Feature Archives

30th Harris Clash marks milestone with $10,000 IMCA Modified top prize

SPRING VALLEY, Minn. – Thirty years ago, Bob Harris didn’t think the IMCA Harris Clash would ever get this big. As late as a couple weeks ago, the promoter of IMCA’s longest-running one-day special never thought it would pay this big, either. More than 110 IMCA Modifieds and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods are already pre-registered for the 30th annual Clash Tuesday, Aug. 3 at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn. Harris had the pleasure of making the announcement late last week that the Modifieds would be racing for $10,000 to win. Wehrs Machine and Racing Products, along with Aero Race Wheels, AFCO, Close Racing, Performance Bodies and Strange Oval, all chipped to double what had been the winner’s original share of the purse. In addition, race announcers will draw midway through the Modified 30-lapper to determine recipients of two $500 awards for drivers finishing between sixth and 25th. “It’s been pretty exciting. I’ve been impressed with how everything has come together,” Harris said. “Thirty years ago, I would have never dreamt this event would get [Read More]

Reserved tickets on sale now for Sept. 10, 11 Super Nationals programs

BOONE, Iowa – The hottest ticket in town is for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 10 and 11 reserved main grandstand seating at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Those tickets are $75 each and will be sold based on the seating chart that accompanies this story: Reserved ticket order forms should be mailed to Super Nationals, c/o Boone Speedway, 31473 Ute Avenue in Waukee, Iowa, 50263. The form is available to download at https://www.imca.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/2021-grandstand-reserved-ticket-form.pdf While Speedway officials will do their best to accommodate seat choices, actual seating will depend on availability. Anyone with questions is asked to call 515 987-1220 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. CST Monday through Thursday. Reserved tickets can be picked up at the grandstand entrance beginning Sept. 4, opening night of the Prelude at Boone Speedway. Opening night for the 39th annual Super Nationals is Labor Day with American’s Racin’ Vacation running through Sept. 11.

Jesse Williamson Wins 2021 Shipwreck Beads Northwest Modified Nationals

By Aaron Reed ELMA, Wash. (July 24) – He was “OK” in finishing fifth in Friday’s race of champions. Jesse Williamson was better than that in the Saturday Shipwreck Beads IMCA Modified Nationals main event at Grays Harbor Raceway. Williamson worked his way up from ninth starting and led the last 15 circuits of the 40-lapper headliner at Elma, earning $2,500 and Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational qualifying eligibility. “I started working the top line to the middle and kind of passed everybody on top,” said Williamson, also the 2009 Shipwreck Beads winner. “It feels pretty good to have this kind of success with a new car (a recently built SDMF Chassis). Every time we go out we keep making adjustments and the car gets even better.” Race of Champions winner Collen Winebarger, Grey Ferrando, John Campos and Brad Martin rounded out the top five finishers. Campos and Winebarger had set the front row of the main event. Campos took the early lead with Winebarger losing a few positions after going three wide with Ferrando and [Read More]

LaCrosse repeats at 141 King of the Creek, IMCA Stock Car checkers good for $10,000

FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (July 22) – He’s won a lot of big races, but the finish to Thursday’s King of the Creek 50-lap main event for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars impressed even Benji LaCrosse. After making his way from ninth starting in the Thursday finale at 141 Speedway, the defending race winner worked his way into the mix for the front spot on the last lap, beating Mike Mullen to the $10,000 checkers by less than a car length and with Dallon Murty right behind as well. “I totally did not expect it to come out like this,” said LaCrosse, who already owns big dollar wins this season in the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes 10K at North Central Speedway and in an IMCA Modified at The ‘Burg Speedway’s Eric Van Iten Memorial. “This is at the top of the list for sure.” Murty caught Jay Schmidt for the lead early and led through lap 19 when he gave way to the 10th starting Mullen. Mullen, winner of the 2019 King of the Creek, began to [Read More]

America’s Home Track Eagle Raceway ready for Sept. 2-5 RaceSaver Nationals

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. – It’s the time of year when all fans of the IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars start looking forward to the Big Dance. Just a month and a half from now, the ninth annual IMCA RaceSaver Nationals presented by Sunbelt Rentals will be run at its birthplace, Eagle Raceway. The brainchild of Roger Hadan, who wanted to give drivers in the division a place to show their mettle on a national scale, began in 2013 with 55 drivers competing and has grown ever since. So far this year there are 65 teams pre-entered with many more to come. Can we break our record of 117 this year? This year’s action begins on Thursday, Sept. 2 with a practice night to allow those who don’t usually have the opportunity to run the high banks of America’s Home Track to familiarize themselves with the racing surface. Pre-tech begins at 9 a.m. with breakfast available to the teams from 9:30-11 a.m. Practice will run from 6-8:40 p.m. followed by qualifying for the Precise Racing Products Race of [Read More]

All-Star qualifying format announced for IMCA Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa – Two rounds of group time trials will fill starting fields for both Modified and Stock Car All-Star Invitationals at the Sept. 6-11 IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Qualifying for the inaugural B & B Chassis Stock Car All-Star Invitational will be Wednesday, Sept. 8 at Boone Speedway. Five drivers from the Northern Region and five drivers from the Southern Region advance from the first round; with winners of sanctioned events paying $5,000 or more guaranteed starting spots, the number of at-large qualifiers from round two that evening is yet to be determined. Qualifying for the 18th annual Fast Shafts All-Star Modified Invitational is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 9. Two drivers from each of the five Modified regions advance from round one with another 18 drivers earning at-large berths in round two. “This will give us a similar qualifying format for both divisions this year and one that we can tweak in the future,” explained IMCA President Brett Root. “It’s important to understand that this is group qualifying to make it [Read More]

LaCrosse, Snellenberger, Rass make history with Eric Van Iten Memorial wins

By Joe Orsini LUXEMBURG, Wis. (July 18) – More than 200 cars from five states checked in to battle for a total combined purse that exceeded $63,000 by night’s end at the historic Eric Van Iten Memorial Race at The ‘Burg Speedway. Benji LaCrosse entered the night looking for his third consecutive win at The ‘Burg in the IMCA Modified division but would face the stiffest competition of the year as 50 total cars signed to duke it out for the $7,000 top prize. Brandon Schmitt rolled out of the lineup chute on the pole and jumped to the lead. LaCrosse capitalized on an early restart to shoot into third behind Schmitt and Josh Long. By lap six, Shawn Kilgore worked into the fourth position and gave chase to the top three. LaCrosse worked the low side past Long on lap 18 and set his 54 machine to stalking Schmitt. By lap 21, Kilgore worked past Long. At the same time LaCrosse caught Schmitt and went to work trying to wrestle away the lead with two laps remaining. The [Read More]

Believe it! James tops IMCA Modifieds in Dakota Classic Tour finale at Mandan

MANDAN, N.D. (July 15) – On opening night of the Corral Sales Dakota Classic Tour, Bricen James didn’t believe he had a top 10 car. But the Oregon driver stood on the top step of the podium on the final night of the 32nd annual tour after leading all 30 laps of the $2,000 to win IMCA Modified feature at Dacotah Speedway. “The car was so easy to drive. It was just perfect,” he said following the Thursday checkers. “This is our first time on the tour so we’ve never been to any of these tracks. Winning (tonight) was pretty danged cool.” His best finish in four tour starts, before a Wednesday DNQ, had been 17th. Making some minor changes led to a “less aggressive” setup that paid off at Mandan. Timely cautions kept lapped cars from becoming a factor and James was catching up with the back of the field at the finish. Former tour champion Marlyn Seidler was runner-up. Tripp Gaylord and Ethan Dotson were next across the stripe. Tim Ward’s charge from 13th starting [Read More]

Déjà vu on Night 5 of IMCA Dakota Tour as Laney is IMCA Modified winner at Southwest

DICKINSON, N.D. (July 14) – Almost five years to the day he first won at Southwest Speedway, Cody Laney raced his way back to victory lane at the lightning-quick North Dakota oval. Laney topped the fifth installment of the Corral Sales Dakota Classic Tour IMCA Modified feature, adding to his tour point lead with the $2,000 checkers. The California driver had also been the winner of the July 13, 2016 event at Dickinson, his only previous tour victory. “That’s the only other time I’ve raced here,” said Laney, noting that track prep for the Wednesday night show fit his driving style. “Last year was the first time we’d raced the tour since then. We had motor problems and I only raced the first three nights.” “Following the tour is a lot of work but it’s a really cool deal,” he continued. “The tour has been around a long time and has a lot of prestige. There are a lot of good drivers – the locals are really good.” Former tour champion Troy Cordes led much [Read More]

Black’s IMCA Dakota Tour struggles end, Flory continues Stock success at Williston

By Rebecca Rattei WILLISTON, N.D. (July 13) – Tanner Black saw his string of tough outings end Tuesday night with his career-first Corral Sales Dakota Classic IMCA Modified Tour win at Williston Basin Speedway. He swapped the lead with Tim Ward in the green, white, checkered conclusion to the $2,000 to win main event. “We’ve struggled really bad this week,” said Black, who had 13th, 20th and 26th place finishes to show for three tour starts leading into Williston. “We got a better draw this time, had a good heat race and were able to get into the redraw. Dominic Ursetta had drawn the pole and quickly pulled away from the field quickly, but Black found the fast line up top and passed Ursetta for lead seven laps in. Heavy lapped traffic allowed a number of challengers to stay close and a couple late-race cautions helped the eighth starting Ward make his charge to the front. After Ward made his way to the front, Black again used the higher line to get the lead, then drove to [Read More]