Ryan Clark

Early season win streak sparks Martin in drive to EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region crown

WEATHERFORD, Texas – There’s a running joke in Kirk Martin’s household about whether or not he’s running for points. An early season winning streak helped convince him to do so this year and a career season-best 20 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car checkers paved the way for his first EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region championship. Second in the national standings, the Weatherford pilot also earned Boyd Raceway and Allstar Performance Texas State honors. “It was a phenomenal year for us. We started a streak of what became nine wins in a row (between March 11 and April 8). They just kept coming. We knew the streak was going to end and on a couple of those nights I was more lucky than good, but a win’s a win,” Martin said. Another streak, this time of four straight checkers, came in August and helped him nail down the regional and state crowns as well as the runner-up spot in the national standings. “I had the most races I’ve ever run (53) this season and was really surprised [Read More]

New daddy Snyder is the Big Daddy in IMCA’s Southern Region for Hobby Stocks

COPPERAS COVE, Texas – The rigors of chasing the Big Daddy Race Cars Southern Region championship cost Damian Snyder some sleep during the IMCA point season. The challenge of fatherhood has cost him some zzz’s since then. Snyder, from Copperas Cove, Texas, was a model of consistency in capturing his career first Hobby Stock regional prize and Allstar Performance Texas State crown in 2017. He was a regular at both Heart O’ Texas Speedway and Abilene Speedway where he finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the point standings. “We had some success at the start of the year and made the decision to go ahead and chase regional and state points, racing Fridays at Heart O’ Texas and Saturday at Abilene,” he said. “We had a bunch of seconds and thirds before we finally got a win at Heart O’ Texas (on May 5). It’s hard to get wins when you’ve got so much going on in your life. You don’t have time to work on the car or get it just the way you [Read More]

Fluckiger soars to Design 500 Lady Eagle honors

COLUMBUS, Neb. – Brooke Fluckiger ended her six-year Mach-1 Sport Compact career with a couple of career highlights. Fluckiger, from Columbus, Neb., raced to a top-five finish at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, then put the wraps on 2017 by winning the coveted Design 500 Lady Eagle award. Champion at Boone County Raceway and U.S. 30 Speedway as well as the Allstar Performance Nebraska State champion, Fluckiger had the top point total among the 200-plus female drivers who competed in IMCA this season. “Winning the Lady Eagle has always been in the back of my mind,” said Fluckiger, a Duncan native and cousin of Modified hotshoes Dylan Smith and Damian Smith. “I’m very proud to be able to have done it racing against the top competition in Nebraska and the United States. It’s nice to show other female drivers we can race with the guys.” “Super Nationals was probably the most exciting part of the season,” she added. “We’ve totaled a car at Boone before so being able to finish just [Read More]

Gould rides rollercoaster season to career third Razor Chassis South Central Region title

CALERA, Okla. – A race season that saw its shares of ups and downs ended on the upside for William Gould. Gould earned the Razor Chassis South Central Region crown, along with the 100th feature win of his IMCA Modified career in 2017. He had 19 feature wins in all and finished sixth in the national points race with the track title at Grayson County Speedway and Allstar Performance Texas State crown to his credit as well. “We had the occasional snafu here and there but overall, it was a pretty good season,” summed up Gould, from Calera, Okla. “There was a time during the year when we kind of fell off the pace or seemed to be lacking in the traction department after switching back to an open power plant. Jay Neal at BSB helped get us back on track and we went right back to winning.” The 2013 national champion and now three-time regional king hadn’t planned to do much racing, let alone winning, early in the season. Gould’s intentions were to crew [Read More]

Ward rebuilds, repeats in IMCA’s Dirt Works Eastern Region

IONIA, Mich. – A.J. Ward was as fast on the interstate as he was on the dirt. He’s got a second straight Dirt Works Eastern Region championship, among a trailer full of IMCA honors, to show for all that speed. The Ionia, Mich., driver got on line to find a new ride after getting caught up in an early May wreck. He bought and picked up a 2015 BMS ride out of Iowa mid-week, drove home and rebuilt the car in just a day and a half, then promptly topped a $1,500 to win event at I-96 Speedway. He finished the season with 17 feature wins, earning track titles at I-96 and Crystal Motor Speedway and another Allstar Performance Michigan State crown. “I don’t believe you’re a true champion until you stay on top,” said Ward. “Our whole goal this year was to repeat as regional champion and have a solid shot at the national points, and we accomplished that.” He rallied after restarting at the back of the field to beat Gary VanderMark and [Read More]

Season-opening sweep sets stage for Bowers in run to first Jet Racing Central Region crown

TOPEKA, Kan. – It’s a good thing Steven Bowers Jr. doesn’t believe in bad omens. Bowers ran out of gas en route to the practice night that preceded the season-opening Sunflower Classic at RPM Speedway in March. Undeterred, he returned to Hays to sweep the weekend IMCA Modified features and begin his drive to the Jet Racing Central Region championship. “Winning the region is pretty cool,” said Bowers. “Winning both nights of the Sunflower Classic was probably the highlight. It really amped up our season and we went from there.” Bowers totaled 14 wins despite “a rough July,” along with Thunder Hill Speedway and Heartland Park Topeka track championships and the Allstar Performance Kansas State crown. Fourth in the national points race, he’d collect six checkers at Heartland Park, three at both Thunder Hill and RPM, and single victories at Salina Speedway and Beatrice Speedway. The Topeka, Kan., veteran drove a homebuilt car to his career-first regional title. He plugged both the cost of the division and the point system that allowed him to compete [Read More]

Sample keeps plugging away to win second straight Larry Shaw Western Region crown

WINNEMUCCA, Nev. – After winning a second straight Larry Shaw Racing Western Region crown, Cory Sample gave some thought to the day when he’ll make a large addition to his trophy collection. From Winnemucca, Nev., Sample won 23 of 50 IMCA Modified starts while traveling to a baker’s dozen tracks in five states this season. Champion at both Rattlesnake Raceway and Winnemucca Regional Raceway, he also won a second straight and career fourth Allstar Performance Nevada State crown. All those titles came behind the wheel of a 2010 Razor Chassis. Sample has a total of 83 feature wins in that car since he bought it four years ago. “It’s been the perfect car for us. I don’t know of another driver who has as many wins in the same car,” Sample said. “When the time comes for us to get a new car, we won’t sell this one. It will become a trophy.” Runner-up in the national points race for a second consecutive season, Sample won four of six April starts. He had a streak [Read More]

Feature wins are a bonus for top Hobby Stock rookie Mielke

NORFOLK, Neb. – IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock national and Big Daddy Race Cars Northern Region rookie of the year awards were the ultimate goals this season for Lance Mielke. The five feature wins he collected during the season in addition to those rookie honors were a bonus. Mielke, from Norfolk, Neb., followed in the tire tracks of older brother TeJay in earning national and regional rookie of the year awards (in 2014) and even did so in the same Big Daddy car. “We first thought about it at the end of last season,” said Mielke, who had totaled 16 feature wins in three Mach-1 Sport Compact campaigns. “It came back to mind at the beginning of this season and we dedicated everything to running for rookie of the year.” He got his first feature win in the class on May 25 at U.S. 30 Speedway, where he went on to finish second in the point race. “Going into the year, I thought I might get one or two wins. I never thought I’d get five, [Read More]

Fast finish keys Dees in Sport Compact rookie quest

WEATHERFORD, Texas – Coming from a drag racing family, Dakota Dees didn’t understand how going fast and turning left could be all that difficult. Now that he’s done it himself, he understands. The Mach-1 Sport Compact national rookie of the year won seven of his 30 starts and six of his last 10 outings, finishing third in points at 281 Speedway and at Boyd Raceway. Girlfriend and Allstar Performance Texas State champion Julia Childs was runner-up in the standings at both tracks. “I watched her do it and thought it was awesome. She got me hooked on it,” said Dees, from Weatherford. “Before I started racing, I couldn’t figure out how it could be so hard. When I started (in Julia’s original car) I couldn’t keep it on the track.” “I’m ecstatic about winning rookie points,” he added. “It’s the last thing I ever thought would happen.” Dees’ first win came on April 29 at 281. After rolling his car at Boyd on May 12 he was consistent but didn’t make his way to victory [Read More]

Goal accomplished: Buchanan is best in Southern SportMod rookie points race

KEMP, Texas – Nathan Buchanan started the 2017 season with the goal of winning Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMod rookie of the year honors. Goal accomplished. In his first full season of racing in any class, the Kemp, Texas, hotshoe followed an ambitious schedule that took him to eight different tracks. Fifteen of his 40 starts came at 85 Speedway, where Buchanan won his career-first feature on July 22. “I couldn’t believe it when they threw the checkers and pointed me to victory lane. Everything was really cool,” said Buchanan, fourth in the standings at 85 and 16th nationally. “I couldn’t believe it then. I still can’t.” Self-funded, Buchanan had raced a street stock a couple times in 2005. His father Ronnie had raced and he came into the year with a learn as you go approach that paid big dividends. “It was always my dream to race and I finally got the chance to do it. I learned a lot as we went. We started from scratch. I think I started with five ratchet [Read More]