Feature Archives

Daughter’s draw puts Smith in right spot to win Empire State Series feature at Skyline

CORTLAND, N.Y. (Sept. 20) – Gary Smith told daughter Danielle before she drew for him that he’d like to start Saturday’s Friesen Chevrolet Empire State Series feature on the front row, and preferably on the outside. Danielle obliged and Smith promptly led all 25 laps in winning for the first time of his career in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified tour at Skyline Raceway. The checkers were good for $400. Keith Lamphere challenged but had to settle for second as Smith stayed strong following a multitude of restarts. Running the high side right to the last lap, Smith switched to the bottom line when the race ended green, white, checkered. Teammate James Cornell, Jared Spaulding and Gary Roberts completed the top five finishers in the Turbo Blue Championship Weekend show. Cornell took over the series point lead; Spalding had made a last-minute decision to race at Skyline and ended up fourth. “I was happy that James finished third,” Smith said after becoming the fifth different winner in as many Empire State Series events so [Read More]

Kay nears Deery Series title with win at Davenport

DAVENPORT, Iowa (Sept. 20) – Justin Kay took a big step toward another IMCA championship with his fifth Deery Brothers Summer Series feature win of the season Saturday at Davenport Speedway. With a second straight national title already secured and a 30-point advantage over Andy Eckrich, Kay can clinch his career first series title by starting his heat race when the IMCA Late Model tour concludes in a two-day event Oct. 3 and 4 at West Liberty Raceway. Kay’s latest win paid $3,000 and came by reining in Eckrich, who had started on the pole and led the first 27 of 35 laps on the half-mile oval at Davenport. After working his way up from 10th starting, Kay was inside and almost side-by-side with Eckrich, one groove higher and always ahead when the two crossed the stripe. Following a caution with nine laps left, Eckrich switched to the lower line. Kay went outside, got a good run in the second set of turns and was in front when lap 28 went into the books. The [Read More]

Hunter, Yeager win features, Beech is EQ Wild West Modified Tour champion

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. (Sept. 12-13) – Jeff Hunter and Justen Yeager won the battles while Bert Beech won the war, when the EQ Cylinder Heads Wild West Tour concluded with Friday and Saturday features at Sweetwater Speedway. Hunter and Yeager were $1,000 winners in main events for touring IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds. Beech ran third both nights at Rock Springs to capture the series championship, his first with IMCA. “We made all the features this year and the car was real good the last three weekends,” said Beech, who caught Chase Hansen in the race for the crown. “We’ve been following the tour for about five years so it feels pretty good to win it.” Hunter’s win on opening night came in his career 14th Wild West Tour outing. He started the 30-lapper from sixth, was in front by lap five and stayed there ‘til midway. He’d get the lead back late and beat travel partner Eddie Belec across the stripe. Beech, Tony Steward and Jake Donnelly completed the top five. “I bought Eddie’s [Read More]

Marriott becomes 10th, final XSAN Hawkeye Dirt Tour winner

FARLEY, Iowa (Sept. 13) – Hunter Marriott enjoyed more dividends from a season devoted largely to competing at IMCA’s top events Saturday night. Marriott became the 10th different winner in as many XSAN Hawkeye Dirt Tour events this season, earning $2,000 for his checkered flag efforts in the IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modified series finale at Farley Speedway. The victory came during the Yankee Dirt Track Classic and put Marriott on the ballot for the 2015 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “I really didn’t think we were that good from the get-go,” admitted Marriott, who started sixth, took the lead before halfway and beat 24th starting Troy Cordes across the stripe by a comfortable margin. “But I changed my line right before the first caution on lap 10 and just kept turning it up.” Cordes had taken a provisional and started 24th; Cayden Carter, Brian Mullen and Scott Hogan completed the top five in the 40-lapper. Forty-nine Modifieds were entered at Farley. Mike Van Genderen wrapped up the tour championship with his 10th place finish. His [Read More]

Another year older and $7,500 richer, Callahan repeats Yankee Deery win

FARLEY, Iowa (Sept. 14) – Joel Callahan finished the Yankee Dirt Track Classic Deery Series main event at Farley Speedway a year older and $7,500 richer. The 100-lap IMCA Late Model tour event started late Saturday evening and finished in the wee hours on Sunday. Callahan, who figured he turned 50 somewhere around lap 27, inherited the front spot when race-long leader Colby Springsteen cut his right rear tire and then led to the checkers in repeating as the big money Yankee winner. “I think we step up our game for this race. There’s a lot of adrenaline pumping,” he said. “To me, this is the biggest race on the Deery schedule and not because of the pay but because it’s at my home track.” “The track was fast from top to bottom,” he added. “It didn’t matter where you were running.” Richie Gustin was second in the best showing of his brief Deery career. Denny Eckrich was third and point leader Justin Kay roared all the way back to fourth after exiting to fix [Read More]

Convincingly, Kay repeats as national IMCA Late Model champion

VINTON, Iowa (Sept. 12) – At the rate he’s going, Justin Kay won’t have to make room in the trophy case. He’ll have to build another one. On the strength of a division record 24 feature wins, Kay repeated as IMCA’s national Late Model champion. He earns a $5,500 share of a $21,300 point fund to be paid to top 20 finishers in national standings that become official on Sept. 29. From Wheatland, Kay finished with the maximum possible 820 points, a dozen more than runner-up Todd Cooney of Des Moines. “We raced more this year and got a lot of wins early,” said Kay, who received 20 bonus points as champion at Dubuque Speedway and also paced the points at Davenport Speedway. “It seemed like we couldn’t do anything wrong at Dubuque. We thought last year was a dream for us when we won eight in a row. We won nine in a row at one point this year.” “It’s cool to get 820 points, the most you can get,” added Kay, also a [Read More]

Strickler ends rollercoaster week with Super Nationals Modified crown

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 6) – A rollercoaster four days at Boone Speedway ended with Kyle Strickler on top of the dirt track racing world. Strickler led all 40 laps of Saturday’s Modified main event at another record-setting IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The victory lane scene that followed was an emotional one. “This is the greatest race ever. Winning it means so much to me,” he said, pausing several times to wipe away tears of joy. “There is so much history here. I’d always wanted to put my name on the T-shirt and now I’ve done it.” The win came a night after Strickler’s Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot triumph and paid $2,700. Richie Gustin, the 2011 champion, defending champion Dylan Smith and Canadian Aaron Turnbull completed the top four. Strickler had been disqualified from a runner-up finish in his Wednesday qualifier for use of unapproved wheels. He won his Friday qualifier and started at the front on the outside row in Saturday’s big dance. “It was pretty cool to be able [Read More]

IMCA’s 2014 EQ Wild West Tour ends with Sweetwater twinbill

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. – The final checkers fall this weekend for the eighth annual EQ Cylinder Heads Wild West Tour. Traveling IMCA Xtreme Motor Sports Modifieds are at Sweetwater Speedway for $1,000 to win, Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying events on Friday, Sept. 12 and Saturday, Sept. 13. The Wild West Tour All-Star Race is also on the weekend card. Pit gates at Rock Springs open at 3 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. both days. Hot laps are at 6 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m. Grandstand admission is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 and older and kids ages 6-12, and free for five and under. Pit passes are $25. More information is available at the www.sweetwaterspeedway.webs.com website or by calling 307 870-5959. Chase Hansen owns two tour wins and leads Bert Beech by a dozen points heading into the series-ending doubleheader. The twinbill marks the 16th and 17th EQ Wild West Tour dates at Rock Springs, more than at any other track EQ Cylinder Heads Wild West [Read More]

Final night of Super Nationals XXXII

Hobby Stocks Stephenville Starter Hobby Stock Race of Champions A-Main 01 — 1. Austin Luellen, Minburn; 2. Kyle Bond, Gibbon, Neb.; 3. Shannon Anderson, Des Moines; 4. John Watson, Des Moines; 5. Dustin Griffiths, Ottumwa; 6. Dillon Thompson, Hastings, Neb.; 7. Jason Kohl, Missouri Valley; 8. Justin Wacha, Vinton; 9. Derek Moede, Casco, Wis; 10. Mike Traskowsky, Woodbine, Kan.. Main Event “A” — 1. Shannon Anderson, Des Moines; 2. Mike Pruitt, Redfield; 3. Jesse VanLaningham, Beatrice, Neb.; 4. Eric Stanton, Carlisle; 5. Austin Luellen, Minburn; 6. Nathan Ballard, Marengo; 7. Gary Pesicka, Burt; 8. John Watson, Des Moines; 9. Andrew Burg, Adel; 10. Jason Kohl, Missouri Valley; 11. Kyle Bond, Gibbon, Neb.; 12. Brandon Beeter, Minot, N.D.; 13. Jeremy Auten, Clarinda; 14. Malik Sampson, Worthington, Minn.; 15. Mike Traskowsky, Woodbine, Kan.; 16. Matt Olson, Morton, Minn.; 17. Corey Madden, Avoca; 18. Derek Moede, Casco, Wis; 19. Colby Langenberg, Norfolk, Neb.; 20. Derek Hodges, Des Moines; 21. Tyson Overton, Carlisle; 22. David Rieks, Eldora; 23. Tiffany Bittner, Norfolk, Neb.; 24. Tyler Pickett, Boxholm; 25. Dillon Thompson, [Read More]

Friday news from Super Nationals

All-Stars shine Friday at Super Nationals BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 5) – Thirty of the best Modified drivers in the country get their chance to shine on night five of the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational headlines the Friday show at Boone Speedway. That race will be 30 laps and pays $1,000 to win plus lap money. As a bonus, the winner becomes a candidate for the 2015 All-Star Invitational ballot. Drivers elected to tonight’s starting field were Dean Abbey of Waco, Texas, 2011 race winner Chris Abelson of Sioux City, Troy Cordes of Dunkerton, Chris Fleming of Union Springs, N.Y., Jeremy Frenier of Fort Morgan, Colo., Cody Gearhart of Turpin, Okla., Joe German of Aberdeen, Wash., William Gould of Calera, Okla., Jimmy Gustin of Marshalltown, Chase Hansen of Myton, Utah, Robert Hellebust of Minot, N.D., Scott Hogan of Vinton, Mike Jergens of Plover, Corey Lagroon of Salina, Kan., Ryan McDaniel of Olivehurst, Calif., Jason Murray of Hartford, Jason Noll of Peoria, Ariz., Brad Pounds of Bakersfield, Calif., [Read More]