Ryan Clark

Ten new to Fast Shafts All-Star eligibility

VINTON, Iowa (Aug. 1, 2024) – Ten more Friesen Performance IMCA Modified drivers have put their names on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational eligible list, with feature wins paying $1,000 or more. Tyrone Yazzie and Wyatt Howard were winners at Diamond Mountain Speedway’s Modified Mania. Casey Jo Gemmill collected the $1,000 checkers at Saltcity Racing and Russ Reinwald rocketed to the win at 141 Speedway’s white race. Aaron Turnbull ruled at Dacotah Speedway’s Governor’s Cup, Brandon Schmitt was a winner during Beaver Dam Raceway’s Stock Car Twin 25 and Chris Mills collected the big checkers at Interstate Speedway’s Dave Riley Memorial. Troy Cordes topped Benton County Speedway’s Urbana 5 special. Fair week winners at Dubuque County Fairgrounds Speedway were Ryan DeShaw and Jason Schueller. Drivers already All-Star eligible winning recent qualifying events included Chaz Baca, Ethan Braaksma, Cole Czarneski, Zane DeVilbiss, Keith Lamphere, Jake McBirnie, Jeremy Mills, Rodney Morgan, Troy Morris III, Tim Ward and Chris Zogg. The current list of All-Star eligible drivers includes: Chris Abelson, Chase Allen, Curtis Allen, Tyler Allen, Ricky Alvarado, [Read More]

Whisler wheels to Loggers’ Cup win

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (July 27, 2024) – Ian Whisler wheeled, and willed, himself to a dominating Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature win during Cottage Grove Speedway’s Virgil Hanson Memorial Loggers’ Cup. Carter Patterson powered to the front on the opening lap. Behind him, Eston Whisler duked it out with Bricen James for second. James secured the runner-up position only to have his night end when mechanical problems ended his night early and brought out a caution. John Campos and Whisler inherited second and third, respectively. When the restart got the field back up to speed, Ian Whisler, the younger of the Whisler brothers, blitzed toward the front and captured the race lead by the completion of the third circuit. While he tried to establish a sizable gap, a fierce competition for second occurred with Patterson, Eston Whisler and Campos all going at it. Campos moved into second place on a restart. Ian Whisler again got out to a healthy lead but was slowed down with eight laps remaining due to the event’s [Read More]

Winebarger, Henry score Douglas County IMCA wins

By Ben Deatherage ROSEBURG, Ore. (July 26, 2024) – Douglas County Dirtrack roared to life Friday night and Collen Winebarger and Jordan Henry roared to feature wins in their respective IMCA divisions. Carter Patterson led the first lap of the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main, then bolted away from Brett Muth and Tyler Smith and the rest of the pack after an early caution. Justin McCreadie rose to the occasion following the next restart and powered his way to second. McCreadie tried to thread the needle under Patterson for the lead but was denied access on the inside channel. McCreadie attacked again via the inside, beating Patterson out of the fourth corner on lap three. Winebarger obtained second the next time around. Winebarger went after the leader by working the high line, while McCreadie kept his faith on the inside. Winebarger got around McCreadie at the wire on the fifth circuit, but a debris caution came out, giving the lead back to McCreadie. Winebarger blitzed underneath McCreadie to lead the fifth lap, this time for [Read More]

Southern SportMod Super Nationals conclude with $5,000 checkers at KSP

KENNEDALE, Texas (July 31, 2024) – You can almost predict what he’ll say, when you ask Kennedale Speedway Park promoter James Lopez about the upcoming IMCA Southern SportMod Super Nationals powered by Smiley’s Racing Products. The third annual event, scheduled Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 5-7, promises Lopez, will be super. The $5,000 to win, minimum $500 to start 30-lap main event on Saturday night is a shoo-in to feature the best drivers competing weekly in the division in Texas and Oklahoma. Total purse for the Big Dance is more than $20,000 with another $4,000-plus paid to drivers in Friday’s All-Star race. “Our qualifying format will be very similar to last year,” Lopez said. “One thing that we’re doing differently is a fan vote to add one driver to the All-Star race and a different driver will be elected to start at the back in the $5,000 to win main event.” Pre-registration for drivers to be vote eligible is required by Aug. 14: Voting will be conducted on MyRacePass and starts Aug. 16 for the All-Star [Read More]

Big Wings, Big Excitement, Big Money: $12,000 is record payday for IMCA RaceSaver Nationals winner

EAGLE, Neb. (July 31, 2024) – The team at Eagle Raceway could add to the Big Wings, Big Excitement slogan used to promote the IMCA RaceSaver Nationals. The new slogan for the 12th annual event, scheduled Aug. 29-Sept. 1 at the Nebraska speed factory, would better be Big Wings, Big Excitement, Big Money. A record $12,000 will be paid to the winner of the Sunday night main event for IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars, courtesy of RaceSaver and IMCA. The big dance now pays a minimum of $1,600 to start with numerous contingency awards to be given as well. “This is the biggest event for the biggest class of Sprint Cars in the country and those numbers more than justify a $12,000 winner’s share and record-setting purse like this,” stated track operator and co-promoter Racine Hadan, noting that early entries are already in hand from more than 70 drivers coming everywhere from California to North Carolina. Qualifying heats for the BlueMax Pay-sponsored Race of Champions is on Thursday with that $1,000 to win, $300 to start race on Friday. Nine cars advance [Read More]

Monte Lundy Memorial for IMCA Modifieds is Aug. 18 at Nodak

MINOT, N.D. (July 31, 2024) – Nodak Speedway remembers one of its own on Sunday, Aug. 18, hosting the inaugural Monte Lundy Memorial. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds race for $3,014 to win and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility that evening. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Razor Chassis North Central Region and North Dakota State points will be awarded. There is no entry fee. Pit gates will open early for parking, the pit window opens at 3 p.m. and the drivers’ meeting is at 5 p.m. The grandstand opens at 6 p.m. with racing at 7 p.m. Driver of the number 14 IMCA Modified, Lundy was rookie of the year at Nodak in 1993 and the first-ever track champion in that division at Estevan Motor Speedway, in 2000. He finished fifth in the main event at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s the same year. Lundy passed away last Aug. 19 at the age of 53 after battling Huntington’s Disease.

Improvements, updates continuing at Boone ahead of 42nd annual IMCA Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa (July 31, 2024) – Finish one project, check it off the list. Start another project, add it to the list. That list, as IMCA President Brett Root notes, is everything that has been done, is getting done or will be done before the start of the 42nd annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. “There are non-stop improvements and updates at Boone Speedway which bring their own set of challenges ahead of the Sept. 2-7 Super Nationals,” said Root. “Getting ready for Super Nationals is like farming for a living in that there’s always something to be done.” A new-look infield victory lane incorporating popular jumbotrons is currently in the works, as is an updated scale pad and additional VIP pit stalls to accommodate large trailers. “Those are the most visible projects if you’re driving through Boone on Highway 30,” notes Root. “We’re also well underway with numerous other behind the scenes projects, like designing and ordering Super Nationals apparel and souvenirs, the Boone Bound social media promotion and everything the IMCA.TV crew needs [Read More]

North Carolina rookie has Saturday racing goal at IMCA Super Nationals

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. (July 31, 2024) – His latest racing vacation to Iowa started with the Salute to Veterans. Griffin Taylor’s next visit to the Hawkeye State will bring him back to Boone Speedway and the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified rookie, a senior to be at A.L. Brown High School in his hometown of Kannapolis, N.C., got his on-track introduction to the class and the competition during the early-season Clash on the Coast Series in Florida. Taylor then ventured to early April Frostbusters at Stuart, Marshalltown and Boone, returning for four more Iowa outings last month. “Tracks back home are more of a sandy red clay. They’re a black dirt or brown clay here,” said Taylor, who wheels a 2019 Harris Chassis. “The biggest thing I’ve learned so far is you don’t get to get away with mistakes racing with the best. The competition is tough. I’m trying to learn the tracks and get better as a driver.” He’s a third generation driver, following grandfather Thomas and [Read More]

Former Modified champion Murray comes back to Boone with high Stock Car hopes

OBERLIN, Kan. (July 31, 2024) – Twenty years after winning dirt track racing’s ultimate championship, David Murray Jr. returns to the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s in pursuit of new glory in a new division. The 2004 Modified champion and an 11-time qualifier for Saturday night’s Big Dance, Murray will be back at Boone Speedway for the first time in a dozen years. And this time, it’ll be in a Stock Car, a 2016 B & B ride he describes as “a pretty good car” that has taken him to victory lane twice in just four starts so far this season. “I’ve never driven a Stock Car there and I’ve been racing one a little bit again this year,” said Murray, 56 years old and from Oberlin, Kan. “Every time Super Nationals rolled around in September, we either raced it or watched it from some place and I’ve always felt disappointed when I wasn’t there.” “There are a lot of good people at Super Nationals, friends from years ago, and it will [Read More]

Lahr aces Arlington Sport Compact feature

ARLINGTON, Minn. (July 27, 2024) – There was plenty of action on the track for Minnesota Farmfest Night Saturday at Arlington Raceway After an early stoppage, there was a three-way battle for the lead in the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock feature. Taylor Manderfield led until Chad Volk took over the race. He was holding off Cory Probst and Blake Luinenburg, who had started side-by-side in the fifth row. Volk felt the pressure and on lap seven Probst got around him to take over the lead. Luinenburg followed on the next lap. A yellow came out when Manderfield hit an infield tire in turn two, putting him to the back. When the race restarted Probst held onto the lead and took the win ahead of Luinenburg and Volk. Two yellow flags occurred on the first lap of the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature. Dale Gatton took the early lead but Gary Schumacher was able to get around him to take over the lead and led until Alan Lahr got under him in turn four and took [Read More]