Ryan Clark

Mi22ion IMCA Modified racing to raise awareness, help prevent veteran suicide

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Sean Stacy raced for more than a tall trophy or any amount of money at the 20th annual Duel In The Desert. The 17-year-old from Kearny, Ariz., was behind the wheel of the number Mi22ion IMCA Modified, which gets its number from Mission 22, an organization dedicated to providing treatment for and preventing suicide by military veterans. Raising awareness about the 22 veterans who take their own lives each day because of Post-Traumatic Stress has been Stacy’s goal throughout his rookie season. “This is something that has affected many families,” said Stacy’s father and car owner Curtis. “We were having fun racing then began to see that this was one way we could make a difference.” Primarily sponsored by the Las Vegas Firefighters and Benefit Association, which counts many military veterans among its membership, the Mi22ion car raced six nights this season, at Arizona Speedway and at Central Arizona Speedway prior to the Duel In The Desert. Stacy was ninth in the Young Guns event at the Duel. His final outing of [Read More]

Larry Shaw Race Cars takes top honors in IMCA Manufacturers’ Cup contest

BATESVILLE, Ark. – Larry Shaw Race Cars will receive a second prestigious award at the upcoming IMCA national banquet. The Batesville, Ark., chassis builder won the 2017 Manufacturers’ Cup, with the top point total among the 18 manufacturers entered in the ninth annual contest. Points were awarded based on the make of chassis driven by drivers finishing in the top 10 in each of the five regions for IMCA Modifieds. Shaw led the way with 41 points; rounding out the top five builders were GRT with 38, Razor Chassis with 28, BMS with 27 and Harris Auto Racing with 26. Shaw, already in line for a 10-year sponsor appreciation plaque, gets a $500 cash prize and trophy during the Nov. 25 national banquet in Lincoln, Neb. “We rekindled and started all over after a fire in 1994 and there are so many drivers and their race teams that we have to thank for this,” owner Larry Shaw said. “We’ve built more than 5,300 cars and our employees and family still do everything they’re supposed to [Read More]

Vollmer adds a plaque of her own to family’s state championship collection

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho – Kendra Vollmer made good on her pre-season goal of winning an All-Star Performance State championship. As a result, she’ll add a plaque to the collection of awards in the home office that doubles as a trophy display room. Vollmer topped Idaho State standings for the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod division. She also picked up her career first win in the class on Aug. 19, six days before her 18th birthday, at hometown Idaho Falls Raceway. “Winning the state championship was really the goal for the year,” Vollmer said. “Getting my first feature win was exciting and helped pay more bills but winning the state championship was the big thing.” Her father Kenny raced a Northern SportMod, earning state titles in 2011 and 2015, while uncle Jacob Vollmer was the Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMod king in Idaho in 2010. “My dad liked this class a lot and was the one who got me started in it,” said Vollmer, who ran a go-kart on dirt for six years before moving to the sanctioned [Read More]

IMCA crowns record 107 Allstar Performance state champions this season

VINTON, Iowa – A record 107 IMCA Allstar Performance state champions were crowned this season, including first-ever divisional kings in three states. The previous mark of 103 was set last year; the record for the number of state champions named has been equaled or bettered each year since 2004. Shelby Williams was the only driver winning state crowns in multiple divisions this season, pacing both IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMod points in Oklahoma. Both championships were career firsts. Brian Carey won his first Southern SportMod crowns in Colorado and Wyoming. He’d previously reigned in his home state of New Mexico. State-first champions were in New York and South Carolina, where Jeff Trombely and Danny Jones topped IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car standings, and in Wyoming, where Beau Hutchison led Stock Car points. Eight hundred and eighteen different drivers have won state championships since the awards program began in 2000. Drew Armstrong motored to a career sixth IMCA Modified championship in Arkansas this season. Jeremy Meirhofer won for the fourth time in [Read More]

Friday IMCA Modified Duel qualifiers go to Ursetta, Taylor

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 10) – Dominic Ursetta saw his racing fortunes do a 180 while Peyton Taylor came up aces himself Friday night at the Duel In the Desert. Ursetta won the first IMCA Modified qualifying feature at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, ahead of Nick DeCarlo, five-time and defending winner Jeremy Payne and Johnny Scott. Taylor topped the second qualifier, with 2009 race winner Johnny Saathoff, Tim Ward and Benji LaCrosse in tow. Both races paid $777 to win and sent the top four finishers to Saturday’s $7,777 to win main event. The first car out in his opening night qualifier, Ursetta drew the pole for Friday’s opener and quickly built a growing lead over DeCarlo and Paul Stone. Ursetta found himself running with lapped cars before the halfway point. Payne worked his way up to third as the traffic got thicker. Three lapped cars separated Ursetta and DeCarlo at the finish. Scott worked his way to the final transfer spot after starting 13th. Taylor also started from inside row one [Read More]

Transponders required for Duel In The Desert

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – IMCA Modified and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod drivers are being reminded of a very important piece of equipment they’ll have to have to compete at next week’s Duel In The Desert at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The MyLaps/AMB transponder system is required for all cars in both divisions. Drivers who don’t have one of their own can rent one for $40. “The sheer number of cars and close finishes throughout heat, qualifying features and the main event necessitate transponders,” IMCA President Brett Root explained. “Drivers and fans will also be able to purchase a race monitor app to get live scoring throughout the event on their smart phones.” IMCATV will broadcast every lap of the 20th annual special, which plays out Nov. 8-11 at the half-mile Dirt Track at LVMS. The Saturday Modified main event is a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier and pays $7,777 to win and a minimum of $777 to start. The Northern SportMod main event pays $1,777 to win. Thursday and Friday qualifying features for Modifieds pay [Read More]

Boone, Independence receive 35-year Modified sanction awards at IMCA banquet

LINCOLN, Neb. – Two of the race tracks synonymous with the Modified division since its earliest seasons are among the 50 speedways to be honored during the national IMCA awards banquet on Nov. 25 in Lincoln, Neb. Boone Speedway and Independence Motor Speedway will be recognized for 35 years of sanctioning their Modified divisions with IMCA. In all, tracks from 17 states with a total of 740 consecutive years of sanctioning one or more divisions receive awards during the evening. A 30-year Modified plaque goes to Crystal Motor Speedway. Twenty-five year awards go to Mohave Valley Raceway and Sweetwater Speedway for Modifieds, Outagamie Speedway and Redwood Speedway for Stock Cars, and Buena Vista Raceway for Hobby Stocks. Receiving 20-year plaques will be 281 Speedway, BVR and Dacotah Speedway for Modifieds and Davenport Speedway for Late Models. Fifteen-year awards go to Winnemucca Regional Raceway, Modifieds, and Lincoln County Raceway, Stock Cars. Awards for a decade of sanctioning will be presented to Phillips County Raceway, Sherman County Speedway and Thomas County Speedway for Modifieds, Stock Cars and [Read More]

Classic run takes Roth to checkers at HOT’s 20th anniversary fall special

WACO, Texas (Oct. 28) – Anthony Roth got his first look at Heart O’ Texas Speedway when he pulled in for the Thursday practice session that preceded the weekend Fall Classic special. He had a check for $4,000 in his pocket and a season-ending IMCA Modified feature win when he drove out of the pit area at Waco two nights later. “We were looking to end the season on a high note,” said the Columbus driver, who had been KO’d by a late flat while running second in his final outing in his home state of Nebraska. “We were confident going down there that the car would be good.” Forced to qualify through his last-chance race on Saturday after getting together with another car in the opening night feature, Roth started 11th and had the lead nine circuits into the 30-lapper. “Mainly I used the bottom. I got everybody in (turns) one and two and when I got the lead I went to the top,” said Roth, already on the ballot for the Fast Shafts All-Star [Read More]

Early registration due today for LVMS Duel In The Desert

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Seventeen states and two Canadian provinces are represented in the 150 early entries for the upcoming Duel In The Desert. The 20th annual special, set Nov. 8-11 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track, boasts a $7,777 top prize and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth for the IMCA Modifieds and first place money of $1,777 for Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods Drivers in both divisions can still register online. The track website is www.lvms.com. The registration form and payment must be today (Oct. 31) to lock in early entry fees. Early entry fees are $200 for Modifieds and $150 for Northern SportMods. Weekend pit passes are $100. Reserved pit parking is available by calling 702 632-8213. Modified drivers pre-registered for the Duel as of Friday, October 27 include: Ricky Alvarado, Delta, Colo.; Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz.; Jerry Bailey, Pocatello, Idaho; Tim Balding, Prunedale, Calif.; Christy Barnett, El Paso, Texas; Jason Beaulieu, Campbell River, B.C.; Eddie Belec, Arvada, Colo.; Bret Bennett, Bakersfield, Calif.; Carl Berendsen, Antioch, Calif.; Tanner Black, Great Bend, Kan.; Bland Bohannon, [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds headline Canyon’s Nov. 3, 4 Desert Dash

PEORIA, Ariz. – IMCA Modifieds race for $1,500 to win and berths on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot both nights of Canyon Speedway Park’s Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3 and 4 Desert Dash. Both features pay a minimum of $125 to start. Also running each night are Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods for $1,000 to win and $100 to start; IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $500 to win and $65 to start; and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $250 to win and $50 to start. Pill draw fee is $50 for Modifieds, $40 for Northern SportMods, $30 for Stock Cars and $20 for Hobby Stocks. Spectator admission each night is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors ages 60 and over and military personnel, and free for kids 11 and under. Pit passes are $35 for adults, $20 for kids ages 7-11 and free for six and under. Minors must have a filled out and notarized release form to get in the pit area; that form is on the track website. Pit gates will be open [Read More]