Sprint Car Archives

Hesse hauls to career first checkers at Arlington

ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 18, 2024) – Cole Hesse became a first-time winner, on a night of firsts Saturday at Arlington Raceway. The Gibbon hotshoe made the most of the lower line, made his way to the front of the field by lap five and then made his way to victory lane following his career-first Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMod victory. “Definitely down low was fastest, and it seemed like (turns) one and two were better for me,” said Hesse, who would pull away to a two second advantage before the end of the race. “I’ve got one trophy now and hopefully I can add more. That’s always the goal.” Hesse had started in the second row and was in command before halfway. He was a quarter of a lap ahead of second running Jeff Carter, who held Matt Looft in check for the entire distance. “I’ve always said that finishing second running against (six-time national champion) Looft was like winning,” said Hesse, starting his second full season in the class. “This win takes a huge [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through May 16, 2024

Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 986; 2. Troy Morris III, Bakersfield, Calif., 902; 3. William “Bill” Miller, Yuma, Ariz., 673; 4. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, 633; 5. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev., 608; 6. Grey Ferrando, Stayton, Ore., 604; 7. Owen Barnhill, Milton, Fla., 494; 8. Izac Mallicoat, Boone, Iowa, 477; 9. Spencer Diercks, Davenport, Iowa, 459; 10. Tyson Blood, Tumwater, Wash., 453; 11. Trevor Fitz, Marshalltown, Iowa, 425; 12. Charlie Mohr, Bettendorf, Iowa, 413; 13. Jonathan Mawhinney, Las Vegas, Nev., 410; 14. Matt Werner, Geneseo, Ill., and Bryson Yeager, Green River, Wy., both 393; 16. Devon Reed, Woodland, Wash., 389; 17. Jake McBirnie, Boone, Iowa, 384; 18. Braxton Yeager, Green River, Wy., 372; 19. Jerry Flippo, Osage, Iowa, 363; 20. Spencer Wilson, Minot, N.D., 361. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Evan Miller, Silvis, Ill., 323; 2. Jesse Bodin, Silvis, Ill., 287; 3. Andy Nezworski, Blue Grass, Iowa, 257; 4. Christopher Lawrence, Colona, Ill., 244; 5. Mitch Morris, Long Grove, Iowa, 238; 6. Travis Denning, Sterling, Ill., 236; 7. Kale Kosiski, Omaha, [Read More]

IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars salute the troops at South Texas

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (May 17, 2024) – South Texas Race Ranch salutes those who have and those who are now defending the freedoms we hold near and dear on Saturday, May 25. IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars chase a top prize of $1,200 at the long-running Salute to the Troops special during the upcoming Memorial Weekend. A minimum of $320 will be paid to start that event and IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National and Texas State points will be awarded. Draw fee is $30. Pit passes are $35, or $15 for 6-12 and free for five and under. Spectator admission is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and military, and free for kids 12 and under. Pit gates open at 2 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. Hot laps are at 6 p.m. and racing is at 7 p.m.

Eagle checkers fly for Zoubek

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (May 11, 2024) – It’s been a while but Bob Zoubek was back in victory lane Saturday at Eagle Raceway. After missing the last half of the 2023 IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing season with a shoulder ailment, Zoubek started sixth and finished first in the Mom’s Rule Night feature for Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. “Nate Thompson and I kind of went at it for a while but finally on that (lap eight) restart I cleared him and went to the top,” said Zoubek, last a winner at Eagle on June 17 of 2023. “The car wasn’t the best and I almost spun out once. But I gathered it up from there and took off. At the end Chad Andersen made it really interesting, putting a clean slide job on me, but I held on to win by a nose.” Andersen ended in second and Thompson came home third, with Mike Densberger holding on for fourth. Rookie Thomas Etherton’s fourth start in the class ended in his first IMCA Sunoco [Read More]

Williams, Porter, Olmstead Smith shine in Colby on opening night

By Sheldon Wickwar COLBY, Kan. (May 10, 2024) – Morgan Olmstead, Gage Porter and Ty Williams all were among visitors to victory lane during the season opener Friday at Thomas County Speedway. Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compacts led off the feature portion of the program with a 12-lap feature starting with a front row of Brock Leibhart and Grant Logue. Leibhart gained an early lead but by lap five Porter was heavily contending for the front spt. Porter had control of the race by lap eight and went on to the win ahead of Leibhart and Logue. IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks were second next and that 15-lap feature started with a front row of Trent Matson and Travis Branum. Olmstead got to the lead and despite a couple of cautions, no one could touch him as he dominated the feature wire-to-wire. Bingston Rogers was able to run a clean race and get to second place late in the event but did not have enough time to track down Olmstead. Third was Trent Matson. The United Rebel Sprint [Read More]

Arlington Raceway lifts lid on 44th season

ARLINGTON, Minn. (May 11, 2024) – The 44th season opener at Arlington Raceway brought out many race teams and fans in the stands that enjoyed seeing some great racing action and many new firsts. Blake Luinenburg took the lead from Ben Davis on the second lap and won the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock headliner. Cory Probst, chasing a third straight and ninth career track title, moved up five spots to take a close second with Brad Becker right behind him. Nick McConnell won the Best Appearing Car Contest and the wrapped helmet from Hess Technology. Brandon Hartmann from Fairmont led the entire Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature. Starting up front and holding off both Neil Forsberg and Justin Dose, he seemed to glide around the smooth track. Dale Gattton won the Best Appearing Car Contest and the wrapped helmet from Hess Technology. Brandon Hartmann returned to Arlington Raceway and motored to the opening night Mach-1 IMCA Sport Compact feature victory. (Photo by Sarah Moriarty) Matt Looft was able to pick up the win in the Friesen [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through May 9, 2024

Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 984; 2. Troy III Morris, Bakersfield, Calif., 902; 3. William “Bill” Miller, Yuma, Ariz., 648; 4. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev., 608; 5. Grey Ferrando, Stayton, Ore., 525; 6. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, 520; 7. Owen Barnhill, Milton, Fla., 457; 8. Spencer Diercks, Davenport, Iowa, 438; 9. Tyson Blood, Tumwater, Wash., 413; 10. Jonathan Mawhinney, Las Vegas, Nev., 410; 11. Trevor Fitz, Marshalltown, Iowa, 404; 12. Devon Reed, Woodland, Wash., 389; 13. Izac Mallicoat, Boone, Iowa, 388; 14. Braxton Yeager, Green River, Wy., 372; 15. Jerry Flippo, Osage, Iowa, 363; 16. Spencer Wilson, Minot, N.D., 361; 17. Jake McBirnie, Boone, Iowa, 353; 18. Michael Leach, Sun River, Mont., 341; 19. Chuck Grohnke, Mesa, Ariz., 326; 20. Matt Werner, Geneseo, Ill., 323. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Evan Miller, Silvis, Ill., 251; 2. Andy Nezworski, Blue Grass, Iowa, 219; 3. Jesse Bodin, Silvis, Ill., 217; 4. Travis Denning, Sterling, Ill., 197; 5. Mitch Morris, Long Grove, Iowa, 185; 6. Christopher Lawrence, Colona, Ill., 177; 7. Broderick Prescott, East [Read More]

Eagle win is IMCA Modified first for Harker

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (May 4, 2024) – Where could you see 151 cars signed in, running a race program that included five main events, four ‘B’ features, three ‘C’ features and two ‘D’ features and the final checkers at 10:30 p.m.? Eagle Raceway fit that bill Saturday night with IMCA feature wins going to Shawn Harker, Brandon Horton, Kyle Vanover, Dillon Richards and Cole Wayman. Harker’s Friesen Performance IMCA Modified win was his career first win in the class. He’d be in the pits ‘til the wee hours of the morning getting congratulations from friends and fellow racers along with early birthday greetings. “It feels great. We’ve come close a lot of times and this time the circumstances finally worked out for us,” said Harker, who collected track titles at Eagle in 2018 and 2021 while totaling 40 Northern SportMod checkers plus special events wins in Las Vegas and around the Midwest before moving to the Modified three years ago. “Coming to the checkers I thought ‘Finally, I finally got the monkey off [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings through May 1, 2024

Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds – 1. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 979; 2. Troy Morris III, Bakersfield, Calif., 902; 3. Kollin Hibdon, Pahrump, Nev., 608; 4. William “Bill” Miller, Yuma, Ariz., 598; 5. Tim Ward, Harcourt, Iowa, 520; 6. Grey Ferrando, Stayton, Ore., 446; 7. Owen Barnhill, Milton, Fla., 419; 8. Devon Reed, Woodland, Wash., 389; 9. Tyson Blood, Tumwater, Wash., 373; 10. Braxton Yeager, Green River, Wy., 372; 11. Jerry Flippo, Osage, Iowa, 363; 12. Spencer Wilson, Minot, N.D., 361; 13. Michael Leach, Sun River, Mont., 341; 14. Jonathan Mawhinney, Las Vegas, Nev., 336; 15. Chuck Grohnke, Mesa, Ariz., 326; 16. Bryson Yeager, Green River, Wy., 316; 17. Austin Kuehl, Cave Creek, Ariz., 311; 18. Izac Mallicoat, Boone, Iowa, 307; 19. Spencer Diercks, Davenport, Iowa, 296; 20. Trevor Fitz, Marshalltown, Iowa, 295. IMCA Sunoco Late Models – 1. Evan Miller, Silvis, Ill., 142; 2. Dylan Schmer, Aurora, Neb., 117; 3. Jesse Sobbing, Malvern, Iowa, 115; 4. Jesse Bodin, Silvis, Ill., 110; 5. Mitch Morris, Long Grove, Iowa, and Christopher Lawrence, Colona, Ill., both 109; 7. Jacob Kubicka, [Read More]

Miller sprints to IMCA RaceSaver East Coast Nationals win

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio (April 27, 2024) – The fourth time was a charm Saturday night for Chris Miller. The Chillicothe speedster was first across the stripe every lap of the inaugural East Coast Nationals Chad Hyatt Memorial, collecting a $2K IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car payday at hometown Atomic Speedway. “This has been a race we’ve had our eves on for a while, but it got rained out twice last year and again last week,” Miller explained following his first checkers in three Ohio Thunder Sprint Series starts so far in 2024. “To pick up the win means a lot. We’ve been focused on this race for a while.” Miller had run second in his heat and posted the second fastest time before lining up outside pole for the headline 30-lapper. Owen Timm was briefly ahead before Miller regained the lead in lapped traffic. The final caution came with eight circuits to go and defending series champion Wyatt Justice made the race to the finish a close one after Miller got stuck on the lower line. Justice, [Read More]