Ryan Clark

Willamette Speedway ready for April 15 season opener

By Ben Deatherage LEBANON, Ore. – After a wild and crazy winter, racing is ready to begin a brand-new campaign on Saturday, April 15 at Willamette Speedway for the annual Cabin Fever Season Opener. Despite having all scheduled practices rained out the 1/3-mile clay oval will host the Super Late Model, IMCA Modified, Super Sport, Sportsman, Street Stock and Hornet divisions in round one of the new year. With the new season expect to see the return of some familiar faces as well as some new drivers in new divisions. Having all six staple classes on the card expect to see a very good car count for the first leg of 2017. The road to the championship begins this Saturday night in gorgeous and scenic Lebanon, Ore., and you definitely don’t want to miss it. Pit gates open at 1 p.m., the pit meeting is at 2:30 p.m., front gates open at 3:30 p.m. and racing starts at approximately 6 p.m. Tickets are $14 for adults, $10 for seniors, juniors ages 13-17 and military, $5 for youth [Read More]

QA1 unveils new awards for six IMCA divisions

LAKEVILLE, Minn. – QA1 unveils a new slate of awards in 2017, its 19th season as an IMCA sponsor. The Lakeville, Minn., high performance parts manufacturer gives product certificates to three drivers in each of the IMCA Modified, IMCA Late Model, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod, Scoggin-Dickey Parts Center Southern SportMod and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock divisions. Each national champion receives a $250 product certificate. Fifth place drivers in national standings get $150 certificates, 10th place drivers $100 certificates. In addition, QA1 will again award a carbon fiber driveshaft to the Late Model national champion. “Supporting racers is a priority to QA1,” said Marketing Manager Kaitlyn Nelson. “We’re very proud to be coming into our 19th year as an IMCA sponsor and look forward to many more years of supporting the racing community.” All QA1 awards will be presented during the national banquet in November or mailed beginning the next week from the IMCA home office. More information is available by calling QA1 directly at 800 721-7761, on Facebook and at www.qa1.net. “The QA1 program is [Read More]

Next event for Sprint Series of Oklahoma nears

By David Smith, Jr. OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Don’t forget it is a special Friday night edition of Sprint Series of Oklahoma presented by Smiley’s Racing Products action coming up on Friday, April 21 as the series makes its second straight appearance at Southern Oklahoma Speedway in Ardmore. Once again, the event will be co-sanctioned with the Sprint Series of Texas. The tour opened its second season at the Southern Oklahoma speedplant back on March 25 and that night saw Wichita Falls, Texas driver Chad Koch pick up his first-ever SSO feature victory, over a strong field of 31 IMCA RaceSaver Sprinters. With Koch’s victory at the season opener, he became the 11th different SSO feature winner in the past eleven events held dating back to last year’s inaugural season. John Carney II won the first two events of 2016 and since then Brandon Long, Carney, Jake Martens, Michelle Melton, Chad Wilson, Joe Wood Jr., Andy Shouse, Luke Cranston, Marcus Thomas, Austin Mundie and Koch have all reached victory lane. Gates will open at 5 p.m. [Read More]

Opening night and Easter Eggs at Dodge City this Saturday

By Lonnie Wheatley DODGE CITY, Kan. – A big night awaits at Dodge City Raceway Park this Saturday, April 15 as the 3/8-mile clay oval kicks off with the opening round of championship chase action. It will be a great night for the kids eight and under with an Easter Egg hunt to celebrate the weekend and it will be a great night of entertainment for kids and adults alike with the Precise Racing Products DCRP Sprint Cars, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA SportMods, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks all battling it out in the opening leg of the chase for the championship. Saturday’s racing action gets under way at 7:30 p.m. with tickets priced at $15 for adults with children 11 and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Pit passes are $30. The April 15 season opener marks the first of two April events at DCRP with Lewis Automotive Night featuring all five championship chase divisions to follow on Saturday, April 29.

Dancer wows Lincoln County crowd

By Kelly Ninas NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (April 8) – The racing action was red hot on opening night at Lincoln County Raceway and starting the season off right by parking their hot rods in the winners circle were Jeremy Frenier, Dillon Schultz, Mikey Dancer, Luke Wassom and Andrew Baumgardner. In one of the most exciting features of the evening, Dancer wowed his hometown crowd by winning the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Dancer led the initial 11 laps before relinquishing the lead to Jeff Whiting for the following six laps. When the white flag flew, Dancer saw an opening and drove back into the lead where he stayed for the final two laps to win. Frenier led the last five laps to win the IMCA Modified feature. Frenier started in the fourth row and found the racing groove around the bottom of the oval to make the pass for the lead through traffic in the final 10 laps. Leading the laps that mattered the most was Schultz in winning the Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMod feature [Read More]

Larry Shaw Race Cars in another milestone season as IMCA sponsor

BATESVILLE, Ark. – Larry Shaw Race Cars marks another milestone in its association with IMCA in 2017, its 10th consecutive season of sponsorship. The Batesville, Ark., chassis builder observes its sixth season as title sponsor of the Western region for Modifieds in 2017. Shaw provides a portion of the $6,000 point fund to be paid to top 10 drivers in official standings for that region, which includes tracks in Arizona, California, western Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, northern New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. Drivers in the region must display two Larry Shaw Racing decals on their race car to be eligible for point fund shares. The champion earns $2,500, with $1,250 for second, $625 for third, $325 for fourth and $300 for fifth. Sixth through 10th place finishers each receive $200. Shaw also retails high performance parts and repairs all makes of chassis. More information is available by calling 870 251-2966, at the www.larryshaw.com website and on Facebok. “Dealing with Larry Shaw and his team has been nothing short of outstanding in the 10 years they’ve been associated with IMCA,” commented [Read More]

Deery Series doubleheader this weekend at Farley, Independence

FARLEY, Iowa (April 10) – A pair of $2,000 to win events are on weekend tickets for the Deery Brothers Summer Series. Touring IMCA Late Models headline shows Friday, April 14 at Farley Speedway and Saturday, April 15 at Independence Motor Speedway. A minimum of $300 will be paid to make the main event both nights. Farley opens pit gates at 5:30 p.m. and the grandstand at 6 p.m. Hot laps are at 7 p.m. with racing to follow. Spectator admission is $16 for adults, $14 for seniors, $10 for students ages 13-17 and free for 12 and under. Pit passes are $30. Also running are IMCA Modifieds for all applicable points, including track, and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for national, regional and state points. More information is available by calling 563 744-3620 and at the www.farleyspeedwaypromotions.com website. Pit gates and the grandstand at Independence open at 4 p.m., with racing following 6 p.m. hot laps. Spectator admission is $16 for adults, $14 for seniors and students ages 12-18 with ID, and free for kids 11 and under when [Read More]

Harris flies to first Virginia Sprint Series checkers of season

WAYNESBORO, Va. (April 8) – The first Virginia Sprint Series dirt race of the season proved to be a fast one and Jerald Harris proved to be the fastest in the Saturday field at Eastside Speedway. New clay greeted the IMCA RaceSaver Sprinters, who took advantage of the two racing lines. Chris Ware and Anthony Linkenhoker paced the field as the green waved with Ware out first and looking strong. Harris made the high line work for him as he clicked off passes and made his way to the front on lap ten. Harris continued to lead as Scott Lutz made it to second. Daren Bolac started to slow with mechanical troubles as Tom Humphries went by, but nobody had anything for Harris as he flashed under the waving checkered flag. The next Virginia Sprint Series race will be at Shenandoah Speedway on Saturday, April 29. Feature results – 1. Jerald Harris; 2. Scott Lutz; 3. Tom Humphries; 4. Chris Ware; 5. Anthony Linkenhoker; 6. Tony Harris; 7. Michael Keeton; 8. Daren Bolac; 9. Mike Leraas; [Read More]

Eagle Raceway’s April 14, 15 Ice Breaker boasts Twice is Nice Challenge

EAGLE, Neb. – The Twice is Nice Challenge returns to the format for season-opening Ice Breaker Challenge at Eagle Raceway April 14 and 15. IMCA Modifieds race for $1,000 to win on Friday and for $2,000 to win on Saturday while Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods run for $500 to win both nights. The driver who can win both nights in either division pockets a $1,000 Twice is Nice Challenge bonus, as SportMod driver Lance Borgman did last year. Both Modified features are qualifying events for the 2017 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks chase a $400 top check while Mach-1 Sport Compacts run for $150 to win on Friday. IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars run for $1,000 to win and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $500 to win on Saturday. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and Allstar Performance state points will be awarded each night. Special series points will also be given for Saturday’s Sprint Series of Nebraska event. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 6 [Read More]

Crawford County Speedway opens with April 14-15 Spring Fling

DENISON, Iowa – Crawford County Speedway’s April 14 and 15 Spring Fling features a pair of $1,000 to win, Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying events for IMCA Modifieds. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars run for $750 to win, Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $500 to win, and Mach-1 Sport Compacts for $200 to win both nights. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and Allstar Performance State will be awarded for each show. Entry fee for the weekend is $75 for Modifieds, $65 for Stock Cars, $50 for SportMods and Hobby Stocks, and $25 for Sport Compacts. Racing follows 7 p.m. hot laps on Friday and 6 p.m. hot laps on Saturday. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, students and military personnel with ID, and free for kids five and under. Pit passes are $30. An open practice session starts at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 13 and the purchase of a $25 pit pass includes a meal that evening. Camping spots are $20 each and can be [Read More]