Feature Archives

James tames Willamette for career first Wild West Shootout checkers

By Ben Deatherage LEBANON, Ore. (June 29) – Night number seven of the Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout belonged to Bricen James. The Albany speedster gained the lead near midway and led to the $1,000 checkers Friday at Willamette Speedway, earning his tour career first victory and a berth on the Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. Rob Mayea made his first start with the series and got to the front on the initial green. Mayea was mighty fast while leading but unfortunately got caught up with a lapped car on the 13th circuit. Although Mayea retained the lead due to not stopping, his car was sustained enough damage to take him out of contention for the victory. On the restart, James blazed past Mayea and officially took over first place on lap 14. James tried to separate from the rest of the field but a handful of contenders gave chase. The race started intensified as lapped traffic came into the picture in the last laps. James kept all challengers in check to become the sixth [Read More]

Deery Series makes 50th visit to 34 Raceway

WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa – 34 Raceway celebrates the Big 5-0, then gets an early start at celebrating Independence Day next Tuesday. The Deery Brothers Summer Series makes its 50th visit to West Burlington on July 3. Touring IMCA Late Models chase a top check of $2,000 with a minimum of $300 paid to start the main event. 34 Raceway was the site of the first-ever IMCA Late Model tour event, won by hometown driver Jay Johnson on April 11, 1987. The series has since traveled to West Burlington more often than any other track in its 31-plus years, with the single event record of 71 entries set there in 2006. Thirty-one different drivers have won Deery features at 34, the most recent of them Nick Marolf of Moscow on opening night of the 2017 series. “It’s an important milestone coming up on Tuesday, for IMCA and the Deery Series as well as 34 Raceway,” noted Tour Director Kevin Yoder. “34 was a fixture on the series schedule for so many years. It’s is always great [Read More]

Williamson becomes first to repeat in Wild West Shootout

By Ben Deatherage BANKS, Ore. (June 27) – The driver with the most Wild West Shootout career wins to his credit became the first repeat winner in the 2018 IMCA Modified tour Wednesday at Sunset Speedway Park. Four-time and defending champion Jesse Williamson topped the Banks show, and earned $1,000 for his career 12th victory. He’d also won on June 25 at Cottage Grove Speedway. John Campos seized the top spot at the drop of the green flag and remained in front until lap five, when Bricen James made it around him. James had the car to beat but unfortunately suffered mechanical issues while under caution on lap 22 and Campos inherited the lead. Williamson made the crucial pass on Campos on lap 27 to become the third different leader of the race. He stayed in front to the finish to win for the fourth time at Sunset Speedway Park. Campos was second followed by Ethan Dotson. Collecting fourth was Grey Ferrando while fifth went to Collen Winebarger. Feature results – 1. Jesse Williamson; 2. [Read More]

Hurst gets best of Benton County Deery Series foes

VINTON, Iowa (June 28) – It wasn’t that long ago Jeremiah Hurst wasn’t sure about his future in racing. On Thursday, he was in victory lane telling all about his Deery Brothers Summer Series win at Benton County Speedway. “This is awesome. It’s my first win since my heart attack (last July). It seems like we have a lot of seconds,” said Hurst, most recently runner-up in back-to-back IMCA Late Model tour events last month at Quad City Speedway and Boone Speedway. “It feels really good to be able to win tonight.” Boone had been the site of Hurst’s last Deery win, during the 2002 IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s. His career first tour win had come the previous September at 34 Raceway. “There was a time when I didn’t know if I’d be racing,” Hurst said. “This is my second year racing for Ken Roberts and it’s the best thing that’s ever happened for me.” Hurst took home $2,000 for the Benton County fair victory. The checkers came a full second [Read More]

Late race heroics lift Dotson to CGS Wild West Shootout checkers

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (June 26) – Ethan Dotson rolled the dice and came up a $1,000 Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout winner Tuesday at Cottage Grove Speedway. Four-time and defending tour champion Jesse Williamson quickly got to the front at the start of the main event and looked to make it two straight wins at the famed quarter-mile oval. Williamson set a rapid pace and seemed to be the class of the field before an extremely long green flag run brought lapped traffic into the mix. Danny Lauer reeled in Williamson and looked to challenge, but couldn’t quite get underneath the leader. A lap 33 caution regrouped the field one last time. On the restart, Williamson went to the bottom to keep Lauer in check. Dotson, however, gambled on the high side. Williamson and Dotson were side-by-side at the line coming to the white flag and battled it out on the final circuit. Dotson managed to motor his way in front and secure the top spot on the exit of turn two. Already on the Fast [Read More]

Defending champion is fourth different Wild West Modified Shootout winner

By Ben Deatherage COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. (June 25) – The latest installment of the 2018 Wild West IMCA Modified Shootout ended with the fourth different winner in as many events. Four-time and defending tour champion Jesse Williamson topped Monday’s feature at Cottage Grove Speedway. The $1,000 victory was his tour career 11th and third at Cottage Grove, and came despite the best efforts of challenger Bricen James. The new Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot candidate seized the early lead and took off right from the get-go. Williamson was tracked down and passed on lap 14 by James, who lost the lead to Williamson on the following circuit. Shortly after a lap 21 restart, James made a pass Williamson again and the battled hard the rest of the way. Williamson regained the coveted top spot on lap 26 and held off James at the line for the victory. James was followed across the stripe by John Campos, “B” qualifier Grey Ferrando and Curtis Towns was fifth. Forty entries from five states and Canada necessitated three consolation features. The Wild [Read More]

Dates determined for two Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational voting sessions

BOONE, Iowa – Dates have been announced for two voting sessions to elect 28 of the 30 starters in the upcoming Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. Three drivers from each of the five regions for IMCA Modifieds will be elected in polling conducted between July 23 and 26; another 13 advance from an at-large pool of the next 25 top vote recipients between July 30 and Aug. 2. All voting will be conducted through the IMCA Facebook page. One hundred and nineteen drivers (listed on page 10 of this month’s newsletter) are already vote eligible for the 15th annual Invitational, to be held Sept. 7 during the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s at Boone Speedway. The final qualifying event will be the July 19 Arnold Motor Supply Dirt Knights show at Knoxville Raceway. “We will notify All-Star drivers the day after each round of voting is completed and confirm they are attending Super Nationals,” said IMCA President Brett Root. “Four-day voting periods are planned again this year because of the time needed to [Read More]

Potential IMCA Modified payoff tops $5,000 at Hogan Memorial

VINTON, Iowa – The winner of one of the longest-running special events for IMCA Modifieds could earn more than $5,000 for their pre-holiday efforts. Benton County Speedway in Vinton hosts the 24th annual Hogan Memorial on Tuesday, July 3. The Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying main event pays a minimum of $2,333 to win. Fifty dollars will be paid to the leader of each of the feature’s 50 laps with an increased bonus of $450 plus a new Hoosier G-60 tire going to the leader when the race is stopped at halfway. The feature is also a Harris Dash at the Clash qualifier. In addition, the Hogan pays $983 for second, $808 for third, $683 for fourth and $558 for fifth. Minimum start money is $283. Also on the program are IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars running for $1,000 to win and Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods and IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks, both for $750 to win. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, regional and Iowa State points will be awarded. Stock Cars, Hobby Stocks and [Read More]

Format familiar, Super Nationals online registration new

BOONE, Iowa – The weekly format for America’s Racin’ Vacation will look familiar. It’s the process of pre-registering for the 36th annual IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals fueled by Casey’s that will be different. Late Models following the Deery Brothers Summer Series return to the Labor Day program at Boone Speedway for the Sept. 3-8 Super Nationals. Sport Compacts run their complete program on Tuesday, Sept. 4. The Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational is Friday, Sept. 7 while races of champions and main events for the Modifieds, Stock Cars, Northern SportMods and Hobby Stocks all are on the final day program Sept. 8. “It is fitting that Late Models crown the first champion of Super Nationals,” said IMCA President Brett Root. “It’s been a couple years since they’ve run on opening night at Boone. I’m sure the fans will appreciate having them back on Monday night.” Beginning this year, drivers in all divisions except the Late Models competing at Super Nationals must pre-register online. (The form for pre-registration can be found HERE). Drivers who do not [Read More]

Eagle Raceway primed for sixth annual IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Nationals

EAGLE, Neb. – IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Car teams from across the country will head to Eagle Raceway for the Aug. 30-Sept. 2 RaceSaver Nationals. The sixth annual event concludes with a $2,500 to win, $1,250 to start main event. Entries are again expected to surpass the 100 mark for the biggest RaceSaver show of the season. “The growth of not only the RaceSaver division itself but the participation at RaceSaver Nationals is something to behold,” said Eagle Promoter Roger Hadan. “The car count continues to surpass any other Sprint Car race in the country and the number of fans who come to America’s Home Track every Labor Day Weekend grows annually as well.” Drivers can go to the www.eagleraceway.com website to pre-register and receive a free, reserved pit stall now, at a cost of $15. Registration after Aug. 23 is $50 and does not include a pit stall. All RaceSaver Nationals drivers must be licensed IMCA members and are required to have competed at a minimum of three IMCA sanctioned RaceSaver events prior to the Labor Day Weekend. Qualifying features [Read More]