Feature Archives

Gregory, Gould, Bransom Crowned 2025 All Star Shootout Champions

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 28, 2025) — Garrett Gregory, William Gould and Jerrett Bransom each topped their respective divisions in the 2025 edition of the All Star Shootout, earning hard-fought championships in one of the most anticipated IMCA tours of the year. For Gregory, from Plantersville, Texas, the title marked his first career All Star Shootout championship in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. He started the week with a sixth-place showing at Southern Oklahoma Speedway in Ardmore and backed that up with a solid fifth-place effort at Grayson County Speedway. The breakthrough came on night three when Gregory charged to victory at Heart O’ Texas Speedway, and he wrapped up the week with a sixth-place finish at Kennedale Speedway Park to secure the championship. Garrett Gregory of Plantersville, Texas, celebrates his first career All Star Shootout championship in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds after a strong and consistent week across four tracks. (Photo by Southern Sass Photography) Drake Findley, making the haul from Bryant, Ark., put together a consistent string of performances to earn [Read More]

Baca Blazes to $4,600 Anniversary Win at Vinton

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 25, 2025) — Benton County Speedway celebrated the 46th anniversary of the IMCA Modified division with a 46-lap, $4,600-to-win main event, and it was two-time and defending national champion Chaz Baca Jr. who cashed in. The Mesa, Arizona, standout sliced his way through the field from ninth to score his third Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifier win. He had already secured eligibility to try and qualify for the event at the 2025 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s with two victories during January’s IMCA.TV Winter Nationals. 2020 National champion Tom Berry Jr. paced the opening circuits until trouble on lap 13 handed the lead to Jerry Flippo. Flippo’s own mechanical issues forced him to the infield not long after a red flag on lap 16, giving the top spot to defending IMCA SportMod Super Nationals winner Logan Anderson. Anderson looked poised to go the distance, but Baca reeled him in by lap 29. The battle soon included Zachary Madrid, who stormed into second just before a lap 31 [Read More]

Feature

Tougher Than Dirt Tour Returns for 10th Annual Run Through North Dakota and Saskatchewan

By Ben Deatherage VINTON, Iowa (May 27, 2025) — The 2025 edition of the Tougher Than Dirt Tour is set to launch into its 10th season with six straight nights of high-powered IMCA racing, spotlighting the Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods and the Sunoco IMCA Hobby Stocks. The tour kicks off Monday, June 3 and runs through Sunday, June 8, offering some of the most competitive racing for these divisions in the Northern Plains. The action begins at McLean County Speedway in Underwood, North Dakota on June 3, followed by a stop at Southwest Speedway in Dickinson on June 4. Williston Basin Speedway hosts round three on June 5, with the lone Canadian date coming at Estevan Motor Speedway in Saskatchewan on June 6. Thunder Mountain Speedway in Bottineau welcomes racers on June 7, before the finale on Sunday, June 8 at the historic Nodak Speedway in Minot. “I’m really looking forward to this week because it’s a great series of races for the local racers around these parts while also attracting some drivers from out [Read More]

Harris Clash Returns to Boone Speedway for 34th Running on June 24

By Ben Deatherage BOONE, Iowa (May 27, 2025) — A tradition unlike any other in IMCA racing makes its long-awaited return to Boone Speedway as the 34th annual Harris Clash presented by Wehr’s Machine & Racing Products is set for Tuesday, June 24. This marks the first time the event has been held at Boone since 1994 and its first appearance in Iowa since 2017. The Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds and Karl Chevrolet IMCA Northern SportMods will once again headline the single-day showcase, with the Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars making their much-anticipated debut on the Clash card. The prestigious event holds the distinction of being IMCA’s longest-running single-day special, first contested in 1992. “We’ve really put together a number of changes,” said event founder Bob Harris. “Deer Creek Speedway was an awesome facility, but we took a look at moving the event back to Central Iowa. Boone was the right fit. We were there in 1994 and, as everyone knows, it puts on some pretty darn good racing and runs a fast show.” One of the [Read More]

Midwest Madness Tour Returns for 7th Annual Run Through the Heartland

By Ben Deatherage WORTHINGTON, Minn. (May 22, 2025) — The summer racing calendar heats up once again as the 7th Annual Midwest Madness Tour storms back into action, bringing five consecutive nights of thrilling IMCA competition to tracks across Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota from June 29 through July 3. The tour kicks off on Sunday, June 29 at Worthington Speedway, followed by a stop at Clay County Fair Speedway on Monday, June 30. On Tuesday, July 1, the action heads west to Park Jefferson Speedway in South Dakota. Buena Vista Raceway hosts night four on Wednesday, July 2, and the tour concludes at Stuart Speedway on Thursday, July 3. Free pre-registration is now open through MyRacePass. Links can be found on the Midwest Madness Tour Facebook page. “I’m really looking forward to a really busy week of racing at some amazing facilities,” said tour organizer Tim Skaren. “We’re looking to build this up bigger and better each year.” Each event features a full IMCA-sanctioned program for the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds, Sunoco IMCA Stock Cars, [Read More]

Foulger Outduels Sieweke Late for Clash Victory at Petaluma; Combs Clinches Series Title

By Ben Deatherage PETALUMA, Calif. (May 25, 2025) — The final night of the 2025 Central California Clash brought the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds to the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds for a dramatic 30-lap finale at Petaluma Speedway. Local racer Chris Sieweke appeared to have the race in hand, building a lead of more than seven seconds once the green-flag run settled in. But a string of cautions repeatedly erased his advantage, and with nine laps to go, Oakley’s Troy Foulger was suddenly in striking distance. Driving the Bill Bowers-owned No. 49, Foulger worked every inch of the racetrack in pursuit of the leader. As the white flag waved, the two were side-by-side. Entering the final corners, Sieweke was slowed by a lapped car, allowing Foulger to pounce. Sieweke spun while trying to hold on, and Foulger raced to the line to earn the win. It was his third career Petaluma tour win in four tour starts, his seventh career series triumph, and his first of the 2025 campaign in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region. Philip Shelby, [Read More]

Laney 2-for-2 in 2025 Modified Anniversary Races

By Coty Mallicoat BOONE, Iowa (May 24, 2025) — The 46th Anniversary $2,000-to-win Friesen Performance IMCA Modified main event at ‘Iowa’s Action Track’ Boone Speedway doubled as a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifier, and Cody Laney wasted no time putting on a clinic. The Torrance, Calif., driver powered past Jeremy Mills at the drop of the green and once again attacked the cushion with precision to keep his No. 5 machine in command. The Friday winner at Marshalltown, Laney made it back-to-back wins in the Razor Chassis North Central Region and added his name to the eligibility list to try and qualify for the Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational at the 2025 Speedway Motors IMCA Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Mills followed in second while Jake McBirnie rallied from 10th to grab third. Smith Scores Career Win No. 199 in Stock Car Thriller Veteran racer Kevin Opheim set the tone early in the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car feature, ripping the lip to establish a commanding lead. But it didn’t stay that way for long. Lake City’s [Read More]

Laney Captures Marshalltown’s 46th Anniversary Modified Race

By Kaden Krebs MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (May 23, 2025) — The 46th anniversary race for the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds headlined the night at Marshalltown Speedway, with Tom Berry Jr. starting on the pole of the 25-lap main event and Riley Simmons alongside. Berry controlled the first 14 laps before a caution flew with 11 laps remaining. Cody Laney made his move up top, using the cushion in turns one and two to surge past Berry and take over the top spot with ten laps to go. The pair battled intensely, trading sliders and defending positions before a caution with three laps left set up a dash to the finish. Laney stayed strong up front to secure the victory—his first win of the year in the Razor Chassis North Central Region. Berry settled for second, with Kollin Hibdon completing the top three. Kaplan Scores Stock Car Thriller Austin Kaplan claimed the Sunoco IMCA Stock Car win in a dramatic 20-lapper presented by Knight Sanitation. Josalyn Elmquist and the no. A1A of Kaplan led the field to green, [Read More]

Manning Outduels His Uncle to Capture Modified Victory

By Ben Deatherage MERCED, Calif. (May 24, 2025) — Merced Speedway welcomed the third leg of the 2025 Central California Clash on Saturday night, and the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds brought the fireworks early in their 30-lap main event. Bryan Clark set the tone with an early lead, but it didn’t take long for his nephew, Gavyn Manning, to mount a challenge. Manning edged ahead at the stripe on lap three and never looked back. Even as multiple cautions bunched up the field, the Bakersfield driver remained poised and executed each restart with precision. Manning crossed the finish line first to earn his first career Clash series win and his fourth victory of the season in Shaw Race Cars Western Region competition. Santa Maria winner Josh Combs made a steady drive to second, while Ethan Killingsworth rounded out the podium in third. Gavyn Manning celebrates in victory lane at Merced Speedway after scoring his first career Central California Clash win in the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds. (Photo by Tom Macht) Wilson Doubles Up with SportMod Score [Read More]

Combs Makes Late Race Pass to Win at Santa Maria

By Ben Deatherage SANTA MARIA, Calif. (May 23, 2025) — The second leg of the 2025 Central California Clash brought the Friesen Performance IMCA Modifieds to Santa Maria Speedway for the tour’s first-ever race at the Central California coastal facility, featuring a 30-lap showdown. Roseville’s Josh Combs seized the opportunity to claim his first career series victory and first win of the season in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region. Combs took the early lead and maintained it through multiple cautions, which prevented him from encountering heavy lapped traffic. Cody Burke, a four-time Ocean Speedway track champion, briefly overtook Combs before a red flag incident nullified the lap, returning Combs to the front. Burke reclaimed the lead on lap 26, but a left rear flat tire with a few circuits remaining allowed Combs to retake the top spot and secure the win. Katelynn Robertson, the 2023 Nevada State champion, charged into second late in the race, while reigning Arkansas State champion Keith Brown Jr. finished third. Bannister Battles to SportMod Victory In the 25-lap Karl Chevrolet [Read More]