Feature Archives

Jake Bubak became a first-time RaceSaver Nationals champion, leading the last six laps of the $2,500 to win main event Sunday night at Eagle Raceway. (Photo by Joe Orth)

Bubak sprints to IMCA RaceSaver Nationals crown

By Greg Soukup EAGLE, Neb. (Sept. 6) – A driver who’s been a contender became a champion Sunday night at Eagle Raceway. Jake Bubak led the last six laps in winning the eighth annual RaceSaver Nationals at America’s Home Track, after finishing third, third and fourth the last three years. Along with the $2,500 top prize, Bubak repeated in taking the $1,000 to win Jake Ita Memorial Race of Champions on Saturday night. Nearly 90 teams vied at the biggest IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car event of the season. Bubak’s win came from outside the second row of the three-wide start. “I didn’t mind starting in the second row, I just didn’t want to start in the middle,” he said. “But as I told another racer ‘It’s the same for everybody’ so we just go along with it. We moved up fairly quickly, and towards the end it was kind of attrition. Joey (Danley) ended up bouncing and then spinning out and then Ethan (Barrow) breaking that wheel center was really unfortunate.” “We had a great weekend for [Read More]

Mike Nichols moved to the top of IMCA’s all-time wins list with his career 558th IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature win on Sept. 3 at Abe’s U.S. 30 Speedway in Columbus, Neb. He is pictured in victory lane with wife Anita. (Photo courtesy of Abe’s U.S. 30 Speedway)

Nichols hustles to IMCA record 558th career win

COLUMBUS, Neb. – Mike Nichols couldn’t recall many of the details of his first IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature win.He’ll remember everything about his latest. Nichols won for the 558th time in his IMCA Sunoco Stock Car career at Abe’s U.S. 30 Speedway in Columbus, Neb., becoming IMCA’s all-time wins leader with the Sept. 3 checkers. It was the latest accomplishment for the most decorated driver of the sanctioning body’s modern era.“Everything you do is special in its own way,” said Nichols, now running for his ninth national championship. “Everything is its own accomplishment. When I’m in a nursing home years from now, this is something I’ll be able to talk about.”From Harlan, Iowa, Nichols has averaged better than 29 wins a season since 2002, with an IMCA record-tying 54 in 2016. He also owns more than 40 career track championships, another IMCA-best total, with at least one track title to his credit every season except one in the past 19 years.”“To be consistent for such a long time is remarkable, especially in a Stock Car, which [Read More]

Jayden Schmidt

He’s got a career-best 14 feature wins and two track titles to his credit, long with a big lead in the state points race. But the cherry on top of Jayden Schmidt’s Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod season would be be qualifying for Saturday’s main event at the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. Seventeen years old and a senior at Seymour, Wis., High School, Schmidt got his first look at Boone Speedway when he pulled into town on Sunday. He was comfortable wheeling his way around Iowa’s Action Track and ready to get down to the serious business of winning Monday’s 16th heat. “I’ve driven on similar tracks so I’m used to corners like they have at Boone,” he said. “I know the competition here is very good. My goal is to make the show on Saturday, then I’ll be happy.” Sixth in current national standings and a contender for the Junior National Champion honors as well, Schmidt learned the racing basics in go karts before moving to the SportMod class. He’s got some time yet [Read More]

Jerry Hunt

A Michigan driver who made a long-awaited return to victory lane last weekend hopes to see his new streak continue this week at Boone Speedway. Jerry Hunt earned the IMCA Modified win at Thunderbird Raceway over the weekend, along with $1,000 and a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot berth. He made the tow to Super Nationals with son Mitchell, a third generation driver who was elected to start the upcoming version of that race. Hunt was retired for more than three years before getting back on the track during the Fourth of July Weekend in a GRT by S & S Motorsports ride bought from Shawn Bearce. “My son is my best competition. The tables have turned and now I’m learning from him,” said Hunt, especially proud to see Mitchell race his way into the Big Dance two years ago. “I’m going to give it my best this week. I know we’re going to be up against the best of the best . We’re going to see what happens.”

Missouri duo credits tough competition back home after winning Super Nationals Cornhole Tournament

BOONE, Iowa (Sept. 6) – Many a Super Nationals champion has credited the tough competition they face weekly in helping earn titles won at Boone Speedway. The latest to do so are Winston, Mo., brothers Jakub and Kristchon Hisel, aka Team Cornhub, champions of Sunday’s expanded Scorezit Cornhole Tournament. Late entries into the second annual tourney, the pair didn’t lose until the first championship round game, then came back to beat the Sioux City Baggerz duo of Keith Sanders and Byron Johnson 21-8 in the 115th and final game of the tournament. Cornhub took home a $603 top prize while the Baggerz earned $474. A Hobby Stock driver, Kristchon comes to Boone for the first time to race while Jakub helps crew. “We play quite a bit in our home town league,” said Jakub, noting that some of those Northwest Missouri Baggers are the pros you watch toss on ESPN. “We’re average around home.” The BSD team of Gregg Hamman and Tyler Smith finished third and took home $316 while fourth place and $158 went to [Read More]

IMCA releases event plan for Super Nationals

BOONE, Iowa – For the 33rd consecutive year, IMCA plans to successfully hold Super Nationals at Boone Speedway and intends to do so this year following all State of Iowa disaster proclamations in place at the time of the Sept. 6-12 event. Grandstand capacity will be reduced by 50 percent with every other row in the seated main grandstand marked off; the seated grandstand on the pit side will operate at a reduced capacity as well. All spectator traffic on the catwalks will be made one-way. Spectators will not be allowed to stand two-deep and race teams will be encouraged to watch only events involving their driver to reduce the number of people on the catwalks. In addition, it is recommended everyone on the catwalk wear a face covering; officials reserve the right to require access to the catwalks to those having a face cover. To further promote social distancing, a number of activities have been scaled back or eliminated entirely, including what would have been the 31st annual golf tournament. Also canceled were activities in the [Read More]

100th IMCA Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights checkers fly at Benton County for Berry

VINTON, Iowa (Aug. 30) – After taking the checkers, Tom Berry took time to appreciate his latest accomplishment at Benton County Speedway: Winning the Sunday night Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights tour feature. Berry, in the hunt for the IMCA Modified national championship, led all 30 laps in winning the 100th event in tour history. He became the 45th different winner in tour history by taking the 2020 finale checkers at Vinton. “It means a lot to us to win the 100th Dirt Knights event. It’s awesome to get this win tonight and our 20th win of the season.” Berry said following the convincing run to the checkers. “This is a bullring and the lapped traffic made it a little hairy, but this was a win we needed and it feels good to get it.” The $1,000 victory put Berry on the ballot for the 2021 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. He’d won five times previously this season at The Bullring. Berry had drawn the outside pole start and had Troy Cordes and Jeff Aikey in tow when he caught [Read More]

IMCA Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour makes history with 100th event Sunday at Benton County

VINTON, Iowa – Another chapter in IMCA Modified history will be written on Sunday, when the Speed Shift TV Dirt Knights Tour comes to Benton County Speedway. The 100th event in tour history will be held at Vinton, the track where the IMCA Modified division first raced more than 40 years ago. Winner of three of the first six Dirt Knights events this season, Ethan Braaksma is poised to become the 11th different champion in as many years the tour has been held. The Aug. 30 feature pays $1,000 to win and is a qualifying event for the 2021 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and racing follows 6 p.m. hot laps. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods are also on the card, in $500 to win features. There are no entry fees for the draw/redraw show. Grandstand admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and ages 6-14, and free for five and under. Pit passes are $30 for adults and $15 for ages 14 [Read More]

Guaranteed to be the biggest and best: All roads lead to Eagle for 8th annual RaceSaver Nationals

EAGLE, Neb. – What’s guaranteed to be the biggest and the best Sprint Car event of the season plays out Sept. 3-6 at Eagle Raceway. One hundred-plus IMCA drivers from 15 states are already entered in the eighth annual RaceSaver Nationals, each of them making the trip with the goals of making the 27-car field and ultimately taking the $2,500 checkers. “The quality of the competition speaks for itself. Winning the RaceSaver Nationals title has quickly become an accomplishment that every driver wants on their resume,” said promoter Roger Hadan. “RaceSaver Nationals is also an event that’s just fun to be part of, whether you’re a driver or a fan, and I think that’s what really makes it special.” Qualifying heats for the $1,000 to win Jake Ita Memorial Race of Champions follow pre-tech and practice on opening night on Thursday. Nine cars advance from $700 to win qualifying features on Friday and Saturday. Last-chance races complete the Sunday, Sept. 6 main event grid. Stuntman Dr. Danger, also known as The American Daredevil, performs during intermissions [Read More]

Richards sails to 141 Captain of the Creek checkers

FRANCIS CREEK, Wis. (Aug. 20) – The win was great. His daughter’s reaction to finding the presentation check propped up against her bedroom door the next morning was even better. Kenny Richards started 13th, took the lead following back-to-back restarts just past midway and then outran a field of Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod heavy hitters in taking the $5,000 Captain of the Creek checkers Thursday at 141 Speedway. The big win came in a Jack Jones Dump Bar and Grill ride Richards hadn’t seen before qualifying started the night before. Jones and brother Jerry, the Two Old Guys Race Team, adjusted the pedals and steering wheel and Richards took it from there. “I had my fingers crossed we would even make it in. Then I hoped for a top 10. I wanted the bottom two feet (of the track) and we hit that like 49 of the 50 laps,” he said. “I knew when we were in the top 10 that we had a shot at the top five.” Colby Fett led the first 21 [Read More]