Feature Archives

McGaha, Tucker, Green are gold on opening night at Abilene Ice Breaker

ABILENE, Texas (Feb. 14) – Josh McGaha and Gabe Tucker made return trips to victory lane at Abilene Speedway, while Derek Green won in his first-ever outing at the Texas speedplant on opening night of the Ice Breaker. Multi-time track champion McGaha scored IMCA Modified career win number 92 Friday night while Tucker’s checkers were his Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod career 113th. Minnesotan Green, meanwhile, led all 32 laps of the Prelude To The Tour feature for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, contended by nearly 80 drivers. The checkers were his IMCA career 91st. Most recently the winner of Abilene’s 2019 season-ending Ryan Bard Memorial Southern Challenge, McGaha started from the pole, chased Mark Carrell across the stripe after the first lap and then went to the bottom for the lead on lap two. Jason Wolla settled into second on lap five. Carrell and Jesse Sobbing tussled over third following a lap 12 restart with Sobbing eventually getting the upper hand. Mike Hansen and Carrell completed the top five as McGaha pulled away to win by half [Read More]

Two titles for Thornton, Kuehl reigns over IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour SportMods

TUCSON, Ariz. (Feb. 15) – Ricky Thornton Jr. wrapped up two titles with feature victories while Brady Bjella became a first-time winner and ever-consistent Taylor Kuehl earned an IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour championship of her own Saturday at USA Raceway. Thornton led all but the first of 25 IMCA Modified main event circuits and all 20 times around the track in the IMCA Sunoco Stock Car feature. Alex Stanford was scored first on the opening lap of the Modified finale, but Thornton drove by in the first set of turns on lap two. He caught up with the back of the field on lap nine and led Stanford through traffic from that point. The race ran caution-free and Thornton avoided potential late drama with a nifty high side pass of two lapped cars. The $2,000 victory was Thornton’s second straight at Tucson, third of the tour and already Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying fifth of the season. Stanford was second and Drew Armstrong held off Jake O’Neil for third. Chaz Baca started 13th and [Read More]

Thornton is double winner, Becerra takes first IMCA Arizona Tour checkers at Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. (Feb. 14) – Ricky Thornton Jr. was a double winner while Austen Becerra collected his first IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour checkers Friday at USA Raceway. Thornton won for the fourth time in five IMCA Sunoco Stock Car Tour starts, before outrunning Jeff Taylor and Alex Stanford for another IMCA Modified victory. In between those two features, Becerra rocketed from eighth starting to top the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod main. He passed Clay Erickson and Brady Bjella following a lap 14 restart, then led to the finish. “I thought I had a third place car ‘til I got to lapped traffic,” the Carthage, Ill., charger said post-race. “But it worked out pretty good for us. It was good to click one off here.” Becerra had sandwiched fourth- and third-place finishes around a pair of 21st place showings in his four prior tour outings. His win was good for $750. Bjella and Bo Partain were one-two in the early going. Erickson owned the second spot after a lap four restart while Becerra motored along in [Read More]

Arneson chased, challenged, but not caught in Casa Grande IMCA Modified tour main event

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Feb. 11) – He was chased and he was challenged, but Casey Arneson was never caught in Tuesday night’s Arizona Dirt Track Tour main event for IMCA Modifieds at Central Arizona Speedway. Two thousand dollars richer for his efforts, the North Dakota pilot led all 25 laps, challenged by Drew Armstrong and Jake O’Neil through midway, then chased across the stripe by 14th starting Alex Stanford and 17th starting Jeff Taylor. Multiple cautions made for slow going over the first five circuits before a lengthy green flag run. Arneson, already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, and O’Neil had been working traffic when the yellow returned on lap 16. Ricky Thornton Jr., then Stanford ran in second from that point but neither could reel in Arneson. ‘B’ feature winner Taylor made his way to third with five laps left. Thornton held off Zachard Madrid in winning his third of four tour starts and second straight at Casa Grande. The sixth starting Madrid reeled in Thornton but couldn’t make his next-to-the-last-lap bid for the [Read More]

Baca, Thornton, Thompson get tour wins in Sunday afternoon show at Central Arizona

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Feb. 9) – Chaz Baca, Ricky Thornton Jr. and Cody Thompson all raced to second wins in their respective divisions, in the third IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour event of the weekend. Baca led the way to the $2,000 IMCA Modified checkers while Thornton collected the $750 IMCA Sunoco Stock Car checkers Sunday afternoon at Central Arizona Speedway while Thompson returned to Casa Grande for another impressive Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod victory, also good for $750. After a rough start to the 25-lapper, Baca led the distance in the Modified main. Already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, he was chased every time around the track by Tim Ward while Thornton made his way from 17th starting to third before a lap 14 caution. The race stayed green to the finish from that point. Thornton, Jeff Taylor and Casey Arneson rounded out the top five. Back-to-back yellows just after midway were all that slowed Thornton in his drive to the Stock Car win. Brendon LaBatte, Zachary Madrid, 10th starting Arron Hetrick and Chanse [Read More]

Thornton, Hollatz, Thompson are Night 2 IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour winners

SAN TAN VALLEY, Ariz. (Feb. 8) – Ricky Thornton Jr., Chanse Hollatz and Cody Thompson all took another step up on the podium Saturday at Arizona Speedway. Each had been runner-up in IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour features on opening night, then turned in checkered flag performances on night two at San Tan Valley. Thornton reeled in Drew Armstrong to win the IMCA Modified main event and $2,000. Hollatz dominated from the start of the 20-lap IMCA Sunoco Stock Car headliner and Thompson got the best of Tyler Soppe and Brian Osantowski in the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod show, which also paid $750 to win. After two early cautions, Armstrong led the first 16 laps of the Modified main with Thornton and Friday winner Chaz Baca close behind. Thornton, already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot, was anything but shy about running the extreme top side of the oval before he slid inside Armstrong on the second set of turns and led the last nine times around the track. Baca stole the second spot [Read More]

Baca gets best win in Arizona Dirt Track Tour opener for IMCA Modifieds at San Tan Valley

SAN TAN VALLEY, Ariz. (Feb. 7) – A driver who’s already been busy racking up feature wins this season had a career highlight victory to talk about following the IMCA Modified feature on opening night of the IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour. Chaz Baca got the best of Ricky Thornton Jr. in the $2,000 to win main event Friday at Arizona Speedway. The quick-paced 25-lapper at San Tan Valley ran caution-free and saw the front pair work through heavy traffic before Baca edged ahead and beat Thornton to the stripe by half a second. “That was the most exciting race I think I’ve ever run. It’s a big deal to run with Ricky Thornton like that,” said Baca, already on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “It was definitely the best win I’ve ever had … Holy cow, that was exciting.” Baca and Thornton, both two-time track champions at Arizona Speedway, started on the front row, with Baca just ahead when the first lap was scored. Defending tour champion Thornton was the leader on lap [Read More]

First Junior National Champion standings posted on IMCA website

VINTON, Iowa – The first Junior National Champion point standings have been posted on the IMCA website. Drivers ages 13-18 racing in any of the eight IMCA divisions are eligible to compete for the inaugural title, which will be determined based on their best 20 finishes out of their first 40 starts. Drivers must purchase a 2020 competitor’s license and submit required minor release forms to be eligible. “No points will be awarded to non-members or to any driver who has not submitted a correct minor release form,” emphasized IMCA President Brett Root, “nor will points be awarded retroactively.” The Junior National Champion gets a trophy, ring and jacket, and will take their turn at the podium speaking during the IMCA banquet in November. All top 10 drivers in Junior National Champion point standings receive $500 scholarships applicable toward their post-high school education in the first year of the program. Individual scholarship funds will accumulate over multiple seasons and be paid out at one time. Point totals for all drivers vying for the Junior National [Read More]

Baca, Noll notch Winter Challenge wins while Duggins is double winner at Canyon

By Tony Steele PEORIA, Ariz. (Feb 1-2) – Chaz Baca raced to his second Winter Challenge feature win Saturday while at Canyon Speedway Park while Jason Noll took home the Sunday IMCA Modified checkers. Both main events at Peoria paid $1,250 to the winners and both Baca and Noll were already Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot candidates. Alex Stanford looked to have the opener in hand before Baca made a late challenge for the lead. Baca closed a large gap, making his move in turn one after the white flag flew to the inside of Stanford. As the leaders raced off turn two, Baca edged ahead on his way to take home the trophy for the second time in as many weeks. Stanford was second, ahead of Ryan Roath. Justen Yeager paced the Sunday show, battling hard through traffic until Noll drove inside and took hold of the top spot as lap 17 came to a close. Noll led the final nine laps en route to the win ahead of Yeager and Zachary Madrid. Andy [Read More]

Arizona IMCA Dirt Track Tour primed for Feb. 6-15 run

SAN TAN VALLEY, Ariz. – With three successful tours in as many years, the fourth annual IMCA Arizona Dirt Track Tour will boast half a dozen $2,000 to win, minimum $150 to start IMCA Modified events Feb. 6-15. IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods both race for $750 to win Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7-8 at Arizona Speedway; Sunday and Tuesday, Feb. 9 and 11 at Central Arizona Speedway; and Friday and Saturday, Feb. 14 and 15 at USA Raceway. “With the addition of the IMCA Stock Car division, we felt it was important to rebrand the tour with a name that reflects all the divisions that will be joining us for the 2020 edition and beyond for the 10-day traveling series,” series promoter Jonah Trussel said of the former Arizona Mod Tour. “Our longstanding partnership with IMCA, as well as the addition of Speed Shift TV coming on as our broadcast partner has given us the ability to pay a little more money per night along with adding some bonuses that [Read More]