Ryan Clark

O’Neil rebounds for round 2 Arizona IMCA Modified Tour victory

By Mike Spieker QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. (Feb. 10) – After a solid third place effort was negated the night before in post-race tech, Jake O’Neil cruised to the win on night two of the Karl Performance Arizona IMCA Modified Tour at Arizona Speedway. O’Neil started on the pole for the 25-lap main event with Kody Scholpp to his outside. O’Neil led the opening circuit with Scholpp in tow. Meanwhile, Jason Wolla, Casey Arneson and Ethan Dotson raced three-wide for third. The race for third quickly became a battle for second as Dotson and Arneson reeled in Scholpp. Dotson, who was the lone driver in the top five riding the rim around the thin cushion, squeezed around Scholpp for second and brought Wolla with him. Wolla snuck by Dotson for second with 18 laps to go but O’Neil had already stretched his advantage to over two seconds. Lapped traffic slowed O’Neil’s pace significantly, which allowed Wolla to close the gap to just over a half second. Fortunately for O’Neil, the caution was displayed as Wolla was closing [Read More]

Marriott charges to opening night Arizona IMCA Modified Tour victory

By Mike Spieker QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. (Feb. 9) – Defending champion Hunter Marriott was the $1,500 main event winner when the highly anticipated Karl Performance Arizona IMCA Modified Tour got underway Friday at Arizona Speedway. Eighty-eight Modifieds checked in for battle on opening night of the second annual tour. Marriott powered from the eighth starting position to battle Jason Wolla for the lead with four laps to go. Marriott placed a bid for the lead entering turn one as he attempted a slide job on Wolla amongst lapped traffic. Contact was made between Marriott and Wolla, which sent Wolla into the outside retaining wall and Marriott over the thick cushion. “That happens on this kind of race track,” said Marriott of the pass for the lead on Wolla. “[Wolla] messed up exiting turn four and I had a run on him. I knew that would be a good shot to take the lead if I was going to win. We weren’t quite clear, but it was close, though. I wasn’t going to lift and I [Read More]

Abilene Speedway opens with IMCA Ice Breaker special

ABILENE, Texas – Abilene Speedway’s traditional season-opening Ice Breaker is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 16 and 17, with four IMCA divisions on the program each evening. IMCA Modifieds run for $700 to win each night, IMCA Southern SportMods for $600 and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $250. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars vie for $750 to win in their Lone Star Tour features. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional, 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. Overnight accommodations with racer’s rates are available at Motel 6, 325 672-8462, or the Whitten Inn, 800 588-5050. Gates open at 5 p.m. and an open practice runs from 6-10 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15. 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 [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings Through Feb. 8

IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 188; 2. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz., 157; 3. Jason Wolla, Ray, N.D., 139; 4. Brent Schlafmann, Bismarck, N.D., 137; 5. Garth Dushanek, Avondale, Ariz., 116; 6. Cory Sample, Winnemucca, Nev., 115; 7. Kenny Gill, Peoria, Ariz., 110; 8. Spencer Wilson, Minot, N.D., 101; 9. Roy Poeling, Globe, Ariz., 100; 10. Brenda Kirby, Bullhead City, Ariz., 94; 11. Ross Statham, Redcliff, Alb., 80; 12. Bradley Pounds, Bakersfield, Calif., 79; 13. Steve Streeter, Madera, Calif., 78; 14. Bradley Morris, Romoland, Calif., and Cody Laney, Torrance, Calif., both 76; 16. Shawn Strand, Mandan, N.D., 72; 17. Andy Obertello, Hollister, Calif., 71; 18. Keith Altig, Imperial Beach, Calif., 68; 19. Mike Kirby, Bullhead City, Ariz., and Josh Combs, Sacramento, Calif., both 66. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars – 1. Cody Center, Mesa, Ariz., 188; 2. Dennis Losing, Apache Junction, Ariz., 179; 3. Vance Honea, Phoenix, Ariz., 106; 4. Nicholas Langer, Glendale, Ariz., 101; 5. Joe Bellm, Broomfield, Colo., 78; 6. Thomas Daffern, Brawley, Calif., 69; 7. Mike Shea, Phoenix, Ariz., 68; [Read More]

Eight dates announced for 2018 Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout

By Ben Deatherage YREKA, Calif. – Eight $1,000 to win feature races are on the schedule for the June 22-30 Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout. All features are qualifying events for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot and pay a minimum of $100 to win. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Larry Shaw Race Cars Western Region and IMCA State points will be awarded each night for events in California and Oregon. Tow money is $50. The tour will once again be kicked off at Siskiyou Motor Speedway in Yreka, for the lone Californian date on Friday, June 22. The tour will head north to Southern Oregon Speedway on Saturday, June 23 before a Sunday, June 24 visit to Coos Bay Speedway. Monday and Tuesday, June 25 and 26 will be spent at Cottage Grove Speedway before heading to the northernmost location, Sunset Speedway Park in Banks on Wednesday, June 27. Thursday, June 28 is reserved for the only travel date of the tour. Willamette Speedway hosts the closing rounds of the Shootout on Friday [Read More]

New promoters look to build on car count at Casper Speedway

CASPER, Wyo. – With IMCA Modifieds and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks returning to race night programs, new promoters Faye and Ray Nash are in charge of a busy schedule look to build on an already solid car count foundation at Casper Speedway. The IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season for both divisions starts May 11 at the half-mile dirt Wyoming speedplant with season championship night set for Aug. 31. The Nashes come to Casper following a five-year stint at Valentine Speedway in Glenrock. “We started with about 20 cars there and built it up. What we want to do here is build on the car counts that have already been established,” Mrs. Nash said. “Casper is a tremendous facility and what it needs now is just some TLC. We want people to drive in and say ‘this is awesome.’” Regular race night at Casper is Friday. Both the Modifieds and Hobby Stocks are on midweek July 3 and 4 Bob Shierkolk Memorial programs. Track points will be awarded to Modified drivers on 10 nights [Read More]

Thornton is $1,000 Dirt Dominator winner

By Mike Spieker QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. (Feb. 8) – The second annual Karl Performance Arizona IMCA Modified Tour got underway Thursday evening with practice night at Arizona Speedway. Following the night’s practice session was the inaugural Dirt Dominator, a $1,000-to-win, 16-car bracket race for the IMCA Modifieds. Chandler driver Ricky Thornton Jr. walked through the field to capture the overall victory. Thornton topped Jake O’Neil in the championship round, utilizing the inside line starting position. “I knew it was going to be tough. Jake (O’Neil) has been really good,” Thornton said from victory lane. “I picked the bottom because I only ran one lap on the top. I knew I just had to get out front and not mess up.” Thornton took the lead coming to the flag stand off turn four after taking the green flag down the backstretch. O’Neil put his no. 0 machine on the cushion but Thornton was too strong on the bottom and ran unchallenged en route to the victory. Thornton defeated Delbert Shannon in the opening round before knocking off Russell [Read More]

New promoter brings great expectations to Central Arizona

CASA Grande, Ariz. – New promoter David Ellis has great expectations for Central Arizona Speedway. Ellis took charge of the 3/8-mile clay oval late last year. He quickly began getting the facility shipshape for the first appearance of the year by IMCA Modifieds and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods at Casa Grande, during the Arizona IMCA Modified Tour. “I have a vision. I want Central Arizona to be one of the tracks in the country that people want to go to,” Ellis said. “When I jumped on this thing, there was a list of things I wanted to do.” A new speaker system for both the pit area and grandstand has been installed and new lighting put up in the pit and spectator parking areas. Ellis raced in a stock car class in his native state of Massachusetts before moving to Arizona in the mid-1970s. The former car owner describes himself as “an open-wheel guy” and builds sprint cars and midgets. He started a local micro sprint class designed for younger drivers and promoted a number [Read More]

Vlasity starts season with three straight wins at Canyon Winter Challenge Series

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Joe Vlasity’s main goal this season is just to get his new IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock built. After starting 2018 with three straight feature wins and then a runner-up finish in the Winter Challenge Series finale at home track Canyon Speedway Park, he’s started to think more about a couple other objectives. “Last year, we bought an Eliminator Chassis out of Iowa. Our main goal this year is to get that built, hopefully by the end of February,” said Vlasity, who won seven of 12 starts in 2017 in a older home-built car he’d bought and then converted from the local factory stock class. “What I want to do this year is run for state and track championships.” Early season track conditions favored the Illinois native, by profession a mechanic for the City of Glendale and a regular at Canyon for most of 10 years. “I’m pretty used to dryslick and that’s the way the track went all four nights,” Vlasity said following his Jan. 20, 21 and 27 wins and the [Read More]

IMCA Hawkeye Dirt Tour, Dirt Knights join forces in 2018

VINTON, Iowa – The merging of IMCA’s Hawkeye Dirt Tour for Modifieds and the Dirt Knights guarantees twice as much excitement on and off the track for race fans in 2018. Eight races are confirmed with a couple more yet to be scheduled said IMCA President Brett Root. Opening night will be Monday, May 28 at the traditional home track of the IMCA Modified division, Benton County Speedway in Vinton. Feature winners earn a $2,000 share of the $10,000 purse to be paid each night. All features are qualifying events for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot and pay a minimum of $200 to start and $100 tow. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Side Biter Chassis North Central Region and Allstar Performance State points will be awarded. Entry fee will be $75. “The tour has opened at Vinton six times since it was started in 2010 and our intentions are to continue a similar schedule as in previous seasons date and location-wise,” Root said. “We will finalize details and announce the schedule this month.” [Read More]