Feature Archives

Border closure forces changes in Dakota Classic IMCA Tour schedule

MANDAN, N.D. – The 31st annual Moritz Sport & Marine Powered by Bismarck Motor Company Dakota Classic IMCA Modified Tour has announced a change in their schedule as Estevan, Sask., will not be able to host what was to be the opening night of the Tour on Saturday, July 11 due to an extension of the border closure resulting from the Covid 19 situation. The tour has been working on a “Plan B” for several weeks in case Estevan could not race. The operators of the Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D., were contacted and an agreement has been secured that will allow the tour to start in West Fargo on Friday, July 10. Red River Valley Speedway hosted a tour event way in 1991 when the track was a ½-mile facility. The current track is now 3/8 mile with a huge grandstand and parking for over 300 tow rigs in their large pit area. The facility is a part of the expansive Red River Valley Fairgrounds just off of I-94. Jamestown Speedway will [Read More]

Marshalltown reschedules Dale DeFrance Memorial to July 9

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (June 9) – Wet weather will be the winner tonight at Marshalltown Speedway and the result is the postponement of the Dale DeFrance Memorial to Thursday, July 9. The 500th and final Summer Series event for IMCA Late Models will be part of that program, with other divisions to be announced. The Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour for IMCA Modifieds event will not be rescheduled to that evening. “With inclement weather on the way and drivers coming from a long distance, we needed to make the call early,” explained promoter Toby Kruse. “We will have information to follow regarding the make-up date as it becomes ready.”

Don Gumke Racers’ Memorial set for Saturday at Jamestown

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – Jamestown Speedway remembers a legend on and off the track at its first annual Don Gumke Racers’ Memorial this Saturday, June 13. IMCA Modifieds race for $2,222 to win their Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying feature. Contingency awards of $222 will be paid to the leaders of laps two and 22, the hard charger and the long tow. Main event qualifiers also earn a minimum of $222 with $122 paid to non-qualifiers. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5:30 p.m. Cutoff for the draw is 6 p.m. and racing starts at 7 p.m. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Side Biter Chassis North Central Region and North Dakota State points, but no track points will be awarded. Car and driver is $50 and pit passes are $30. Spectator admission is $20 for adults, $5 for students ages 13-17 and free for kids 12 and under. The host hotel is Quality Inn & Suites (701-252-3611). IMCA Modifieds will run a special format of two sets of 10 lap [Read More]

IMCA Modifieds chase $10,000 top check at 141 Speedway’s Clash at the Creek

FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. – Prestige, bragging rights and a top check of $10,000 are on the line when IMCA Modified drivers from across the country converge on 141 Speedway for the Wednesday and Thursday, June 17-18 Clash at the Creek. The Clash is a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying event and pays a minimum of $750 to start. Ken Schrader is among the early entries for the 12th annual special. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods race for $1,000 to win both nights at Francis Creek. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Side Biter Chassis North Central Region and EQ Cylinder Heads Northern Region and Wisconsin State points will be awarded. Pre-tech starts at noon and an open practice session runs from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16. Pit passes are $20 and admission to the grandstand is free. Modified qualifying gets underway on Wednesday, June 17. Pit gates open at 2 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday grandstand admission is $15 for adults and $13 for [Read More]

Zevenbergen, Logue land Dirt Duel wins

By Josh Reynolds STUART, Iowa (June 3) – Elijah Zevenbergen and Johnathon Logue were $3,000 feature winners on the third night of Stuart Speedway’s Dynamic Drivelines Dirt Duel. Zevenbergen grabbed the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car checkers ahead of second-year speedster Dallon Murty Wednesday night while Logue beat Cody Thompson to the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod finish by not much more than the width of his bumper. Zevenbergen and Todd VanEaton brought the Stock Car field to the green flag. Zevenbergen took control early in the 50-lapper as Murty worked his way through to second just before a caution came out on lap 21. Murty bobbled on lap 40 and allowed his father Damon to take over second place. The caution flew again on lap 44 and gave the field one more chance at Zevenbergen. Dallon Murty got a run on the top side and took over second and as the white flag flew the leaders made contact in turn two. Murty took his shot and threw a slide job in turn three but Zevenbergen was [Read More]

IMCA adapts point structure, track title bonuses to unique 2020 race season

VINTON, Iowa – IMCA will respond to the challenges of a unique race season with one-year adaptations to national and regional point structures, as well as the awarding of track championship bonus points. National standings for all eight IMCA divisions, as well as regional Modified, Stock Car and Hobby Stock standings will be based on drivers’ best 20 finishes out of their first 40 home region starts. Championships earned at tracks scheduling and holding a minimum of six weekly events will be worth as many as 15 bonus points; bonus points will be pro-rated at tracks holding four or five of six scheduled events. “The changes we are making for the current point season were made necessary by the pandemic and cancellation of approximately two months of racing,” explained IMCA President Brett Root. “These changes are in the best interest of our members and sanctioned tracks.” “We have no intention of reducing national or regional point funds, or the contingency award programs in place at this time,” he continued. Modified, Stock Car, Hobby Stock, Northern [Read More]

Lucky and good, Winebarger sweeps holiday weekend IMCA Modified features at Antioch

ANTIOCH, Calif. (May 23-24) – A driver who says he’d rather be lucky than good was both Sunday at Antioch Speedway. Collen Winebarger three-wheeled his way to the $2,200 IMCA Modified checkers, completing a sweep of the Covid 19 special/George Steitz Memorial despite a tie rod broken in an early-race dustup with an infield tire. “I was super embarrassed because I thought I’d given it away. I was lucky that was all that broke,” said Winebarger, from Oregon and making just his career second visit to the California speedplant. “I had no steering on the left side at all but was fortunate the yellows that came out late got lapped traffic out of the way.” He’d started from the pole and got too close to that tire about seven circuits in. Ryan Porter, Darrell Hughes, Troy Foulger and Trevor Fitz-Gibbon rounded out the top five. There were fewer anxious moments before Winebarger put his name on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot with Saturday’s $1,000 win. He started fourth and was in the lead before [Read More]

IMCA extends rookie of the year eligibility to 2021

VINTON, Iowa – First-year competitors in all IMCA divisions will have a second year to run for national and regional rookie of the year honors. With the exception of drivers winning national and/or regional rookie honors in 2020, drivers eligible to compete for those titles will be eligible to do so again in 2021. The reason, of course, is COVID-19 and the resulting interruption or delays in racing at the local level at tracks nationwide and in Canada. Previously, drivers could make no more than four career sanctioned starts during the point season(s) in any division before losing rookie status. “We have done our best to find a solution that is fair to all rookie drivers,” explained IMCA President Brett Root. “While a number of rookies have been able to race more often in Western and Southern states, many of those in the Northern and particularly Eastern parts of the country have yet to get on the track.” “Situations are different in every state and that affects when and how tracks can open,” he continued. [Read More]

May IMCA Dirt Knights Tour dates postponed

VINTON, Iowa – The three May dates for the Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour for IMCA Modifieds have been postponed. What was to have been opening night on May 7 at Marshalltown Speedway will now be held Tuesday, June 9 during the Dale DeFrance Memorial. The Dirt Knights Tour event at Stuart Speedway on May 20 has been postponed but opening night IMCA racing is still on the schedule that evening. The traditional Memorial Day event at Vinton has also been postponed but Benton County Speedway will still open its season Sunday, May 24 with the first $1,000 to win Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifier this year in Iowa. New Stuart and Vinton dates are to be announced. Promoters at both tracks cited restrictions on fans attending in the grandstand in their decisions to reschedule. All Dirt Knights Tour events will be broadcast by Speed Shift TV.

IMCA This Week: Essential Events update added to website

VINTON, Iowa – With more tracks across the country announcing plans for the 2020 season, the IMCA This Week: Essential Events listing of those weekly and special races has been posted here: https://www.imca.com/2020/05/14/imca-this-week-essential-events/ Track officials are asked to contact Executive Secretary Ryan Clark at rclark@imca.com or 319 472-2201 with those updates. Drivers are reminded to contact track officials (that information is available by visiting https://www.imca.com/view/trackdirectorymap/) before traveling to confirm events are still on as originally scheduled and which divisions are scheduled to compete; and to be sure to check back as additions are made on a regular basis. “It’s important that our drivers have access to information about upcoming events,” said IMCA President Brett Root, “and we will continue to update IMCA This Week: Essential Events as long as necessary.”