Ryan Clark

James is double winner during weekend at Willamette

By Ben Deatherage ALBANY, Ore. – 2018 has been an ultra-successful campaign for Bricen James. The Albany, Ore., teenager has nabbed four wins at Cottage Grove Speedway and twice has visited victory lane at Willamette Speedway. James was hoping to add more to that count by participating in two evenings of racing at Willamette Speedway on Friday and Saturday, July 27-28. Friday saw James win his heat race and finish on top in the trophy dash. In the feature, he battled toward the front for most of the race. He spent the majority of the time in second place trying to track down the leader. James caught the pace setter and the two battled in some heavy traffic. He got to the front with a daring pass on lap 28 and held on for the final two circuits for the victory. “I really didn’t think we had a chance there,” said James. “Justin (Cady, the leader) was gone and if it hadn’t been for lapped traffic he definitely wouldn’t have won.” The next night, James competed at the Rick [Read More]

Booher bests Bethany foes for first win

By Rick Staley BETHANY, Mo. (July 28) – Hometown hero Mitch Booher took the lead at the drop of the green and paced every lap on his way to his first-ever Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature win Saturday at Bethany Speedway. Matt Lent challenged Booher every lap but placed a very close second with Steve Stammer third. Colton Nelson edged younger brother and heat winner for fourth. Josh Truman topped the IMCA Modifieds and Anthony Witham topped the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main event.

Grabouski sweeps IMCA Modified, Stock Car features at Gage County Fair

BEATRICE, Neb. (July 29) – A pair of blue ribbon runs put Jordan Grabouski in victory lane twice Sunday night, during the Gage County Fair special at Beatrice Speedway. Grabouski got the best of Kyle Vanover in a back-and-forth IMCA Sunoco Stock Car headliner, than checked out for the $1,000 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying IMCA Modified win. Grabouski drew the pole for the Stock Car main but it was Vanover who was fastest much of the distance. The two swapped the front spot several times before Grabouski got the lead for good in the late going. Vanover ended in second with Jed Williams third. The national point leader led every circuit in the 20-lap Modified feature, pulling ahead after each restart. Jordy Nelson and Jaxon Saathoff completed the top three. Brandon Spanjer was fourth while Randy Foote made his way from 13th starting to fifth. Brady Bencken raced from 11th starting to win the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature ahead of Kevin Vanlaningham and Jesse Vanlaningham. Lance Borgman outran Rick Rohr and 10th [Read More]

Green takes I-37 Modified checkers

By J.M. Hallas PLEASANTON, Texas (July 28) – Rick Green took home the top money in Saturday’s IMCA Modified feature at I-37 Speedway, but it wasn’t easy after midway. Green had jumped out to an early lead from the eighth starting spot and put some distance on Jeremy Davenport, Cody Tidwell, Jake Rollins and Greg Dinsmore. Dinsmore advanced to second but was half a straightaway back until caution flew on lap 13. The restart saw Dinsmore and Tidwell on Green’s bumper, but as the two fought for second Green inched ahead. Dinsmore’s run to the front ended with brake problems, leaving Tidwell to take up the charge on a restart. Green got a couple car lengths on Tidwell and Carroll with Flanagan and Cody Leonard side-by-side for fourth. Tidwell gave Green a look on the final lap, but Green held him off for his first I-37 victory in several years.

IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars have Sept. 13 date at LVMS

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A third IMCA division has a race date at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the half-mile Dirt Track. IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars visit the city of lights on Thursday, Sept. 13 during NASCAR’s Fall South Point 400 Weekend. The Clash On The Clay date on the Las Vegas dirt resulted from a conversation between Western RaceSaver Sprint Series Director Scott Woodhouse and Tim Richter, short track racing operations manager at LVMS. “We were talking and Tim told me they were looking for another division to run that night. I asked ‘How about the RaceSaver Sprint Cars?’” Woodhouse said. “We could get cars from the WRSS here out west and from states to the east. It’s an opportunity to see how things go.” Car counts have averaged around 20 for the Western RaceSaver Sprint Series, which has seen 40 different drivers so far this season. One of the biggest events for the division car-count wise, the November Duel In The Desert at LVMS has featured sanctioned Modifieds for 20 years and added [Read More]

Kilgore tops IMCA Modified thriller at 141

By Greg Aregoni FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (July 28) – Shawn Kilgore, Kelsy Hayes and Greg Gretz put on a thriller of a show during the final laps of the IMCA Modified feature Saturday at 141 Speedway before Kilgore picked up the win. Gretz and Hayes dueled early, swapped the lead multiple times until Gretz gained control down low. Hayes was not be deterred and brought her ‘A’ game up top, tracking down Gretz and pulling even on lap 13. The 12th starting Kilgore worked his way through the field to join the top duo and the final five laps saw numerous three-wide battles. Hayes used the top to grab just enough of a lead for Kilgore to clear Gretz. Kilgore pulled a slide job to perfection on Hayes and grabbed the lead with Hayes pulling a slide job of her own back on Kilgore. Gretz stayed with them as the trio went three-wide at the white flag. Kilgore proved to be just tough enough on the final lap to secure the win over Gretz and Hayes. Russ Reinwald finished [Read More]

Kossuth County hosts Hovinga Memorial

ALGONA, Iowa – IMCA Modifieds race for $1,000 to win at Kossuth County Speedway’s Thursday, Aug. 2 Hovinga Memorial. The Dash at the Clash qualifier is also a qualifying event for the 2019 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. Completing the card are IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional, Iowa State and track points will be awarded. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and racing follows 7 p.m. hot laps. Grandstand admission is $10 for adults and free for kids 14 and under. Pit passes are $25. More information is available at the www.kossuthcountyspeedway.com website or by calling 515 341-8803.

URSS at Thayer County Thursday night for $1,000 to win

DESHLER, Neb. – The United Rebel Sprint Series makes its inaugural appearance at Thayer County Speedway in Deshler, Neb., on Thursday, with a top prize of $1,000 going to the winner of the Aug. 1 main event. Zach Blurton currently leads the URSS point standings and will look for win number three on the season. Brian Herbert has had a consistent season thus far this season and is currently second in the standings. Look for a very strong field to be on hand at Thayer County Speedway to battle atop the 3/8-mile oval. Grandstand admission is $15 while all pit passes will be $30. Gates will open at 4 p.m. with race action slated for a 7 p.m. start time. More race information can be obtained by accessing the track’s official website www.thayercountyfair.com and their Facebook page, Thayer County Fair.

Two $2,000 feature wins are result of McDaniel’s Frontier Days sweep

LOVELOCK, Nev. (July 27-28) – Ryan McDaniel’s first visit to Lovelock Speedway has him looking forward to a return trip to the Nevada speedplant. McDaniel swept Frontier Days IMCA Modified features picking up $2,000 wins Friday and Saturday night. “I had never been to Lovelock before Friday and this was the first time I’d swept weekend shows with big payouts,” the new Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier said. “It’s been a long time coming, that’s for sure.” McDaniel won from eighth starting, ahead of James Thibodeaux and Cory Sample, on opening night and from seventh starting, in front of Sample and Joel Myers, on Saturday. A good run on the outside line took him to the front following a restart with seven laps left on Friday. McDaniel then went to the lower groove and used lapped traffic to his advantage in leading to the finish. Rounding out the top five were Robert Miller and Myers. Traffic didn’t do McDaniel any favors while he ran second on Saturday, however, as Sample found the way through [Read More]

Bryan sprints to Eagle checkers

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (July 28) – Nick Bryan led every lap in winning Saturday’s IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature at Eagle Raceway. The victory came in just his second visit to the Nebraska speedplant this season. “Somebody showed their nose a few times, but at the same time I just kept watching the scoreboard, counting down the laps and trying to stay out front,” he said. Mike Densberger collected Runner Freight IMCA Modified feature win number three this year, racing from eighth starting to the lead with seven laps left. Shawn Harker won his sixth Hoosier Racing Tire IMCA Northern SportMod feature of the season while Roy Armstrong raced to his third local checkers of 2018 from the 11th starting spot in the Valentino’s IMCA Hobby Stock finale. His ATV Motorsports IMCA Sport Compact victory was Justin Callender’s second of the year. He took charge with four circuits to go.