during IMCA’s national banquet in November. Information about Kirkey-manufactured aluminum seats and accessories is available by calling 800 363-4885, at the www.kirkeyracing.com website and on Facebook. “Kirkey has been the only racing seat manufacturer that [Read More]

Thornton slices, dices through traffic for night two Arizona IMCA Modified Tour win

By Jackson Braun QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. (Feb. 9) – Round 2 of the 2019 edition of the Arizona Modified Tour brought even more great racing to the table as the competitors battled it out to try and come out on top Saturday at Arizona Speedway. Ricky Thornton Jr. was the night’s biggest titan of the 25 IMCA Modified starters in the feature action, as he drove through lapped traffic the most efficiently in the wire-to-wire contest and came away with his third career Arizona Modified Tour victory. Fargo, N.D., was represented well as hometown drivers Casey Arneson and Dylan Goplen led the field to the green flag in the Modified feature. Arneson got the jump but after one lap Thornton was already next to him and contending for that top spot. Roaring around the high side of the speedway, Thornton officially took the race lead on lap six. He then cleared Arneson and started to run away from the field. Arneson was then pressure by Jake O’Neil, who was able to take his momentum from [Read More]

Ward tops record-setting Arizona Mod Tour opener

By Jackson Braun QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. (Feb. 8) – An action-packed night of racing at the 1/3 mile Arizona Speedway speedplant was capped off by a first-time winner in Arizona Mod Tour action as Arizona native and Iowa transplant Tim Ward bested the field of 26 stout IMCA Modified drivers. A tour record 92 Modifieds and 37 IMCA Northern SportMods checked into the pit gate for opening night of the third annual tour. Ward’s victory paid $1,500 and put him on the ballot for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Robert Hellebust and Joey Price led the field to green for 25 trips around the Arizona Speedway oval. Hellebust jumped out to an early lead, but a caution reset the field back to square one. Hellebust got the jump on the restart but Bobby Hogge IV challenged early on. After a few laps of battling, Hellebust started to pull away. Ward started 11th on the field and had already made his way up into the top five within a few laps. He got past Hogge quickly [Read More]

Ice Breaker starts season at Abilene Speedway this weekend

ABILENE, Texas – Abilene Speedway hosts its traditional season-opening Ice Breaker on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 15 and 16. IMCA Modifieds run for $700 to win and Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMods for $600 each night. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars run for $600 to win on Friday and for $750 to win their Lone Star Tour opener on Saturday. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Razor Chassis South Central and EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region, Texas State and track points will be awarded for both draw/redraw programs. The pits open at 4 p.m. and racing begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday. On Saturday, pit gates open at 3 p.m. and racing gets underway at 7 p.m. More information about the Ice Breaker, presented by Smiley’s Racing Products, Showtime Signs & Designs and NAPA Auto Parts, can be directed to promoter Rob Poor at 325 725-3849 or 325 692-8800. Overnight accommodations, with racers’ rates, are available by calling the Whitten Inn at 325 672-8462. Additional information is also posted on Facebook.

IMCA Modifieds chase $2K at Pahrump’s Stormin’ Mormon

PAHRUMP, Nev. – IMCA Modifeds race for $2,000 to win and a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth at Pahrump Valley Speedway’s Saturday, March 2 Stormin’ Mormon Showdown. The runner-up earns $1,000 with $750 paid for third and $500 for fourth, with a minimum of $200 paid to make the 20-car starting field. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Larry Shaw Race Cars Western Region and Nevada State points will be awarded. The draw and pre-tech run from 2-4 p.m. Wheel packing is at 4 p.m. and precedes hot laps. Racing starts at 5:10 p.m. The main event is 40 laps. Car and driver is $45 and pit passes are $25. Grandstand admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors 55 and over, $6 for kids ages 6-14 and free for ages five and under. Questions can be directed to promoter Chad Broadhead at 702 328-8101, event coordinator Bryan Wulfenstein at 775 209-3638 or Modified race director Leland Hibdon at 775 209-6896. The event is held in honor of Ray Wulfenstein, a long-time driver from [Read More]