Feature Archives

Sobbing, Drueke, Baumli, Stallbaumer win U.S. 36 Raceway openers

By Jacob Blair OSBORN, Mo. (May 8) – After a long wait for racing to return to the high banks of U.S. 36 Raceway, more than 100 IMCA entries hit the track on opening night Friday, May 8. In the IMCA Modifieds, Kelsie Foley, out of Tucson, Ariz., led the first half of the feature. Jesse Sobbing lurked behind as he methodically worked his way through the field. Using the high line, Sobbing worked around Foley and led the remaining laps to win the opening Modified race of 2020. Chad Andersen charged from a ‘B’ feature and 15th place starting position to finish second, with Foley third. Tyler Drueke dominated the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car feature, leading every lap and cruising to Westfall GMC Victory Lane. Stuart Snyder finished second, with Cincinnati, Ohio driver Saben Bibent in the third spot. J.J. Baumli made quick work of the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car field, jumping to the early lead out of the fourth starting position. Mike Albertsen ran second most of the feature but never could run down [Read More]

IMCA home office re-opens

VINTON, Iowa (May 11) – The IMCA home office re-opened today with all employees returning to regular duties. Regular hours will be 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. “While we are open to individuals purchasing 2020 competitor’s licenses, necessary safety practices are in place for those entering or visiting our office. Most licenses are sold online and we encourage drivers to continue doing that,” noted IMCA President Brett Root. “More tracks are beginning to open or have announced their plans to do so and we look forward to the steady return of racing across the country.”

IMCA Late Model tire rule postponed until 2021

VINTON, Iowa – The no tire siping rule for IMCA Late Models has been postponed until 2021. That rule was originally to go into effect on June 1. “With the delay of the season at many tracks and no certain time table for all our Late Model tracks, it is in everyone’s best interest that we postpone this rule,” explained IMCA President Brett Root. Questions can be directed to IMCA Executive Director of Competition Dave Brenn at 785 307-8482, Late Model Division Director Joe Hayes at 319 389-2600 or Late Model Competition Director Randy Anderson at 309 269-6694.

Bethany Speedway opens with record numbers

By Chet Querry BETHANY, Mo. (May 9) – The first race of the season at Bethany Speedway started off with record-setting numbers: More race cars in the pit area than has ever been, including the Northwest Missouri State Fair; the biggest count of fans that has attended Bethany Speedway since they reopened for regular racing in 2018; and drivers representing 12 different states from as far as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Arizona. Feature wins went to Steven Bowers Jr. in the IMCA Modifieds, Tyler Drueke in the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars, J.J. Baumli in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Truman Asher in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods. The Modified feature was one of the best there’s been and ran green to checkered after two early cautions. Defending national champion Jordan Grabouski qualified through a ‘B’ feature and moved up quickly at the start. Chad Clancy jumped into the lead from his fifth place starting spot while right behind him came Bowers. Jesse Sobbing, who started 12th, went right to the top and passed his [Read More]

Sprint Series of Nebraska opening at US 36 Raceway, New Raceway Park

OSBORN, Mo. – The Sprint Series of Nebraska will be heading South to US 36 Raceway in Missouri on Friday, May 15 and then will head North on Sunday, May 17 to The New Raceway Park in Jefferson, S.D. “We are excited to finally get to kick off the first two IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Series of Nebraska Races,” says Sprint Series of Nebraska coordinator Racine Hadan. “Race tracks have been hit very hard here in Nebraska with all of the COVID-19 restrictions. Our first three races for the SSN Series were scheduled at Eagle Raceway, I-80 Speedway and Crawford County Speedway and were all canceled due to the COVID-19 restrictions.” Hadan is also the operations manager at Eagle Raceway in Eagle, Neb. “It’s pretty disappointing that we cannot race in Nebraska right now due to the 10 person rule so all our drivers and fans have to travel to different states just to go racing. We hope that the State of Nebraska officials let us open up soon,” she said. “I would think that they [Read More]

IMCA national champions headed to US 36, Bethany for IMCA openers

OSBORN, Mo. – Drivers with IMCA national championships already on their resumes begin their pursuit of 2020 honors this weekend at US 36 Raceway and Bethany Speedway. Jordan Grabouski, Mike Nichols and Austin Kaplan are among drivers from 10 states pre-entered for opening night events Friday, May 8 at Osborn and Saturday, May 9 at Bethany. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods are on both race night cards From Nebraska, Grabouski became the first driver to win two IMCA national crowns in the same season last year, topping point standings for both Modifieds and Stock Cars. He amassed 69 feature wins, two regional titles and eight track championships, all IMCA record totals for a single season. Eight-time national champion Nichols, a former Missouri state king, looks to add to his Stock Car division best 529-win total. Fellow Iowan Kaplan owns a Northern SportMod national crown and makes the weekend trip south as well. 2017 Jet Racing Central Region king Steven Bowers Jr., a six-time track and [Read More]

IMCA starts fourth decade at Fairgrounds Speedway Cortez with 3-day show

CORTEZ, Colo. – A fourth decade of IMCA racing at Fairgrounds Speedway Cortez begins with a three-day show Friday through Sunday, May 15-17. “It’s been overwhelming. The response we’ve gotten for the Covid Clash has been amazing,” Race Director Rowdy Briggs said of early-entry numbers for IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, IMCA SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts. “We have 139 pre-registered now and know of more that are coming.” Pre-registered IMCA drivers for what will rank as one of the biggest events held at Cortez hail from half a dozen states and additional parking has been added to accommodate those race teams. The grandstands will be closed and social distancing will be enforced in the pit area per CDC recommendations. A facial covering will be required away from pit stalls or when not in the race car. Drivers should pre-register through MyRacePass and must sign in at the track by 5:20 p.m. on Friday. An open practice runs from 4:30-9:30 p.m. on Thursday and pit gates open at 8 a.m. [Read More]

10 states now represented at US 36, Bethany IMCA openers

OSBORN, Mo. – Opening night events this weekend at US 36 Raceway and Bethany Speedway bring IMCA drivers from across the nation to the Show-Me State. IMCA drivers from Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and Indiana join competitors from closer to home on season-opening cards Friday, May 8 at Osborn and Saturday, May 9 at Bethany. IMCA Modified, IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod entries are also in hand from Colorado, Oklahoma, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas, as well as Missouri. “We’re expecting to get drivers from a couple more states, too. It seems like the number of entries goes up every time I look at my phone,” said promoter Jon Boller Jr., who noted the strong contingent of RaceSaver Sprint Cars making the trip from out east. “We had more than 100 cars practice last Saturday. Once we got to 100, we stopped counting,” continued Boller, looking forward to watching the stars of IMCA vie for the only IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional, E3 Spark Plugs State and [Read More]

North Central Speedway opener drawing entries from across Upper Midwest

BRAINERD, Minn. – Five IMCA divisions will go three, four and five-wide when they open the season this Saturday, May 9 at North Central Speedway. IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and Mach-1 Sport Compacts are on the card on the fast 1/3-mile dirt oval at Brainerd. Promoter Holly Orpen has already fielded a barrage of phone calls from drivers in all of those divisions. “We have been getting a lot of calls from all over, North Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota of course. There are a lot of people excited about starting the season,” Orpen said of the first race of 2020 in Minnesota. “We’ve been doing track prep, calling the governor’s office and working with the county to follow recommended guidelines.” The grandstands will be closed and all drivers and pit crew members must be pre-registered by 5 p.m. on Friday. Social distancing rules will be in effect and are posted the track’s racencs.net website and Facebook. Except for drivers when they are in their cars, masks [Read More]

IMCA Coronavirus Response Broadcast Program

VINTON, Iowa – In response to the continued uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus Pandemic, IMCA has developed guidance and planning for IMCA member tracks to execute the live-streamed broadcasting of events. The primary goal of IMCA has always been to ensure health and provide certainty to member tracks, and given the current environment, we feel our responsibility to explore all options for operation to our promoters. With this program, IMCA will make every effort to provide member tracks with simple, turn-key options for video broadcasting equipment, execution guidance, and the platform for distribution and payment. Through our newly formed relationship with the SPEED SPORT Network, IMCA.TV will be launched to provide a single video platform destination for all IMCA member tracks. “We will go to whatever lengths necessary to ensure our tracks can continue operation,” said Brett Root, President of IMCA. Each track will determine pricing and purchasing options based on their unique considerations. Options for standalone pay-per-view or subscription-based live-streamed video will be available. We will connect you with our regional broadcast affiliates for production [Read More]