Sport Compact Archives

Too tight but Sproul makes things right with Sunflower checkers

HAYS, Kan. (March 30, 2024) – He didn’t get any points for guessing right but Dakota Sproul did get $1,000 for his Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature win on night two of RPM Speedway’s Sunflower Classic. Despite missing on his Saturday night setup, Sproul took the lead from Jace Whitt just after midway in the 20-lapper and outran Jeremy Frenier & Co. the rest of the way. “We tightened the car for the feature and it seemed like I was fighting it the whole way,” said Sproul, nonetheless able to take advantage of a bobble by Whitt on a restart for the lead. “I was struggling before I passed Jace and Jeremy was right behind me. I didn’t know if I was going to be good enough to win but fortunately no one gave me trouble after I got to the lead.” Dylan Sherfick, Eddie Belec and Clay Sellard completed the top five. Sproul was already eligible to qualify for the upcoming Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “Every time we hit the track it was different. [Read More]

Braaksma is best in Modified main as IMCA returns to Bloomfield

BLOOMFIELD, Iowa (March 29, 2024) – Ethan Braaksma was told Bloomfield Speedway was “a cool place to race.” After winning the Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature on opening night of the season-opening Southern Iowa Frost Out at the Davis County Fairgrounds venue, he couldn’t have agreed more. “Bloomfield doesn’t exactly compare to anywhere else I’ve raced before,” Braaksma said after taking Friday’s $1,250 checkers. “One of my buddies, Drew Janssen, said it was a pretty cool place to race. Plus it’s close to home, only an hour and 20 minutes or so.” Braaksma started the 20-lapper from fourth and took advantage of an early caution before going to the top of the track and outrunning Cayden Carter and Chris Zogg for his home state win of 2024. “We had another restart with about five laps to go. I didn’t see anyone after that and just concentrated on hitting my marks,” said Braaksma, already Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible after two January wins during Cocopah Speedway’s IMCA.TV Winter Nationals. “It was a lot of fun.” Bloomfield [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through March 27, 2024

Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 884; 2. Troy Morris III, Bakersfield, Calif., 795; 3. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev., 608; 4. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, 520; 5. William “Bill” Miller, Yuma, Ariz., 422; 6. Grey Ferrando, Stayton, Ore., 407; 7. Devon Reed, Woodland, Wash., 389; 8. Jerry Flippo, Osage, Iowa, 363; 9. Spencer Wilson, Minot, N.D., 361; 10. Michael Leach, Sun River, Mont., 341; 11. Tyson Blood, Tumwater, Wash., 334; 12. Austin Kuehl, Cave Creek, Ariz., 311; 13. Braxton Yeager, Green River, Wy., 297; 14. Jonathan Mawhinney, Las Vegas, Nev., 296; 15. Ethan Braaksma, Des Moines, Iowa, 290; 16. Mike Dimond, Rapid City, S.D., 278; 17. Eddie Belec, Arvada, Colo., 267; 18. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 265; 19. Bryson Yeager, Green River, Wy., 254; 20. Jake Pike, Pahrump, Nev., 242. IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars – 1. Cody Price, Princeton, Texas, 111; 2. Chad Wilson, North Richland Hills, Texas, 99; 3. Rod Craddock, Alvin, Texas, 96; 4. Corby Scherb, Decatur, Texas, 91; 5. Carson Bolden, Quinlan, Texas, 84; 6. Trey Schmidt, Conroe, Texas, [Read More]

Four IMCA divisions headline five April Frostbuster dates

VINTON, Iowa (March 26, 2024) – It’s the spring version of Iowa Speedweek as four IMCA divisions travel to five different tracks for Wednesday-Sunday, April 3-7 Frostbuster specials. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds race for $1,000, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $750 and both Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks for $500 to win each night beginning at Independence Motor Speedway, with dates at Stuart Speedway, Marshalltown Speedway and Boone Speedway leading up to the finale at Benton County Speedway in Vinton. Frostbuster champions earn the biggest share of $1,000 point funds and will be eligible for race of champions events at the upcoming IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Modified and Stock Car feature winners become eligible to qualify for their respective All-Star Invitationals. Gates open at 5 p.m. with 6:30 p.m. hot laps and racing at 7 p.m. on April 3 at Independence and on April 4 at Stuart. Spectator admission is $20 for adults and $10 for students ages 11-17, with kids 10 and under free at [Read More]

Grabouski, Ward near IMCA Modified milestones, Ware sweeps Spring Nationals Stock Car features

BEATRICE, Neb. (March 22-23, 2024) – Jordan Grabouski and Tim Ward each took another step toward Friesen Performance IMCA Modified milestones with Spring Nationals feature wins. Jeff Ware, meanwhile, got the Beatrice Speedway monkey off his back with Friday and Saturday night victories at the 31st annual special. Grabouski’s 290th IMCA Modified win on opening night at his hometown track doubled as his Spring Nationals career 14th in the class dating to 2011. Ward’s Saturday checkers were his career 95th, his last win at Beatrice having come in IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing action in 2013. Both features paid $2,500 and both winners were already Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligible. Grabouski had taken advantage of the extra week after Spring Nationals was postponed to build a new car. He used lapped traffic and then a restart to his advantage in taking the lead with 10 laps to go on Friday and winning ahead of Ward and Troy Cordes. “That car was a bare frame on Monday. Friday was the first time that car saw dirt,” said Grabouski, [Read More]

Arlington puts wraps on 2023 season with annual awards banquet

MORTON, Minn. (March 16, 2024) – The 2023 Arlington Raceway Awards Banquet was held at Jackpot Junction on March 16. Perfect attendance awards were given out to drivers who participated in every event and the top 10 in each oval track division received awards sponsored by Hess Technology. Champions in each class honored were Friesen Performance IMCA Modified, Clint Hatlestad; IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car, Matt Johnson; IMCA Sunoco Stock Car, Dan Mackenthun; IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock, Cory Probst; Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod, Matt Looft; and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact, Alan Lahr. ‘Cause It’s Fun awards were given to Wayne Govig, Modified; Justin Allen, RaceSaver Sprint Car; A.J. Zimmerman, Stock Car; Nick McConnell, Hobby Stock; Broddy Enter, Northern SportMod; and David Marshall, Sport Compact. Rookie awards were given to J.J. Reimers, Modified; Jeremy Snow, RaceSaver Sprint Car; Patrick Schauer, Stock Car; Ben Davis, Hobby Stock; Joey Reimers, Northern SportMod; and Emily McConnell, Sport Compact. Most Improved awards were given to Clint Hatlestad, Modified; Brett Allen, RaceSaver Sprint Car; Brent Uecker, Stock Car; Dan Probst, Hobby Stock; [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through March 20, 2024

Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 845; 2. Troy Morris III, Bakersfield, Calif., 755; 3. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev., 608; 4. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, 520; 5. Grey Ferrando, Stayton, Ore., 407; 6. William “Bill” Miller, Yuma, Ariz., 400; 7. Devon Reed, Woodland, Wash., 389; 8. Jerry Flippo, Osage, Iowa, 363; 9. Spencer Wilson, Minot, N.D., 361; 10. Michael Leach, Sun River, Mont., 341; 11. Tyson Blood, Tumwater, Wash., 334; 12. Austin Kuehl, Cave Creek, Ariz., 311; 13. Braxton Yeager, Green River, Wy., 297; 14. Jonathan Mawhinney, Las Vegas, Nev., 296; 15. Ethan Braaksma, Des Moines, Iowa, 290; 16. Mike Dimond, Rapid City, S.D., 278; 17. Eddie Belec, Arvada, Colo., 267; 18. Jeremy Mills, Clear Lake, Iowa, 265; 19. Bryson Yeager, Green River, Wy., 254; 20. Jess Brekke, Devils Lake, N.D., 233. IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars – 1. Trey Schmidt, Conroe, Texas, and Dusty Ballenger, Harrisburg, S.D., both 40; 3. Trefer Waller, Oneill, Neb., 39; 4. Chase Schubert, Huffman, Texas, Lee Goos Jr., Hartford, S.D., and Cody Price, Princeton, Texas, each 38; 7. [Read More]

Wulf jumps at chance to promote Junction Motor Speedway

McCOOL JUNCTION, Neb. (March 21, 2024) – Randy Wulf Jr. still remembers helping load up a race car for the first-ever opening night at Junction Motor Speedway years ago. He’ll remember the excitement surrounding the opening night show at McCool Junction this season from an entirely different perspective. Wulf is the new promoter at Junction, where IMCA Sunoco Late Models, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts fill Saturday night race cards. “Promoting a race track is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” said Wulf. “I have been taking to (Junction owner) Delmar Friesen and jumped at this chance.” Co-owner with brother Chad of Prowler Chassis, Wulf is “a dirt guy by trade” and will handle track prep for the 3/8-mile dirt oval personally. “I want to get the track as smooth as I can,” he said. “We’ve been trying to make sure the crew coordination is there and everyone knows their job, and make this a good place for lots of [Read More]

Late life adventure brings Fairchild back as promoter at Salina

SALINA, Kan. (March 19, 2024) – A “late life adventure” brings Chuck Fairchild back to Salina Speedway. Five IMCA divisions and Johnny Cash and his Ring of Fire classic are coming back, too. Fairchild, who bought the 3/8-mile clay oval midway through his first stint promoting the central Kansas track from 1997-2008, returns to the helm at Salina this season. Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts are on Friday night cards from May 3 to Sept. 27. “Call it a late life adventure,” explained Fairchild, who answered his cell phone while doing mid-morning laps on a grader. “I’d been retired to Florida the last six years but this came up and my wife Lisa told me I could go back and run the track. We’ll lock the house up and live here eight months of the year.” Fairchild grew up at Salina, where his dad owned cars, and raced a sprint car before promoting and then buying the track. He promised [Read More]

Bellm begins building process at Lincoln County with five IMCA divisions

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (March 18, 2024) – Joe Bellm brings his 37 years of promotion expertise to a third track beginning this season, taking charge at Lincoln County Raceway. Five sanctioned divisions, the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods and Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts, run at the North Platte, Neb., venue, on eight dates complementary to those at Bellm-promoted El Paso County Raceway in Calhan and Phillips County Raceway in Holyoke, both in northeast Colorado. “We have had North Platte on our radar. Fifty percent of the people in this town are race fans and will support a dirt race track,” Bellm said. “And the schedules will make sense for drivers want to travel and race for IMCA championships.” Lincoln County opens with the April 19-20 Cornhusker Classic, followed by the May 4 Nascar Night show and June 1, June 28-29 Sandhills Shootout Summer Nationals, July 6 and Aug. 3 season championship dates. Lincoln County and Phillips County each have three BST Northern Challenge Series [Read More]