Feature Archives

Sawyer tops IMCA Modified thriller at Merced, Jernagan posts fourth straight Speedweek win

By Stephanie Deatherage MERCED, Calif. (Aug. 13) – In a word, the IMCA Modified feature in the fourth installment of California IMCA Speedweek presented by Hoppes Motorsports was a thriller. Robby Sawyer collected the $1,000 checkers and 2021 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth by all of half a car length Thursday at Merced Speedway. Sawyer passed Justin Dunn for the front spot on lap eight, during a lengthy green-flag run. A lap 23 caution brought about the only stoppage of the contest and despite a constant barrage of challenges, Sawyer held on by a slim margin to become the fourth different Modified winner in as many Speedweek races thus far. Shane DeVolder hit the line an extremely close second but was penalized two positions for jumping the start and scored in fourth. Bobby Hogge IV was promoted to second and Troy Foulger to third. Dunn completed the top five. Garrett Jernagan extended his Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod streak to four in a row with his latest $750 victory. Dave Pearson and then Cory Hemphill held the lead [Read More]

Braaksma shines at Hancock County’s Night of 1,000 Stars

BRITT, Iowa (Aug. 13) – Another big-time event brought out the best in Ethan Braaksma. Braaksma ran down Richie Gustin in lapped traffic to regain the lead late in Hancock County Speedway’s Thursday Night of 1,000 Stars special, then stayed in front to the $3,000 IMCA Modified checkers. Along with a career-best payday, Braaksma earned a spot on the 2021 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “So many drivers can win these races. The competition is unbelievable,” said Braaksma, already a three-time Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour winner this season. “It’s awesome to be able to come to these big shows and race up front with these guys.” Gustin, who’d won his ‘B’ feature and started the main event from 16th, ended in second. Cody Laney, midway leader Jeff Aikey and Joel Rust completed the top five. Braaksma had started 11th, made the most of the fast lower line in working his way toward the front and was running third at halfway. A good jump on the restart put Braaksma at the front of the [Read More]

DeCarlo dominates Modified main at Antioch, Jernagan continues IMCA Speedweek streak

By Stephanie Deatherage ANTIOCH, Calif. (Aug. 12) – Nick DeCarlo became a first-time winner while the Garrett Jernagan show kept rolling on night three of California IMCA Speedweek presented by Hoppes Motorsports at Antioch Speedway. DeCarlo’s $1,000 IMCA Modified checkers put him on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot while Jernagan banked a third straight $750 Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod winner’s check. Robby Sawyer set the tone early in the Modified main, quick out of the box but getting company up front as the long green flag run developed. DeCarlo hunted down Sawyer, caught him on lap six and took off from there. DeCarlo pulled away from the lead pack after each of three restarts. Bobby Hogge IV gave chase but couldn’t quite catch the leader as DeCarlo, who lined up third on the initial grid, went on to become the third different winner in as many nights of Speedweek. Robby Sawyer ended the race third, Danny Wagner was fourth and Jerry Flippo fifth. Guy Ahlwardt took charge of the Karl Kustoms Northern [Read More]

Speedweek night two sees Foulger pace Petaluma show

By Stephanie Deatherage PETALUMA, Calif. (Aug. 11) – The second leg of the California IMCA Speedweek presented by Hoppes Motorsports saw Troy Foulger parked in victory lane following the Modified main event at Petaluma Speedway. Foulger picked up $1,000 and a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth for the big win atop the 3/8-mile adobe clay oval. The third starting Foulger had been quick to the lead and stayed in front through long green flag action. Lapped traffic did become a factor but Foulger avoided all obstacles on his way to the checkers. Paul Stone again charged out of a “B” feature, started last in the main and rocketed to a second-place result. Night one winner Bobby Hogge IV placed third while fourth went to New Mexico standout Zane DeVilbiss. Veteran Paul Gugliomoni was fifth via a consolation feature. In the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod main event, Garrett Jernagan picked up from where left off from the previous evening This time the Bakersfield driver seized the lead on the initial start, mastered each restart and didn’t [Read More]

Notable firsts, previous race winners among 28 drivers elected to Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational

BOONE, Iowa – IMCA Modified drivers from a dozen states, representing notable first-time competitors as well as previous race winners, have been elected to start the 17th annual Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Kelsie Foley of Tucson, Ariz., becomes the first female driver elected to the All-Star race. Other first-time All-Stars who will take the green flag in the Friday, Sept. 11 spectacular, during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway, are David Goode Jr. of Copperas Cove, Texas, Jake O’Neil, also of Tucson, and Brandon Smith of Bath, N.Y. They’ll be joined on the starting grid by defending race winner Joel Rust of Grundy Center, 2018 winner Hunter Marriott of Brookfield, Mo., 2013 winner Todd Shute of Norwalk, 2011 winner Chris Abelson of Sioux City and 2005 and 2008 winner Jay Noteboom of Hinton. Noteboom will make his career 12th All-Star start, Abelson and Tim Ward of Chandler, Ariz., both their 10th. Calera, Okla.’s William Gould is an eight-time All-Star. Richie Gustin of Gilman, Ricky Thornton Jr. of Adel and A.J. Ward [Read More]

RPM Stock Car Shootout checkers to Zevenbergen

HAYS, Kan. (Aug. 11) – A season that’s already seen its share of career-type highlights saw Elijah Zevenbergen in victory lane again Tuesday night. Zevenbergen held off challenges from Dallon Murty before taking the $5,000 checkers at RPM Speedway’s 1st Class Chassis Shootout for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Murty ran in the top three all 40 laps and stayed alongside or right behind Zevenbergen until taken out of contention by a flat tire on the final circuit. “We wanted to bide our time, conserve our tires and be patient, and it all worked out for us,” said Zevenbergen. “The car was phenomenal.” Abe Huls led the first 24 laps and ended the night in second. Angel Munoz, Jeff Tubbs and Jason Rogers rounded out the top five. The front three of Huls, Murty and Zevenbergen had started putting distance on the rest of the field following a lap five restart as Jesse Sobbing and then Kyle Pfeifer ran in fourth. Zevenbergen finally corralled Huls for the point on lap 25, then swapped the lead with Murty [Read More]

Hogge makes history with Modified win in California IMCA Speedweek opener

By Stephanie Deatherage PLACERVILLE, Calif. (Aug. 10) – Bobby Hogge IV made history on a history-making night for the inaugural California IMCA Speedweek. Placerville Speedway had the honor of opening the first-ever Speedweek event, presented by Hoppes Motorsports and 51 IMCA Modifieds and 36 Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods contended. Hogge earned $1,000 and a 2021 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot nod for his Modified victory while Garrett Jernagan took the $750 Northern SportMod checkers. Polesitter Hogge struck first on the opening lap to beat the field to the wire. Consecutive cautions kept the field bunched up preventing the Salinas standout from developing a large lead and Hogge soon had his hands full with a hard-charging Danny Wagner. Wagner slipped past Hogge on lap six only to lose the lead on the following trip past the flag stand. Hogge reclaimed the front spot and built a decent advantage during long green flag runs. Around halfway, Shane DeVolder applied loads of pressure on the leader and eventually took over the top position on the 21st circuit. However, DeVolder lost [Read More]

Super Tuesday All-Star voting begins

VINTON, Iowa (Aug. 11) – It’s Super Tuesday and voting for the 17th annual Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational voting has begun. Twenty-eight of the 30 IMCA Modified drivers starting the All-Star race, to be held Sept. 11 at Boone Speedway during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s, will be elected today. All voting will be conducted on the IMCA Facebook page with the electronic polls open until 9 p.m. CST. Voters must cast ballots for 10 candidates. The top three vote recipients from each of the five Modified regions are guaranteed starting spots, with their region of candidacy determined by where they made the majority of their IMCA sanctioned starts. The next 13 drivers with the highest vote totals, regardless of region, become All-Stars. Completing the field will be drivers with the top national point total and with the most 40-point feature wins as of Aug. 28 who compete at Super Nationals. One hundred and twenty-three drivers are on the ballot. The Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational pays $1,000 to win. Each All-Star driver [Read More]

Thornton strikes IMCA Modified gold at Park Jefferson’s J & J Fitting Iron Cup

JEFFERSON, S.D. (Aug. 8) – Ricky Thornton Jr. added his name to the list of J & J Fitting Iron Cup champions on Saturday night as the Adel, Iowa, driver invaded Park Jefferson Speedway and left with the famed IMCA Modified Iron Cup along with a $7,000 top prize. The 35-lap feature went green with Cody Laney and Lance Mari making up the front row. The California-based Laney found the top groove to his liking and controlled the race through the mid-point. Thornton became the first driver to find the tacky bottom groove on turn four and passed slowly gained on Laney. A caution flag was all Thornton needed and he powered off the bottom of four to take the lead going into one. Meanwhile, Sioux City Excitement Chris Abelson was mounting a serious challenge and rolled into the second spot. One last caution was enough for Thornton and he pulled away for the 2021 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying victory with Abelson second and Tripp Gaylord in third. A number of drivers had strong runs mid-pack [Read More]

IMCA Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational Super Tuesday voting is Aug. 11

VINTON, Iowa – The Election Day all of IMCA Nation has looked forward to is Aug. 11. Super Tuesday voting will determine 28 of the 30 drivers who start the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational during the upcoming IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. All voting will be conducted that day through the IMCA Facebook page, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. CST. The top three vote recipients from each of the five IMCA Modified regions become All-Stars, with their region of candidacy determined by where they made the majority of their sanctioned starts. The next 13 drivers with the highest vote totals, regardless of region, join the All-Star field. The final two All-Stars will be drivers with the top national point total and the most 40-point wins as of Aug. 28 competing at Super Nationals. The 17th annual Fast Shafts Invitational will be Friday, Sept. 11 at Boone Speedway. Any driver(s) who believes they should be on the following list of candidates should contact IMCA as soon as possible so their All-Star status can be [Read More]