Feature Archives

IMCA returns to Las Vegas for 23rd annual Duel In The Desert Nov. 9-14

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – One of IMCA’s longest running specials returns to the Entertainment Capital of the World, as the Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts the 23rd annual Duel In The Desert Nov. 9-14. IMCA Modifieds run for $10,000 to win and a minimum of $1,000 to start their Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying main event. Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars both run for $5,000 to win and a minimum of $500 to start. Stock Cars return to the Duel program this year. The Duel will be promoted for the first time by X.CELERATED and will be broadcast by XR. Parking begins at noon Sunday, Nov. 8 for backstretch rows and at noon Monday for reserved rows A-F and free. Track packing starts at 2 p.m. and practice for all three divisions runs from 3-7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. Gates open at 8 a.m. with drivers’ meetings at 1 p.m., track packing at 1:30 p.m. and racing beginning at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, with heats, ‘B’ features [Read More]

Late Model Hall of Fame tabs Aikey, Bob Shryock

VINTON, Iowa – A driver with strong IMCA credentials and a driver with a strong IMCA connection are among the newest inductees onto the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame. Jeff Aikey of Cedar Falls,, a seven-time champion and the winningest driver in IMCA Summer Series history, and the late Bob Shryock of Estherville, father of IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car driver Kelly Shryock are among the eight drivers and contributors who make up the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2021. In addition to seven titles and 71 feature wins earned over the 32-plus years the Summer Series, Aikey owns a single division record six IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s championships. His string of four straight crowns from 2013 to 2016 is also an event record. “This is not something I ever expected,” said Aikey, at a loss for words when he got the official call from the hall. “You read on the Internet about other people inducted and what they’ve done. This means a lot to me.” While [Read More]

Elliott up to Challenge at Abilene’s Bard Memorial

ABILENE, Texas (Oct. 17) – After more than a year outside the winner’s circle, Chris Elliott proved more than good enough on night two of Abilene Speedway’s Ryan Bard Memorial Southern Challenge. Elliott led all 30 laps of the Saturday evening IMCA Modified main event, earning $2,000 and a spot on the 2021 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “It’s been a tough year,” Elliott said after taking the hometown checkers. “We’ve had some good nights but it seems like we had some rotten ones where we either broke or were in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Runner-up in three of the four Red River Tour events, Elliott saw his season really do a 180 when he qualified for the main event at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s and ran from 18th starting to eighth in the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. “We were decent at Boone but not as good as I wanted to be ” said Elliott, most recently a feature winner at Cardinal Speedway’s Sam Hodges Memorial in [Read More]

Dove goes from IMCA Modified contender to winner at Jordan Page Winter Nationals

ARDMORE, Okla. (Oct. 10) – Going into the Jordan Page Winter Nationals weekend at Southern Oklahoma Speedway, Tommy Dove was hoping to qualify for the IMCA Modified main event. Once that goal was accomplished, it took just a handful of laps before the Ardmore driver knew he could win it. Dove, making just his fifth start in the division in a car recently purchased from Tyler Stevens, raced from seventh starting to win the 25-lapper, passing William Gould on his way to the front and holding off another heavy hitter in Josh McGaha to stay there. The checkers were good for $2,500 and a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth. “We’ve been running this event every year and every year I said I wanted to win it so bad,” Dove said. “First I was shooting to be in the ‘A’ main, then if I was in the top 10 I’d be happy. Five or six laps in I knew I was a contender.” Dove had started the season in a Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod [Read More]

Thornton goes 3-for-4 with latest Race For Hope win

BATESVILLE, Ark. (Oct. 11) – New car? No problem. Thornton topped the $12,000 to win Race For Hope 71 feature for IMCA Modifieds at Batesville Motor Speedway. Sunday’s checkered flag run was his second straight and third in the four years the event has been held. “It’s awesome to be able to win this race three out of four years. This was definitely one of our biggest wins,” said Thornton, who led start to finish in the 71-lapper. “We brought a new car (a Lethal Chassis), went back to our notes and didn’t have to change a thing all week.” Already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, Thornton set fast time to start the week and never slowed down. After rain postponed the main event from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon, he weathered a handful of cautions before and after the mandatory fuel stop on lap 40. The final yellow came with three laps left. Jake O’Neil pulled to Thornton’s back bumper before chasing him to the checkers. “This year we were really good [Read More]

Bowers repeats run to Missouri IMCA Nationals crown

By Jacob Blair OSBORN, Mo. (Oct. 10) – The second annual IMCA Missouri Nationals at US 36 Raceway crowned one back-to-back champion and three first-time event winners. Steven Bowers Jr. repeated as the IMCA Modified winner while Trevor Grossenbacher, Mike Nichols and Adam Vrbka prevailed in IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod main events, respectively. The 30-lap IMCA Modified main event was led early by Josh Munsen before Chad Andersen made the move to the front. Andersen set the pace for the first half of the race. While he controlled the field, however, all eyes were on Bowers as he charged through the field. After Saturday night trouble, Bowers had to come from 11th starting and methodically worked through the field. At halfway, Andersen began to fade while Bowers continued to find more speed. Once Bowers got to second, Andersen didn’t have much left to fend him off. Bowers took off to dominate the final 10 laps and make the trip to Westfall GMC Victory Lane. The back-to-back wins [Read More]

Aftermarket transmission option approved for IMCA Stock Cars in 2021

VINTON, Iowa – IMCA Sunoco Stock Car drivers see a rule already familiar to Modified racers go into effect beginning next year. IMCA aftermarket transmissions with an aluminum case and internal clutch will be legal for use at sanctioned Stock Car events beginning Jan. 1, 2021. The current approved aftermarket transmission list includes: * Falcon p/n 60100; * Bert p/n LMZ and Generation II models 1300 and 1400; * Brinn p/n 70001 and Brinn Predator p/n 70600 (new addition);   * Mitchell Machine Bullet Internal Clutch;   * and RaceGator p/n 140002.   These are aluminum case transmissions and the transmission rule specifically states No ball-spline transmissions. The use of any other aftermarket transmission, including magnesium case or ball-spline is not legal.  Transmissions may not have any type of coatings or paint. “The Stock Car division has been one of our most popular and talked about divisions and we continue to see it expand with new sanctions where the Modified division is already established,” explained IMCA President Brett Root. “As supply and demand issues continue to present [Read More]

Berry headlines IMCA national championship class of 2020

VINTON, Iowa – Tom Berry promised to run hard in 2020 following a breakout season last year. He delivered on that promise, winning 21 features and earning his first IMCA Modified national championship. The Oregon native had raced out of North Dakota en route to his first Side Biter Chassis North Central Region crown in 2019. After relocating to Des Moines this spring, he repeated as regional champion, earning Marshalltown Speedway and Stuart Speedway titles as well as KMJ Performance Iowa State honors. “Last year we had 12 wins and thought ‘Holy cow, that’s unbelievable.’ To get 20-plus wins this year is unreal,” said Berry. “With the level of competition and the tracks I race at, it’s not that often you can do that, especially in a shortened season.” “We were very fortunate. Once we got that first win (on June 5 at Marshalltown) things started to change for us and we had like eight wins in our next 13 or 14 starts,” continued the Brodehl Trucking-backed driver. “That’s when we decided to run for [Read More]

Bowers is at his best for biggest IMCA win

HAYS, Kan. (Oct. 2-3) – Already a regular visitor to victory lane at RPM Speedway, Steven Bowers Jr. parked there again Saturday night after the biggest win of his IMCA Modified career. Bowers caught and passed long-time race leader Tom Berry for the $5,000 Fall Nationals feature win, adding another exclamation point to what has already been an amazing season. “This was pretty exciting, after the season we’ve had. I’m almost speechless,” Bowers said. “Running with Tom Berry, who is my closest friend, and battling with him for $5,000 was an honor.” While Tripp Gaylord and Bowers started on the front row, Berry – who’d drawn for the tardy Bowers – quickly charged from the fourth row to take control. After an early caution, the 40-lapper ran green to the finish. Bowers caught] up with and chased Berry into traffic, the two touched briefly and then Bowers edged ahead. “I reeled him in with five to go and passed him with three to go,” said Bowers, who pilots a homebuilt SB Chassis. “I had to [Read More]

Batesville’s IMCA Modified Race For Hope boasts $12,000 payday

BATESVILLE, Ark. – One of the biggest races on the IMCA Modified calendar will benefit two area non-profit organizations this season. Batesville Motor Speedway’s fourth annual Race For Hope 71 is Oct. 6-10, with $12,000 paid to win and a minimum of $1,500 to start the main event. The Saturday night main event is a qualifier for the 2021 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. Top two finishers in each heat on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday advance to qualifying features that send the top 10 finishers to the inside, middle and outside rows, respectively, of Saturday’s 30-car starting grid. Drivers who don’t advance to the nightly feature earn points in one of four (B-C-D-E) non-qualifier races. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Racing starts at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday; sponsor awards will be presented and drivers introduced beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, with the race program to follow. The 71-lap feature will be halted for a fuel stop on lap 40 Spectator admission [Read More]