Feature Archives

Wojtek rings up IMCA Modified win In Red River Tour show at Bells

BELLS, Texas (July 2) – Fred Wojtek felt right at home Thursday night, on a track he’d only raced at once before. Wojtek started on the pole and led start to finish in the Red River South Tour feature for IMCA Modifieds at Grayson County Speedway. He earned $1,000 and a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth for the victory, which came ahead of Chris Elliott and 12th starting Cody Leonard. “I watched a couple races before and set up the car for the bottom. I had a feeling Chris would run the top. That’s where he won the tour race a couple years ago,” explained Wojtek, who’d run fifth that night, in his one previous outing at Bells. Elliott pulled alongside Wojtek on the third lap and the front pair ran side-by-side much of the way before a late restart. “There were a lot of good drivers there. It was exciting and nerve wracking all at the same time,” said Wojtek, not challenged following that final restart. “This was just the second time I raced [Read More]

Kiefer repeats IMCA Modified triumph at McGowan Memorial

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (June 27) – Racing returned to Bakersfield Speedway and Austin Kiefer returned to victory lane following Saturday’s Richie McGowan Memorial. Kiefer topped the IMCA Modified special ahead of Robby Sawyer for a second straight year, earning $1,000. Jerry Flippo, Cody Laney and Troy Foulger completed the top five. “It was pretty cool deal. To be able to win this race twice in a row means a lot to me,” said Kiefer, already a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot candidate. “I grew up watching Tina and Brad (Pounds, McGowan’s daughter and son-in-law) race.” Kiefer started outside Sawyer on the front row and led every lap. Sawyer challenged early but there was no catching Kiefer after the sole caution flew at midway. Laney made his way to fourth from 14th starting. Drivers with proven Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod credentials squared off in that $700 to win feature and it was defending track champion Michael Johnson first across the stripe half a car length ahead of defending race winner Jason Nation. Johnson used the higher line to [Read More]

Berry tops IMCA Modified feature at Durbin Memorial

By Josh Reynolds STUART, Iowa (June 24) – Tom Berry Jr. turned away all challengers and went home with both the IMCA Modified feature win and a $1,000 check from Stuart Speedway’s Jake Durbin Memorial. Dylan Thornton and Jordy Nelson were on the front row for Wednesday’s main event. Nelson led early with Todd Shute waiting in the wings. A lap six caution slowed the field and when flagman Jamie Schirm waved the green it was Berry powering to the lead with Richie Gustin in tow. Berry had some challenges but stayed tough out front as he went on to the win. Already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, Berry crossed the stripe ahead of Gustin with Cayden Carter third. Tim Ward was fourth and Shute fifth. Buck Schafroth cruised to the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car checkers ahead of Dallon Murty and Damon Murty. Chuck Madden Jr. sailed to the IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stock win with Dylan Nelson second with Brandon Cox third. Brian Osantowski made his move to the front of the Karl [Read More]

Gaylord, Hansen get IMCA Modified wins in first, 109th career Wild West Tour starts

ROCK SPRINGS, Wy. (June 19-20) – A driver making his first-ever tour start and a driver who’s never missed a tour event were weekend IMCA Modified winners at Sweetwater Speedway. Tripp Gaylord topped the Friday night 1st Class Chassis Wild West Tour feature, returning to Rock Springs to redress a runner-up finish on night two of May’s Rudy Yeager Memorial. Chase Hansen was the Saturday winner, collecting his career third checkers, and first since 2014, in his 109th tour start. Both drivers earned $1,200 and saw their names added to the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. After starting fifth, Gaylord found the middle line to his liking on Friday. He passed Ricky Alvarado and Braxton Yeager for the lead following a restart and stayed in front to the end of the 30-lapper. “It feels like it’s been years trying to get that big out-of-state win,” said Gaylord, who’d run second to Alvarado in the Yeager Memorial finale. “We knew there would be a lot of good cars there and it turned out to be a very good [Read More]

Online registration starts for 38th IMCA Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa – Drivers can now register online to be part of the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. The 38th annual Super Nationals, guaranteed to be the biggest, best and richest dirt track event of the IMCA season, will be held Sept. 7-12 at Boone Speedway. “This will be the third year we’ve required online registration for Modified, Stock Car, Hobby Stock, Northern SportMod and Sport Compact drivers. We would appreciate Late Model drivers doing so as well,” said IMCA President Brett Root. “The process has become much easier for IMCA and track employees.” The form for pre-registration can be found at www.imca.com and www.raceboone.com under the Super Nationals menu. Drivers who do not already have a MyRacePass account can create one when they go to that link. Drivers must also pre-register to reserve pit stalls and to compete in the Sept. 5 Wild Rose Casino Prelude at Boone. Pit stall application links are on Super Nationals menus on both IMCA and Boone Speedway websites as well. Late Models crown the first champion of the week and [Read More]

Thornton does it all in third straight IMCA Clash at the Creek win

FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (June 18) – Ricky Thornton Jr. proved he can do it all again Thursday night, winning a third straight Clash at the Creek for IMCA Modifieds at 141 Speedway. Thornton banked another $10,000 after making the seven-hour trip from home solo, then outrunning Terry Phillips and Mike Mullen in a fast-paced 50 lap main event. “It’s pretty awesome. There were a lot of good cars here,” said Thornton, who worked lapped traffic as Phillips and Mullen narrowed the gap in the final circuits. “This is a crown jewel for IMCA and it always means a lot to win it.” Phillips was runner-up for a second straight Clash. Two-time Clash winner Mullen, Ethan Dotson and Billy Kendall were next across the stripe as drivers from different states filled the top five finishing positions; 76 Modified drivers from 11 states took to the track over the course of the June 17-18 Clash. Already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot and a four-time winner in five career starts at Francis Creek, Thornton drew the [Read More]

Alec Fett races to career highlight win at MaxYield Seed SportMod Nationals

By Chad Meyer BRITT, Iowa (June 16) – Alec Fett raced to a career highlight win Tuesday night, getting the best of Brian Osantowski at Hancock County Speedway’s MaxYield Seed SportMod Nationals. The $2,500 Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod victory came in a nailbiter as Fett had to race his way back to the front and outrun Osantowski and his brother Colby to the stripe. Fett had won the first heat and finished second in the dash, which put him in the preferred outside line of row for the initial start of the main event. Alec led by narrow margin with Colby on the low line. Osantowski had opted to not run the dash to save his car, forcing him to start 10th in the main, but by mid-point of the feature was challenging Alec Fett. They raced several times side by side in the second half of the event with Fett narrowly maintaining his advantage at the stripe. Fett nearly went off track as Osantowski got by to lead a couple laps, but a nifty [Read More]

Arneson adds Don Gumke Racers’ Memorial win at Jamestown to IMCA Modified resume

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (June 13) – An IMCA Modified driver with a knack for winning big races won another of them Saturday night at Jamestown Speedway. Austin Arneson led all 30 laps in topping the Don Gumke Racers’ Memorial while Jason Grimes finished second in Gumke’s no. 2 car, which had come out of the Arneson shop. “It’s pretty cool any time you can win a memorial race, especially when you knew the guy,” said Arneson. “I’m proud to say I’ve accomplished this. It means a lot to me to have won this race.” Arneson had drawn the pole and Grimes the outside front row start for the inaugural special. The race stayed green past the halfway mark before two back-to-back cautions. Arneson then shut the door on his challengers, leading Grimes, Billy Kendall, Spencer Wilson and 12th starting John Corell to the checkers. “Jason gave it a good shot,” said Arneson, who counts a Stampede victory at Jamestown among his marquee feature wins. “But I’ve been doing this long enough that I knew how to protect [Read More]

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.”