Northern SportMod Archives

IMCA crate engine track champion bonuses awarded for 2024

VINTON, Iowa (Nov. 19, 2024) – IMCA drivers earning one or more track championships while competing exclusively with crate engines this season receive $250 bonuses given by Chevrolet Performance. Friesen Performance IMCA Modified, IMCA Sunoco Late Model, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock and Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod track champions indicating on their 2024 license application that they would run a crate engine will receive $250 checks for each of a total of 186 track championships. Checks will be presented during the upcoming national awards banquet or mailed in December. Modified drivers receiving bonuses for winning one or more track championships, with multiple track titles indicated in parenthesis, while competing exclusively with a crate engine include: Steven Anderson, Chaz Baca (2), Curtis Barnes, Jordan Bartz, Cole Bents, Brett Berry, Tyson Blood, Kenny Boardman, Kyler Bowen, Jarrett Brown, Keith Brown Jr., David Carrera, Kellen Chadwick, Ben Chapman, Brandon Clough (2) and Jimmy Cole. Jeffery Cooper, Ted Cooper Jr., Troy Cordes, Joel Crowbridge, Cole Czarneski, Myron DeYoung, Rick Durica, Dwight East, Grey Ferrando (2), Shawn Fletcher, Dalton Flory, Dakota Fox, [Read More]

Rainy start to season slows, but can’t stop Looft’s charge to seventh IMCA Northern SportMod crown

SWEA CITY, Iowa (Nov. 4, 2024) – His season didn’t begin like any other in Matthew Looft’s Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod career, but the way it ended was plenty familiar. “It was just a different year with all the rainouts early in the season. We went almost a month (April 15 to May 11) without a race,” said Looft, asked to compare national championship number seven with any of the six that preceded it. “So we worked and we relaxed and had more family time, which was good.” Looft, from rural Swea City, Iowa, totaled 33 feature wins among 46 top-five finishes in his 50 starts in 2024, earning track titles at Arlington Raceway, Kossuth County Speedway and Murray County Speedway. The biggest payday of his 296 career wins in the division came at Clay County Fair Speedway’s Quarter Million Dollar Challenge in May; his checkered flag run at Boone Speedway’s NAPA Auto Parts Double Down Prelude came with the national points race heating up. “The Quarter Million Dollar Challenge paid $16,667 and that made [Read More]

Iowa Dirt Nationals set records at Maquoketa Speedway

By Jerry Mackey MAQUOKETA, Iowa (Oct. 17-19, 2024) – The final race of the 2024 season was held this past weekend at the Maquoketa Speedway as the Iowa Dirt Nationals were run with three near perfect weather days greeting record-setting car counts and large crowds. The action got underway on Thursday, Oct. 17with a practice session and the makeup features of the All Star Classic that was cut short back on Sept. 14 due to rain. Ethan Braaksma scored the win in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature, David Brandies topped the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car main event, Brayton Carter raced to the win in the Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and Eric Knutson took the win the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks. Friday was opening night of the Iowa Dirt Nationals with 206 competitors packing the infield on the Jackson County Fairgrounds. Winners on Friday night included Drew Janssen in the Modifieds, Brandon Schmitt took top honors in the Stock Cars, Carter scored the win by inches in the SportMod feature and Knutson took the checkers [Read More]

IMCA announces 2024 national champions

VINTON, Iowa (Oct. 15, 2024) – Record-setting racers and first-time kings and a queen are among the 2024 national champions announced today by IMCA. Mike Nichols’ 13th IMCA Sunoco Stock Car crown is the most all-time in IMCA while Cory Dumpert’s sixth straight IMCA Sunoco Late Model title sets a new record for the sanctioning body in its modern (1979-) era. Kaylee Richards became the first driver to win both a national championship, in the Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts, and Lady Eagle award. Other first-time national champs were Lee Goos Jr. in the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car and Jeff Shepperd in the Smiley’s Racing Products IMCA Southern SportMods. Matthew Looft’s Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod title was his career seventh, Dillon Raffurty’s Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite crown his career fourth. Chaz Baca went back-to-back in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and Cory Probst topped the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock standings for the second time. A 30-time feature winner, Nichols complemented his latest national title with EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region and Crawford County Speedway, [Read More]

Wray checks forecast, then checks out at Beatrice Octoberfest

BEATRICE, Neb. (Oct. 11-12, 2024) – Cory Wray checked the forecast, then he checked out. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modified hotshoe from Trenton, Mo., made his first visit to Beatrice Speedway in five years for the season-ending Octoberfest special, leading all 25 laps of Saturday’s $2,000 to win feature. “We looked at the weather, saw it was going to be nice and decided to race one more weekend,” said Wray, newly eligible to qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “It was a good way to end the season.” He’d started third and took the lead coming to the line at the end of lap one. A lap four caution bunched the field back together but Wray pulled away and was running in traffic late in the contest. Johnny Saathoff was second, Braxton Yeager third. Justin Zeitner motored from 15th starting to fourth for hard charger honors. Jordan Grabouski, most recently a three-time Octoberfest main event winner in 2020, topped Friday’s $1,000 to win feature for the Modifieds and both $750 to win features for the [Read More]

Czarneski stars at 141 Car Wars finale

By Joe Verdegan FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (Oct. 11, 2024) – 2024 track champion Cole Czarneski stormed past Shawn Kilgore on a lap nine restart into the lead and cruised to victory in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature at 141 Speedway’s Car Wars curtain closer. The victory was worth $2,000 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility for the second-generation ace. Kilgore swapped the lead with fellow front row starter Cody Apfelbeck for the first several circuits. While that scrum was going on up front, Czarneski, who started 10th on the grid, quickly threaded his way through traffic, jumping into the third spot on lap four. Czarneski quickly closed in on the lead duo and a three car duel quickly evolved for the lead. Czarneski worked the high line inches from the concrete retaining wall and the lead trio began weaving through lapped cars by lap eight. A lap nine yellow tightened up the field and when racing resumed, Czarneski made his move. Czarneski skillfully weaved his way through those lapped cars and fought off a [Read More]

2025 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings

Ties are broken by 40 point finishes, then 39 point finishes, 38, 37, etc. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 655; 2. Luke Silber, Laveen, Ariz., 458; 3. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev., 442; 4. Troy III Morris, Bakersfield, Calif., 382; 5. Tate Johnson, Homestead, Montana, 340; 6. Bryson Yeager, Green River, Wyoming, 333; 7. Logan Drake, San Luis Obispo, Calif., 332; 8. Jerry Flippo, Rockford, Iowa, 329; 9. Clifton (C. R.) Eisenzimer, Cascade, Montana, 324; 10. Braxton Yeager, Green River, Wyoming, 319; 11. Ethan Braaksma, Newton, Iowa, 316; 12. Tyson Blood, Tumwater, Washington, 303; 13. Michael Egurola, Marana, Ariz., 302; 14. Eston Whisler, Otis, Oregon, 291; 15. Jonathan Mawhinney, Las Vegas, Nev., 279; 16. Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn., 271; 17. Ian Whisler, Otis, Oregon, 265; 18. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 264; 19. Dylan Thornton, Belle Plaine, Iowa, and Ricky “WW1” Alvarado, Hotchkiss, Colo., both 259. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars – 1. Shelby Williams, Bonham, Texas, 588; 2. Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa, 586; 3. Kaden Woodie, Milaca, Minn., 497; 4. Larry [Read More]

Bill Bowers Memorial checkers fly for Pearce

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (Oct. 5, 2024) – Andrew Pearce won the 49-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event Saturday at Antioch Speedway. The occasion was the fifth annual Bill Bowers Memorial. The win was worth $1,500, plus Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility and a special winner’s flannel jacket in memory of Bowers. Pearce had won Friday night feature as well. Bobby Hogge IV started on the front row and was looking for his career second win in this event. He charged into the early lead ahead of Pearce and defending race winner Troy Foulger. An outside pass on the front stretch gained Foulger second on lap eight. The yellow flag waved moments later for a Chris Long spin. Hogge continued to lead the restart with Pearce moving back into second. Hogge slowed as Pearce and Foulger raced by. The yellow flag ended up waving on lap nine for Hogge. Pearce led Foulger and Kellen Chadwick on the restart. Following a yellow flag on lap 16 for Randy Shafer, Chadwick moved past Foulger [Read More]

Six IMCA divisions in action at Beatrice Octoberfest

BEATRICE, Neb. (Oct. 7, 2024) – Six IMCA divisions are in action both nights of Beatrice Speedway’s season-ending Octoberfest special Oct. 11 and 12. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds race for $1,000 to win on Friday and $2,000 to win on Saturday. A minimum of $200 will be paid to start and winners of both features become Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible. Both IMCA Sunoco Stock Car features pay $750 to win with those drivers earning B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod features pay $750 to win, Stealth Racing IMCA STARS Mod Lite and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock features $500 to win, and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact features $200 to win. Entry fees each day are $50 for the Modifieds, $25 for the Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks and Northern SportMods, and $20 for the Mod Lites. An open practice runs from 7-9:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10. Pit passes are $15. Pit gates open at 4 p.m., the draw closes at 6:30 p.m. and racing starts at [Read More]

Pearce, Ryan, Robles win at Antioch’s JD Willis Salute

By Candice Martin ANTIOCH, Calif. (Oct. 4, 2024) – Andrew Pearce won the 25-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature Friday at Antioch Speedway’s second annual JD Willis Salute. This was the opening night at the Bill Bowers Memorial Weekend, and the win for Pearce paid $750. Cody Burke led the opening lap before Pearce went by. Troy Foulger settled into third on the second lap. Foulger was challenging Burke for second before making an inside pass on lap 11. Jonathan Hagio brought out the only yellow flag on lap 13. As Pearce led the restart lap, Foulger tried a slide move through turns three and four, only to drift high and get passed by Kellen Chadwick. Foulger had problems and headed for the infield on lap 16, handing third to Bobby Hogge IV. Pearce set of rapid pace over the remaining distance and brought it home, a happy winner ahead of Chadwick, Hogge, Burke and Andrew Peckham. Jason Ryan Jr. won the 20-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod main, earning his second-consecutive win in the [Read More]