Feature Archives

Ricketts kicks off season with Sprint Car checkers on opening night at Kennedale

KENNEDALE, Texas (Feb. 27-28) – John Ricketts was the winged winner while Jay Bransom made two trips to victory lane on opening night of Kennedale Speedway Park’s Spring Kick-Off. Ricketts used the fast lower line to pass George White for the lead in Saturday’s IMCA EMI RaceSaver Sprint Car headliner. Logan Payne eked ahead briefly before Ricketts fought back for the $1,000 victory. Bransom was a perfect 4-for-4 on the night, winning both his heat races and the Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car features. The fifth-starting Ricketts worked his way to the front just after midway in the Sprint Car 20-lapper. Payne chased him to the checkers, followed by Kyle Jones, White and Marcus Thomas. “I couldn’t have asked for any better start to the season than this,” Ricketts said. “I found good bite on the low side and was able to drive past him (White). Lapped traffic also helped.” “There was an issue later going into three when I got held up by another car and Logan got ahead [Read More]

Thornton captures Desert Classic loot

By Lonnie Wheatley PEORIA, Ariz. (Feb. 27) – Another Arizona Differential Desert Classic victory put another $5,000 in Ricky Thornton Jr.’s travel account Saturday night. Thornton was first when all 40 laps of the main event for Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds were scored at Canyon Speedway Park. Ryan Ruter was briefly in front following a lap 29 restart but Thornton regained the lead, worked his way through heavy lapped traffic and beat Ruter to the checkers by most of eight car lengths. “I didn’t get a good restart but luckily I was able to drive by him out of (turn) two,” Thornton said. “I knew he wouldn’t be able to keep momentum going down the back straightaway.” Also the winner of Friday’s second Twin Twenty qualifying feature, jumped into the lead at the outset of the Saturday show. The first of just two yellows in that contest came on lap 22 and Thornton answered with his fastest lap time on the following circuit. Tim Ward, Ryan Gaylord and Cody Laney, winner of the first [Read More]

IMCA Late Models added to six Friday shows at Marshalltown

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (Feb. 26) – The Friday night lights shine on IMCA Late Models six times this season at Marshalltown Speedway. Late Models tackle the ¼-mile dirt oval on June 10, July 1 and Aug. 5, 12, 19 and 26 in $600 to win events. “When we brought the Late Models back for three events last year, the interest level and the enthusiasm were crazy,” promoter Toby Kruse said. “We’re trying to give fans more of what they want by bringing them back this season.” A track champion will be crowned and IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National and Allstar Performance State points awarded. A pro-rated point fund will be paid; the Iowa State Fairgrounds Speedway at Des Moines is off all six nights Late Models are scheduled at Marshalltown. The Deery Brothers Summer Series makes its annual visit to Marshalltown on Tuesday, June 7, along with the Hawkeye Dirt Tour for Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds. That will be the first time those series have raced on the same night at Marshalltown. “It will [Read More]

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings Through Feb. 25

Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds – 1. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz., 466; 2. Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz., 431; 3. Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo., 426; 4. Lance Mari, Imperial, Calif., 403; 5. Jason Noll, Peoria, Ariz., 348; 6. Ryan Gaylord, Lakewood, Co., 348; 7. Anthony Roth, Columbus, Neb., 344; 8. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 337; 9. Brian Schultz, Casa Grande, Ariz., 335; 10. Paul Stone, Winton, Calif., 297; 11. R.C. Whitwell, Tucson, Ariz., 274; 12. Michael Jergens, Plover, Iowa, 272; 13. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif., 259; 14. Brent Schlafmann, Bismarck, N.D., 240; 15. Cody Laney, Torrance, Calif., 223; 16. Shawn Strand, Mandan, N.D., 200; 17. Justin Zeitner, LaVista, Neb., 188; 18. Marlyn Seidler, Underwood, N.D., 187; 19. Russell Allen, Brawley, Calif., 165; 20. Collen Winebarger, Corbett, Ore., 163. IMCA EMI RaceSaver Sprint Cars – 1. Chad Wilson, North Richland Hills, Texas, 40; 2. Marcus Thomas, Corsicana, Texas, 39; 3. Joshua Hawkins, Whitehouse, Texas, 36; 4. Bryan Debrick, Irving, Texas, 34; 5. Tucker Doughty, Heath, Texas, 31; 6. Robert Vetter, Wolfe City, Texas, 29; 7. Regan [Read More]

Northern SportMods make splash at Central AZ, division’s Arizona Speedway debut set for March

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – After a successful weekend debut for the division at Central Arizona Speedway, promoter Jonah Trussel is looking for more of the same when Karl Chevrolet Northern SportMods race for the first time at Arizona Speedway next month. A high of 20 and an average of 18 IMCA-sanctioned Northern SportMods ran during the Feb. 19-21 Snowbird Classic at Casa Grande. Opening night at Apache Junction will be March 19. Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds also run at both venues. “We have had an X-mod division for a long time and told drivers in that class two years ago that we’d be switching to Northern SportMods this season. We started the conversion last July,” Trussel said. “Nobody wants to spend more money than they have to and this division is a great way to even out the playing field. Everyone is happy with the situation.” Car counts for the X-mods were around 20 last year. Encouragingly, most of the Northern SportMods entered in the Snowbird Classic were home state cars and to back [Read More]

Thornton sweeps Snowbird IMCA Modified features

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (Feb. 19-21) – Three Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified feature wins in as many nights resulted in another first for Ricky Thornton Jr. Thornton swept Snowbird Classic features at Central Arizona Speedway, topping $1,000 to win events Friday and Saturday and then taking the $2,000 checkers on Sunday. “We’ve had a couple weekends where we’ve won the first two nights but not the third,” said Thornton, already an eight-time winner this season and a qualifier 11 times over for the 2016 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot. “This was definitely the best weekend we’ve ever had.” Thornton earned the pole start for Sunday’s main event by topping the heat winners’ dash. He led the feature from green to checkered despite the best efforts of R.C. Whitwell, who pulled alongside on several occasions but was unable to complete the pass. Whitwell had to settle for second, with Jeff Taylor, Jason Noll and Tim Ward next across the stripe. Clearing traffic more quickly proved the key to Thornton’s win on Friday. He beat pole starter [Read More]

Wojtek is Friday night IMCA Modified hero at Ice Breaker

ABILENE, Texas (Feb. 19-20) – Fred Wojtek broke the ice with his career first Ice Breaker win Friday at Abilene Speedway. Wojtek moved from eighth to fourth for an early restart, took the lead on the fifth circuit and led to the end of the Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modified 20-lapper. A single caution interrupted the second half of the race as he pulled away to win by half a straightaway. “Finally … it was a good start to the season,” said Wojtek, $700 richer for his efforts. “The last two years I’ve been second in points here. Hopefully, this year I can get the championship.” Cody Davis, Chris Bragg, Justin Cass and Justin Shaw completed the top five. Matt Guillaume became the Saturday Modified winner when the apparent first- and second-place cars were disqualified in post-race tech, both for illegal brake systems. “We’ve had a lot of luck at the Ice Breaker and won the Stock Car race (the Ryan Bard Memorial Southern Challenge) here last fall,” Guillaume said. “We were gifted this one.” [Read More]

$5,000 is top IMCA Modified check at Canyon’s Desert Classic special

PEORIA, Ariz. – Canyon Speedway Park’s Desert Classic moves to an early-point season date in 2016, with a top prize of $5,000 for Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds on the line at the Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26-27 special. The Desert Classic feature pays a minimum of $300 to start and is a Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot qualifying event. The entry fee of $100 will be payable at the gate. IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National, Larry Shaw Racing Western Region, Allstar Performance State and local track points will be awarded. Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 5 p.m. Hot laps follow the 5 p.m. drivers’ meeting at racing starts at 7 p.m. Spectator admission is $18 for adults, $6 for kids ages 7-13 and free for six and under. Pit passes are $30 for members or $35 for non-members. An open practice runs from 7-10 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 25. More information about the Desert Classic is available by calling 602 258-7223, on Facebook and at the www.canyonspeedwaypark.com website.

IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing National Point Standings Through Feb. 18

Xtreme Motor Sports IMCA Modifieds – 1. Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz., 346; 2. Lance Mari, Imperial, Calif., 338; 3. Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo., 335; 4. Tim Ward, Chandler, Ariz., 328; 5. Paul Stone, Winton, Calif., 297; 6. Brian Schultz, Casa Grande, Ariz., 266; 7. Ryan Gaylord, Lakewood, Colo., 262; 8. Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif., 259; 9. Anthony Roth, Columbus, Neb., 243; 10. Chaz Baca, Mesa, Ariz., 242; 11. Jason Noll, Peoria, Ariz., 237; 12. Cody Laney, Torrance, Calif., 223; 13. Brent Schlafmann, Bismarck, N.D., 188; 14. Collen Winebarger, Corbett, Ore., 163; 15. R.C. Whitwell, Tucson, Ariz., 159; 16. Nick Deal, Walnut, Iowa, 157; 17. Brian Mullen, Seymour, Wis., 139; 18. Steve Simpson Jr., Kingman, Ariz., and Garth Dushanek, Red Deer, Alb., 137; 20. Russell Allen, Brawley, Calif., 130. IMCA EMI RaceSaver Sprint Cars – 1. Chad Wilson, North Richland Hills, Texas, 40; 2. Marcus Thomas, Corsicana, Texas, 39; 3. Josh Hawkins, Whitehouse, Texas, 36; 4. Bryan Debrick, Irving, Texas, 34; 5. Tucker Doughty, Heath, Texas, 31; 6. Robert Vetter, Wolfe City, Texas, 29; 7. [Read More]

Wilson works lapped traffic, survives brush with backstretch wall to win Smackdown at Lone Star

By Darin Short KILGORE, Texas (Feb. 15) – Running in lapped traffic much of the way kept Saturday’s Sprint Smackdown at Lone Star Speedway a challenge for Chad Wilson. That contact with the backstretch wall at midway made the season-opening event for IMCA EMI RaceSaver Sprint Cars even more interesting for the defending national champion. Wilson started from the 25-lapper from the pole, lost the lead briefly to Marcus Thomas and then rallied to take the $1,200 checkers, winning the Smackdown for the second straight year. “Getting this win was a really good way for us to start the season,” he said. “We got into lapped traffic really quick early in the race but it was easy to pass the first 12 laps. After the caution it wasn’t as easy. The track started to take rubber and it was a lot harder to get through lapped traffic.” The only caution of the contest came on the 15th circuit. Wilson had already worked his way back to the front at that point, despite a nasty brush with [Read More]