Ryan Clark

Hoosier co-founder Joyce Newton dies at 85

LAKEVILLE, Ind. (Jan. 16) – The racing world lost a legendary figure on Tuesday morning as Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. co-founder Joyce Newton, the matriarch of the company, passed away at the age of 85. Joyce, along with her husband Bob, started Hoosier Racing Tire in South Bend, Ind., in 1957. They had grown the company they founded into the largest producer of race tires in the world. The company owes its success to the vision and lean practices that Bob and Joyce established right from the start. “The thoughts and prayers of Hoosier Tire employees and distributors are with Joyce’s family,” the company said in a statement. Bob and Joyce were great supporters of the community in numerous ways. The centerpiece of their giving was Newton Park ‘A Place for Kids’, a state-of-the-art sports complex started in 1999. Additionally, the Newtons revitalized the old Lakeville High School turning it into a beautiful community center. Bob Newton passed away in 2012. Joyce continued to successfully lead the company until 2016 when the family sold Hoosier Racing Tire Corp. to [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds headline four Winter Challenge Series dates at Canyon

PEORIA, Ariz. – IMCA Modifieds run for $1,000 to win and berths on the Fast Shafts Allstar Invitational all four nights of the 2018 Winter Challenge Series at Canyon Speedway Park. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 20-21 and Jan. 27-28 programs also feature IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods in $500 to win features while IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks chase $250 top checks. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Allstar Performance State and special series, but no track points, will be given all four nights. Larry Shaw Race Cars Western Region points will also be awarded to Modifieds, EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region points to Stock Cars and Big Daddy Race Cars Southern Region points to Hobby Stocks. Pill draw is $25 for the Modifieds, $20 for both Stock Cars and Northern SportMods, and $10 for Hobby Stocks. Pit gates will be open throughout both weekends and camping is available. Grandstands open at 11 a.m. and racing begins at 1 p.m. Pit passes are $35 for adults, $20 for kids ages 7-11 and [Read More]

Record number of IMCA RaceSaver track, series champions to receive EMi gift cards

LINCOLN, Neb. – Drivers in a division that continues to be one of IMCA’s fastest growing classes will earn $100 gift cards courtesy of EMi again in 2018. The Lincoln, Neb., chassis manufacturer and high performance parts retailer gives those awards to IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car track and series champions. A seven-year IMCA sponsor, EMi also gives $100 gift cards to drivers starting the main event at the Labor Day Weekend Sprint National at Eagle Raceway. Thirty track or series champions were crowned in 2017, the most in the 29 years the division has run during IMCA’s modern era. Track and series gift cards will be presented during the national IMCA awards banquet or mailed beginning the following week from the home office. Information about EMi chassis and parts is available at the www.eaglemotorsports.com website, by calling 855 525-1941 and on Facebook @EagleMotorsportsInc. “EMi remains a key supporter of the growing IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car division and another great brand within the Speedway Motors organization,” noted IMCA Marketing Director Kevin Yoder. “We aim to set another record [Read More]

Carter turns potential of Arizona desert into 25-year sanctioned Mohave Valley

MOHAVE VALLEY, Ariz. – Where others might only have seen sand and mesquite trees, Walt Carter saw potential in 40 acres of Arizona desert. The promoter of what is now the longest continuously IMCA sanctioned track in the state and one of the longest such in the Larry Shaw Race Cars Western Region, Carter now looks forward to the 25th anniversary celebration at Mohave Valley Raceway this spring. IMCA Modifieds headline the Saturday, April 14 event. They’ll run for an expanded purse and be joined on the evening’s card by dwarf cars. “We have been IMCA sanctioned since day one. I’m not a big special event guy but we will have a little something special for our 25th anniversary,” Carter said. “Weekly racing has always been our bread and butter and it always will be.” Mohave Valley held four sanctioned events in 1993, the first won by Wyatt Ehrp before Don Berger won the last three features and the track championship. Remarkably, just a month and a half had separated the first day of work [Read More]

IMCA Modifed special event drivers chase awards from Brinn Transmission

BAY CITY, Mich. – IMCA Modified drivers competing in designated special events are in the running for awards from Brinn Transmission again this season. Top five finishers at each of 30 designated specials held throughout the season and around the country receive $50 product certificates. All 150 of those drivers will then be entered in a random drawing, with the winner getting a new Brinn-made transmission. Mark Wauge of Medford, Ore., won the transmission drawing held last December. Product certificates will be mailed from the IMCA home office after official results from designated specials are received. Located in Bay City, Mich., Brinn also gives a new transmission to the pole starter at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s Saturday night main event. All 33 qualifiers for that race and the 12 Harris Auto Racing Race of Champions starters receive $50 product certificates, “We have had a great partnership with IMCA for 15 years and plan to continue that relationship for many years to come. It is really great to receive calls and [Read More]

Celebration of life planned Sunday for Bill Davis Sr.

DES MOINES, Iowa – His family and friends will have a lifetime of memories to share at Bill Davis Sr.’s celebration of life. Davis, 75 years old and a two-time IMCA Modified national champion, died Wednesday afternoon at Mercy Hospital in his hometown of Des Moines. The celebration of his very full life will be held Sunday, Jan. 14 from 1-4 p.m. at Hamilton’s Southtown Funeral Home, 5400 SW 9th Street in Des Moines. Those attending are welcome to wear racing shirts and bring stories and pictures to share. “Bill was another of the drivers who began racing an IMCA Modified in the early days of the division and really helped us lay the foundation for its success,” said former IMCA president Kathy Root, now chair of the sanctioning body’s executive committee. “He remains one of our most accomplished drivers. We extend our most sincere condolences to his family and friends.” Davis began racing an IMCA Modified in the mid-1980s. He won 27 features in 1989 and again in 1990 to become the first driver [Read More]

Karl Performance named title sponsor of Arizona IMCA Modified Tour

DES MOINES, Iowa – Anticipation is high for racing in Arizona as year two of the Arizona IMCA Modified Tour runs Feb. 8-18 in the desert. Pre-entries have eclipsed inaugural year numbers and drivers speak of this desert romp as the destination for off-season racing. In addition to all of the hype, the tour has added a familiar name as title sponsor of the week-long event, Karl Performance of Des Moines, Iowa, with a multi-year agreement. The Karl Performance Arizona IMCA Modified Tour will start Feb. 8-10 at Arizona Speedway in Queen Creek, and continues Feb. 11-12 at Central Arizona Speedway in Casa Grande, Feb. 13-15 at Canyon Speedway Park in Peoria, and then wraps up with the IMCA Winter Nationals at Cocopah Speedway in Yuma Feb. 16-18. Featured on the cards are IMCA Modifieds with $1,500 to win, minimum $150 to start Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying feature events along with Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods. Practices will be held Feb. 8 and 13, capped with a $1,000 to win King of the Hill [Read More]

Southern Oklahoma says OK to IMCA Modifieds

ARDMORE, Okla. – Nine dates for IMCA Modifieds are on the 2018 schedule at Southern Oklahoma Speedway. The division runs both nights of Southern Oklahoma’s season-opening IMCA Weekend Friday and Saturday, March 9 and 10. Friday night events will also be held April 20, May 18, June 1 and 15, July 20, Aug. 17 and Sept. 14. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Jet Racing Central Region or Razor Chassis South Central Region, Allstar Performance State and track points will be awarded all nine nights. The track champion earns bonus points applicable toward national and regional standings. “We’ve been a Modified track since Day One and I’ve been approached for years by IMCA drivers who wanted to race here,” said promoter John Webb. “I’m a Modified driver myself and I’m glad we can give these guys a place to race. I can promise them that we’ll give them a good track to race on.” IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars following the Sprint Series of Oklahoma, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Southern SportMods also travel to [Read More]

Integra IMCA program highlighted by Late Model, Deery Series awards

COOPERSVILLE, Mich. – A one-of-a-kind awards program for IMCA Late Model drivers continues in 2018 courtesy of Integra Racing Shocks. The Coopersville, Mich., manufacturer gives $350 product certificates to the first and second place drivers in combined Late Model national and Deery Brothers Summer Series point standings. Third and fourth place drivers in combined points each get $250 product certificates while fifth and sixth place drivers both earn $150 product certificates. In all, Integra gives nearly $10,000 in product certificates in its ninth season as an IMCA sponsor, with IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod and IMCA Southern SportMod drivers receiving awards based on national or regional standings. “We are excited to continue our partnership with IMCA,” Integra Marketing Coordinator Anna Daugherty commented. “It is great to be able to show our appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the drivers who compete on a weekly basis.” Certificates valued at $350, $250 and $150 go to top three eligible drivers in each of the five regions [Read More]

March 3 opening night for Sprint Series of Oklahoma

By David Smith Jr. OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – An ambitious schedule awaits the Sprint Series of Oklahoma IMCA RaceSaver Series presented by Smiley’s Racing Products/Hoosier Racing Tires Southwest as officials released their 2018 slate on Saturday. The first of four events at Red Dirt Raceway in Meeker is slated for Saturday, March 3. Other events scheduled at the 1/4-mile, red clay oval are Friday, April 27; Friday, June 29 as part of the second annual Freedom 40; and the Sprint Car series season finale on Saturday, Sept. 22 at the third annual Pat Suchy Classic. The doubleheader weekend at Southern Oklahoma Speedway is March 9-10. Other Friday events at the Ardmore speedplant are April 20, May 18, June 15, July 20, Aug. 17 and Sept. 14. Enid Speedway, located on the Garfield County Fairgrounds, has one event slated thus far, which will take place on Saturday, March 31. Lawton Speedway, which will run IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars weekly in 2018, hosts SSO events on Saturdays April 14, July 7 and Aug. 11. Oklahoma Sports Park [Read More]